The Washington D.C. Region SCCA Time Trials program held its second event of 2010 on July 17th and 18th, 2010. Drivers took to the beautiful and tricky Shenandoah Circuit at Summit Point Motorsports Park for a weekend full high temperatures, clear skies, record times and clear track for all groups.
The PDX event Saturday started off the weekend with driver education programs on track, in the classroom as well as on the wet skid pad in the Shenandoah Circuit paddock area. All levels of track driver were welcomed with clear track, as each group had plenty of space on the 2.2 mile circuit. Advanced drivers enjoyed track time with the instructors group with passing anywhere on track with a point by. Adding a new level of enjoyment and the next level of on track education for our most experienced drivers.
By the time last car rolled in, the PDX Ladies Auxiliary had rolled out a spread for everyone. A good time was had by all, even though Matt left the coconut bra and grass skirt at home. A special thanks to Jo Anne Edmondson and Janet Toland for making the Saturday PDX parties such a treat. Later the paddock became the campground, several parties and a number of four legged friends decided to make camp over night at the track.
Sunday came early for the PDX and Club Trials participants, a new day with new challenges. Several new competitors had come out seeking to set a new lap record for Region Club Trials. The record was reset by Fred Kelley after a valiant effort in second place by Scot Knott and his awesome Lotus Elise, and third place Joe Rausa in his Cheeta Sr-1. Kelley dropped his lap record time around the Shenandoah Circuit to a blistering fast 1:36.221 in his FFR Cobra. Kelley set the lap record in the Regions first ever Club Trial on the Shenandoah Circuit and has reset the fast time in every subsequent event, never having surrendered the record to another driver in two years of competition.
We caught up with several participants in the event and asked them a few questions after the event:
Prashanth Dayanand
First Track Day
Ed: Tell me about yourself briefly, driving experiences, the cars you’ve driven, and the car you drove in the PDX?
I am an avid auto enthusiast and always appreciate anyone who takes care of theier cars even if it’s a Civic, Corolla, etc. I have been following all the top motorsports like F1, motoGP and WRC for several years now and its become an addiction for me. Currently own a 2006 Subaru STI and 2003 Subaru Forester. Also driven Honda Civic Si, BMW 330Ci and M3, Audi A4, VW GTI and R32, WRX. I have done a lot of road trips in my Subaru STI along with my friends and family. Never had the chance to really get to know the limits of myself and the car. I was looking for a track in and around Maryland where I can take my car on the track and found WDCR SCCA club which organized HPDE events at Summit Point racing. I took my STI for HPDE event along with my brother in his 2005 Subaru Legacy GT and my cousin in his 2004 Subaru WRX.
Ed: You visited a PDX event and went on a lunch time parade lap on the Shenandoah Circuit. Was that the first time you have ever been on a racing circuit in a car, and what was it like for you?
That was my first experience on track and that too in my own car. It was an awesome feeling and decided right at that time to register for the next event. There was no way that I could miss it.
Ed: What did you do to prepare for the PDX event?
For my first PDX event, I did a lot of reading on the forums (IWSTI and NASIOC) on what basic things are needed for a track event. Everybody suggested to get some kind of track brake pads and high temperature brake fluid. I got the Hawk DTC 30’s all round for my 06 STI and Motul RBF600 brake fluid.
Suspension upgrade (TEIN Flex coliovers, TEIN Strut front and rear bars, Whiteline front and rear Sway bars 24mm) and car was Stage 2 protuned at IAG Performance long before the event.
Ed: How would you rate the classroom and in car instruction that you received?
I was very happy with the classroom sessions and also the in car instructions. Presentation was nice and Class room instructions covered the basics of event, the different flags on the track and most important was tips on improving driving skills. Also covered the basic upgrades for the car required for a HPDE event.
Real time instructions during the track session helped improve my cornering skills and also guaging the braking point. I also got to ride with the instructor (Tyler) in his BMW which really helped me push my car in the right way during my third session.
Ed: How quickly were you able to find the line on track with your instructor, and was there an “Ahh Ha!” moment for you on track or in the classroom?
Orientation ride with the instructor gave me an idea as to how to go about the track. I spent the first session getting to know the track, racing line, brking points. Second session was improvising on taking the corners quicker. Practiced braking before the turn, hitting the apex properly in the corner so as to get a better exit speed. “Ahh Ha!” moment I can think of is when I braked late during the second session coming down the back straight, took the corner a bit fast. Car’s tail started to come out and I had to counter steer to correct it. That was a great moment for me and was pretty happy on how I handled that curve.
