Who made it out?

[MPIGP - Phillip Gordon]

How was the first race at Norway?

[rct25]

Hi Phil,

I did!!!
It was nice to be back on the track. I did run HPV heavy.
Too bad I had a chain failure. :angry2:
I got a 2nd on the first race and a 1st on the second race. That gave me the pole for the final. Unfortunately on the second lap my chain came out due to a bad sprocket.

oh, well I will be back on 4/29. I would not be able to go on 4/22 because I have to go to the Lamas classes :blink:

We are expecting our first baby on May 21st :D

Roberto

[peterjank]

I was there running in HPV Heavy with Roberto. I would describe it as a learning experience. I spun in the starting circle prior to the first heat race and stalled the kart so I did not get to participate. I successfully started the second heat and completed all 6 laps, though I was well off the pace. I was growing more comfortable in the kart during the main, but I let the fuel level get too low in the tank and had problems with the engine cutting out from about the middle of the race going on. Like Roberto, I hope to make it out for my next race on the 29th.

[Rick]

Sounds like you guys had a lot of fun! I'll try to make it out there to spectate one of these days.

Peter, you have something in common with Montoya now. :P How did you spin? Cold track?

[Greg Shebert]

what was the pace roberto? :)

i'm going to try to get some practice in befor the 22nd or 29th...

also, what color will your newborn's helmet be? ;)

-greg-

[MPIGP - Phillip Gordon]

Roberto

Sounds like you've got that thing dialed in....nice job....bummer about the chain.

Do they make newborn drivers suits?

Peter

Where was your pit crew with your starter? A couple practice days and you'll be up to speed.

I may be at Norway on Thursday playing tuner/instructor but next week I'll be in the seat testing. I can't wait. Hope to see some of you guys out there.

[peterjank]

Hi guys,

I found the track to be very slick. I had run 49's while trying out the kart last Fall prior to purchase. The best I was able to run on Saturday was a 53 flat. Given that it took the leaders ten laps to catch me in the main, I would guess they must have been running in the 48's.

Other drivers had trouble in the starting circle as well. The same guy spun in front of me twice. The first time I avoided him without incident. The second time I spun trying to avoid him and stalled. The other driver must have been accustomed to spinning as he kept it lit both times and managed to run 5th (out of the six remaining drivers) in the heat.

Bill Huemann, a friend from CIR, did come out to watch the races and pitched in as crew (Thanks Bill!). I didn't think about trying to get him to come out with the starter when I stalled. I'm not sure if they would have let him anyway as I was on the far end of the starting circle and we had already done 5 or 6 laps of the circle due to the other spin and a driver that was late getting off the grid. They went green as the meatwagon came out to hall my kart away.

[MPIGP - Phillip Gordon]

Peter

If you did 49's in the same kart last year I would say your 53's last Saturday were probably due to kart setup. I am assuming being the first race, you had new tires on and were not running some old hard tires that's been sitting in the garage over the winter :)

General rule of thumb is narrow on a green/cold track and wide on a grippy track. Try moving your rear tires in 1/2" on each side, using med or long hubs and see how that works for you.

I am not sure about the 22nd but I will be at there on the 29th. Hope it'll be warmer then.

[Greg Shebert]

Hey Peter

Strap one of these on your kart - should help you find a few seconds :)

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7...ne+test&pl=true (http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7393939630149644203&q=F1+Engine+test&pl=true)

[MPIGP - Phillip Gordon]

:lol1:

[peterjank]

Thanks for the setup tip Phil. I will try that out this Saturday if I make it out for some practice like I hope. I was running brand new tires Saturday.

Greg, I'm not sure we could fit all the technical equipment needed to run the Renault engine in our garage at Norway.

[Martin Lenick]

I missed the first race. :wall: :cursin:

First night back at CIR (I'm drinking, not racing).

I hear that Matt Palmieri did very well. Can someone give a brief subnopsis of the results of our CIR brethren?

By the way, everyone in Venezuela is following the career of Dave Mickelson. They call him "Rat Bastard". Just kidding, Dave. I see you've gained a few more points. :bowdown:

[Greg Shebert]

How do they say "Rat Bastard" in Espanol?

;)

[peterjank]

Hi Martin,

Regarding the results from the first weekend at Norway:

Roberto and I were running in HPV Heavy. In the first heat, Roberto finished second and I had a DNS because I spun it and stalled in the starting circle. In the second heat, Roberto finished first and I finished last (seventh). In the main, Roberto threw a chain while leading and DNF'd. I finished last (sixth).

Matt Palmieri and Matt Bigios were running Junior Supercan (I think that's the name of their class.) There were three drivers. In the first heat, Matt Palmieri went off in the first turn and rejoined the race about 20 kart lengths down. He managed to chase Matt Bigios and the other driver down. He passed Matt Bigios for second on the 5th lap and that's how they finished. In the second heat, Matt B. started second and Matt P. started third. I think Matt P. passed Matt B. on the second lap and Matt P. then took the lead on lap 3. At any rate, once he got out front Matt P. really checked out. I think he was at least 20 kart lengths ahead at the finish of a good dice for second. Matt B. got very close a number of times but could not get past the other driver for second. In the final, Matt P. started on the pole and really checked out. He was about 20 seconds ahead of the fight for second at the finish. Matt B. again made several attempts to get by the driver in second, but had to settle for third.

Stefan Sajek raced in Senior Supercan with 6 or 7 other drivers. There were three guys that were really quick and tended to break away from the pack in all three races. Stefan finished fourth in most of the races as I recall.

Dave Harrington's son also ran in the kid karts. The kid karts raced right before HPV Heavy so I didn't get to see his races. I heard from Dave afterward that the main event was very exciting. Dave's son was part of a four kart group battling for the lead and he ended up second by less than a tenth of a second.

I think that accounts for all the CIR drivers that were there.