Road Atlanta - 11/15&16 - Team Juicy Racing's Racing School and Race Series Forums

GriffDogRacer · #1 11-01-2008

Just wondering who's coming to Road Atlanta in a couple of weeks? Drivers... instructors???? Ted, Michael, Harsha, Doug...? Hope to see many!

Michael Edwards · #2 11-01-2008

I'll bee there

WatertownNewbie · #3 11-01-2008

Paul, wish I could be there, but school is still in session that weekend. Let me put in a very strong plug for the AquaTerra restaurant in Buford, however. I ate there in July, and it has some of the best food I have ever eaten. Worth the drive (perhaps twenty-five minutes from where most people stay). Good luck in your races.

GriffDogRacer · #4 11-01-2008

Dr. Mike, It'll be good to see you again. It's been since Sebring in Feb!

Ted, I agree about AquaTerra. I took my folks there for my Dad's birthday in August (first visit) and really enjoyed it. Weird name, though!

Sorry you won't be making the trip!

WatertownNewbie · #5 11-01-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by GriffDogRacer

I agree about AquaTerra. ... Weird name, though!

It's just a fancy way of saying Surf and Turf.

cdh · #6 11-02-2008

wish I could be there GDR, should be a ton of fun....

GriffDogRacer · #7 11-02-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by cdh

wish I could be there GDR, should be a ton of fun....

Wish you could be there too... one day we'll meet face to face! I guess it's no surprise that I feel like I already have, what with your 3000+ posts and all!

The helmet is done... this will be the debut. I'll post photos soon. I think it meets your "five feet off criteria"!

Regards, gdr

GriffDogRacer · #8 11-02-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by WatertownNewbie

It's just a fancy way of saying Surf and Turf.

Yeah, I get it. Kinda like sardines and meat skins, right? We ain't got much culture down here, ya know?

cdh · #9 11-02-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by GriffDogRacer

The helmet is done... this will be the debut. I'll post photos soon. I think it meets your "five feet off criteria"!

excellent, look forward to seeing your handiwork

Gerardo · #10 11-04-2008

I'll be there teaching Computer Car with Jonatan Jorge. Hope to see you all there!

Congrats on 3000 Doug!

mwaters · #11 11-04-2008

I'll be there. I was at Carolina a couple of weeks ago. It rained on practice day and was cold -- mid 50s. I missed Saturday but did two races Sunday. Nice day. I enjoyed CMP -- it's a flat track with lot's of room off the track if you spin (as I did once in practice and once in race 1) and some fast corners. It's also slick and rough in spots but not as rough as Sebring.

cdh · #12 11-05-2008

thanks for the info mw, good luck at RATL and thanks for posting

Quote:

Originally Posted by mwaters

I'll be there. I was at Carolina a couple of weeks ago. It rained on practice day and was cold -- mid 50s. I missed Saturday but did two races Sunday. Nice day. I enjoyed CMP -- it's a flat track with lot's of room off the track if you spin (as I did once in practice and once in race 1) and some fast corners. It's also slick and rough in spots but not as rough as Sebring.

rslonaker · #13 11-05-2008

I will be there as well and looking forward to seeing all the returning racers and some new faces. Phil Lombardi and I will be doing lead follows and radio coaching so let us know if you are interested before we get booked up.

Cheers,
Rob

GriffDogRacer · #14 11-08-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by rslonaker

I will be there as well and looking forward to seeing all the returning racers and some new faces. Phil Lombardi and I will be doing lead follows and radio coaching so let us know if you are interested before we get booked up.

Cheers,
Rob

Rob, I've got lead-follow scheduled for Thursday... look forward to seeing you.

Mopar92 · #15 11-17-2008

I am 99% sure we had 0 mechanicals this race weekend in Formula or MX5... The Atlanta crew is fantastic... Thanks to all of the customers who race with us and believe in our product... thanks! Keith

Juicyfan · #16 11-17-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mopar92

I am 99% sure we had 0 mechanicals this race weekend in Formula or MX5... The Atlanta crew is fantastic... Thanks to all of the customers who race with us and believe in our product... thanks! Keith

Not to mention the cars were in grid order in pit lane by the time customers were ready to get in cars.

dalyduo · #17 11-18-2008

I remember how cold it was at Watkins Glenn on memorial day weekend this year but after looking at the pictures... Exactly how cold was it in Hotlanta?!

mwaters · #18 11-18-2008

It was rainy, cloudy and cold on Friday, high around 60. I missed the Saturday race, but Sunday was sunny and quite cold, high around 50.

Michael Edwards · #19 11-18-2008

a great time was had by all. Keith did a great job in pit lane, and the cars were tightly even,,, very few were more equal than the others... best ever....

hopefully some of the old guys will come back out and keep this thing going.... this is a great experience and I'm hopeful that during these tough times we can support the series and keep these wonderful people providing the best experience and most fun you can have .... as PLN said.....

Dom Bastien · #20 11-18-2008

Great week-end, extremely well run by Keith with the usual great instructor feedback and help. Most noteworthy to me was the outstanding pit crew work--absolutely top notch. The crew chief [formerly with Panoz], whose name I am ashamed to say I can't recall [sorry, another senior moment], provides fantastic leadership. Perfect cars. Crew consistently on top of things. Also good to see a whole new batch of fast and very nice kids.

WatertownNewbie · #21 11-18-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dom Bastien

The crew chief [formerly with Panoz], whose name I am ashamed to say I can't recall [sorry, another senior moment], provides fantastic leadership.

