ALMS at Lime Rock (July 17-18)

[WatertownNewbie]

This weekend we have the ALMS cars as well as the Formula BMW and Atlantic Championship races at Lime Rock Park. I am headed up there tomorrow (Friday) as well as Saturday and plan to sit in my usual location on the hill overlooking Turn 3. Anybody else going to be there? Come out and root for John Edwards.

[dalyduo]

I expect to be there this afternoon (Friday) for ALMS qualifying, which will be webcast live on Speed TV's site for those who are office bound. And I'll be there on Saturday as well. (Speed live ALMS coverage begins at 2p I believe)

Lee and Jane Englebardt will be in attendance.

Jim Craige should be there on Saturday as well.

Who else will be in the friendly confines?

[cdh]

I'll be there Saturday with cam, get some video for John and Dr Mike. John told me it's all about qualifying, he expects the race to be a train since passing at LRP will be next to impossible, except when someone makes a mistake. Even Big Bend, he said it's just a short lift, then flat thru the turn .

Atlantics rely heavily on aero grip and that makes following closely to set up a pass very difficult, the dirty air kills grip. Should be exciting in any event, those Atlantics are amazing race cars. See y'all there

[cdh]

Fantastic day at LRP, perfect weather, John Edwards started from P5

John before race "Unfortunately the race will be a train, no where to pass at LRP in Atlantics, it was all about the quali"

See John pass a car in West Bend

See John pass another car.....and another

See John finish P2! That also earned him the Hard Charger Award. Got it all on video, sometimes things just work out
Newman Wachs Racing an impressive organization, was fortunate to talk to Ed Wachs for a bit, very nice man, can imagine why he and PLN hit it off, of an ilk. Dr. Mike, see ya at Tremblant.

Saw Ted Jewell, Bob Manzella, Jane and Leland, Jimmy Craige, Rick Roso, Chris Kretzmer, Pat.....where were you???? Sorry our paths didn't cross. The ALMS race was fun to see, can you say closing speed??? Fun stuff.


Congrats John, hell of a race.

[dalyduo]

Wonderful weather and huge crowd. Great cars in the various corrrals and great races on the track all day. Yes, closing speeds were insane between LMP and GT cars but wonderful to watch. The Ford GT's looked beautiful and sounded as good as they looked. The LMP cars were sick fast with painfully loud backfire reports at every deceleration point and particularly at West Bend where it sounded like fireworks going off. Spent time in the "Fan Zone" at West Bend where they had a tent, food and drink, live video feed and bathrooms. (How... civilized) Sam Posey and Skip Barber spoke during the lunch hour and it was a handy spot to take refuge from the sun and heat between walks around the paddock and track.

Still love the new vantage point outside of West Bend and especially the new viewing area outside the Downhill. Heartening to see the track so fully populated with fans of all kinds. A great day for Lime Rock Park.

Couldn't arrive at the track until almost noon so missed the first Formula BMW race and Atlantics race. Did see Lee Carpentier, Demitrios Vagios, and a gaggle of Lime Rock Park staffers and Skippy folk. Walked the hill and pits a couple of times looking for familiar faces and managed to miss all the usual suspects listed below in all their usual places. Some days are like that. Saw Jim Craige, the Englebardt's and pace car and "Survive the Drive" icon Bob Green (with wife Joy) on Friday so didn't feel completely cheated.

The track PA system was far below its usual sketchy standard so found it virtually impossible to learn track position unless I was watching the Speed coverage in the tent. Left with an hour to go and watched the last half hour of the ALMS race from home where I'd beaten the traffic and could reflect on the image of John Fitch rolling into LRP in his "Fitch Special" perfectly back lit by the warm afternoon light as I was rolling out. That cinematic Lime Rock mis-en-scene will be etched in my mind forever. The perfect ending.

Originally Posted by cdh

Saw Ted Jewell, Bob Manzella, Jane and Leland, Jimmy Craige, Rick Roso, Chris Kretzmer, Pat.....where were you???? Sorry our paths didn't cross.

[cdh]

Gabby was anything but shabby in his FBMW races getting to the top step of the podium in race 1 and P2 in race 2. Seems the R&T story didn't slow him down.

Good job Mr Chaves

[cdh]

Originally Posted by dalyduo

...reflect on the image of John Fitch rolling into LRP in his "Fitch Special" perfectly back lit by the warm afternoon light as I was rolling out. That cinematic Lime Rock mis-en-scene will be etched in my mind forever. The perfect ending.