Ed: Do you feel that attending the PDX event has helped your driving ability?
Yes. It’s just not about speeding. I have gotten to know that car can do a lot more than what a normal person can handle. I feel more confident in my car since I know my limits and also the car and how to take evasive action in case of emergency. Skid pad was a good experience and also to learn the limit of your car during slippery conditions. It was difficult to induce oversteer in my AWD Subaru. I was able to get to oversteer once, but was not able to hold on to it.
Ed: After returning home from such an extremely hot weekend on track, I mean it was brutal out there, are you excited to attend another PDX event?
Of course yes. I am excited to attend another PDX event which will be on a high speed circuit.
Ed: You came to the PDX with a group of friends, it seemed like everyone had a good time. Would you suggest this as a great activity for a group of friends to do together?
I would definitely suggest this to all my friends who are into cars. My freinds were very happy that I suggested this event and they are looking forward to the next event.
Peter Kimball
Advanced Group Driver
Ed: Tell me about yourself briefly, driving experiences, the cars you’ve driven, and the car you drove in the PDX and Club Trials?
I grew up in Connecticut in a family of Camry drivers and somehow ended up the car nut in the family. Started out autocrossing and doing PDX events, and attended the Skip Barber School this spring. The only cars I’ve really driven in anger are Miata’s, with the exception of Mike Snyder’s FSP Fiesta. FSP Fiesta, wow. At the PDX/Club Trial I rented a Spec Miata from Darrell Wheeler. I had a lot of fun in that on Saturday, but someone blew the engine in that car, so I drove a King Rat Spec Miata in the Sunday event.
Ed: You’ve participated with our PDX program and other HPD programs. What do you prefer about our program?
I come down for the people. I’ve tried other events, NJMP, Lime Rock, and there is just something about the DC Region that’s a lot of fun. I’m still in touch with the Chesapeake Roadsters, the DC Miata Club, they’re a bunch of fun folk and they have a real strong presence at these events. They make it fun to come down and I also know a lot of the volunteers at the PDX events. Chuck Edmondson still gets a kick out of telling the class how I managed to get my instructor covered in mud. It was an artful move, it took a whole bunch of talent to get his side of the car to go into the mud puddle first. Its a good group, and you know I’ve been black flagged before, and it was not so bad being sent to the skid pad. Its just a whole bunch of fun people to hang out with. Another plus is there is just so much on track time, compared to other more closer events. The safety level at DC events is much better, and the Pork BBQ sandwich is so good.
Ed: You live outside the DC Area in New York City. Explain how you go about attending our events these days?
This qualifies me as insane. I take an Amtrack train from Penn Station in New York to BWI, walk to the rental car center, pick up a car and drive to a Winchester hotel, and drive into Summit Point in the morning. Last time the trip took 7 hours, and if Amtrack is on time I could save an hour. It sounds crazy, but its worth it.
Ed: How did you like participating in the Club Trial competition?
It was amazingly fun. I can’t believe how much time we got to be out on track, and every lap was a hot lap without traffic. It was really on us as drivers to make every lap good. When there is no one in front of you there no reason that you should be messing up that corner: every corner should be perfect. That’s a lot of responsibility and fun. Knowing that the clock is ticking and fighting that red mist, its competition and thats always fun.
Ed: Since the Spec Miata is good for Track Trial competition, will you join us for the Fall events on the main circuit?
I would love too. I have Powerball tickets, and am on the lookout for overturned armored trucks. So I’m just waiting for a large bundle of money to hit me so I can rent another Spec Miata and come down to run with the Washington DC Region SCCA.
Thank you as always to the volunteers.
Fred Kelley
Advanced Group Driver, Shenandoah Circuit Lap Record Holder
Ed: Can you tell me about yourself briefly, driving experiences, the cars
you’ve driven, and the car you drove in the Club Trial?
I’ve always known I’d end up racing cars, it just took a while. I grew up in New England, I started ski racing when I was 5 or 6. We had a place right on the trails at Stratton Mountain, our coaches were all Austrian Olympic medalists and I skied every weekend, tough childhood!
I saved every penny from a summer job as a laborer and bought my first car in ‘73, an MGB GT, I loved that thing. I went of to College in Maine, I’d get together with a group that included a Datsun B2000, a couple of 2002’s, one was a tii, and we’d go to an abandoned missle site, set up a course and trash our cars. We also did a lot of really crazy back road racing. After my sophomore year their was only one car left…my MG, everything else was wrecked. Whenever it snowed I went driving, always.