If it is the guy who was there in July too, his name is Ron, and he is fabulous. Superb all-around. At the end of the weekend I spoke with him to let him know how impressed I was, and he was almost humble in his acceptance of my compliments. Exactly the kind of person you want in charge of the mechanics. My guess is that the cars were in such great shape in large part because of him.

mwaters · #22 11-19-2008

I agree with all the good things said about the crew. I am new to the Skip Barber series, but the crew has always been very helpful. I've never had an issue with a car and I feel confident that every time I get in a car it is well prepared. I plan to be in Miami in January and look forward to seeing everyone there.

dalyduo · #23 11-19-2008

Thanks for the usefull feedback Michael and welcome aboard.

thomas · #24 11-19-2008

Well the third race weekend was pretty interesting. Learned a lot needless to say. Qualified 5th, then threw the race away on lap 2 of race one, but found the focus I had only had in a few certain sessions before when I was playing catchup. P8 for race 1.

For race 2 I was up to p4 by lap to, but of course had to go off on turn 1 again. Figured it was over, but was still going to drive hard, then a full course yellow came out, and I was in P12. We went green for one lap, before another full course yellow and I was in P7 I believe. We went green with three to go I believe, I got up to fifth, the leader crashed on the last lap, was up to fourth, and then P2, P3, and me all went three wide going into 10A, with me on the outside. Knew I had to brake late, and managed to do it. I pulled off P2, and couldn't believe it. It was a crazy race.

I have to thank a lot of people though, for sharing their help and experience. Jonatan, Gerardo, and John, but also Dom. Great Racer.

Atlanta crew was fantastic as mentioned. Cars already pre-gridded.

Redneck · #25 11-20-2008

A great weekend. Just needed more drivers.

A big highlight of the weekend for me were the ham biscuts. Dr Mike Edwards' mother made some Biscuts and country ham . They were outstanding. As I told her, these are dangerous. If you take one bite, then put the ham biscut on the top of your head, your tounge will beat your brains out trying to get the ham biscut.

There was excellent racing and a some thrills.
Terry did an outstanding job in Control, Keith "RB" on Pit Lane, Ron as Chief Mechanic. We even had 9 people who came from Florida to do F&C.

I am looking forward to seeing everybody at Homestead. My suggestion is to stay over and go to the keys.

GriffDogRacer · #26 11-20-2008

You know you're getting sick when, just a soon as you get out of the car from the last race, you're thinking "when the heck can I come back?". Then, the post-race depression (or "PRD" as they call it) sets in!

I had a great time improving my skills in relative anonymity... the varied track conditions during lapping and practice were good for me, although not ideally suited for my goal-oriented personality. I'm sure that the new-found car control will pay dividends when I get back to it, however. And, thanks in no small part to Rob's lead-follow and off track coaching, I was able to shave 2.5 sec off of my PB (noteably attained in the last race).

As for the racing competition, I was essentially in a class by myself again - In race 1 I was hanging tough with the lead pack in sight until a bone-head spin out of T7, and subsequent contact from behind, took me to pit lane. Started P8 and finished there - clearly suggesting a much better result was available if I had just kept my freaking eyes up!

Race 2 was a similar experience... hanging in for a few laps and then making enough mistakes to take me back out of sight. T7 was once again my nemisis as a similarly paced car eventually overtook me on the back stretch and improved his lead there in subsequent laps. Consistency is the key (along with speed of course) and I'm still lacking in that department.

I'll reiterate the appreciation from above. I was also impressed with the quality support from the folks in the paddock... First class crew!!!I drove the same car all weekend without a single hickup. Come race time, it was warmed and sitting in grid order just waiting for the driver.

The instructors and staff were top notch again as well. Thanks again to Rob, StevieD, Ryan, Gregg, Bruce, Terry, Don and Keith for the well-balanced and useful feedback. I will say that it was quite nice that, for a change, not ALL of the feedback started with "well, the fast guys are doing..."

! Thanks for another great experience!

Regards, gdr

Slowhands · #27 11-20-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by GriffDogRacer

You know you're getting sick when, just a soon as you get out of the car from the last race, you're thinking "when the heck can I come back?". Then, the post-race depression (or "PRD" as they call it) sets in!

I had a great time improving my skills in relative anonymity... the varied track conditions during lapping and practice were good for me, although not ideally suited for my goal-oriented personality. I'm sure that the new-found car control will pay dividends when I get back to it, however. And, thanks in no small part to Rob's lead-follow and off track coaching, I was able to shave 2.5 sec off of my PB (noteably attained in the last race).

Good work, Paul! You are making great progress given how comparatively little seat time you have had to get there. 2.5 s is a huge chunk. And to hang with the lead pack in your rookie season, even if you eventually fell back, is no mean feat. But beware! That's how the disease consolidates its nefarious grip on your system. PRD is only the first of many progressively more significant symptoms. Enjoy!

p.s. sorry I couldn't be there.

GriffDogRacer · #28 11-20-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slowhands

Good work, Paul! You are making great progress given how comparatively little seat time you have had to get there. 2.5 s is a huge chunk. And to hang with the lead pack in your rookie season, even if you eventually fell back, is no mean feat. But beware! That's how the disease consolidates its nefarious grip on your system. PRD is only the first of many progressively more significant symptoms. Enjoy!

p.s. sorry I couldn't be there.

Thanks for the encouragement Harsha... and much more for your help. You were definately missed last weekend! I hope you're there for the next chapter in my deepening demise into racing mania!