Schaut Speed Racing Blog

You know how when you are waiting to hear about something that you either really want to know or really don’t want to know, everything seems to take longer, the anticipation is higher, and others who don’t get it just think you’re being a little nuts?

Well, that is where I’m at right now. After the great placement this morning and what felt like another awesome track session, I am playing that waiting game! We are somewhere in the gorgeous hills of Pennsylvania cruising along I-76 (following the GTR and Porsche Turbo). But we are still without results….. The suspense is killing me!  There is a great chance that I’ll be in the Top 10 again.  I was catching the Mazdaspeed 5 (incidentally being driven by World Challenge Touring Car Pro-driver Jason Saini) who finished in the top 10 in the first session and definitely knows the track!  But still, I must wait.  and wait.  and wait…..

But there is a likely reason. Mid-Ohio lost power while we were there. Luckily they got a generator hooked up to run the necessary timing equipment, but apparently that was all they could do. I was even forced to have yet another cheese burger (they got those cooked up on the gas grill….)! So we will have to wait…..

A few interesting things and one bad thing has happened in the last 24 hours. First the bad. Our One Lap friend and fellow father/son team of the Corcorans found themselves stranded near Indianapolis during the transit last night. Apparently the engine had some issues and developed a knock. Likely a spun bearing. This unfortunately takes them out of the game. Dan C was on his 20th One Lap. And it was going to be his last. Hopefully he will do one more, so he can say that he finished 20 One Laps!

Now the interesting. Cracked rotors all over the place! The #39 BMW E30 cracked a front. And the Mitsubishi Galant managed to crack BOTH fronts. The left front completely through, from edge of rotor all the way to the hub!!!! Yikes!

OK, back to enjoying the gorgeous view and waiting. Waiting. Waiting……

I’m gonna make this a quick one. Results from the 1st session at Mid-Ohio. I was 6th.  Oh yeah, baby! I love it when a plan comes together!  That is our highest finish so far this week, and I feel really  good about that performance!

With a smoking time of 5:14.943, I slotted right behind Danny Popp/Todd Rumpke (5:14.297) in a Vette, , the #6 STi, #39 BMW E30, #4 GTR and the #3 Porsche GT2.

I’ll credit a lot of my performance to the spectacular car, and the fact that I know this track pretty well (one of my favorite places to go Spec Miata racing).  I got my groove back!

Next up is the “Pro” course of Mid-Ohio, same track sans the kink before keyhole.

On to session 2……

This has been such an unusual year for One Lap.  Once again we arrived at the hotel with enough time to clean up a bit and get a nice sit down dinner (mmmm, Filet Mignon….  although I’m pretty sure not from the drag cows…).  And once again, we awake to cloudless blue skies!  I don’t know what’s going on, but I am NOT complaining!!!!!

Well into the week, I am enjoying myself and my teammates immensely.   We have the car loading/unloading down to a sub-conscious activity.  The transists are smooth and comfortable.  And we are doing very well overall and in class.  What could make this even better?  Easy - We are now at Mid Ohio.  I love this track.  Fast, fun with a good amount of challenge.  Despite having a nose that’s running like a faucet (not sure where I picked up a cold with nothing but clear skies and 70+ degree weather…), I was pumped for this morning’s run.  Since I have had a bunch more track time here at Mid-O in recent years, I get to run both sessions here to try to capitalize on the track knowledge and hopefully move us back into the top 10.

One last blow of the nose and I strap on my helmet and get ready to rock.  Turn one is daunting since you approach it at about 100 mph (104 for us to be exact), and since the turn starts under a bridge, you cannot see through the corner.  Due to this, even on the out-lap, a lot of drivers hit the brakes hard and early.  Knowing the track, I get the green and accelerate up to 3rd gear, slight lift and then pedal back down to the floor.  Man, did it ever feel good to fly through turn 1 at speed - its been far too long!

For the morning session, we are using the kink going into keyhole.  A quick right-left-left before entering the keyhole.  If you know the track and have the right car, the right hander is flat-out.  I touch the brakes on the first lap since the tires are not quite warm yet, but after that its breathing the throttle only…

The car feels great as I rocket down the back straight.  139 is the fastest speed according to the data.  Then its hard on the Cobalt Friction brakes.  These brakes are so effective, I’m able to wait until the 400 mark before getting on the binders! (for reference, I brake at about the 300 ft mark in my Spec Miata, but am only going about 115.).  Then its up and over madness, a few more turns and then down into thunder valley.  With the engine approaching redline through the small valley, the car fills with the breath-taking wail of the M3’s V8!   Just one more thing to love about this car and track!

All said and done, I had a great 3 laps.  Damn near flawless as far as I can tell - and the data backed it up with my 2 flying laps being within a couple tenths of a second; and within a couple tenths of the “Theoretical fastest lap”.  I was catching the VW GTI, and pulling away from the Mazda5 that gridded behind me.  Both of those are good things for overall placement.

Right now we are waiting for results to be posted.  And for the second session to begin.  Slight course change with no kink before the keyhole.  It should be fun!