Congrats on finding a secound Randy, can you put it down to any one thing or is it a multitude of things.

When are you out next testing / racing

 

Sounds like a good test! Good luck in the race...

Probably a dumb question but are you redlined going down the straights?

 

The improvement was in the suspension. We have been working hard on the shocks. I also credit the Cusco diff. The full throttle mid-turn understeer was much better this year.

We are NOT at red-line. The cars don't have the HP to push the cars beyond +/- 140 MPH because there is too much aerodynamic drag. It is one of the few tracks where we use 6th gear. Grand Am does not allow any gearing changes so we are stuck at those numbers.

We ran against a strong headwind on the back stretch all three days so there is probably a little improvement to be had on a calm day.

As of this morning there are 59 cars signed up . . . 29 ST and 30 GS.

The race is on Jan 23rd and it will be televised on tape delay. No broadcast date yet.

Randy

 

Opening a thread for the Daytona "Fresh from Florida" Koni Challenge Race.

January 23rd on the 3.5 mile banked oval and road course.

196 = Owen Trinkler and Jade Buford
197 = Randy Smalley and Joe Toussaint
198 = Adam Burrows and Trevor Hopwood

We will be paddocked in the Nationwide Garage area. The paddocks are open to the public. Please stop by and say hello.

We will have the 'RSR Getaway' pinball machine on display and set on free play. Come try your luck. The daily high score will win a team shirt!

Also . . . we will debut new car graphics at this race.

Randy

 

All right, Randy! Best of luck to the RSR Team in 09!

Hope we can do that Lime Rock/GrandAm/RSR Promo again this year - we should plan earlier this time!

 

Hopefully I'm there!

 

Grand Am has been complaining that the three cars are so similar in appearance that they can't tell them apart in Timing and Scoring . . .

So . . . I designed new ones. The cars will have three different color themes. BLACK, WHITE and YELLOW. The base color will still be Red.

Here is the #197, themed in Black. Hope you like them.

Randy

 

For comparison . . . here is the artist rendering of the #198

 

It looks fast!!!!

 

Me like!!

 

Randy, the new colors look great! All I can say is that sdmidget (Steve) is

going to be one busy guy with the quick detailer this year Hope to see

you at Mid-Ohio.

 

YUP!!!

 

Graphics look great!

Is that a new side exhaust in the pic?

 

Any TV coverage to speak of this year.

Damn...wish you guys raced in an ALMS support series. Then I'd come see you live.

 

Randy, Looks great! Do you have the teams 2009 schedule dates posted somewhere?

 

Ask and you shall recieve . . .

http://www.grand-am.com/koni/schedule/

 

http://www.grand-am.com/koni/schedule/

http://www.grand-am.com/koni/teams/team.cfm?tid=1511

www.rsrmotorsports.com

www.cruiseamerica.com

 

Niiiiiiiice new graphics! So, the GrandAm timers are visually challenged? Always good to know. I guess the 196 will be a yellow based color sceme ?

Looking good and fast! Are you testing at Daytona this year?

 

Thanks Randy!

 

What is up with GrandAm's trend towards splitting classes?

I think it makes the racing much less interesting, and don't see any benefit to spectators for doing this. I stopped watching Rolex when they started splitting the DPs and GTs. The racing got very boring, IMHO.

 

They are promising us at least 7 televised races this year . . . we shall see.



They will be shown on SPEED. Use 'Grand Am' or 'Koni' as a key word on your TIVO or DVR and the races should auto record.

. . . or, watch these threads and I will keep everyone updated.

Right now they are not showing a date for the Daytona race. It will be on SPEED. I just think the Grand Am site has not been updated.

 

We prefer split classes because we get better TV exposure. Most combined races tend toward over-coverage of the GS class. The ST class is typically a closer and more exciting contest. There are more of us and the level of competition is tighter.

Also, the GS cars typically don't give us the respect we deserve. They kill us on the straights . . . we kill them in the corners. Those knuckleheads can't seem to comprehend how much deeper we can brake.

There are always a few 'exciting' corners as we arrive at the same place at the same time.

Randy

 

Thanks for the explanation. As a spectator I did not enjoy seeing the DP/GT split in Rolex, but I can see where you prefer it in Koni. I'll watch when you race. I enjoyed what I saw last year.

My wife and I are big fans of ALMS. We've been attending Sebring, Road America, and Petit Le Mans the past several years.

 

Sebring is one of my favorite tracks but I have never raced there. Some day . . .

How do you like your your '09 JCW?

 

Sebring is a great event. This will be our third consecutive year. I'm looking forward to the debut of the new M3 this year. Check my sig for the photos of the last two years.

I have really enjoyed the JCW a lot so far. I plan to get it to the track for the first time in April. This weekend I'm installing the strut brace. I have to admit, though, that sometimes I really miss the E46 M3 it replaced. The MINI is a great car, but just not in the same league, IMHO.