[ReEntryRacer]

I dropped into Laguna Seca a few days ago while I was heading back to Canada after a vacation in AZ. We watched the Audi bunch having so much fun that I have convinced my wife to support me in a long haul back down there this season with my SCCA-legal GT1 car. Its just production-based and nowhere near as fast as purpose-built tube-frame 'real' GT1 cars, but I want to try that track before I get much older/fatter/slower. I have joined SCCA-SF Region in preparation, and see three SCCA events listed, one in early May, another in late June and another in early Oct. I could REALLY use some advice as I prep the car and plan the long trip down from British Columbia. Is there anyone on here that intends to compete in one or more of these weekends? This old 'newbie' could use all the local information he can get! (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)
Larry

[rmackintosh]

It is "the Power of the Miata" down here. The region sports 80 car Miata fields! They can double and even TRIPLE enter the cars if different groups and many do.....therefore the region caters to them VERY, VERY much. Big money makers for the region they are...and after all it is a club, and if the majority want to race Sorority Girl cars....so be it!

That being said, I don't know so much as it is a black flag issue or not....it is a judgement call....if you come up on a pack of Miatas and they are stupid enough to race 3 wide....all the while not realizing they are knocking 3-4 seconds a lap off their times by being idiots...is that a flagging offense? Probably not. They have a "right" to their race too, most "old school" racers would be courteous and race sanely and move over to allow much faster cars by, it is just funny but the entire field of Miata drivers missed this day in the training of a good race car driver and drive like THEY are the ones that must be watched out for. If you watch the races of just SM cars, talk to the drivers, and even see them in our group it really is a group mentality....dunno what to say.

They do, for the most part, obey the passing flag. At least when they are alone. In a group....it is anyones guess....they can be unpredictable. It is just the way they are...it is really weird. I don't know what to say other than they are a culture of drivers who got into the sport because the racing is "cheap" and most don't seem to have a racing background in their blood like "old school" racers. They seem to be guys who "always thought racing a car would be cool" but never thought about it until an inexpensive option for them to do it came up....they haven't spent their formative years learning the sport...it just seems that way.....JMHO

Anyway, don't worry about them! Just be aware of them and keep your head on straight and you will be fine! HAVE SOME BIG FUN! Laguna is one of a kind!!!!!!! (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/cool2.gif)

[ReEntryRacer]

It is "the Power of the Miata" down here. The region sports 80 car Miata fields! They can double and even TRIPLE enter the cars if different groups and many do.....therefore the region caters to them VERY, VERY much. Big money makers for the region they are...and after all it is a club, and if the majority want to race Sorority Girl cars....so be it!

That being said, I don't know so much as it is a black flag issue or not....it is a judgement call....if you come up on a pack of Miatas and they are stupid enough to race 3 wide....all the while not realizing they are knocking 3-4 seconds a lap off their times by being idiots...is that a flagging offense? Probably not. They have a "right" to their race too, most "old school" racers would be courteous and race sanely and move over to allow much faster cars by, it is just funny but the entire field of Miata drivers missed this day in the training of a good race car driver and drive like THEY are the ones that must be watched out for. If you watch the races of just SM cars, talk to the drivers, and even see them in our group it really is a group mentality....dunno what to say.

They do, for the most part, obey the passing flag. At least when they are alone. In a group....it is anyones guess....they can be unpredictable. It is just the way they are...it is really weird. I don't know what to say other than they are a culture of drivers who got into the sport because the racing is "cheap" and most don't seem to have a racing background in their blood like "old school" racers. They seem to be guys who "always thought racing a car would be cool" but never thought about it until an inexpensive option for them to do it came up....they haven't spent their formative years learning the sport...it just seems that way.....JMHO

Anyway, don't worry about them! Just be aware of them and keep your head on straight and you will be fine! HAVE SOME BIG FUN! Laguna is one of a kind!!!!!!! (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/cool2.gif)

Thanks for the thoughtful reply Randy. I hope we can find each other on Friday. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)
Larry

[rmackintosh]

It is "the Power of the Miata" down here. The region sports 80 car Miata fields! They can double and even TRIPLE enter the cars if different groups and many do.....therefore the region caters to them VERY, VERY much. Big money makers for the region they are...and after all it is a club, and if the majority want to race Sorority Girl cars....so be it!

