2008 June Sprints SRF Race

[peterjank]

Hi all,

Just wanted to extend an invitation to come up to Road America for the June Sprints this weekend. Rick Bartuska (Reed's dad), my brother Paul, and me will be among the 80+ drivers participating in the Spec Racer Ford race on Sunday. The race is scheduled to start about 11am.

[rystar]

Peter and company,

Is the race on Sat. or Sun. If it is Sunday I may be able to make it up. Good luck to you three this weekend. Was that your brother Paul the Dave Despain read last night on Wind Tunnel. That was pretty cool.

[peterjank]

Hi Ryan,

The race is Sunday and yes, indeed, that was my brother Paul that had his name read on WindTunnel last night. He was pretty pumped about it as you might expect.

Rick will be in #15, a white car with orange accents.

Paul will be in #86, a maroon\burgandy car with a yellow targa stripe on the driver's left sponson.

I will be in #6, a blue car with a white cockpit surround.

Rick will probably be in the top 10, Paul will be mid-pack, and I'll be in the last third.

Hope to see you there!

[Rick]

I'll be racing in Iowa. Otherwise, I'd go. Good luck racing guys! How come Reed isn't racing?

[rystar]

Peter or Reed,
How did everyone do?

[Rick]

MyLaps Results (http://www.mylaps.com/results/showevent.jsp?id=322493)

Qualifying 2 (http://www.mylaps.com/results/newResults.jsp?id=858598)

Race Results (http://www.mylaps.com/results/newResults.jsp?id=858599)

[Rick]

More than 10 seconds per lap covers the field! I thought that SRF was one of the most closely competed classes. I'd hate to see how big of a difference in laptimes there are for other classes.

[peterjank]

The top 33 were covered by only 2.1 seconds, which translates to 1.2 mph. That's pretty close in my book.

[Rick]

I must be calculating it differently. The MyLaps race results (http://www.mylaps.com/results/newResults.jsp?id=858599) have the 1st place guy finishing with a total time of 1:06:28.728 with a best laptime of 2:38.835 on lap 9 (out of 13) with a best average speed of 90.660.

The 33rd place guy finished with a total time of 1:07:40.584, 1:11.856 behind the leader with a best laptime of 2:45.366 (on lap 9) with a best average speed of 87.080 mph.

That seems like a substantial difference between 1st and 33rd. Were the top 33 using the "special" fuel?

[Mark Hirt]

They Qualified within 2.1.

If 33 cars finished the race within 2.1 seconds there would be a big pile

[CIR-Reed]

What are you trying to say Mark? Us Spec Racer guys know how to fit 33 cars in 2.1 seconds. :) No worries, just lots of duct tape for fiberglass re-attachment and goo gone for tire swirls.........

Rick:

It is an extremely tight class. Having 88 cars on any track (even if it is 4 miles long) makes for a very hectic qualifying. The leaders are always passing someone, the guys at the back of the pack are watching mirrors constantly, and the guys in the middle are trying to pay attention to both in front of them and behind them. Whoever you are the conditions for qualifying are very difficult every year at the june sprints. So the June Sprints is not a very good representation of the class on paper but in practice its amazing.

The race is the same thing but a whole different story. If you want to attempt to gain an understanding of how the race went you should look at the lapchart. It tells a small portion of the story. Most of the way through the field each driver was being passed or passing someone multiple times per lap. That sort of behavior is not conducive to good lap times at all but an absolute Riot to drive in!

Paul J is probably one of the best examples of moving around the grid. He went from 68th to 60th, then back down to 77th for the restart (still scratching my head on that one but whatever), then made his way from 77th up to 46th! I don't care what position you finish in, passing 31 cars is an absolute riot and there aren't many (if any) other classes you can do that in!

Take a look at this race:

http://www.mylaps.com/results/newResults.jsp?id=694559&highlight=1

We still don't know what was in my dads cereal that day but he was on another planet for some reason. 2nd -14th within a second of each other makes for some fantastic racing. Then you will note the other Bartuska character book ending the field with a lap that was 10 seconds off. I had a failed wheel bearing but thought I might still get a decent lap in. It turns out that that strategy doesn't workout and you end up riding back with Mark Hirt carrying your car on the hook.

