03/03/2008
Grand Bayou Race Series Round #6
Well this is the final round of the 2007 - 2008 Grand Bayou Race Series. It just seems like
a few weeks ago it was round one here in my rookie year and now it is coming to a close. A
lot has transpired so far this season, some good, some bad. But the overall series was a
GREAT experience for me. I have learned so much about racing, my car and my abilities as
a driver. But enough of this, let’s get down to business here.
Practice Day - Friday morning rolls around and after around 4 inches of rain fell overnight
it was time to head to the track. It was very overcast, windy & cold this morning in
Louisiana. After forgetting my car cover at the shop the night before, I awoke to a car that
doubled as a rain gauge the night before. Always nice to sit in a freezing wet seat all day
and try to race a car going 120+ mph's. But my mistake so I will have to deal with it. All and
all I have to say the weather was really, really crappy. It was around 30 degrees, raining a
little on and off and windy as all get out. But, as it approached 9:00 am, it was time to set
that all aside and get out on the course. Very few people actually showed up today so you
could get as much track time as you could possibly want. I go out for my 1st session and
find out that the track has a LOT of standing water all over the place. No one is going to be
going fast this morning and probably all day. But I took the opportunity to try and get some
good wet condition testing in due to the bad weather. I started out just be going around the
track and learning what the car will do in certain situations in the wet and what it feels and
sounds like in the car when things are about to go wrong. Even with the crappy weather
conditions, I didn’t want the day to be a total loss. After a pretty uneventful first 2 sessions,
we set out for our 3rd and would be final session of the day. I wanted to go out with my dad
in his Panoz Esperante one last time before I start to tear the car down for the off-season. It’
s always a lot of fun trying to keep him behind me in his 500 hp beast. Well after I spun out
heading into turn 4; a very slow and tight right hand turn, I get back on course to try to get
all the crap off of my tires. As I am coming around to turn 14, the long sweeper heading
onto the front straight, I am greeted by waving yellow flags. Someone has spun out on
course and is still on the track. As I come around to the straight, I look up and see my dad
head first into the wall with his car. I quickly get around the circuit to park the car and see if
he is alright. Turns out he is fine but the car was not so lucky. Basically everything forward
of the motor is totaled. The crappiest thing about this is he just got the new motor put in
Wednesday night and was so looking forward to the event. Now it’s just a pile of parts for
right now. After that the rain started coming down really hard so we packed it in for the day.
EVENT DAY !!!!
Practice - As I wake up in the Best Western Hotel, Restaurant, Salon & Tire Centre;
Donaldsonville is a VERY small town, it is a much better day weather wise for the event.
Hardly a cloud in the sky and no wind. A 180 degree turn from yesterday. Get to the track
and make some final adjustments on the car for the practice session. I never run the entire
practice session on event day. I basically get out on the track, make sure everything is still
in good running order and drive the line for about 10 minutes. I don’t press the car very
hard, I just get out there and get my bearings back and make sure I am mentally ready to
go for the day. The car is running VERY good today and I am feeling really good about my
chances of finally making something happen today.
Qualifying - As per my usual qualifying ritual, I wait till most everyone is gridded up before I
head on over to the grid. I like to get near the back of the pack so I can have virtually a
clean track in front of me to run my session in. I also very rarely run the entire qualifying
session. What I try to do is take the first 3 hot laps as a warm up period for myself and the
car, then make a 3 lap run for my qualifying time run. It always seems to work out for me
and who am I to argue with my own methods right? After the 3 first hot laps, I cross the
start/finish stripe and it is game time. I am getting around the track really well on my 1st
qual lap and no one is ahead of me on the track. As I come around on what would be my
last lap, I feel rather confident about my run and go ahead and pull the car on into the pits.
As I get everything back in order in my pit area, the guy is coming around to hand out the
time sheets for the qualifying session. Not too bad of a run for me. I ended up qualifying
3rd in the blue bracket with a time of 1:31.819. Troy Marcello in an RX7 was 2nd with a 1:
30.542 * good old Skeeter took the pole with a 1:29.380.