That being said, I don't know so much as it is a black flag issue or not....it is a judgement call....if you come up on a pack of Miatas and they are stupid enough to race 3 wide....all the while not realizing they are knocking 3-4 seconds a lap off their times by being idiots...is that a flagging offense? Probably not. They have a "right" to their race too, most "old school" racers would be courteous and race sanely and move over to allow much faster cars by, it is just funny but the entire field of Miata drivers missed this day in the training of a good race car driver and drive like THEY are the ones that must be watched out for. If you watch the races of just SM cars, talk to the drivers, and even see them in our group it really is a group mentality....dunno what to say.

They do, for the most part, obey the passing flag. At least when they are alone. In a group....it is anyones guess....they can be unpredictable. It is just the way they are...it is really weird. I don't know what to say other than they are a culture of drivers who got into the sport because the racing is "cheap" and most don't seem to have a racing background in their blood like "old school" racers. They seem to be guys who "always thought racing a car would be cool" but never thought about it until an inexpensive option for them to do it came up....they haven't spent their formative years learning the sport...it just seems that way.....JMHO

Anyway, don't worry about them! Just be aware of them and keep your head on straight and you will be fine! HAVE SOME BIG FUN! Laguna is one of a kind!!!!!!! (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/cool2.gif)

Thanks for the thoughtful reply Randy. I hope we can find each other on Friday. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)
Larry

My wife just told me I am relieved of kid duty in the afternoon on Thursday....therefore I should be down there by late morning/early afternoon. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/drink.gif) We should be able to hook up while waiting in line Thursday. I have a white crew cab Chevy Duramax truck and towing a triple axle TPD enclosed trailer....either right in front of me or right behind me in line should be my dad's big 38" Brown with Maroon stripes Monaco Windsor Diesel Pusher motorhome. If you don't see me in line, I try to pit VERY close to the entry gate of the paddock....usually right against the fence in turn 4 so we can watch the races between sessions. I hear that is occupied by temporary bleachers now, so we may not be against the fence but close most likely....

[ReEntryRacer]

My wife just told me I am relieved of kid duty in the afternoon on Thursday....therefore I should be down there by late morning/early afternoon. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/drink.gif) We should be able to hook up while waiting in line Thursday. I have a white crew cab Chevy Duramax truck and towing a triple axle TPD enclosed trailer....either right in front of me or right behind me in line should be my dad's big 38" Brown with Maroon stripes Monaco Windsor Diesel Pusher motorhome. If you don't see me in line, I try to pit VERY close to the entry gate of the paddock....usually right against the fence in turn 4 so we can watch the races between sessions. I hear that is occupied by temporary bleachers now, so we may not be against the fence but close most likely....

We'll have our dark blue Avalanche and a 20' grey Haulmark, with BC plates of course. I'm still not certain of our arrival time Thursday, too many variables when traveling with 2 women! (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/rotf.gif) I hope to be there in mid afternoon, but who knows? If all else fails, I'll have my cel phone of course. See PM. We're staying at the Quality Inn in Monterey, but I assume you're staying at the track. I hope the weather remains cool, as I've been watching the very high temps in LA. I removed my oil cooler today because it would be illegal as it was mounted inside in the passenger footwell, with a scoop and duct that SCCA would fail me for. I have been running 1-hour mini-enduro races for the last 3 years and it worked great. Half-hour races shouldn't be a big deal as long as the weekend temps are reasonable.

This post has been edited by ReEntryRacer: Jun 24 2008, 07:26 AM