Atwater race report

[Simon]

An interesting weekend for sure. My Saturday practice time was mainly motor break in and oil changing, but did get enough laps in to learn that the track was very dusty and lacking grip ... big time. Everyone ended up with very, very narrow rear ends to try and get some rear grip.

Race day came with 6 seniors (Brad,Rich,Terry,Scott,Ron & me) and 1 junior(Keevan). Brad took pole, Rich second, me third. Heat one ended in that order. Despite running considerably slower lap times than Rich and Brad in practice and qualifying I managed to stay in touch for most of the race.

Heat 2 was inverted grid from qualifying times, so I started 4th. Here is where luck (or bad luck for some) handed me some great opportunities. Ron (started 3rd) got into the dust on lap one and put me up to 3rd. Seconds later Terry (pole) threw her chain so i was up to 2nd. Then Rich (Mr tiny gear) powered by me into the hairpin so I was back to 3rd ... with Scott in the lead. Then the fun started ... Scott was slower that Rich heading into the final turn, so Rich went for the inside apex pass ... I don't think Scott saw him coming and turned in for his normal line leaving Rich to apex across the dirt ... exiting the dirt he then side swipes Scott and loses a lot of momentum ... Simon's big sprocket jumped into action and powered on by back into 2nd .... Scott still in 1st.

Next time in the twisty complex, Scott has a bobble and I pounce and take him round the outside of the last turn ... into the lead !!

I lead to the end of heat 2 with Keevan (Jr) flying by me just before the end to reach the scales first.

For the main I start on pole (Rich tells the whole pit how awesome starting on the outside is) ... and I manage to lead from flag to flag, thus breaking Brad's winning streak. It wasn't an easy race and Rich was right right right on my rear bumper all race ... I could hear and feel him gently nudging my bumper for 12 laps. I was waiting for something crazy to happen, but luckily nothing did (thanks Rich) !

Very happy considering I was a good half second off the pace all day, but slow and steady seemed to do the trick !

I felt bad for you Terry. Throwing your chain EVERY time out is not a fun way to spend your day. I'm completely puzzled why that should be. Everything looks perfect.

In other news ... Brad trashed a corner worker's walkie talkie ... here it is just before Brad deliberately ran over it. (K.C. charges to follow)

[Brad Wunder]

Good job Simon and congrats on the win!

I HATE inverts...

The second heat was a mess! I HATE inverts. I ALMOST followed Rich through the apex coming onto the straight when he got by Scott but I knew Scott didn't see and and figured it would most likely turn out badly for both of us and thought better of it. Not getting by Scott cost a front row start for the main. Grrrrrr. Did I mention I hate inverts??

By starting 3rd not all was lost I figured...right up untill I got all 4 wheels off trying to pass Rich for second on the inside of the dog leg on the straight. Then Scott passes me before I can get back on the track. Spent quite a few laps trying to get back by Scott and by that time it was too late to do anything with the leaders.

I have to say the second heat (with the craziness) and the main (a couple grass mowing events) were probably the most intense racing I've been involved in for years. I swear both were only 4 laps long. I know for sure that I did more laps this weekend than I have in at least 5 years.

One positive was for the first time all year I felt like I had a decent handling kart. If you would have told me before the weekend that I'd be moving my rear in nearly 6" I would have told you that you were crazy. Now, if I would have just brought a set of stickers I would have been set.

Big shout out to Mr. Bura for setting the fastest lap in the main! Of course I have to maintain that he was holding me up when he got by me after my off track excursion. LMAO!

[Brad Wunder]

Oh, and Simon, I may have taken out a radio, but at least I missed the corner worker!

[Dan Pell]

Hey, some great racing guys! Just looked at the timesheets, top 5 are within a tenth, that's GOOD STUFF! A bit perplexed at the steering wheel angle, seemingly turning into the radio (see picture above) on-track. Must be an optical illusion? Congrats Simon, that must have been an extremely W I D E kart, and a pizza pan used as a rear sprocket?

[Brad Wunder]

I'm pretty sure Simon hit BEFORE I did causing it to land directly in front of me!

[Simon]

I never touched the radio ... honest. The steering input in the picture was me practicing weaving from side to side to keep the others behind me.

Anyone have the url of the mylaps results? I can't find anything on the new mylaps website. It's horrible!

[Brad Wunder]

Yes, I found mylaps to be horrible as well. Maybe I just need to get used to it. www.mylaps.com/en/events/890130 This should get you there....

[RichH]

The new mylaps pages must be designed for the sight impaired. That is some BIG font

Starting on the race videos today.

Great race Simon. No mistakes in the final that anyone could take advantage of. Overall a good race weekend. I was very happy with my kart.Unlike Brad I made one change to my kart on Sat. Changed some gears on race day( the short vs long gearing debate continues).

Would like to pass on what the grid chief told to Brad, Simon and I after the race. He said he was watching us at the start going into the bowl turn two wide. He thought that is was either going to be very ugly quick or we would line it all up by the hair pin. We all came out at race speed without incidents. Great job!

[Simon]

My helmet cam video highlight are now available ....

www.youtube.com/watch?v=0twSW31pW4o

[ron90]

Apr 29, 2013 11:39:32 GMT -5 Dan Pell said:

Just looked at the timesheets, top 5 are within a tenth, that's GOOD STUFF!

I didn't realize the times were that close. I didn't looked at any of the times all day, and my MyChron was dead. Next time I will not fall asleep at the start of the Main. I wish there was a camera on our start as everyone pulled away and I just idled down the straight. If anyone was watching us they would have thought I had a kart problem.

I actually had more fun with the race when I was running Rich's gearing when I got there for topend speed. The speed in the bowl was a lot more than when I geared it closer to Brad's gearing. There was a huge difference and the kart was dancing on the edge of breaking the tires loose. When I was behind someone and they had a large distance in front I closed the gap very quickly, but then the speed to hairpin was really disconcerting (but fun).

Overall fun day, and I actually learned a lot by not being in the competitive front of the group. One thing I learned is the track did not drive anywhere near the way it drove last year.

[Brad Wunder]

Apr 30, 2013 9:36:53 GMT -5 Simon said:

My helmet cam video highlight are now available ....

www.youtube.com/watch?v=0twSW31pW4o

Very nice Simon. Thanks for putting that together. I know you are really busy with your new job. Where is your video Rich? Speaking of Rich, WTF was that coming onto the straight with Scott??! My memory must be all screwed up because I don't remember it happening like that.

[ron90]

May 2, 2013 14:59:05 GMT -5 Brad Wunder said:

Apr 30, 2013 9:36:53 GMT -5 Simon said:

My helmet cam video highlight are now available ....

www.youtube.com/watch?v=0twSW31pW4o

Speaking of Rich, WTF was that coming onto the straight with Scott??! My memory must be all screwed up because I don't remember it happening like that.

Now let me understand, the person who typically brings all the KC charges has a bad memory, or is otherwise "screwed up" according to his own words? Wow! ;D

[Brad Wunder]

I was speaking specifically of that incident. I remember being behind Rich who was behind Scott. I remember him making the pass before the apex of the turn and I thought about following him by as well. But the video clearly shows Rich ramming into Scott further along than that.

Ron, you have to remember that your "incidents" get etched into the long term memory banks.

[ron90]

May 2, 2013 17:00:48 GMT -5 Brad Wunder said:

Ron, you have to remember that your "incidents" get etched into the long term memory banks.

What incidents? I don't recall anything. Did I race?

[Brad Wunder]

Actually, this last week I'm not sure if you did....