The previous issue of this newsletter
dealt almost exclusively with a single topic; "The 24 Days of Daytona".
A lot of other things were, and are, going on at Kryderacing. The following
highlights a lot of these items in no particular order.
2000 KRYDERACING REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
The 18th edition of our series returns to Nelson Ledges Road Course and we expect our greatest year ever. There are many reasons for our optimism. The continuous improvements in the facilities has led to an increase in the number of competitors over the last couple of years. In 2000, there is an increase in the number of sanctioning Regions. Finger Lakes Region is moving their annual "Fun One" from Watkins Glen to Nelson Ledges. The complete schedule includes:
May 6-7 Steel Cities Double Regional
June 17-18 NEOhio Double Regional
July 8-9 Finger Lakes Regional
August 19-20 Mahoning Valley Regional
October 21-22 Mahoning Valley Double
Regional
October 28-29 Western New York Regional
November 18 Awards Banquet
New series t-shirts are ordered and
will be available from Kryderacing and all of the Regions in the very near
future. Contingency sponsors expected to return include Liberty Tire, Citgo
Racing Gasoline, and Performance Friction Brake Pads. A couple of new supporters
are anticipated.
NEOhio Region Competition Clinic
Reed was part of a panel at the NEOhio
Comp Clinic on March 18, 2000. The Clinic helps new (and old) drivers prepare
for racing. It is always a great opportunity for racers (especially beginners)
to obtain a lot of information on a variety of subjects. About 135 people
attended the Comp Clinic. Reed was part of a panel informing participants
on a variety of Driving Schools and giving advice on vehicle rentals.
NO Sebring for Kryderacing
A long time tradition came to an end
last week. Kryderacing had no presence at the annual 12-Hours of Sebring.
We never missed a race in the 1990’s. Several of our clients and friends
were in the feature race and several supporting races. Frank DelVecchio
was running well in Ed Magner’s Oldsmobile until a transmission failure
ended his Motorola Cup effort. Steve Ahlgrim entered his first Trans-Am
event and finished despite the loss of all but one gear in his Corvette’s
transmission. Bob Ruman started his Trans-Am season off great with a seventh
place finish. Bob’s daughters finished 6th (Amy) and 14th (Nicole) in the
Women’s GT event. Amy had qualified third.
"Our Miami Connection"
One regular item of our annual Sebring
visit we missed this year was seeing some friends we fondly refer to as
"Our Miami Connection". They are a group of Datsun 510 owners who have
followed our Nissan efforts at Sebring for numerous years. They could always
be found on the outside of Turn 3. We didn’t see them this year, but we
did find one of their names in the April issue of "Road & Track". Nestor
Moya submitted an engine question concerning 510’s. The subject of the
question is a good indicator of the depth of interest Nestor and his friends
have for these early Japanese imports.
"A Long Driver’s School Weekend"
Woodson Duncan is a new Kryderacing client. He recently purchased a beautiful GT-1 Mustang. But his initial weekend of racing didn’t go exactly as planned. Matt and Kim took the car to Lime Rock Park for a Thursday test session. The first problem encountered was a low sound decibel requirement for that particular day. Anyone who knows GT-1 cars is aware of just how loud these monsters can be. Some quick thinking and a unique approach resulted in a saved day and successful test session. Ask Matt or Kim for the full details on how to use a clutch disc as a muffler.
The next stop was the SCCA Driver’s School at Summit Point. It took only a couple of laps for the engine to explode. Another engine is in a prep shop and this "tired" unit had been considered reliable enough to get Woodson through his schools. The Kryderacing crew loaded the Mustang while Woodson located a VW Rabbit in an attempt to finish the school. There was a slight power difference between the two cars (the VW had some). The determined Mr. Duncan was later moved to a VW Scirocco when another rental driver demanded his Rabbitt (Woodson must have made it look too good).
The last session of an SCCA Driver’s
School weekend consists of practice starts and a race. Our driver was part
of a forty car field and was doing good until hit from behind. He became
a sitting duck after the resulting spin. Matt and Kim had stuck around
for the weekend and were still of assistance late Sunday when they delivered
Duncan’s rental car to him at the hospital. From all the stories we have
heard, Duncan experienced several years of racing bad luck in one weekend.
The only actual injuries were to his wallet. He did pass the school. And
the most astonishing thing is he wants to continue. The man must be a real
racer.
