Race Day @ RA...

[NismoZ]

...and I'm back home! By design, all is well:thumbup:...but I'd like to mention a couple of things before watching the FS1 broadcast this afternoon. First: Earl Bamber. Enough said? I guess if you shoot up the Porsche Ladder, get "The "Call" then just win Le Mans in one of those 919s, you are allowed to break the GTLM track record at RA! Geez...not hard to spot THAT talent. Been a long time since I've had to brave the rain at a racetrack. It was GREAT...just find a concession stand overhang to stand under with an elevated view of turns 6-7-8 and the carrousel, then watch through the headlights and spray! Not hard to tell who is swimming fastest! The sound of that RSR is just jaw-dropping! Bamber was an easy pick as the fastest through that section. That was Friday practice in the rain so no surprise he claimed the pole on Saturday. The Corvette boys better be on their game! Good times at RA...still! (PS...notice a NISMO 370Z :thumbup:wins the CTSCC...besting those new GT350R-Cs and the class leading Camaros. Austin Cindric is in one of those new Mustangs and IS the real deal ...and looks ALL of the 16 (17?) years old he is! Tim can be proud.)

[opinionated ow]

I've watched a few of those Continental Tyres races this year and I have to say they're cracking races. The rules they have seem to work pretty well although I hate the segregated starts. WTF is with that?

[NismoZ]

Probably a safety concern...42 cars at just about any OTHER track they run on is too many. 42 cars on some of those tracks means when the green falls, a good portion of the grid is in a corner somewhere or can't even SEE the green flag wave. At RA it's not a corner but a HILL that keeps the flag from view. A few years ago there was a SPECTACULAR multi-MULTI car pileup at the Brian Redman Vintage races. Cars crested the brow of the hill under full acceleration and just piled into the wreck! Some VERY expensive old race cars got crunched up that day! I THINK for some groups the rule now is no passing until you reach the flag stand(?) ...might have been just a suggestion. (Check the flying start on YouTube: Kirk Blaha-Group 8 The HAWK at Road America. Insanity!:eek: If there was a rule, he did NOT follow it!:laugh: One of the best race vids I have seen...HD Go Pro stuff. You can see individual pebbles in the track and the sound from his '71 BRE 240Z is music ...to MY ears, anyway. Watch the whole video if you can...what a heartbreaking finish!:()

[opinionated ow]

It must be an American thing. I've never seen it done anywhere else in the world

[SteveH]

The hill leading up to the start is quite steep. Much more than it looks on TV, TV tends to flatten everything. Used to sit on the hill overlooking T6 and could see the cars as they went up that hill. Loved seeing the acceleration up the hill at the start of the CART/ChampCar races there.... damn it. :irked:

[NismoZ]

And Bamber is a KIWI!!:p How come I never heard of him until he ARRIVED? What did he race down there...before he was "discovered"?

[opinionated ow]

And Bamber is a KIWI!!:p How come I never heard of him until he ARRIVED? What did he race down there...before he was "discovered"?

NZ Formula Ford, Aus F3, Formula BMW Asia, Formula Renault Asia, GP2 Asia, A1GP, Carrera Cup Asia, Porsche Supercup.

he raced Petit Le Mans last year too

[NismoZ]

I KNEW I was talking to the right guy!:D...Let's see, that's SIX open wheel series and a couple of Porsche cups? Hmmmm. I DO recall him at Atlanta last year at the Petit and remember thinking...wow! I think I know how you MAY feel...like many of us seeing excellent "o w" and road racing talent scratching for rides in NASTRUCK/CAB?:irked:Maybe he'll lead a Porsche "return to INDYCAR" effort some day!?:rofl:... or F-1!:eek: