NASA Blackhawk pictures
#6
Race Director
Wow post a picture of the place melting on Sunday. It sure was hot there today!
#10
Race Director
A slow video of the track for those that don't know it.
http://vimeo.com/6037821
It was blazing hot and my car was overheating so I had to run it slow. I also need better cooling for such a short track. I stay plenty cool at Road America but there's much more high speed airflow there.
http://vimeo.com/6037821
It was blazing hot and my car was overheating so I had to run it slow. I also need better cooling for such a short track. I stay plenty cool at Road America but there's much more high speed airflow there.
#11
Not sure if the guy in the black 003 TTS car is on here, but I spotted you on I80 going west through Iowa City Sunday. Hope you and the car made it home in one piece...central/western Iowa had some crazy weather Sunday afternoon and night.
#12
Instructor
Member Since: Jan 2004
Location: Neshkoro Wis
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Quack Quack Blackhawk
Thanks for the pictures Lee. The #53 car is me. Well, here it goes boys and girls….Geff, Debbie, Joel, Haski & the grandkids loaded up and headed for Blackhawk Friday afternoon. The guy at the front gate of Blackhawk Friday evening said a chance of rain Friday night but good weather for Saturday and Sunday! We heard the pitter patter of showers about 2:00 a.m. with a torrential downpour several minutes later. It slowed up some but rained steady until 10 or 11:00 a.m. My first TTS session after lunch on Saturday I ran a 1:17 and my last session of the day I ran a 1:16.2 about a second off the track record I set in June. I’ll lay the blame on the HEAVY air so less horsepower. We had two races on Saturday. Race one I qualified second fastest in the rain, was # 18 on the grid for some reason, and started like 45th because I was late to grid. The sun had come out about noon so we had a dry track and I had a blast working through the field, finishing 11th. For the 2nd race we were gridded based on where we finished the 1st race so I started 11th and finished 6th basically lapping all but the first 5 cars. Now for Sunday….ran a 1:16.5 in TTS in the 1st timed session and that held for the day…damn heavy air!! I think I was about car #8 on the grid for the race and got a good jump at the start moving to about 6th…this is where the fun starts…approaching turn 3d, a sharp right followed by a dogleg left which is followed by a left hand sweeper…a Rustang went off track on the left at 3d and about where the dogleg left is, got back on the track….STOPPED!! I had maybe a millisecond to formulate a plan and came to the conclusion….rather than hit him I will try to get by on the right. With the track turning to the left, and me with my right tires in the grass, you might guess where this is going. I thought I had it made when……the rear of the car switched places with the front and I had a GREAT view of the rest of the field approaching. I wasn’t in any real danger from the field because the folks behind me had a little more time to reduce speed and they all made it through safely. Meanwhile….I am sliding along thinking…In a spin both feet in… and just hoping whatever stops me isn’t real solid. Along comes a tire wall, and with all the rain we had the last couple days, it was just like landing in a pond. Don’t ask me how I know. I watched the entire field go by, got the car started, and yes…it still drove!!! Oh yeah, one more thing….my wife, daughter, and grandkids were sitting in the bleacher right on the other side of the wall. Did Grandpa give them a show! The car felt OK but I pulled into the pits so Joel could get a look at how bad things were and LUCKILY it appeared to be cosmetic…only a crack in the rear fender. I was a half lap down while parked in the tire wall…lost a full lap by going into the pits as opposed to passing the timer on the track side of the wall and ended up finishing 6th overall!! As we were making the half lap from the checker flag to the exit of the track it started raining and soon was pouring again. Sorry for no video but I just ran out of time so didn’t get the camera in the car. What coulda been… Anyhow, I had a great weekend and things ended very well considering. GO NASA, HOOSIER, AND HAWK!!!
#13
Race Director
I think that was the spin that I had such fun watching. He turned about three lazy circles while sliding through the grass. I was paddocked nearby with the white C4. I did see your little helpers. My three year old daughter likes to help with the car too. "What's this, how come, why, why, why, can I do that" etc.
#14
Melting Slicks
Member Since: Sep 2003
Location: If you don't weigh in you don't wrestle Road America
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Hey even rain tires need there pressure checked!! I can't tell you how soaked I was Sat. morning!
Besides the weather we had a really good weekend, anyone that has ever been to Blackhawk knows it's surrounded by swampland and with 90+ degree heat following the rain it was a steamy sauna for sure.
Besides the heavy air both cars ran well, it just seemed like the track was a little slick, I know it was oiled down on Saturdays second race, but both cars were about 1 second slower than the June event.
Now it's time to get the cars ready for the trip to Nationals.
Joel
#15
Instructor
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Location: Neshkoro Wis
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Wow.....just to show how memory works....my bride informed me, after reading my post, that I was all wet (no pun intended). In fact, the Rustang was still actually sliding as I went by and continued across the track and into the same tire wall I ended up in!! ANOTHER GREAT REASON TO HAVE VIDEO AT ALL TIMES. Just goes to show...the Ford products can't even catch a Vette when they take direct aim.
Hey Aardwolf...you comparing your three year old to Joel or my grandkids?????
Hey Aardwolf...you comparing your three year old to Joel or my grandkids?????
#16
Race Director
No not Joel! That slide was a good show. At one point I went by and you were changing a cracked rotor and a young boy was asking why it was cracked. Reminded me of working on my car with my daughter around. At least she has now stopped trying to work on the side of the car with a screw driver!