SKS

" To dumb for opera, to smart for Nascar". I think it's a real shame the fastest cars at the Glen are 30 years old!! The GTP's where doing the full course at 1:39's, very good drivers, but not Kendall, Shupan, Bell or Donahue either.

NASA racer

cars are very expensive and owned by very rich guys who spend more time making that money than driving race cars so you see the most awesome racing machinery running at a pace that would put them at the back of the grid in an SCCA race.

Now, obviously nobody wants to wreck these cars (though they do that plenty often due to the lack of experience) but I find it pretty frustrating to watch an F1 car turn Formula Ford lap times.

jons355

The fastest cars at the Glen are only about 10-12 years old. The official track record at the Glen (long course) was set in 90 or 91 by Dan Gurney's Toyota GTP car driven by John Paul Jones and Fangio II (think it was a 1:40 something). As recently as last year some of the LMP cars were running 1:43's (Weaver and Leitzinger).

This past year some guy with one of Schmacher's Benneton F1 cars from 94 set an unofficial lap record in practice of a claimed 1:31 but couldn't get below a 1:35 in the race.

FYI: Even the average drivers in GTP cars at the Glen this past weekend were doing 1:45's and that is way faster than any FF or for that matter any SCCA car. FA record is 1:47 and a FF car does it in 2:00 flat.

I have watched some vintage racing and you would be surprised at how fast some of the folks are in those cars.

Regards,

Jon
95 F355C
88 M5
98 SRF

jyoteen

and apparently, his neighbor in the back owns a 79 F1 Ferrari race car. My friend was walking by the guy's garage when he saw the Ferrari and started chatting with him.

Apparently, this guy does take it out on the track, but says it's a "handful". hehehe. Must be nice.

SKS

(I assume) the owner got out. He was doing 1:50's+ . 1:40 is very fast! The Glen appears to limit cars with mechanical gripe to around 2:00, you need areo to get quicker. I hope they get the IRL deal!!

Alpha7

I didn't get pictures of the carnage at the end of Saturdays GTP qualifier. But 2-3 other cars were flatbedded off the track and in much worse shape. The english mechanic told my Dad this this would be a ~$25K repair and luckily they have the body panel molds.
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NASA racer

Havent seen any posts about races recently.

John/TSR

Double...long course Saturday, short course Sunday. You haven't been up to play in your plastic pig, and we're feeling hurt. My plastic pig is waiting in the trailer, nice and shiny as I washed all the Mid-Ohio spooey off of it last night.

Was at the Glen last Sunday. Wandered around looking at Chevrons, checking out rear spring installations on 65 Shelby Mustangs, and taking attendance. Watched a guy roof an MGB in the Collier Cup race before lunch...got wiggly in the Downhill Left and bit the rail on the outside...ouch. Only saw one real 'race'...in the big banger group a silver 71-75 (?) Camaro and a white Vette roadster actually were going at it pretty good. Nice to see vintage racers actually running close and fierce.

Watched the GTP guys run from my normal beer-drinking/spectating spot on the hill behind the Heel of the Boot (T8). I got the fast guy at 1.40.xx on my wristwatch, but that was only for a lap or two...then he slowed into the 1.42-1.43 range. Stinkin fast, by any measure.

Soooo....will I see you on the grid this Saturday morning ? Last thing I heard was that we've got at least 20-25 SRF's to play with.

jons355

Third baby arrived June so my racing schedule is limited this season. I did one Regional in April, and a National in August and will do a season endeding Regional in October.

I am finally keeping up with the fast guys. When I started last year I was consistently 2 seconds a lap slower, sometimes 3 seconds if it was a National.

My two races this season the gap has been 1 second or less.

Best finish so far has been a 5th place at a Regional and 9th at a National (weak field).

I still have a lot to learn but it's coming !

The plan originally (before we knew a third baby was on the way) was to do two seasons in SRF and then move of to FM/FF/FC. I will do one more season in SRF next year since this was a limited race year. I will likely do half Nationals and half Regionals.

Next season I will run 10-13 races and I am sure that will make a huge difference in lap times and results.

Regards,

Jon

jons355

John,

Will have to wimp out again !! I was at the Glen Labor day with FCA and will be back again October 1st and 2nd for Trackmasters (you instructing?).

I wanted to go last weekend to see the SVRA races as well but couldn't talk the wife into either watching the little critters another weekend or having them come along for two straight weekends of racing/cars.

This weekend the I have to paint our house (boy that'll be exciting).

My plan next year is to do the MARRS Glen Regional in July and the September double regional so we can trade some paint then (if not at the front of the grid maybe when you lap me).

It' still mind boggling that you guys run 2:13's at the Glen and all the Ferrari boys and girls with their 400+ toys can't break 2:15-2:20. Hell I just got down to 2:08 in the 355 C with Karson's help.

Have you talked to him lately. He sold the 355 and was carless at the Labor day event.

Some schmuck gave him ten laps in a 2000 spec Trans Am Jaguar and Matt now has a permanent grin on his face. He's buying on over the winter.

Hope you can make it out to Trackmasters. Maybe you can get me down to 2:05 or 2:06. Karson holds the record at 2:05.

Cheers,

Jon