Heat Race - As we are lining up for the heat race, all I am thinking about is the 1st turn of
this race. I want to get a good jump on the start and try and rocekt around a few guys
before the 1st turn. As we go around scrubbing in the tires on our pace lap, we start to
form up 2 by 2 for the start. I always like to stomp it a few times and jump right up on the
tailpipe of the guy in front of me just to let him know I am right here and going to be coming
strong. Just something mental I like to throw at them. Formed up now, we head down the
short shoot straight between turns 10 & 11, I have an RX7 to my left and a WRX right in
front of me. GREEN FLAG, I instantly punch it and swing wide to the left and shoot around
the WRX into the 1st turn. Now there is still the RX7 to my inside and a black Porshce in
front of me. We head through the 11, 12 & 13 complex heading into the sweeper. I over
shoot my apex heading into turn 14 and slide out a bit letting WRX get back around me.
Down the straight away I slingshot past the RX7 and focus on chasing down Skeeter in his
Mustang. After everyone starts to settle down a bit after the start around lap 3 we start to
get in a small packs around the circuit. It is Dennis Gors in his white Corvette, Skeeter in
the Mustang, Bryan Lutz in a WRX, me and the Troy Marcello in his RX7, all nose to tail all
the way around the track. We are doing some good close and clean racing for about 3
laps. We all head down the short shoot straight heading into turn 4, a very tight and slow
left hand turn. The Vette goes through a little hot and slides to his left, the Mustang has to
check up, forcing the WRX to check up and forcing myself and Troy to hope we can make it
through without eating someone’s bumper or fender. Somehow we all make it through turn
4 heading into the esses in the back of the track. I am right on the WRX's bumper when all
of a sudden he just stands on the brakes. At first I thought he was brake checking me but
as we come out of the esses, smoke starts to pour out from the front left of his car. We get
onto a straight away and he waves us by. Later we would find out his left front wheel
bearing just gave way and ended up with about 10 degrees of camber and tire scrubbing
on the fender to cause all of that smoke. His brake pad also decided to let go at that time.
After that incident, the Vette and Mustang got away from of us and I ended up 2nd in the
heat race with 7 laps in 11:44.835. Skeeter in the Mustang won it with 7 laps in 11:43.442
or about 1.5 seconds ahead of me. With all 5 of us having those close battles, that was the
best run and racing I had been involved in all series. Awesome race for us.
Feature Race - With my 2nd place finish in the heat race, I would be starting in 2nd
position for the feature race. And in all actuality, it is a better starting position as it is on the
outside of the grid and sets you up better for the start of the race. As we are being led
around the track by the pace car for the start of the feature race, I am getting extremely
focused for this session here. This is it, this is the last feature race of the season and I
want to leave it all on the track. Give it my all and what happens....happens. Formed up
now, 2 by 2 for the start and GREEN FLAG !!!! I shoot to the outside to setup for the first
turn and Skeeter in the mustang is door to door with me. We head into the 1st turn and we
bump ever so slightly so I have to back off just for a second. Doing that enabled him to get
in front of me before we hit the front straight. Down the front straight away at 120 mph I
tuck in behind him and head into turn 1. I am virtually right on his bumper all the way
through 1, 2 and 3. We head into turn 4 and I know realistically, this is where I have my
best shot of getting past him. For me in the front wheel drive car, I take the turn a little
different than most. I swing way wide and deep and try to come out with a lot of exit speed
to get runs on people. I notice that Skeeter is taking very tight today to try and block me
from the inside pass. The next 2 laps I switch it up on him, one lap I dive to the inside right
on his bumper to show that I am going to drive there all day. I follow him like this for 1 more
lap. Making sure to stay right with him in that turn. Next lap by, I am going to give my setup
a shot. As we go down the front straight again, I am right on him. We go through turn 1 and
head through 2 & 3, I am once again right on him. But this time, I get right on his bumper
and at the last second, swing very, very wide heading into turn 4. He sees me do this and
tries to go a little wide to protect the high side. When he does that, I am already starting my
turn in and can go WOT through the turn. He tries to punch it and slides the rear end of his
car sideways and I beat him out of the turn with my exit speed down the short shoot
heading into the esses. There is was, I made the inside pass and now am in the lead in the
feature race. Quick check of the gauges and a glance in the mirror and he is right there. I
lead the next lap and guard that inside line like it was the final lap at the Pettit Le Mans. We
head into turn 4 and I know he is going to try and sling by me. I make the Talon as wide as
it can be for that turn. We head into turn 10 and I can see him go wide and his engine rev
louder as I know he is going to try to swing wide for the outside pass. When I hear this, I
"adjust" my line about 3 feet wider than I normally would to try and ease him further to the
outside than he wants to go....It worked, he had to get out of the throttle but also he tried to
punch it around me anyway and ended up sliding right off the turn. I didn’t block or punt
him, I simply took my apex a little wider than normal and he was the one ended up sliding
off due to him trying to still make the pass to the outside. When we hit the front straight
away, I glance on the mirrors and its myself in the lead and Troy in his RX7 behind me.
