Update on the results of the Pro IT race in New Hampshire. It was a roller coaster ride. There was a problem with the timing loop at the track and I was told I had no time for qualifying - then during the drivers meeting a kid comes running in with an updated time sheet - yours truly is on the pole! I'm sure a bunch of guys were hoping I would start at the back.
Great race - lot of passing - lot of cautions. Several major, major wrecks caused by the backmarkers lacking situational awareness when the leaders were coming through. I saw two ITR BMWs with over $5K in damage each and one Integra that was completely demolished. Fortunately no injuries.
So I battle hard - race was 55 minutes long - I WIN THE RACE!!!!! Here's the bad part. My friend Brian bought my old 968 restored car and parked it by the impound. One of the tech stewards noticed that his car had the small grill in the front of the air intake opening. My car does not have that grill. The stewards inspected my car and also see that the snorkle intake on my airbox is different and expanded. After further inspection it is determined that my bodywork was cut to accomodate the larger snorkle. Now the larger snorkle/scoop is legal but you must have original bodywork so I was moved to last place in class, forfiet my prize money and my points. The grill and the modified bodywork did me in. These were mods on the car when I bought it. I also gave Pete the molds to create the ram air scoop/snorkle (now I will have to go back to the 968 airbox mod and get the bodywork back to stock).
The head of tech said they wouldn't have given a second look except for the other car parked by impound. How's that for crappy luck!?!
And my friggin camera didn't work so I have no in-car video of the race - just qualifying.
So we go out and drink many beers - I figure I'll blow off the National race the next morning. At the last minute my buddies convince me to race - but my heart really wasn't in it. I finish third. Go to tech - was DQ'd for being 8 pounds light. We forgot to fill the tank! At that point I really didn't care anyway....the Pro IT race is what mattered.
I guess this is what you call a 'character building' weekend. At least I kept my cool and didn't say or doing anything I regret despite some pretty tough policing. Everybody remarked they've never seen a penalty assessed like this unless a competitor protested.
If anybody has that little grill in front of the airvent opening - please let me know - I need one!!!
