Lime Rock May 28th 2011
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Coordinator :: RSR Motorsports Forum
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From: Arizona
Lime Rock May 28th 2011
Lime Rock is next. We race at 10:30 on Saturday. There will be NO TV coverage for this event.
Driver lineup:
195 Dicky Riegel and Matt Plumb (RumBum #13 driver in GS)
196 Ron Farmer and Jason Hart
197 Randall Smalley and Chris Puskar
198 Sarah Cattaneo and Owen Trinkler
This a powerful lineup and should make for exciting racing.
The 198 is now a solid second in points only 3 behind the APR VW 171.
Lime Rock is an old school fast track and very Mini friendly. Lap times will probably be around one minute.
Hope to see you there!
Randy
Driver lineup:
195 Dicky Riegel and Matt Plumb (RumBum #13 driver in GS)
196 Ron Farmer and Jason Hart
197 Randall Smalley and Chris Puskar
198 Sarah Cattaneo and Owen Trinkler
This a powerful lineup and should make for exciting racing.
The 198 is now a solid second in points only 3 behind the APR VW 171.
Lime Rock is an old school fast track and very Mini friendly. Lap times will probably be around one minute.
Hope to see you there!
Randy
6th Gear
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 4,163
Likes: 399
Randy,
I saw the VIR Continental race yesterday, and wish to offer my heartfelt support and congratulations from a couple of angles.
First, thank you for fielding this team of excellent cars and drivers - it give me joy to see the marque campaigned so successfully.
Secondly, during a brief interview I learned of your recent story and your determination to advocacy for others who face a similar critical challenge in their own lives. For this sir I salute you from the bottom of my heart.
Please count me as a dedicated fan of RSR's efforts in all regards.
Sincerely,
Charlie
I saw the VIR Continental race yesterday, and wish to offer my heartfelt support and congratulations from a couple of angles.
First, thank you for fielding this team of excellent cars and drivers - it give me joy to see the marque campaigned so successfully.
Secondly, during a brief interview I learned of your recent story and your determination to advocacy for others who face a similar critical challenge in their own lives. For this sir I salute you from the bottom of my heart.
Please count me as a dedicated fan of RSR's efforts in all regards.
Sincerely,
Charlie
Hey...If anyone is interested in going to this weekends Conti race @ LRP, and you happen to be a veteren - you get in free! No joke.... 
Secondly, during a brief interview I learned of your recent story and your determination to advocacy for others who face a similar critical challenge in their own lives. For this sir I salute you from the bottom of my heart. [/quote]
Randy...I hear ya about bladder cancer - my dad had it. Cancer free for about two years now!
Secondly, during a brief interview I learned of your recent story and your determination to advocacy for others who face a similar critical challenge in their own lives. For this sir I salute you from the bottom of my heart. [/quote]
Randy...I hear ya about bladder cancer - my dad had it. Cancer free for about two years now!
BTW...if anyone is going to the CONTI race @ LRP this weekend and you happen to be a veteren, past or present - you get in free! No joke....
Just bring your I.D. card or discharge form (DD214).
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Great race for RSR today with 2nd place for the #195! Could of been better had a Miata not taken out the (then) leading #198 with 12 laps to go... 
That was some accident...too bad no TV coverage. Didn't know Miatas could barrel roll and fly like that!
That was some accident...too bad no TV coverage. Didn't know Miatas could barrel roll and fly like that!
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Coordinator :: RSR Motorsports Forum
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From: Arizona
Wrap up
An exciting but disappointing day for team RSR.
Dicky Riegel and Matt Plumb combined for a 2nd place podium in a very exciting finish. Matt Plumb and Tom long in the #25 Mazda Miata waged a tremendous battle for 1st over the last 10 laps . . . The Mazda won and two factors combined for this result.
The Mini is suffering from the RPM limit imposed by Grand Am which limits our top end speed. The Mazda has shed 85 lbs due to rule changes this year. The Mini's were untouchable at Lime Rock with the sole exception at the end of the main straight where the RPM limit stopped us like we hit a wall.
Despite this handicap, Owen had passed Tom Long's teammate, Andrew Carbonell, in the #26 Miata with about 25 laps to go. Each lap, Owen would lead Andrew down the front straight with a substantial lead which would close rapidly as they approached turn one. It was a classic driver's dual and had everyone on their feet. The Mini's were heading to a 1-2 or 1-3 finish. It was going to be a Mini/Mazda sandwich.
Then . . . carnage as Carbonell ran into the driver's rear of the 198 Mini. Both cars spun at +130 MPH locked together until they slid to the grass where the Miata dug in and flipped into the air landing on the roof of Owen's car. The Mini roof was covered with tire marks. The Miata fell off to the left and barrel rolled down the guard rail. Both cars were done.
Both driver's are OK but Carbonell went to the hospital for observation. It was ugly and it was unnecessary. The Miata is a total write off and the 198 Mini is out for an extended period.
MY THEORY:
The Mini has the Aero of a shoebox . . . Carbonell attempted a high side pass and when he realized it would not work, he backed out with a plan to cross behind and to the right. The Aero of the Mini sucked him into the side of Owen's car where he wedged under the body and was trapped by the left rear wheel.
Ever been sucked into a tractor/trailer on the interstate when making a pass? Same idea.
Anyway... it was a racing incident. No place to put blame other than at the feet of Grand Am who continues to restrict our top speed as an attempt to slow us down. It's wrong and in this case dangerous. We will continue our demands to remove this unfair rule.
The 196 was on a one stop strategy and needed to pit under green They fell behind a lap. The 197 lost the pulley drive AGAIN. This time we effected a pit road repair but fell down a few laps.
