<VV> Corvair Racing, Corvairs win the day!

[Dennis Pleau]

Did Janet get pictures of you running?

dp

-----Original Message-----
From: virtualvairs-bounces at corvair.org
[mailto:virtualvairs-bounces at corvair.org] On Behalf Of Rick Norris
Sent: Sunday, October 21, 2012 5:43 PM
To: virtualvairs at corvair.org; fastvair at yahoogroups.com
Subject: <VV> Corvair Racing, Corvairs win the day!

We rolled in the door at 7 PM this evening from VIR.
We stayed to watch David make his run.

My session in Group 2 was on track at 9:50 AM after a 1 1/2 hour enduro for
Group 9, ECR 2. That was a good thing as it allowed more time for the sun to
warm the track and those guys to Squeegee and dry the track for us. There
was a slight delay from the appointed time while they repaired the tire wall
from the first race.
 We rolled out on the pace lap and when the green flew it was a fair start
except for one FP Fiat 124 Spyder who locked up the brakes at the end of the
front straight and went off taking out several brake zone markers. Another
car that was behind him went right off with him. Been there, almost did
that! Again my car would not rev past five grand until a few laps in but
still not much more. This made me change my driving style as I was short
shifting but, it was in the good torque range. I was trying to pass a couple
of Mazdas or something. I never looked that close. I could catch them in the
corners and especially in the climbing esses but didn't have the revs to
pass so, I just waited. I saw the lead car was using a lot of brakes and
smoking the tires trying to keep his buddy from passing. I figured it was
just a matter of time until they would fade. It happened in the Nascar turn
when he went in too hot, locked them up and went straight off with his buddy
right on his tail.
  I couldn't see thru the cloud but went left to avoid them. Two more I
didn't have to worry about.
Out of 27 cars I placed 12th over all and 4th in EP! Gotta love attrition...
I ran consistent if slow and the car handles great as it always has. My best
lap time on the full 3.27 course was 2:30.163.
Compare that with the winner who was turning a 2:11.421 in a 97 BMW Z3! He
lapped me like I was parked!

Then came David. I will let him tell his tale in detail but, after the
broken crank pulley episode which, he got fixed was a good one.
He got out on the track and made the pace lap then, it was too long until he
made the next pass. Coming down the hill we could not hear his engine. He
drove it around to the paddock saying the belt was off. We ran back to his
truck, got a belt and Barry was feverishly installing it. I realized we did
not spray it with silicone so, I ran (yes, I RAN) back to my trailer and
returned with a can and hosed the pulleys down, fired up and back out on the
track five laps down. He needed to go back out and finish because with only
one other SPU car in the class which had already broke he knew he could win
1st place which, he did.

So now the VIR curse is off two of us. Yeah Michael, we missed you.

It was a fantastic week end with great weather, good friends and racing
Corvairs. Ya'll shoulda been there.

Rick Norris
#36 Sunoco Corvair
www.corvairalley.com

Ps. I'll have photos up later but, neither one of us has a video. Operator
error in both cases.