Happy New Year!
The holidays are just about over and since we haven’t written a newsletter
for some time, now seemed like a great opportunity to wrap up the year.
Most of the subjects which follow were covered in a more timely manner
during the year in the form of updates on www.kryderacing.com.
The final Mid-Ohio RunOffs
are history and the Kryderacing assisted “Magnificent Seven” had a pretty
good time. The 2005 edition of the Kryderacing Regional Championship
Series at Nelson Ledges Road Course has joined the previous twenty-two
editions in the history files. Many participants return for the fifth
annual day of fun at Willow Springs. Racing plans are underway for 2006.
All this and more follows..
2005 SCCA RunOffs
Kryderacing has been involved at the Run-Offs many times in the past. Reed ran a C-Production class Datsun 280ZX at the Road Atlanta edition over twenty-five years ago. He returned in 2003 driving David Pintaric’s T-1 class Corvette. The last few years we have been in attendance more in a trackside support capacity than driving. Usually with two to four competitors. That support ranges from “total” to “assistance when needed“. This year we really extended ourselves with seven entries using our services.
The Kryderacing support team consisted of Reed and Sandi Kryder, Matt Miller, and Matt Carson. There were others who always seemed to be around when additional help was needed. Reed spent hours observing from different points around the Mid-Ohio track and provided coaching assistance to the drivers. Sandi did much of the logistics work and provided fantastic meals for everyone. Matt Miller not only had to organize his and Matt Carson’s work assignments, but he also was a competitor and needed to keep his own entry running. Matt Carson seemed to be everywhere doing whatever was necessary. We were a small team but everything got done. The preparation back at the shop had a lot to do with there being no big problems during the week of the RunOffs.
This was the 12th consecutive running of the RunOffs at Mid-Ohio. In 2006 the championships move to Heartland Park in Topeka. Everyone wanted to do their best at Mid-Ohio since it is close to home for Kryderacing and our clients. Reports on our “Magnificent Seven” (plus one) follow.
PLUS ONE
C. J. Johnson was the ’plus one”. CJ is from California and runs a Corvette in the T-1 class. He had a crew at the track for the actual week of the RunOffs but not for the various test days leading up to the event. That’s where Kryderacing’s services came in. CJ ran four of the testing days. There were a couple of mechanical problems and our two Matt’s did most of the work. We weren’t able to closely follow CJ’s day-to-day activities during the RunOffs week. He did qualify mid-pack and had moved up a couple of spots when he started to fade for some reason.
GARY MARTZ
Gary was running his E-Production class Mazda RX-7. Gary is always very competitive during the year but seems to struggle during the RunOffs. This year was no different and the absence of engine builder Stan Lizauskas did not help. It’s probably unfair to say Gary struggles at the RunOffs. E-Production is an extremely competitive class from both a quantity and quality standpoint. Gary wins races and sets lap records during the year. He usually does very well in his Division (this year he won it). When Gary arrives at the RunOffs he runs as well as he has all year, but often ends up mid-pack. We checked in with Gary a couple of times during the week and he usually didn’t need much assistance. His race was the only one we were associated with on the Saturday program. Gary qualified 22nd but is a good racer and usually moves up during the race. This year he only made it to 19th. He probably would have made the top ten if it weren’t for a couple of “off course” excursions (initiated by other drivers).
SHOWROOM STOCK C
Only one of Sunday’s races featured cars with our logos. Three cars running in the SSC race were flying Kryderacing logos. Mike Olivier has his Honda stored and maintained at the Kryderacing shop. Mike had been running a Regional schedule up until this year. But since 2005 was the last year of the RunOffs at Mid-Ohio, Mike decided he wanted to go for it. It was interesting watching him during practice. Reed was surprised when Mike recorded the fastest time through the carousel and last turn complex prior to the start/finish line. But great driving and handling didn’t overcome the horsepower deficiency of this particular model Honda. Mike qualified 37th and finished 28th, but may have been the happiest driver in the race. Not only did he accomplish his goals, there were no dents in the car. The same couldn’t be said for the majority of the competitors.
After Mike’s race all of the cars were impounded and reports made on damage (yes, the carnage was that bad). Rob Piekarczyk was already in impound. Rob has been a good friend of Mike’s throughout their racing all year. Rob added Kryderacing decals to his car for the RunOffs. Rob’s Mazda was one of the unfortunate cars to be damaged during the race. He had qualified 33rd and was moving up until someone hit him with only a couple of laps to go. The impact shoved him into another competitor and both their races were over. Rob made it back to the pits but the damage to the left front fender and suspension ended his day.