Here it was, I am in the lead of the feature race in the last round of the GBRS. Troy is really
trying to get around me in the tighter sections of the course. But when we hit the
straightaway’s, I always seem to have a little more ponies than him. As we head into turn
10, I glance over and I can see the red bracket guys getting the checkered flag. This was it,
4 more turns and I take my first feature win of the season. 11, 12, 13 and through the
sweeper in 14 and onto the front straight and all I can see was the CHECKERED FLAG !!!
My first feature win of the season. I had to let out a few yells in my helmet and could help
but swing the car back and forth a few times. Troy pulled along side of me in the cool down
lap and revved his RX7's engine a few times and gave me the thumbs up. Pulling into the
paddock area some guys came over to bang on the hood and congratulate me. it was such
an AWESOME feeling to know I had made a clean pass on the guy I had been chasing all
year and take my first win. When I got out of the car, Skeeter was the 1st guy to me to
shake my hand and tell me what a great race I ran. A little bit later, the 2 guys behind us
came over to me and said that was a great race to see unfold in front of them. I took the
win with 10 laps in 16:04.552. My best lap was 1:30.011....I was .011 away from breaking
out and being docked a lap. All and all I guess it was just my time and my day. Last race of
the year, I finally get my 1st feature race win !!!
Wrapping it all up - Now that the series is over its time to start getting prepared for next
year’s series. A lot to do to the Talon to get it ready. More power, better suspension is all
still to come. First off, I want to thank some people who without them, none of this could
have happened. Luda "Chris" here on DSMTuners. He has given me a chance to represent
his website and love for DSM's on a national level with more exposure of my series and
racing career on this website. For that I am VERY thankful. Thanks Chris, You are the man
!!! Marti Ruiz and all the boys at VIP Garage. They give me all the parts I need on my brake
setups to keep me on the track and competitive. They were the 1st company to come on
board and support me in this series and I will never forget that. Thanks guys. Kelley and
the gang at Red Line Oil. They have just come on as my newest sponsor for this season
and all of next season. They are giving me in my opinion the best oil, lube and coolant
addidatives on the market. Thank you for helping out a DSMer in his quest. To Jimmy &
Cameron at Fighters Garage here locally for me in Pensacola, Florida. They do most of the
maintenance and work on my car for me and without them, I wouldn’t even be on the track
to race. To ALL the DSMers on DSMTuners.com. for all the support and kind words
throughout this my rookie season in the Grand Bayou Race Series. Your comments, PMs &
E-Mails really hit home with me and I thank you for all of them. Last and certainly nowhere
near least. My beautiful and way too understanding girlfriend Kati. Who from day 1 has
been 1000% behind my racing career. For never doubting me or my abilities in this sport.
For always understanding the long hours at the garage to get the car ready. The days and
days and days away from home in not so good hotel rooms in the middle of nowhere.
Eating fast food for breakfast, lunch and dinner and never once complaining. And even
loads more that she may never even fully know. And in closing, we may have not won the
overall championship this year....2nd overall in the points is nothing to be ashamed of to
me either in my rookie of year of the series. But you can count on this. We will get the
engine rebuilt with some more ponies under the hood for them next season. And we ARE
going to contend for the overall win next season !!! Thank you all once again for ALL The
support through this season.
a few weeks ago it was round one here in my rookie year and now it is coming to a close. A
lot has transpired so far this season, some good, some bad. But the overall series was a
GREAT experience for me. I have learned so much about racing, my car and my abilities as
a driver. But enough of this, let’s get down to business here.