[Rick]

They Qualified within 2.1.

I didn't think they all finished within 2.1 seconds. But I did think that it was possible that all of their best laps could have been within 2.1 seconds during the race. I didn't realize that Peter was talking about qualifying.

If 33 cars finished the race within 2.1 seconds there would be a big pile:rofl:That's kind of like how some races finish at CIR!

[Rick]

What are you trying to say Mark? Us Spec Racer guys know how to fit 33 cars in 2.1 seconds. :) No worries, just lots of duct tape for fiberglass re-attachment and goo gone for tire swirls.........

Rick:

It is an extremely tight class. Having 88 cars on any track (even if it is 4 miles long) makes for a very hectic qualifying. The leaders are always passing someone, the guys at the back of the pack are watching mirrors constantly, and the guys in the middle are trying to pay attention to both in front of them and behind them. Whoever you are the conditions for qualifying are very difficult every year at the june sprints. So the June Sprints is not a very good representation of the class on paper but in practice its amazing.

The race is the same thing but a whole different story. If you want to attempt to gain an understanding of how the race went you should look at the lapchart. It tells a small portion of the story. Most of the way through the field each driver was being passed or passing someone multiple times per lap. That sort of behavior is not conducive to good lap times at all but an absolute Riot to drive in!

Paul J is probably one of the best examples of moving around the grid. He went from 68th to 60th, then back down to 77th for the restart (still scratching my head on that one but whatever), then made his way from 77th up to 46th! I don't care what position you finish in, passing 31 cars is an absolute riot and there aren't many (if any) other classes you can do that in!

Take a look at this race:

http://www.mylaps.com/results/newResults.jsp?id=694559&highlight=1

We still don't know what was in my dads cereal that day but he was on another planet for some reason. 2nd -14th within a second of each other makes for some fantastic racing. Then you will note the other Bartuska character book ending the field with a lap that was 10 seconds off. I had a failed wheel bearing but thought I might still get a decent lap in. It turns out that that strategy doesn't workout and you end up riding back with Mark Hirt carrying your car on the hook.

Holy smokes! That sounds like a blast! Is every race like that?! How large is the field usually?

[Mark Hirt]

There are currently 27 SRF's registered for the Mary "Firecracker" Hermann Memorial Races July 12-13 at Blackhawk Farms. Peter, Paul, Kim, Rick, Art and I here some other guy is "looking" for a ride.

It's a double regional so there are Races both days

[CIR-Reed]

Holy smokes! That sounds like a blast! Is every race like that?! How large is the field usually?

The smallest field I have ever seen was 11 cars and the largest was the sprints this year with 88. The average for regional and national races throughout the year in our division is probably 22-28 cars.

My dad does a couple of races in florida every year as well which generally draw 80+ cars one weekend and then 50+ the next weekend.

The other nice thing about the SRF class is that you can sign up for races at pretty much any track around the country. At those races you will have trackside support with parts and mechanics who know the cars really well if you should need help.

You should come out this coming weekend and see some great racing at Blackhawk.

[peterjank]

Hi Rick,

I would be happy to add you to my 'crew' list if you think you might make it out to Blackhawk this weekend. All you need to do is stop at the registration shack on your way into the track and tell them you signing in as crew for Peter Jankovskis.

We should be easy to find as you drive in as there is only one road that runs thru the paddock. About half way down the road on the right you will probably find the white Clueless tent where Rick and Art hang out. Paul, Kim and me will be a little further down the road on the right under the Elite Autosport tent.

Rick and Art's cars are white with orange stripes (#15 and #51, respectively). Kim's car and my car are both blue and white (#68 and #6, respectively). Paul will be in #86, and will be either silver or maroon in color.

[Mark Hirt]

But you must come when Registration is open !!!
Registration Hours
FRIDAY, July 1 1, 2008 5:30 - 9:00pm
SATURDAY, July 12, 2008 6:30am - 12:00 noon AND 4:30pm - 5:30pm
SUNDAY, July 13, 2008 - 7:00am - 12:00 noon

[peterjank]

Good catch Mark!