Chuck,
Very well put. I agree in concept. For me, the flaw is slippery
surface = no fun. I do this for fun. Sure, the competition gets the
juices flowing, but if this becomes an ice skating competition....wrong
sport for me.
At the Runoffs, most folks get there a week before the race. They
practice, tweak, practice some more, tweak some more....tuning their car
for the track and those conditions. Unfortunately, in Solo, we arrive
and compete. No practice per say, no time to tune or significantly
adjust between runs. When friends hear that I driving 13 hours to
Topeka for 6 minutes of seat time they think I'm nuts, even when I tell
them how much fun we have. Making that drive for 6 minutes on an
ice-rink could get me committed!
I'm hoping to get some time to test and tune at BeaveRun. The
autocross surface/skid pad there is supposed to be very similar to
Topeka. I've only autocrossed on it once and swore I'd never go
back...and it's only an hour from home.
-Jeff B.
McAbee, Chuck wrote:
Bill with all due respect to your observations. This is the SCCA Solo
National Championships that you are ultimately referring to. I suspect
participation in the Solo National Championship is prestigious enough to
draw a crowd, even if the surface was pig slop. Regardless of the
surface the competition potential is the same for everyone competing on
the surface; competition is all about learning about the playing field
and getting it to work to your advantage. The Solo Championships are
moving 2 miles from Forbes Field to Heartland Park.
The Runoff's are moving 780 miles from Mid-Ohio to Heartland Park and to
date there are about 480 cars entered (only 6 in F500 I might add).
Competition is all about adapting to change and he who adapts best,
quickest is generally the victor.
While the competition surface may be different between Forbes Field and
Heartland Park, the competition will remain a competition and to my mind
the competition is what it is all about...win, lose or DNF.
Chuck McAbee
SEDIV #16
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Jan
Schmidt
Sent: Friday, June 16, 2006 11:12
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [F500] HPT Surface Grip - Response
Almost sorry I even brought the subject up in the first place. However,
now that I am in deep, let me say this.
I bet that Solo Nationals participation will be down this year, and
after people see how disappointing the surface is,
participation will really be down in 2007. I would hope that a drop
would not occur either year,but I am just making a
prediction.
Bill Schmidt 88 Red Devil Kawi
[EMAIL PROTECTED] 06/14/06 8:10 PM >>>
Here is Howard Duncan's response to the previous concerns about the
asphalt
grip at HPT:
Jim,
Several brief comments to Chuck's emails and those of the F Mod driver:
1. Everyone should read Roger Johnson's letter regarding the use
of
the site relative to course size
(_http://www.scca.org/garage/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3668&PN=1_
(http://www.scca.org/garage/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3668&PN=1) ).
2. The site layout used this past weekend is not representative
of
what will be used at Nationals due to a big National race happening at
the same
time. Specifically, this past weekend the entire event (course, grid,
paddock) was located on the pad. Again, see Roger's letter.
3. The same track consultant as AMP was not used at HPT, nor the
same
construction folks. The asphalt is of the same grade as that used on
the
track, but with some minor changes to accommodate the laying of such a
vast
quantity relative to a road way (track). It is NOT the same grade as
that used in
other newly paved areas of HPT, such as access roads. By the way, the
track
has excellent grip and is getting better with every race.
4. I made four demonstration runs (staff passengers) on Sunday
near
mid day using my wife's CS Miata on some very old and undersized
Kumhos. I
found the grip to be similar to other good asphalt lots if you were
anywhere
close to on line. If you went wide it got a bit slippery, just as it
always has
at Forbes, but nothing extraordinary.
5. If someone's primary motivation to come to Nationals is to
simply
run on a super grippy surface, as opposed to the 3 C's (competition,
camaraderie, community), they may very well be disappointed as this is
asphalt, not
concrete.
6. HPT is fully aware of some of the wear issues that cropped up
during the event and they are addressing those issues. Relative to what
we have
endured on the old concrete, these are very minor issues. Therefore,
perspective should be maintained.
If I have missed anything, let me know.
H.
Howard Duncan
_______________________________________________
F500 mailing list - [email protected]
To unsubscribe or change options please visit:
http://f500.org/mailman/listinfo/f500
*** Please, DO NOT send unsubscribe requests to the mailing list! ***
_______________________________________________
F500 mailing list - [email protected]
To unsubscribe or change options please visit:
http://f500.org/mailman/listinfo/f500
*** Please, DO NOT send unsubscribe requests to the mailing list! ***
-----------------------------------------
This email transmission and any accompanying attachments may
contain CSX privileged and confidential information intended only
for the use of the intended addressee. Any dissemination,
distribution, copying or action taken in reliance on the contents
of this email by anyone other than the intended recipient is
strictly prohibited. If you have received this email in error
please immediately delete it and notify sender at the above CSX
email address. Sender and CSX accept no liability for any damage
caused directly or indirectly by receipt of this email.
_______________________________________________
F500 mailing list - [email protected]
To unsubscribe or change options please visit:
http://f500.org/mailman/listinfo/f500
*** Please, DO NOT send unsubscribe requests to the mailing list! ***
_______________________________________________
F500 mailing list - [email protected]
To unsubscribe or change options please visit:
http://f500.org/mailman/listinfo/f500
*** Please, DO NOT send unsubscribe requests to the mailing list! ***