You were right behind me! As I made the left on to White Hollow Rd leaving track, Fitch was turning into track entrance in his Phoenix....both still going strong apparently

[Slowhands]

Well, you made me search for the car, to figure out if those ungainly bulges were really part of it (obviously I have never seen the car in the flesh). I guess he did it that way for balance, maybe if he put them up front, they would have screwed up the handling, or there was no room for them under the low-raked hoodline. That was courageous, using 2 different wheel sizes for front and rear...true to the sporting heritage, but definitely not the "elegant" or "modern" solution.

[dalyduo]

For its age the car has both a cutting edge modern look with a classic historic feel from those wheel bulges that makes you smile. The car by itself is special but when you put John Fitch behind the wheel and realize who and what you are looking at in the history of Lime Rock and the history of motor sports... It's just a very special moment...

Originally Posted by Slowhands

Well, you made me search for the car, to figure out if those ungainly bulges were really part of it (obviously I have never seen the car in the flesh). I guess he did it that way for balance, maybe if he put them up front, they would have screwed up the handling, or there was no room for them under the low-raked hoodline. That was courageous, using 2 different wheel sizes for front and rear...true to the sporting heritage, but definitely not the "elegant" or "modern" solution.

[cdh]

H, this must have been posted while you were on one of your sabbaticals

Fitch at LRP - 1:30

needed run-flats

[dalyduo]

One more addition to this hijack... John invented the sand and water filled barriers you see along the highway that save countless lives every year.

From Wikipedia:

Fitch barriers or Fitch barrels.

A Fitch Barrier is a type of impact attenuator which is essentially a plastic barrel filled with sand or water, usually yellow colored with a black lid.

The "Fitch Highway Barrier System", invented by race car driver John Fitch, comprises a series of such impact attenuators often found in a triangular arrangement at the tip of a guardrail between a highway and an exit lane (the area known as the gore), along the most probable line of impact. The barriers in front contain the least sand, with each successive barrel containing more; so that when a vehicle collides with the barrels they shatter, the kinetic energy is dissipated by scattering the sand, and the vehicle decelerates smoothly instead of violently striking a solid obstruction, reducing the risk of injury to the occupants.

Fitch barriers are widely popular due to their effectiveness, low cost, and ease of setup and repair or replacement. Since first being used in the late 1960s, it is estimated that they have saved as many as 17,000 lives.[2]

Fitch has stated that the design was inspired by sand-filled fuel cans which he used to protect his tent from strafing during World War II.

[OLDMAN]

Great day at LRP yesterday. Ran into Ted J., Doug, Jim C., Bruce M., and Dom & Marc B.. I should never go to these events as now I'm getting the itch to go to Mt. Tremblant. Took a bunch of photos, I've attached a few. If you would like to see them all on Shutterfly send me your email address at BobManzella@yahoo.com

Bob (OLDMAN)

[Slowhands]

Originally Posted by cdh

needed run-flats

You said it. Absolutely stunning design, but the bulges do lock it into a "historic" period. Without them the car would be truly timeless in look. Oh the compromises of an over-the-road car.

I think of John every time I pass a Fitch barrier. Simple, effective, and utilizing an apparently unrelated observation in the principle of their operation. The mark of a creative mind.

[cdh]

hey Oldman, thanks for posting the ALMS pics

good seeing you Bob, so ya gonna make it up to Canada for a spin?

[dalyduo]

Yes, thanks for the ALMS shots and thanks for the very nice Historic F1 shots from Lime Rock in June. Somehow mangaged to miss those. Good coverage of both events. Good Stuff!

[OLDMAN]

Just got off the phone with SBRS. It turns out my physical expired 2 days ago (7-22-09). Does anyone know where they keep the physical form online?

OLDMAN

[cdh]

Hey Bob, here is a blank physical form PDF - from 2007, don't know if it has changed, email it to your CSR and see if it's current, probably ok

Hope you can make it to Trembling Mountain, join the charge of the geezer brigade

[OLDMAN]

Hey Doug:

I forgot how involved the from was. My doctor won't even see me before next month. Why the amount of albumin in my urine is in any way connected to my ability to drive a race car is beyond me. I just had an EKG 2 months ago, I don't think I want to pay for another one at this point.

See you guys later. Ted, I still think turn 7 at MT is the toughest one to get right.

Are there any MDs going to MT who will sign this form?

Bob