Final USTCC Race Report, Infineon, 9NOV08
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Final USTCC Race Report, Infineon, 9NOV08
FINAL RACE REPORT INFINEON 9NOV08
In some ways, this is the most difficult Race Report to write. My feelings at the moment are bittersweet. I am proud of my accomplishments in my first season, but sad that it is over. My Mini was outclassed all year by the Chevy Cobalt and Dodge Neon SRT4 turbo cars and by the Spoon Racing Acuras, but patience and perseverance have put me on the podium - third place in points for the season in my rookie year.
After the warm up lap on Sunday we lined up on the grid. When the flag dropped I pulled the wheel to the right and followed Rich Peterson’s Mini up the right hand side of the track and past the RX8 who was being held up in the middle of the pack. McColligan was right on my left shoulder through Turn 2 but began to drop back by Turn 3 and as I slid the car up and over the hill, he was in my mirrors. By the time I accelerated through Turn 5 he was gone and I never saw him again. Good start. I managed to keep the pack in sight much longer this time and made it harder for following cars to pass me. On the third lap Angelo Zucchi passed me on the main straight in one of the Spoon Acuras. The next time around he somehow failed to turn up the hill at the end of the straight. I saw his car go straight off the track at Turn 1 at well over 100 mph, charge up the hill, go airborne at the crest, catch a wheel on the fence and tumble headfirst into the grandstand, ripping off the roof and scattering parts everywhere. Norm and some of the REME Mini owners were up there and saw it happen. They were spattered by dirt kicked up by the crash and the grandstand looked like it had taken an artillery round, but luckily no spectators were hurt. Angelo has a spinal injury but the prognosis is good. The car is junk. And just like that the race was over after 4 laps. I finished 7th.
The final season tally for me is:
• One podium finish – third place at Thunderhill in August
• Two DupliColor Top Rookie awards
• 2008 USTCC Rookie of the Year
• Third in total points for the 2008 season
• Mini was just edged out of the Manufacturers’ Championship at the last event and finished second.
I have enjoyed writing these reports for my sponsor MiniMania this season and hope you have enjoyed sharing the experience with me. There is no way to determine quantitatively whether these Race Reports have been good for MiniMania’s business or not, so if you’d like to see them continue into next season, please take a few minutes and drop an email to don@minimania.com and tell him why. Remember to keep the shiny side up, stay on the black stuff and above all, be safe and have fun.
For the complete Race Report and a video of the race, please drop by the blog of my sponsor MiniMania at http://newmini.wordpress.com/
In some ways, this is the most difficult Race Report to write. My feelings at the moment are bittersweet. I am proud of my accomplishments in my first season, but sad that it is over. My Mini was outclassed all year by the Chevy Cobalt and Dodge Neon SRT4 turbo cars and by the Spoon Racing Acuras, but patience and perseverance have put me on the podium - third place in points for the season in my rookie year.
After the warm up lap on Sunday we lined up on the grid. When the flag dropped I pulled the wheel to the right and followed Rich Peterson’s Mini up the right hand side of the track and past the RX8 who was being held up in the middle of the pack. McColligan was right on my left shoulder through Turn 2 but began to drop back by Turn 3 and as I slid the car up and over the hill, he was in my mirrors. By the time I accelerated through Turn 5 he was gone and I never saw him again. Good start. I managed to keep the pack in sight much longer this time and made it harder for following cars to pass me. On the third lap Angelo Zucchi passed me on the main straight in one of the Spoon Acuras. The next time around he somehow failed to turn up the hill at the end of the straight. I saw his car go straight off the track at Turn 1 at well over 100 mph, charge up the hill, go airborne at the crest, catch a wheel on the fence and tumble headfirst into the grandstand, ripping off the roof and scattering parts everywhere. Norm and some of the REME Mini owners were up there and saw it happen. They were spattered by dirt kicked up by the crash and the grandstand looked like it had taken an artillery round, but luckily no spectators were hurt. Angelo has a spinal injury but the prognosis is good. The car is junk. And just like that the race was over after 4 laps. I finished 7th.
The final season tally for me is:
• One podium finish – third place at Thunderhill in August
• Two DupliColor Top Rookie awards
• 2008 USTCC Rookie of the Year
• Third in total points for the 2008 season
• Mini was just edged out of the Manufacturers’ Championship at the last event and finished second.
I have enjoyed writing these reports for my sponsor MiniMania this season and hope you have enjoyed sharing the experience with me. There is no way to determine quantitatively whether these Race Reports have been good for MiniMania’s business or not, so if you’d like to see them continue into next season, please take a few minutes and drop an email to don@minimania.com and tell him why. Remember to keep the shiny side up, stay on the black stuff and above all, be safe and have fun.
For the complete Race Report and a video of the race, please drop by the blog of my sponsor MiniMania at http://newmini.wordpress.com/
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