Sleeper02Z06 in T1... Memphis Results...
03-19-2006, 07:20 AM
#1
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
Sleeper02Z06 in T1... Memphis Results...
I know Joe has been busy and is right now on his was to drop his car off with PHonenix, so I'm posting an update for Joe.
He drove for the very first time at Memphis last Friday during the practice session. Joe trashed one of his rear tires at the end of qualifying on Saturday morning and the sidewall was separating from the inner carcous on the Kumho. He was using some used scrubs to do his practices and qualifying. Joe wasn't to worried about placement on the course, so long as he didn't bend the car in qualifying and placed reasonably well, so he wasn't on his expensive tires... This was a regional race, which gets him NO points for national ranking, so why push it, right?
Well as luck would have it, one of our very own GAVE Joe a set of wheels and tires to drive on after that little episode. Hopefully Joe will post his screen name, but I thought he said the name was Dave P. He and Joe had been chatting in the off season and Dave knows Joe is on a real Shoestring budget...
Well as it would happen, Joe qualified well for the first race, finished FIRST in class and 2nd overall.
I keep tellin' you guys the boy can driver.
Sunday came and Joe qualified on the pole. Start comes around and Joe gets a bit excited, as starting the race from the pole puts a heap of pressure on you and this is his very first time ever doing this... As luck would have it, for the first time in over a decade, Joe misses a shift going from 2nd to 3rd, and bends something in the drivetrain. He soldiers on to recoup as two fast GT1 cars get by while Joe works to get the car back up to speed, and then settle into a rythme.
About 2/3rd of the way through the race Joe is lapping much slower traffic, and he's got room between himself and the 2nd place T1 car, when passing an RX7 Joe tucks to the inside of the RX7's Driver's side door, the guy cuts across at the apex and drives into Joe's nose with his door... Needless to say, this rattles Joe. He gets on the radio with his wife/crewchief/best friend in the world and she calms him and settles him down. He wants to come in to check on damage, and she wants him to stay out. He's in front, the damage is done, and not yet causing a problem with the car or the officials, so she talks him through it. And he stays out, finishing 1st in class, 3rd over all... Two races, Two wins.
So now the car is going to Phoenix to sort out the drive train issue. They don't think it's in the motor as the vibration goes away completely when he shoves in the clutch pedal and coasts. Sounds like something in the torque tube or the tranny according to Joe. Joe's not real concerned about the body damage as it's just the nose plastice and a little crack in the fendr. The RX7 didn't fare so well...
Sounds like Joe's got a real good shot at making the run-offs. Unfortunately our Division is chock full of T1 cars, so Joe will have to make the top 10%. I believe that won't be an issue. The boy can drive, and with Rhonda in the pits working the radio and pit row, I think he'll be just fine. I was concerned about them coming into this season, and I wanted to be with them for this venture, but starting my own company has really taken a hit on my time. I hope to be with Joe and Rhonda for one or two of the races this year, and maybe more. We'll see...
What's amazing is I used to teach Joe the line around an autoX course about 12 years ago when he was a 19 year old kid. Does my heart good to see him doing so well and chasing his dreams.
Good Luck Joe! Make us proud!
Mike
He drove for the very first time at Memphis last Friday during the practice session. Joe trashed one of his rear tires at the end of qualifying on Saturday morning and the sidewall was separating from the inner carcous on the Kumho. He was using some used scrubs to do his practices and qualifying. Joe wasn't to worried about placement on the course, so long as he didn't bend the car in qualifying and placed reasonably well, so he wasn't on his expensive tires... This was a regional race, which gets him NO points for national ranking, so why push it, right?
Well as luck would have it, one of our very own GAVE Joe a set of wheels and tires to drive on after that little episode. Hopefully Joe will post his screen name, but I thought he said the name was Dave P. He and Joe had been chatting in the off season and Dave knows Joe is on a real Shoestring budget...
Well as it would happen, Joe qualified well for the first race, finished FIRST in class and 2nd overall.
I keep tellin' you guys the boy can driver. Sunday came and Joe qualified on the pole. Start comes around and Joe gets a bit excited, as starting the race from the pole puts a heap of pressure on you and this is his very first time ever doing this... As luck would have it, for the first time in over a decade, Joe misses a shift going from 2nd to 3rd, and bends something in the drivetrain. He soldiers on to recoup as two fast GT1 cars get by while Joe works to get the car back up to speed, and then settle into a rythme.
About 2/3rd of the way through the race Joe is lapping much slower traffic, and he's got room between himself and the 2nd place T1 car, when passing an RX7 Joe tucks to the inside of the RX7's Driver's side door, the guy cuts across at the apex and drives into Joe's nose with his door... Needless to say, this rattles Joe. He gets on the radio with his wife/crewchief/best friend in the world and she calms him and settles him down. He wants to come in to check on damage, and she wants him to stay out. He's in front, the damage is done, and not yet causing a problem with the car or the officials, so she talks him through it. And he stays out, finishing 1st in class, 3rd over all... Two races, Two wins.
So now the car is going to Phoenix to sort out the drive train issue. They don't think it's in the motor as the vibration goes away completely when he shoves in the clutch pedal and coasts. Sounds like something in the torque tube or the tranny according to Joe. Joe's not real concerned about the body damage as it's just the nose plastice and a little crack in the fendr. The RX7 didn't fare so well...
Sounds like Joe's got a real good shot at making the run-offs. Unfortunately our Division is chock full of T1 cars, so Joe will have to make the top 10%. I believe that won't be an issue. The boy can drive, and with Rhonda in the pits working the radio and pit row, I think he'll be just fine. I was concerned about them coming into this season, and I wanted to be with them for this venture, but starting my own company has really taken a hit on my time. I hope to be with Joe and Rhonda for one or two of the races this year, and maybe more. We'll see...
What's amazing is I used to teach Joe the line around an autoX course about 12 years ago when he was a 19 year old kid. Does my heart good to see him doing so well and chasing his dreams.
Good Luck Joe! Make us proud!
Mike
Last edited by Mikelly; 03-19-2006 at 05:59 PM.
03-19-2006, 05:27 PM
#3
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Member Since: Oct 2004
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St. Jude Donor '07
Congrats Joe! Sounds like buckeye Dave helped him out-I've not yet met him but he sure sounds like a classy guy...
I was dying to see Joe run at Summit-but as luck would have it I'll be outta town. Oh well, good excuse for a road trip to watch him somewhere else.
Sounds like his crew cheif did a hell of a job too!
I was dying to see Joe run at Summit-but as luck would have it I'll be outta town. Oh well, good excuse for a road trip to watch him somewhere else.
Sounds like his crew cheif did a hell of a job too!
03-19-2006, 10:23 PM
#4
Burning Brakes
Member Since: Feb 2005
Location: Up in front.... At the finish line.....
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Thanks for the writeup and the kind words Mike, I appreciate it! This week has been busy, but I have a little time now. I'll post up the weekends events in another thread! And yes, the car is at Phoenix right now, I simply don't have the time at this point in the season to troubleshoot it myself. Joe A. and his guys will take care of me, he and his shop are a class act!!
Joe
PS -- Updates and pics on Over1G! Check it out!
Joe
PS -- Updates and pics on Over1G! Check it out!
03-20-2006, 06:13 AM
#5
Le Mans Master
Good going, Joe! Man, that's fantastic. Keep the pedal to the metal! We're pulling for you!