Brett Mars started dropping his newly acquired Mazda3 off at the Kryderacing shop last Spring. Work usually consisted of routine checks and occasional repairs. Brett started his racing career this year and had no intentions of going to the RunOffs. But he was fast, a quick learner, and the car appeared to be one of the best choices for the class. Matt Miller talked him into a last minute attempt to qualify for the RunOffs. Brett was gaining positions and confidence with each day of qualifying (Tuesday through Thursday) and finally ended up 17th on the grid. Brett picked up a couple of positions with a great start. The second turn featured several accidents involving front runners. Brett managed to avoid this turmoil and was probably into the top ten. But going into the fourth turn he was hit by another car and ended up in the tirewall. The damage was severe and Brett couldn’t continue. He never saw who hit him and is looking for anyone who has video of what actually happened.
THE BAD, THE GOOD, AND THE UGLY
While Sunday’s race featured three Kryderacing cars in one race, earlier on Friday we had cars in three consecutive races. Bill Pintaric started it off in his Kryderacing prepped GT Lite class Nissan. Bill had won the NeDiv GTL Championship and qualified fifth on the grid. This was a major improvement over previous years and Bill was going for a podium finish. On the second lap it all fell apart. Bill was caught off-guard when another competitor “short braked” him going into the keyhole. There was slight contact but both continued. (The other car actually was struggling with a problem which would cause him to pit at the end of that lap.) A couple of turns after this initial incident Bill had to lift to keep from hitting the same car a second time. Unfortunately, when Bill lifted off the gas the car spun. By the time he got underway he was in last place. Several turns later he was spinning again, this time in oil from another competitors blown engine. Having not seen the oil (there were no slippery flags) and not knowing for sure what caused the second spin, Bill pitted to have the car examined. By the time he left the pits he was down a lap. So much for “The Bad”. But it wasn’t all bad. Bill set the second fastest lap of the race. Prior to the race he was happy with fifth on the grid and hopeful for a podium finish. Now he knows he can compete for the win. And he wants it.
The next race was for the T-1 class cars. David Pintaric, Bill’s brother, had qualified his Corvette 13th. This was a very respectable starting position considering the strength of the field and David is only in his second year of racing. David has always been fast, but his inexperience occasionally shows. This time he looked like an experienced pro from start to finish. He drove the best race in his life. The 11th place finish becomes very impressive when the names of the drivers ahead, and behind, David are studied. Of the three races in a row, this was “The Good”.
That leaves the third race,
“The Ugly”. Matt Miller was driving the same G-Production Datsun
510 he drove so well last year. The car is a good mid-pack vehicle
and Matt usually gets decent finishes through his driving skill and keeping
out of trouble. He had qualified 21st and was moving up in the standings
in the first half of the race. But at some point the car started
to feel wrong. Matt slowed but the problem continued to worsen.
On the last lap a failing suspension component caused Matt to go off the
track and attempt to launch over a tire-wall. After the race, and
removal from on top of the tires, he actually drove the car back to the
paddock. He had finished 20th driving a Datsun 510 which now had
some very ugly looking front body panels.
The RunOffs move to Heartland Park in 2006 and it is starting to look as if we may have several cars to assist. The track is located just south of Topeka, Kansas. We have been busy working on race schedules with both Pintaric’s. Gary Martz is in the process of selling his Mazda RX7, but plans on replacing it with a newer, and faster, version. Rob Piekarczyk is in the latter stages of obtaining a Mazda RX8 to compete in the new T3 class. Kryderacing will assist on the conversion of the vehicle into a race worthy competitor. Brett Mars has repaired his SSC car and plans on returning to the RunOffs. Matt Miller says the Datsun 510 is retired. Matt has several race cars and usually concentrates on Regional or Endurance races when he can find a break from helping our clients at the National events. If anyone is interested in a nicely prepped G-Production Datsun 510 they need to visit the “garage area” of our website for more information. Mike Olivier is also trying to sell his SSC Honda. This is a great car for a beginner who is concentrating on Drivers Schools and Regionals. Mike started his racing career in the car and now wants to move to another class.
Twenty-three years is a long time. That‘s how many years Kryderacing has put on this series. It started as a suggestion to put the Kryderacing logo on the champion’s trophies if we paid for them. The track had gone a couple of years with no seasonal champions because of the cost of the trophies. By the time that initial meeting was over we found ourselves more heavily involved. Trophies would be awarded through third place and Kryderacing would handle everything. We have kept the rules simple and try not to interfere with the rules established by the five participating SCCA Regions. The annual banquet was held on November 19th and the winners were:
Class Champion Second Place Third Place
GT Lite
Debbie LaFond
E Production
Bill Emery
Jim Llewellyn
F Production
Dave English
G Production
Jim Sloan
Dave Hammer
Cathy Alexander
D Sports Racer
Laurence Meisner
Sports 2000
Bill Kasmer
Spec Racer Ford
Gregory Grucella
Dave Lancaster
Chuck Babbitt
Formula C
Robert Mazza
Formula Ford
Jon Snyder
Club Formula Ford
Paul Derov
Formula Vee
Tim Woods, Jim Rowland (tie)
Howard Johnston
Formula 500
Ned Barefoot
Jim Goebelbecker
Super Production U
Bob MacDonald
Showroom Stock C
Dave Thornton
Improved Touring S
Ray Boniface
Allan Ferragonio
C Pat Kane
Improved Touring A
Jon Marhefka
Mark Connolly
John Lechner
Improved Touring B
Peter Delmer Jr
Abdulrab Aziz
Jim Morgan Jr
Improved Touring C
Bill Shearer
Robert Everett
Tom Berchin
Spec Miata
Mark Bennett
Brian Post
David Watts
American Sedan
Dave Demski
Jim Pracker
Kryderacing would like to
thank all those who support the series. These include Hoosier Tire
(pace car tires and banquet award of tires), Mazza Wineries (banquet wines),
and all the SCCA Regions (Neohio, Mahoning Valley, Western New York, Finger
Lakes, and Steel Cities) for their support and contributions to the banquet
prizes.