At one point during practice our 4 mini's and the two Miata's held the fastest 6 lap times. Any of the four Mini's could have won this race. It was appropriate that two Mini's and two Miata's were fighting for the win.
Randy
Dicky Riegel and Matt Plumb combined for a 2nd place podium in a very exciting finish. Matt Plumb and Tom long in the #25 Mazda Miata waged a tremendous battle for 1st over the last 10 laps . . . The Mazda won and two factors combined for this result.
The Mini is suffering from the RPM limit imposed by Grand Am which limits our top end speed. The Mazda has shed 85 lbs due to rule changes this year. The Mini's were untouchable at Lime Rock with the sole exception at the end of the main straight where the RPM limit stopped us like we hit a wall.
Despite this handicap, Owen had passed Tom Long's teammate, Andrew Carbonell, in the #26 Miata with about 25 laps to go. Each lap, Owen would lead Andrew down the front straight with a substantial lead which would close rapidly as they approached turn one. It was a classic driver's dual and had everyone on their feet. The Mini's were heading to a 1-2 or 1-3 finish. It was going to be a Mini/Mazda sandwich.
Then . . . carnage as Carbonell ran into the driver's rear of the 198 Mini. Both cars spun at +130 MPH locked together until they slid to the grass where the Miata dug in and flipped into the air landing on the roof of Owen's car. The Mini roof was covered with tire marks. The Miata fell off to the left and barrel rolled down the guard rail. Both cars were done.
Both driver's are OK but Carbonell went to the hospital for observation. It was ugly and it was unnecessary. The Miata is a total write off and the 198 Mini is out for an extended period.
MY THEORY:
The Mini has the Aero of a shoebox . . . Carbonell attempted a high side pass and when he realized it would not work, he backed out with a plan to cross behind and to the right. The Aero of the Mini sucked him into the side of Owen's car where he wedged under the body and was trapped by the left rear wheel.
Ever been sucked into a tractor/trailer on the interstate when making a pass? Same idea.
Anyway... it was a racing incident. No place to put blame other than at the feet of Grand Am who continues to restrict our top speed as an attempt to slow us down. It's wrong and in this case dangerous. We will continue our demands to remove this unfair rule.
The 196 was on a one stop strategy and needed to pit under green They fell behind a lap. The 197 lost the pulley drive AGAIN. This time we effected a pit road repair but fell down a few laps.
At one point during practice our 4 mini's and the two Miata's held the fastest 6 lap times. Any of the four Mini's could have won this race. It was appropriate that two Mini's and two Miata's were fighting for the win.
Randy
Last edited by Rsstopper; May 29, 2011 at 02:38 PM. Reason: spelling
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Coordinator :: RSR Motorsports Forum
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From: Arizona
By the way . . .
Thanks to all for the good wishes regarding my recent bout with Bladder cancer.
The out pouring of support and goodwill is very gratifying. I was amazed at the number of people who approached me a Lime Rock and told me their stories of family, friends and personal experiences.
Thanks to all!!
Randy
Thanks to all for the good wishes regarding my recent bout with Bladder cancer.
The out pouring of support and goodwill is very gratifying. I was amazed at the number of people who approached me a Lime Rock and told me their stories of family, friends and personal experiences.
Thanks to all!!
Randy
6th Gear
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 4,163
Likes: 399
Hopefully the Freedom Motorsports team will cool down. The captioning on the two videos is unfortunate.
Reviewing both carefully I don't see the basis for any complaint. The incident occurred at high speed, in about .5 seconds, and there was 10' or more of track to the left of the Miata when the cars came together.
It's impossible to see exactly when contact first occurred on the #26 car video, but neither that nor the shots from #25 illustrate any attempt to block, and to assume that the Mini would turn left at that point on the straight just doesn't make sense to me.
The tower would have had an excellent view of the incident, and I presume that no complaint resulted from their observations.
Scary, and I'm glad that both drivers are OK. Hell of a way to end a great race.
Kind regards,
Charlie
Reviewing both carefully I don't see the basis for any complaint. The incident occurred at high speed, in about .5 seconds, and there was 10' or more of track to the left of the Miata when the cars came together.
It's impossible to see exactly when contact first occurred on the #26 car video, but neither that nor the shots from #25 illustrate any attempt to block, and to assume that the Mini would turn left at that point on the straight just doesn't make sense to me.
The tower would have had an excellent view of the incident, and I presume that no complaint resulted from their observations.
Scary, and I'm glad that both drivers are OK. Hell of a way to end a great race.
Kind regards,
Charlie
Agreed that it was a racing incident. But the MINI driver was clearly defending and taking a defensive line approaching T1 and then tried to get over a bit for a better entry to T1. Unfortunately the 26 car was RIGHT there and did not move over as well and contact was made and like you said, instantly the cars collected each other. Amazing how fast it went down...
Can't blame the RSR driver as it was 20 laps from the end and he had to fend off a car with a higher top speed advantage. Could the 26 car moved over a bit more, sure. But he probably wanted to pinch the MINI down a bit and didn't give an inch.
The video from the 25 car is pretty good at showing that the Miata was, at the moment of collision - going straight. Blow it up to full screen and it's pretty good.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdR8_KFJY9w
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KQhvZ-Y5NA
IMO of course...
Can't blame the RSR driver as it was 20 laps from the end and he had to fend off a car with a higher top speed advantage. Could the 26 car moved over a bit more, sure. But he probably wanted to pinch the MINI down a bit and didn't give an inch.
The video from the 25 car is pretty good at showing that the Miata was, at the moment of collision - going straight. Blow it up to full screen and it's pretty good.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdR8_KFJY9w
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KQhvZ-Y5NA
IMO of course...
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