I got into Bicycle racing after college within a year I was building my own frames, quit my job and spent a few years on the road racing. BTW, bike racing involves standing in line at registration, nasty porta-johns, standing around all day, some racing, and lot’s of BS about why you didn’t win, sounds familiar. I raced until ‘05.
My first real track experience was at a BMW event at Pocono. They were introducing the new M5 and had a two day event for BMW employees. They wanted to create some excitement about the new cars, and brought a handful of well prepped M5’s and what they considered their competition.
My instructors were Jeremy Dale and David Hobbs! It was one of the more memorable events of my life. When they had us ride with the instructors/pros is was unbelievable, to this day and still can’t believe how those guys drove..in was 1989. I was sure I’d race cars someday.
In the fall of ‘05 I was lying in bed after my um-teenth back surgery, my doc said the bike racing days were over. I’d seen those factory five ads in the back of the mags, hmmm. Two day later I ordered a kit with the plan to make a track day car. My daughter and I drove up to Mass. in February to pick the kit up. The first one I’d ever seen was the car in their showroom. I got right to work.
I was almost done by the end of summer and had heard about the Capitol Area Cobra Club. They autocrossed at the Cumberland airport. Wade Chamberlain was there in his supercharged monster, holy crap! He was crazy! I knew I was in trouble, and was about to get into autocross.
I got my car done and painted, bought a ‘95 Miata and a traler and couldn’t wait for spring. I did the SCCA level III school at Ripken the week before my first autocross, Greg Olsen was my instructor. I thought I was doing well, then he drove it…Lesson learned, be a nut!
A week or so later I did my first PDX at the Shenandoah, Brian Hair was my instructor, I thought I was pretty good, then I took a ride with him, once again..lesson learned. I was lucky to get those two as my first instructors.
From then on I’ve been doing track events or autocrosses basically every weekend from March through October. I’ve done track events with about 15 different groups. The SCCA events are the best, they are better organized, safer, and provide the best classroom sessions. I do some of the other event either because it’s at a track I want to drive, or it’s timed. I really like having the clock on me and the competition. Track days in the Cobra can get a little frustrating because of the traffic, the Miata not so much of a problem. I’ve done a few Red Line time attacks’ in my car and a Daytona coupe (not Ben’s). Those event are not well run, and have some crazy drivers, but if you survive they are exciting. EMRA does TT’s too, lot’s of down time there as well, towing wrecked cars takes a while.
I enjoy the mix of autocross, track, Cobra, Miata. I even did the BMW kart series a couple of winters ago, it was a blast, very competitive, and you even get to see some 50 year olds act 10. Autocross and karting definitely help improve your track skills, learning to control the car at or beyond the limits makes the track seem tame. It always takes me a few runs at autocross to get aggressive enough to be fast after doing a track event. I love going back to the same track over and over trying to find more speed, autocross is hit and run.
Ed: You’ve been trying all year to get out in Ben Lambiotte’s Blue/
White FFR Type 65 Coupe, what advantages does that car have over your Roadster?
Bens Coupe? I had a great time building his Coupe over the ‘08/’09 winter. I had missed the buiding part since finishing mine. Ben had always wanted a Coupe, and he wanted the ultimate track Coupe. We’ve been trying to get it out to the club trials for a while, but between our schedules and some very annoying little problems it hasn’t worked…yet. I’ve got a total of 8 laps in it, and that’s with no power steering fluid.
The Coupe was built with one goal in mind, to be the fastest track Coupe ever. It may not be that, but it will be a fast one. Compared to my Cobra the Coupe is much more aero (imagine that), has about 150 more HP , 1000 more RPM, huge six piston Wilwoods, Koni DA race shocks, much more rubbber front and rear, a full cage, and whatever else Ben could think of. Hopefully we’ll get to see what it can do at an upcoming TT. He was talking about doing some hillclimbs, but I think he’s grown fond of the shape of the body and wants to keep it in one piece.
I was planning to get into wheel to wheel racing a while ago, I still am, but I’m a Realtor, so for now I’m going to keep having fun doing what I’ve been doing. I’ve met a lot of great people these past few years and really enjoy being a part of the SCCA.
Thanks for all the good times.
We thank Carrol Little for posting this video of laps in his Legacy Spec B.
And here is a group shot of Subaru friends after the event.
More images available at the WDCR Photography group on Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/wdcrphoto/pool/