Practice Day - Friday morning rolls around and after around 4 inches of rain fell overnight
it was time to head to the track. It was very overcast, windy & cold this morning in
Louisiana. After forgetting my car cover at the shop the night before, I awoke to a car that
doubled as a rain gauge the night before. Always nice to sit in a freezing wet seat all day
and try to race a car going 120+ mph's. But my mistake so I will have to deal with it. All and
all I have to say the weather was really, really crappy. It was around 30 degrees, raining a
little on and off and windy as all get out. But, as it approached 9:00 am, it was time to set
that all aside and get out on the course. Very few people actually showed up today so you
could get as much track time as you could possibly want. I go out for my 1st session and
find out that the track has a LOT of standing water all over the place. No one is going to be
going fast this morning and probably all day. But I took the opportunity to try and get some
good wet condition testing in due to the bad weather. I started out just be going around the
track and learning what the car will do in certain situations in the wet and what it feels and
sounds like in the car when things are about to go wrong. Even with the crappy weather
conditions, I didn’t want the day to be a total loss. After a pretty uneventful first 2 sessions,
we set out for our 3rd and would be final session of the day. I wanted to go out with my dad
in his Panoz Esperante one last time before I start to tear the car down for the off-season. It’
s always a lot of fun trying to keep him behind me in his 500 hp beast. Well after I spun out
heading into turn 4; a very slow and tight right hand turn, I get back on course to try to get
all the crap off of my tires. As I am coming around to turn 14, the long sweeper heading
onto the front straight, I am greeted by waving yellow flags. Someone has spun out on
course and is still on the track. As I come around to the straight, I look up and see my dad
head first into the wall with his car. I quickly get around the circuit to park the car and see if
he is alright. Turns out he is fine but the car was not so lucky. Basically everything forward
of the motor is totaled. The crappiest thing about this is he just got the new motor put in
Wednesday night and was so looking forward to the event. Now it’s just a pile of parts for
right now. After that the rain started coming down really hard so we packed it in for the day.
EVENT DAY !!!!
Practice - As I wake up in the Best Western Hotel, Restaurant, Salon & Tire Centre;
Donaldsonville is a VERY small town, it is a much better day weather wise for the event.
Hardly a cloud in the sky and no wind. A 180 degree turn from yesterday. Get to the track
and make some final adjustments on the car for the practice session. I never run the entire
practice session on event day. I basically get out on the track, make sure everything is still
in good running order and drive the line for about 10 minutes. I don’t press the car very
hard, I just get out there and get my bearings back and make sure I am mentally ready to
go for the day. The car is running VERY good today and I am feeling really good about my
chances of finally making something happen today.
Qualifying - As per my usual qualifying ritual, I wait till most everyone is gridded up before I
head on over to the grid. I like to get near the back of the pack so I can have virtually a
clean track in front of me to run my session in. I also very rarely run the entire qualifying
session. What I try to do is take the first 3 hot laps as a warm up period for myself and the
car, then make a 3 lap run for my qualifying time run. It always seems to work out for me
and who am I to argue with my own methods right? After the 3 first hot laps, I cross the
start/finish stripe and it is game time. I am getting around the track really well on my 1st
qual lap and no one is ahead of me on the track. As I come around on what would be my
last lap, I feel rather confident about my run and go ahead and pull the car on into the pits.
As I get everything back in order in my pit area, the guy is coming around to hand out the
time sheets for the qualifying session. Not too bad of a run for me. I ended up qualifying
3rd in the blue bracket with a time of 1:31.819. Troy Marcello in an RX7 was 2nd with a 1:
30.542 * good old Skeeter took the pole with a 1:29.380.