Nelson Ledges Road Course has made continual improvements during the past couple of years and 2006 should see this trend continue. The 12-Hour enduro will return along with a couple of shorter enduros. For the first time in many years there will be three SCCA Nationals (one NEDiv) and two CenDiv). Two of these Nationals are on major holiday weekends (Memorial Day and Labor Day). Kryderacing is still investigating moving our shop to the track and we have actually looked at one possibility with the track manager. The schedule for the Kryderacing Regional Championship Series is:
June 10-11 Double
Regional Finger Lakes Region
September 23-24 Double
Regional NEOhio Region
October 21-22
Double Regional Mahoning Valley Region
October 28-29
Regional (Double Points) Western New York Region
November 18 Awards Banquet
The Steel Cities Region event in 2006 currently is scheduled as a Drivers School/Enduro weekend and therefore does not fit into the series structure.
In 2001 Kryderacing teamed
with long-time friend and client Russ Wilson to put on a fun-day type program
at Willow Springs Road Course in California. The idea was to create
a track-school type event with a relaxed atmosphere. Russ invited
some friends, everyone had a fun and safe experience and we decided to
repeat it in 2002. By 2005 the event continued to be a success and
attendance was growing. This growth has created some new challenges
and we are planning a couple of changes for 2006. There will be some
additional “structure” to the on-track program, but we will try to keep
the “laidback” atmosphere in the off-track activities. The 2006 edition
is scheduled for Thursday, November 2nd and will be on the big track at
Willow Springs.
Contact us if you are interested
in joining us.
* November and December
are the time of year for trade shows. Reed and Sandi attended the
Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show in Las Vegas.
Sandi, Matt Miller, and Gary Martz attended the Performance Racing Industry
Show in Orlando. We have found both events to be beneficial to Kryderacing
from several standpoints. Keeping abreast with the latest products
and trends is important along with renewing old acquaintances.
* Make sure you visit
www.kryderacing.com for the latest Kryderacing news, a listing of shop
services, rental car information, “garage sale” items, Nelson Ledges updates,
and numerous other items. The website is updated frequently by Sandi.
* We have 2006 schedules
for numerous events, including all NEDiv and CenDiv events.
* Nelson Ledges will
be hosting three SCCA Drivers Schools. They are scheduled for April
22-23 (Mahoning Valley Region), May 13-14 (Neohio Region), and May 19-21
(Steel Cities Region, Western New York and Finger Lakes). Contact
the appropriate Region for additional information or contact us for a reference.
* Kryderacing
plans on having its rental cars available again in 2006. The improvements
made to the ITS Nissan 240SX this past year made it one of the fastest
cars in its class. Plans are being made for further enhancements
in 2006. The ITA Nissan NX2000 is also getting a few changes.
The Datsun 510 which Matt ran in G Production will also be available if
it isn’t sold.
* You will probably
see some of our staff at Regional races at Mid-Ohio and BeaveRun.
Feel free to ask questions about our services.
* We are investigating
making the gas pumps at Nelson Ledges operate on a credit card system.
Several tracks already use this type of service. Any comments based
on your personal experiences?
* We are looking into
updating or replacing the Kryderacing supplied Pace Car at Nelson Ledges.
One option being considered is modifications to the current Infiniti M30.
* We have a brand
new, never used GTech Pro. Make a reasonable offer and it’s yours.
* The new Snell SA2005
rated helmets are available and we would like to remind everyone we handle
Simpson products. Check your helmet for the Snell label. If
it’s a SA1995 you have only one more year of usage if you are using it
for SCCA amateur racing. Check your rulebook for other organizations.
It is our suggestion that you test fit the helmet you wish to purchase
before you purchase it. When the SA2000 rated helmets arrived the
“fit” seemed to change for several customers. This was primarily
due to the hard foam linings of the helmet being lowered in the forward
area of the helmet. The SA2005 helmets lowers this foam the rest
of the way around the head. It’s a small change, but depending on
the shape of your head it may require you to order a different size from
what you were used to wearing.