TrackTime Performance Schools
Kryderacing will again be supplying trackside assistance to students at TrackTime Performance Schools. Our services cover a wide range of support activities and are fully explained at www.kryderacing.com or you can call us. The 2000 schedule includes:
May 16-17 Road America
June 3-4 Road America
June 17-18 Putnam Park
June 26-27 Gingerman
July 12-13 Watkins Glen
July 29-30 Putnam Park
August 5-6 Michigan Speedway
August 26-27 Virginia International
Raceway
August 30-31 Road America
September 23-24 Gateway
October 7-8 Watkins Glen
October 21-22 Road America
November 8-9 Buttonwillow
November 11-12 Laguna Seca
December 2-3 Sebring
Call TrackTime (330-793-9451) to register.
Kryderacing Trackside Assistance Programs
In addition to TrackTime events, Kryderacing
has frequently been requested to provide trackside assistance. Reed helps
with driver coaching and chassis tuning. Matt can supply mechanical expertise
and assist beginning drivers. One or both of them can be available for
not only TrackTime schools, but most test days at Nelson Ledges Road Course.
Call us with your specific needs.
1-Lap Of America
For four years Reed teamed with Russ
Wilson and competed in the 1-Lap of America. Two of those years they experienced
problems which resulted in early departures from the event. The other two
years were big successes and included a Third Place (Top Independent) in
1996. Reed and Russ have both wanted to return, but it just wasn’t fitting
into one or the others schedule. This year Russ had a conflict, but Reed
has been asked to join John Bender in his 1990 Corvette ZR-1. After testing
the car recently at Putnam Park, Reed was cautiously optimistic. While
the car is not as fast as some of the more exotic 1-Lap machines, it was
still very fast and the handling was very predictable. Bob Reid has been
prepping the car for John and, while a few items still need work, it looks
as if the car will be well prepared for the 1-Lap when it starts on May
6th.
Vehicle Updates
• Jim Muir’s 2000 Corvette C5 recently received a roll bar, safety harness, and several GM supplied T1 suspension modifications. The car is targeted for TrackTime events but Jim plans on also driving it on the street. Everyone (Jim, Kryderacing, and GM) is interested in Jim’s opinions of the ride and handling of this particular arrangement of suspension components.
• We understand Ron Lavallee’s 1996 Corvette is ready to return to our shop. Ron had an unfortunate incident last year and the damage was extensive. Kryderacing still has a lot of work to do, but Ron plans of running at the TrackTime Gingerman event late in June.
• The Chevy/Kudzu we worked so hard on prepping for Daytona, only to run out of time, still sets in out shop. We have gotten a better idea of what needs to be done to totally prepare the car but are waiting for some decisions from the owner.
• Meanwhile, the second Chevy/Kudzu, the one which did run at Daytona, should be nearing completion of repairs on its body and may be arriving at our shop in the near future. The Grand-Am schedule for this car is still being determined, but the car owner intends on running several more events this year.
• "#57" is how we refer to our tube-frame Nissan 240SX originally designed and built for IMSA GTU competition. We really aren’t sure what to do with it. It may eventually head towards vintage racing.
• The SSB prepared Nissan 240SX is in demand. It currently sets in the shop and is being prepped for the April 15-16 SCCA Driver’s School at Nelson Ledges. It is also reserved for several other events in the coming year. We don’t know how long this car will be raced, but it is definitely the favorite of all the showroom stock style rental cars Kryderacing has ever offered. It has always been competitive, especially in Regional events, and its handling makes it an absolute pleasure to drive.
• 1999 SCCA GT5 National Champion Dan Minkler will be returning to defend his crown. Kryderacing assisted Dan with his Nissan last year and we will also be returning. Dan’s first race will be either June 10-11 at Mid-Ohio Road Course or June 23-25 at Road America’s June Sprints.
• Kryderacing also lends some assistance to a potential National Champion. We don’t know Gary Martz’s 2000 schedule yet, but we do know we will be working with him at Road America’s June Sprints. Gary drives a Mazda RX-7 in E-Production.
• Woodson Duncan’s GT-1 Mustang should have a fresh engine installed in time for the May 13-14 SCCA Driver’s School at Nelson Ledges Road Course.
• Russ Wilson’s Corvette ZR-1 is receiving several "freshening" services. Russ is still unsure of his 2000 schedule due to major road work in front of his hardware store. This "two year and counting" project is affecting all aspects of Russ’ life. We probably will see him at only a couple of events this year. Hopefully, in 2001 the road work will be finished.
• We received a note the other day from Pat & Dick Sonntag. Their new Porsche is on its way to North America. The car it replaces, their Eagle Talon and its trailer are for sale. Call Dick at 734-761-2203 if you are interested.