Heat Race - As we are lining up for the heat race, all I am thinking about is the 1st turn of
this race. I want to get a good jump on the start and try and rocekt around a few guys
before the 1st turn. As we go around scrubbing in the tires on our pace lap, we start to
form up 2 by 2 for the start. I always like to stomp it a few times and jump right up on the
tailpipe of the guy in front of me just to let him know I am right here and going to be coming
strong. Just something mental I like to throw at them. Formed up now, we head down the
short shoot straight between turns 10 & 11, I have an RX7 to my left and a WRX right in
front of me. GREEN FLAG, I instantly punch it and swing wide to the left and shoot around
the WRX into the 1st turn. Now there is still the RX7 to my inside and a black Porshce in
front of me. We head through the 11, 12 & 13 complex heading into the sweeper. I over
shoot my apex heading into turn 14 and slide out a bit letting WRX get back around me.
Down the straight away I slingshot past the RX7 and focus on chasing down Skeeter in his
Mustang. After everyone starts to settle down a bit after the start around lap 3 we start to
get in a small packs around the circuit. It is Dennis Gors in his white Corvette, Skeeter in
the Mustang, Bryan Lutz in a WRX, me and the Troy Marcello in his RX7, all nose to tail all
the way around the track. We are doing some good close and clean racing for about 3
laps. We all head down the short shoot straight heading into turn 4, a very tight and slow
left hand turn. The Vette goes through a little hot and slides to his left, the Mustang has to
check up, forcing the WRX to check up and forcing myself and Troy to hope we can make it
through without eating someone’s bumper or fender. Somehow we all make it through turn
4 heading into the esses in the back of the track. I am right on the WRX's bumper when all
of a sudden he just stands on the brakes. At first I thought he was brake checking me but
as we come out of the esses, smoke starts to pour out from the front left of his car. We get
onto a straight away and he waves us by. Later we would find out his left front wheel
bearing just gave way and ended up with about 10 degrees of camber and tire scrubbing
on the fender to cause all of that smoke. His brake pad also decided to let go at that time.
After that incident, the Vette and Mustang got away from of us and I ended up 2nd in the
heat race with 7 laps in 11:44.835. Skeeter in the Mustang won it with 7 laps in 11:43.442
or about 1.5 seconds ahead of me. With all 5 of us having those close battles, that was the
best run and racing I had been involved in all series. Awesome race for us.
Feature Race - With my 2nd place finish in the heat race, I would be starting in 2nd
position for the feature race. And in all actuality, it is a better starting position as it is on the
outside of the grid and sets you up better for the start of the race. As we are being led
around the track by the pace car for the start of the feature race, I am getting extremely
focused for this session here. This is it, this is the last feature race of the season and I
want to leave it all on the track. Give it my all and what happens....happens. Formed up
now, 2 by 2 for the start and GREEN FLAG !!!! I shoot to the outside to setup for the first
turn and Skeeter in the mustang is door to door with me. We head into the 1st turn and we
bump ever so slightly so I have to back off just for a second. Doing that enabled him to get
in front of me before we hit the front straight. Down the front straight away at 120 mph I
tuck in behind him and head into turn 1. I am virtually right on his bumper all the way
through 1, 2 and 3. We head into turn 4 and I know realistically, this is where I have my
best shot of getting past him. For me in the front wheel drive car, I take the turn a little
different than most. I swing way wide and deep and try to come out with a lot of exit speed
to get runs on people. I notice that Skeeter is taking very tight today to try and block me
from the inside pass. The next 2 laps I switch it up on him, one lap I dive to the inside right
on his bumper to show that I am going to drive there all day. I follow him like this for 1 more
lap. Making sure to stay right with him in that turn. Next lap by, I am going to give my setup
a shot. As we go down the front straight again, I am right on him. We go through turn 1 and
head through 2 & 3, I am once again right on him. But this time, I get right on his bumper
and at the last second, swing very, very wide heading into turn 4. He sees me do this and
tries to go a little wide to protect the high side. When he does that, I am already starting my
turn in and can go WOT through the turn. He tries to punch it and slides the rear end of his
car sideways and I beat him out of the turn with my exit speed down the short shoot
heading into the esses. There is was, I made the inside pass and now am in the lead in the
feature race. Quick check of the gauges and a glance in the mirror and he is right there. I
lead the next lap and guard that inside line like it was the final lap at the Pettit Le Mans. We
head into turn 4 and I know he is going to try and sling by me. I make the Talon as wide as
it can be for that turn. We head into turn 10 and I can see him go wide and his engine rev
louder as I know he is going to try to swing wide for the outside pass. When I hear this, I
"adjust" my line about 3 feet wider than I normally would to try and ease him further to the
outside than he wants to go....It worked, he had to get out of the throttle but also he tried to
punch it around me anyway and ended up sliding right off the turn. I didn’t block or punt
him, I simply took my apex a little wider than normal and he was the one ended up sliding
off due to him trying to still make the pass to the outside. When we hit the front straight
away, I glance on the mirrors and its myself in the lead and Troy in his RX7 behind me.
