Skip at Viper Days
Enthusiast
VRL at VOI 8
Texas Motor Speedway – What a beautiful facility! Drivers started arriving Thursday afternoon and the assignment of garage spaces was just done in time. We were we allowed to utilize the NASCAR garages and we almost filled them with our twenty race cars and the area for Archer Racing Accessories.
Friday morning found much activity in the garages at 7AM and continuing on all day. At 11:40 we were allowed a practice session until 1:30PM and the drivers enjoyed the high bank and the track in general. For those who were unfamiliar with the high bank had a new experience.
Qualifying was not held at 4:45 PM due to an incident with Joel Siegel, who went into the wall between 5 & 6. The track crew could not get the tire wall and concrete barrier back in place in our allotted time. The race on Saturday was gridded by the season points totals.
Saturday race at 12:10 scheduled for 28 laps. The weather was HOT and sky blue. Track temps were above 110 degrees and there was no breeze to be felt! The starting grid and qualifying times are listed below. Remember that the grid was done by season points.
The race configuration required that we have two areas corners that would require time penalties for missing the chicane or over shooting turn # 3. The time penalty for the chicane was 10 seconds and 55 seconds for overshooting #3. Bob Woodhouse ran a blistering pace but ended up in the penalty box three times for missing the chicane. Even with the three 10 second penalties he won the race and was number one in the WC class. Sonny Whelen won the GT-1, Dan Knox won GT-T-1 and Sam Carvahal won the GT-C race. Joe Bregante blew a power steering hose and had a DNF.
Sunday Race was inverted and schedule for 26 laps as several cars had a fuel issue on the cool down lap. The inverted grid was based on the season points totals. It was a great race with no incidents!! The GT-1 was won by Sonny Whelen, GT-C was won by Joe Bregante, GT-WC was won by Bob Woodhouse and GT-T-1 was won by Dan Knox.
Monday was another hot one and the race was 14 laps based on qualifying earlier that day. The race was won by Sonny Whelen in GT-1, Joe Bregante in GT-C, Mike Dalsin in GT-WC and Dan Knox in GT-T-1. Russ Oasis spun going into # 3 and damaged his beautiful #98 CC but hopes to be back at the Ranch!!
The heat was so bad that drivers were wet noodles and really drained. The VRL decided for safety to reduce the length of the Sunday race to 14 laps to protect the drivers. All drivers agreed and were thankful. We also moved the race up to 10 AM to try and find some relief from the heat.
It worked at 10AM it was cloudy and a slight breeze but it quickly left. The sun popped out and the heat and humidity was back. The race was run inverted and it made for an additional challenge….it was a short sprint race and drivers had to work faster than normal to try and get to the front. All drivers were good and patient and we had only one incident with Paul Greaser spinning out coming thru the chicane. His diff broke and he was done. He was running great and after talking to him he to will be back at Finals ready to go!! The race was won by Sonny Whelen in GT-1, Mike Dalsin in GT-WC, Joe Bregante in GT-C and Dan Knox in GT-T-1
Hope to see you at at the Motor Sports Ranch in October!
Texas Motor Speedway – What a beautiful facility! Drivers started arriving Thursday afternoon and the assignment of garage spaces was just done in time. We were we allowed to utilize the NASCAR garages and we almost filled them with our twenty race cars and the area for Archer Racing Accessories.
Friday morning found much activity in the garages at 7AM and continuing on all day. At 11:40 we were allowed a practice session until 1:30PM and the drivers enjoyed the high bank and the track in general. For those who were unfamiliar with the high bank had a new experience.
Qualifying was not held at 4:45 PM due to an incident with Joel Siegel, who went into the wall between 5 & 6. The track crew could not get the tire wall and concrete barrier back in place in our allotted time. The race on Saturday was gridded by the season points totals.
Saturday race at 12:10 scheduled for 28 laps. The weather was HOT and sky blue. Track temps were above 110 degrees and there was no breeze to be felt! The starting grid and qualifying times are listed below. Remember that the grid was done by season points.
The race configuration required that we have two areas corners that would require time penalties for missing the chicane or over shooting turn # 3. The time penalty for the chicane was 10 seconds and 55 seconds for overshooting #3. Bob Woodhouse ran a blistering pace but ended up in the penalty box three times for missing the chicane. Even with the three 10 second penalties he won the race and was number one in the WC class. Sonny Whelen won the GT-1, Dan Knox won GT-T-1 and Sam Carvahal won the GT-C race. Joe Bregante blew a power steering hose and had a DNF.
Sunday Race was inverted and schedule for 26 laps as several cars had a fuel issue on the cool down lap. The inverted grid was based on the season points totals. It was a great race with no incidents!! The GT-1 was won by Sonny Whelen, GT-C was won by Joe Bregante, GT-WC was won by Bob Woodhouse and GT-T-1 was won by Dan Knox.
Monday was another hot one and the race was 14 laps based on qualifying earlier that day. The race was won by Sonny Whelen in GT-1, Joe Bregante in GT-C, Mike Dalsin in GT-WC and Dan Knox in GT-T-1. Russ Oasis spun going into # 3 and damaged his beautiful #98 CC but hopes to be back at the Ranch!!
The heat was so bad that drivers were wet noodles and really drained. The VRL decided for safety to reduce the length of the Sunday race to 14 laps to protect the drivers. All drivers agreed and were thankful. We also moved the race up to 10 AM to try and find some relief from the heat.
It worked at 10AM it was cloudy and a slight breeze but it quickly left. The sun popped out and the heat and humidity was back. The race was run inverted and it made for an additional challenge….it was a short sprint race and drivers had to work faster than normal to try and get to the front. All drivers were good and patient and we had only one incident with Paul Greaser spinning out coming thru the chicane. His diff broke and he was done. He was running great and after talking to him he to will be back at Finals ready to go!! The race was won by Sonny Whelen in GT-1, Mike Dalsin in GT-WC, Joe Bregante in GT-C and Dan Knox in GT-T-1
Hope to see you at at the Motor Sports Ranch in October!
