Solo National Results

[Mako Koiwai]

I haven't been doing this that long, but I've never heard of incidents like this. Andy was lucky that he didn't damage his car ...

[Bob Beamesderfer]

wow.. i would have reacted a bit more .. emotionally.. and quite possibly with large tools, if this happened to me.

the hose theft or the "gift"?

[Jeff Shyu]

hose theft.. i hadn't read about the gift yet when i was posting.

the gift thing is pretty whacked too.

i don't know who the players were, nor their history, but dumping that on someone (else's) car is just messed up.

[Sebastian Rios]

I do know Mark Smith (gloves/douche incident) and would be surprised if he had malicious intent. But then again people do dumb stuff under times of stress.
The hose incident is ridiculous, that was waaaay over the line. It looks like there was a Civic DSQd from STX, I bet that's the culprit.

I have to say, I'm not really missing Nationals that much this year, and if the SCCA pulls a bonehead move and goes back to HPT next year I probably won't go then either.

[Giovanni Jaramillo]

If this were Formula 1, I can understand as there's millions of dollars at stake but C'MON! For this amateur sport? Man, I'm totally shocked. And running in a torrential downpour for a ProSolo after travelling hundreds of miles does not sound like fun.

SCCA needs to find a city/state with good weather then a good lot. Yes we race rain/shine but it happens almost like clockwork that it'll rain at Nationals which is the annual event. Regionally we have many events throughout the year so one or 2 rain events is good but when you have 1 big event a year and it's 80% chance of bad weather, then that's not appealing.

[Giovanni Jaramillo]

I have to say, I'm not really missing Nationals that much this year, and if the SCCA pulls a bonehead move and goes back to HPT next year I probably won't go then either.

Isn't the "lease/contract" up at HPT? Aren't they moving to somewhere in Arkansas?

[Aaron Goldsmith]

I do know Mark Smith (gloves/douche incident) and would be surprised if he had malicious intent. But then again people do dumb stuff under times of stress.
The hose incident is ridiculous, that was waaaay over the line. It looks like there was a Civic DSQd from STX, I bet that's the culprit.

I have to say, I'm not really missing Nationals that much this year, and if the SCCA pulls a bonehead move and goes back to HPT next year I probably won't go then either.

Gotta say, I really don't get why people don't like HPT. Data says the grip here is as good as El Toro and better than Cali Speedway. Surface to tire interface just seems to react differently causing a car balance change, same as going anywhere else. I like it a lot better than the under steer we get from the surface at wendover.

Sanding is no worse than el toro off line and the line is 20 feet wide anywhere that there is actually any choice of line. Transitions the line is tight, but you shouldn't be off line in a transitions.

Grid and paddock are a bit tight.

Having a garage is also awesome.

Though I think el toro would be better... ;) certainly not looking forward to having to go to blythville..

[Jeff Shyu]

that's not really what it's called, is it?.. BLYTHville?!

[Giovanni Jaramillo]

that's not really what it's called, is it?.. Blythville?!

Yup. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blytheville,_Arkansas

[Michael Palero]

I hit 7 cones-- and they didn't count them.

But it was probably because I hit 6 right before the last 7

[Mako Koiwai]

My main beef with HPT is not being able to see my competitors run, ie. grid is too far from the course. Garages are nice ... grass isn't.

[Bob Beamesderfer]

The facility needs to have enough room for hard surface paddock. Weather has always been a challenge at Nationals, however pushing the date later might exacerbate the problem. Then again, it could be global warming, Al Gore, or the fault of the One World Government folks.

[Eric Honda]

There have been a few trouble incidence at Nationals.

First, from Andy Hollis:

Lesson learned from today:

Do not paddock next to grid with your STS Civic unlocked while you go off to your work assignment, or a backmarker competitor who you do not know might steal an upper radiator hose off your car to fix their broken car, replace it incorrectly so it leaks, not fully refill the radiator, and not make any effort to contact you for permission or notice either before or after. Thank God that word filtered back to me from witnesses just as I was about to head to the grocery store, or my car would have overheated and warped the head on my very expensive motor. Or maybe it would have happened during competition runs instead. That would have been even better.

I thought I had seen everything in this sport but I was mistaken. And the Chief Stewards seem to think this sort of activity is ok so long as you apologize afterwards. Hopefully the Protest Committee will deal with this individual in a more appropriate manner.

--Andy "feeling quite violated"

[Steve Ekstrand]

The Smith-Fineberg thing on Sunday was awkward and strange.

The Hollis hosed thing was beyond bizarre. Andy obviously has more class than I do, because I would have ripped the Appalachian inbred apart limb by limb. Of course, in my current condition I'd have to settle for mustering all my strength to change clips as I ventilated the son of a bitch.

Andy is having a dream season and I'm glad some idiot didn't ruin his shot of finally putting STS on a jacket. The only proper way for that to be spoiled is a fantastic performance out of our own new star Stephen Yeoh.

I'm having a tough time here. 4:24am and I can't sleep for a third night in a row. Dr. Erik thinks its probably something I can't spell or pronounce but layman's term is torn rotator cuff. Nothing surgery can't fix. It was cool last night to see so many friends jump in and help get the new truck fender and headlight on for me so I could both drive home safely and go to dinner last night. And they loaded in the tires and heavy items for me in the trailer. Sad part is no lapdances Friday, its just too complicated to explain to folk dancers where all the painful parts are. I'll make an attempt to drive the East course just to finish out my Nationals. But it was almost impossible to drive the West and the East is all slaloms.

[Sebastian Rios]

Oh man, sorry to hear that Steve, don't try to be a hero and drive if it'll make things worse.

Aaron: My biggest beef with HPT is the lot size. Two 40 second courses crammed into a single 60 second lot is not what Nationals should be. In my opinion it's on the border of being unsafe.

[Sebastian Rios]

Wow! look at SS all of the trophy spots (15) are separated by only .633! Say what you will about SCCA Solo classing, but SS is a real winner, I just wish I could afford to play too.

[Sebastian Rios]

Reijo beats his co-driver/car owner again! That's it, he's never allowed to drive my cars.

Look 3 in a row, I'm as bad as Mako.

[Leonard Cachola]

Beutzer won C-stock again and Christine has taken SMLadies.

[Giovanni Jaramillo]

Schenker 4th in CSP

[Steve Ekstrand]

Gary Thomason in the lead as Matthew Braun pulls to the start line.
Braun doesn't do it.
Thomason comes from behind to win SS in the GT3

[Sebastian Rios]

Just received this text from Jason F.

"we r on the way to the protest shed/impound shed...=("

[Bob Beamesderfer]

Just received this text from Jason F.

"we r on the way to the protest shed/impound shed...=("

It wouldn't be STS without a protest.

[Jeff Shyu]

how deep is the "usual" STS field?

[Sebastian Rios]

No protest, Top 5 cars had to pull the valve covers off. Stephen finished 4th Jason 18th, Andy takes the win.

Randy Noll and Jim Reyenga finished 3rd and 4th behind Strelnieks and Mckee. Pretty damn good for the fairly short development time and an unproven platform.

[Mihai Surubariu]

Great going Stephen and JASON !!!!!!!!!!!!