NASA Norcal Season Opener
I have known Tony and Sean from years of autocrossing with them. So naturally when I decided to get my e36 M3 running, Speed Trapp Racing was my choice to do the work. The M3 needed a lot of work, including a new engine and lots of suspension refresh since the car was sitting for 2 years. While that work was being done, I decided to do an arrive and drive weekend in one of Speed Trapp Racing’s Spec e30 cars.
Saturday began with excitement in the air as I looked through the paddock. Faces I recognized mixed in with new ones as well. The threatening rain was moving on, revealing a sunny weekend and little use for my new full tread Toyos. First mistake of the weekend planning to note: Bring Dry and Wet weather tires. Full wet and Intermiediates were the decision I had made. Wrong. Inters were not going to work as well as drys and most guys had drys ready to go on. I paid the price all weekend with tires that were sticky for 3 laps and then went greasy. Tires matter.
Austin on the other hand did not care about slower tires as he struggled to come up to speed on a track he had not driven before. With walls and only wetgrass seperating the racing surface from the walls, he was not willing to push and experiment with the limits. He was wise. He spent the two days becoming familiar with Infineon and it's flowing lines. Instruction from 2009 Spec E30 Champion/NASA Chief Licensing Instructor Donny Edwards was extremely helpful to Austin and helped to give him confidence on an intimidating course. Donny's generous coaching and encouraging attitude were just what Austin needed. As a dad, it is always a pleasure to see accomplished experts mentor your son. Austin was able to check off two more clean races from his provisional license book.
Spec E30 racing on Saturday was nothing short of wild! The pack of E30 racers have matured and the middle pack guys have all moved to the front! You could have thrown a blanket over the front 10 cars as they entered turn 2! Cars were finding lines over curbs, in the marbles and through the grass. Some were even attempting the famous "through another car" move. Cars were becoming multi-colored. Three laps in, the front pack was still nose to tail and side by side, when a touch between Scoot and Tony D caused Scoot to quickly spin 360 degrees. Cars fanned out in different directions, but with pressure from Gary in the 29 car on my left quarter, my only choice was to go right. Turn 1a is one of the fastest parts of the track and I had a fraction of a second to decide, I went right...as Scoot spun and moved right, he closed the door on my exit plan and my locked up tires did little to slow me as I hit his right rear with my front left. We both dropped back from 7th and 8th to last. Scoot went on to finish 7th. After driving in 17th (last) for a couple of laps, I thought my radiator may be damaged. Austin informed me by radio that nothing was leaking. "So get going, finish the darn race, and quit whining" he said. I finished 11th. None of the E30 racers were easy to pass, and I learned more about "setting up the pass".
Sunday's inverted field qualifying race gave me the priviledge of starting 5th, With Donny Edwards beside me on the grid, an electrical problem on saturday had caused his unusual position. I finished 4th in the qualifying race. A rare opportunity to start at the pointy end of the grid. My joy did not last long in the race. It was a new lesson in how I would get passed! Too much tread on my tires and weak technique with my braking conspired to to back me up to 8th. Leaving a little door open in turn 7 with Green Greg and Steroid Steve on my tail did not help either as Greg started his braking just a few feet too late, which was just the distance to my door. Alittle love tap from Greg and I was out of the way and Steve was quick to step through the door as well. The door popped right out, my ego did not. Two races in two days and a total of 7 positions lost. Braking matters. Racing line into the corner matters.
With a field this tight every mistake costs BIG! Every error is a position. Every single mistake. Spec E30 competitiors are teaching me to look at my weakness and FIX them! Other cars are faster, other groups are bigger, some groups are easier to win a championship,..... this grouptakes you to school! The guys who put it all together were rewarded. We also learned that Infineon use sheep and Sean to keep the grass short! Tony Z showed how effective the walls are at keeping cars on track and out of the pits! Now Bad Kitty finally looks like a True NASCAR!!! Gary, Tony Z, Scott C, Donny,... I am learning guys. I hope the season is long enough for me to put all these lessons to work!
Kevin M. Nichols
Saturday began with excitement in the air as I looked through the paddock. Faces I recognized mixed in with new ones as well. The threatening rain was moving on, revealing a sunny weekend and little use for my new full tread Toyos. First mistake of the weekend planning to note: Bring Dry and Wet weather tires. Full wet and Intermiediates were the decision I had made. Wrong. Inters were not going to work as well as drys and most guys had drys ready to go on. I paid the price all weekend with tires that were sticky for 3 laps and then went greasy. Tires matter.
Austin on the other hand did not care about slower tires as he struggled to come up to speed on a track he had not driven before. With walls and only wetgrass seperating the racing surface from the walls, he was not willing to push and experiment with the limits. He was wise. He spent the two days becoming familiar with Infineon and it's flowing lines. Instruction from 2009 Spec E30 Champion/NASA Chief Licensing Instructor Donny Edwards was extremely helpful to Austin and helped to give him confidence on an intimidating course. Donny's generous coaching and encouraging attitude were just what Austin needed. As a dad, it is always a pleasure to see accomplished experts mentor your son. Austin was able to check off two more clean races from his provisional license book.
Sunday's inverted field qualifying race gave me the priviledge of starting 5th, With Donny Edwards beside me on the grid, an electrical problem on saturday had caused his unusual position. I finished 4th in the qualifying race. A rare opportunity to start at the pointy end of the grid. My joy did not last long in the race. It was a new lesson in how I would get passed! Too much tread on my tires and weak technique with my braking conspired to to back me up to 8th. Leaving a little door open in turn 7 with Green Greg and Steroid Steve on my tail did not help either as Greg started his braking just a few feet too late, which was just the distance to my door. Alittle love tap from Greg and I was out of the way and Steve was quick to step through the door as well. The door popped right out, my ego did not. Two races in two days and a total of 7 positions lost. Braking matters. Racing line into the corner matters.
Kevin M. Nichols