Here it was, I am in the lead of the feature race in the last round of the GBRS. Troy is really
trying to get around me in the tighter sections of the course. But when we hit the
straightaway’s, I always seem to have a little more ponies than him. As we head into turn
10, I glance over and I can see the red bracket guys getting the checkered flag. This was it,
4 more turns and I take my first feature win of the season. 11, 12, 13 and through the
sweeper in 14 and onto the front straight and all I can see was the CHECKERED FLAG !!!
My first feature win of the season. I had to let out a few yells in my helmet and could help
but swing the car back and forth a few times. Troy pulled along side of me in the cool down
lap and revved his RX7's engine a few times and gave me the thumbs up. Pulling into the
paddock area some guys came over to bang on the hood and congratulate me. it was such
an AWESOME feeling to know I had made a clean pass on the guy I had been chasing all
year and take my first win. When I got out of the car, Skeeter was the 1st guy to me to
shake my hand and tell me what a great race I ran. A little bit later, the 2 guys behind us
came over to me and said that was a great race to see unfold in front of them. I took the
win with 10 laps in 16:04.552. My best lap was 1:30.011....I was .011 away from breaking
out and being docked a lap. All and all I guess it was just my time and my day. Last race of
the year, I finally get my 1st feature race win !!!
Wrapping it all up - Now that the series is over its time to start getting prepared for next
year’s series. A lot to do to the Talon to get it ready. More power, better suspension is all
still to come. First off, I want to thank some people who without them, none of this could
have happened. Luda "Chris" here on DSMTuners. He has given me a chance to represent
his website and love for DSM's on a national level with more exposure of my series and
racing career on this website. For that I am VERY thankful. Thanks Chris, You are the man
!!! Marti Ruiz and all the boys at VIP Garage. They give me all the parts I need on my brake
setups to keep me on the track and competitive. They were the 1st company to come on
board and support me in this series and I will never forget that. Thanks guys. Kelley and
the gang at Red Line Oil. They have just come on as my newest sponsor for this season
and all of next season. They are giving me in my opinion the best oil, lube and coolant
addidatives on the market. Thank you for helping out a DSMer in his quest. To Jimmy &
Cameron at Fighters Garage here locally for me in Pensacola, Florida. They do most of the
maintenance and work on my car for me and without them, I wouldn’t even be on the track
to race. To ALL the DSMers on DSMTuners.com. for all the support and kind words
throughout this my rookie season in the Grand Bayou Race Series. Your comments, PMs &
E-Mails really hit home with me and I thank you for all of them. Last and certainly nowhere
near least. My beautiful and way too understanding girlfriend Kati. Who from day 1 has
been 1000% behind my racing career. For never doubting me or my abilities in this sport.
For always understanding the long hours at the garage to get the car ready. The days and
days and days away from home in not so good hotel rooms in the middle of nowhere.
Eating fast food for breakfast, lunch and dinner and never once complaining. And even
loads more that she may never even fully know. And in closing, we may have not won the
overall championship this year....2nd overall in the points is nothing to be ashamed of to
me either in my rookie of year of the series. But you can count on this. We will get the
engine rebuilt with some more ponies under the hood for them next season. And we ARE
going to contend for the overall win next season !!! Thank you all once again for ALL The
support through this season.