Survived my Rookie year of T1 and my first Runoffs!!
10-18-2006, 08:28 PM
#1
Burning Brakes
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Location: Up in front.... At the finish line.....
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Survived my Rookie year of T1 and my first Runoffs!!
Well, I made it. Got my butt kicked, but made it!! I want everyone to know what a pleasure it was to race with and watch. It was a tough week for Rhonda and I, but we hung in and made it all the way through our first Runoffs just as we have our first year in T1, and wheel to wheel racing for that matter. With no test days and no prior time at HPT, I knew it would be tough, and it was. I simply could not find speed on this track, and it is still frustrating to me!! The short of the week was this ---
Sunday- Arrive, unload from our open trailer and pull the windows. For the first time all year the car throws a CEL. Not a great way to start the week!! Figured out what the CEL was, cleared it up, prep for Monday qual.
Monday- 3/4 of the way through qual my cats explode and back up, killing the motor. Go to pits in limp mode and worry about what to do!!
Tuesday- Rain, don't go out, get my backed up cats rammed out by the GM trailer to be ready for Wednesday qual. New cats will be here Wednesday morning.
Wednesday- qual, but still can't seem to find speed on this track. Come into pits down on myself!
Thursday- Get interviewed by Speed because i am the "new guy". Find out they really do dictate what they want you to say!! New cats installed by GM trailer, new alignment by them, go out to qual and find more speed. 2 laps and the car is all over the place. Find out my right rear camber bolt was never tightened and the wheel is way out of whack. To this point I have maybe a total of 25 laps on track. I'm worried about how I will do in the race.
Friday- have some fun watching the races!
Saturday- take the grid of my rookie year and first Runoffs race in 21rst position. Throughout the race I do ok, make some mistakes but really focus on staying out of trouble and the main goal for me was to finish my first Runoffs. I knew I had nothing for the fast guys, I just wanted to survive. I finish 16th. Not the result I wanted, but there are some good points. I finished my first Runoff totally, and on the lead lap thankfully. I got through the race with ZERO contact, with anyone or anything. I gave up some slots because of this, but at this point in time it was more important to me to be clean. Only casualty to the car was a bent front rim from HPT's great curbing.
In closing, I have to thank all of my competitors for the encouragement and support you have given me. I am proud to race with all of you. My results aren't what I wanted, but I'll take them!! GM support, Superior Chevy, Phoenix and Kryder Racing all are tops and the support means the world to Rhonda and I. To Dave Pintaric, fellow racer and good friend, thanks for everything and congrats on your 6th place finish, you worked for it! Big thanks to everyone on the board to include many I have never met face to face for all of the moral support. It's one of many reasons why I have gone down this path! I cannot wait for next year already!!!
Joe Gaudette
Sunday- Arrive, unload from our open trailer and pull the windows. For the first time all year the car throws a CEL. Not a great way to start the week!! Figured out what the CEL was, cleared it up, prep for Monday qual.
Monday- 3/4 of the way through qual my cats explode and back up, killing the motor. Go to pits in limp mode and worry about what to do!!
Tuesday- Rain, don't go out, get my backed up cats rammed out by the GM trailer to be ready for Wednesday qual. New cats will be here Wednesday morning.
Wednesday- qual, but still can't seem to find speed on this track. Come into pits down on myself!
Thursday- Get interviewed by Speed because i am the "new guy". Find out they really do dictate what they want you to say!! New cats installed by GM trailer, new alignment by them, go out to qual and find more speed. 2 laps and the car is all over the place. Find out my right rear camber bolt was never tightened and the wheel is way out of whack. To this point I have maybe a total of 25 laps on track. I'm worried about how I will do in the race.
Friday- have some fun watching the races!
Saturday- take the grid of my rookie year and first Runoffs race in 21rst position. Throughout the race I do ok, make some mistakes but really focus on staying out of trouble and the main goal for me was to finish my first Runoffs. I knew I had nothing for the fast guys, I just wanted to survive. I finish 16th. Not the result I wanted, but there are some good points. I finished my first Runoff totally, and on the lead lap thankfully. I got through the race with ZERO contact, with anyone or anything. I gave up some slots because of this, but at this point in time it was more important to me to be clean. Only casualty to the car was a bent front rim from HPT's great curbing.
In closing, I have to thank all of my competitors for the encouragement and support you have given me. I am proud to race with all of you. My results aren't what I wanted, but I'll take them!! GM support, Superior Chevy, Phoenix and Kryder Racing all are tops and the support means the world to Rhonda and I. To Dave Pintaric, fellow racer and good friend, thanks for everything and congrats on your 6th place finish, you worked for it! Big thanks to everyone on the board to include many I have never met face to face for all of the moral support. It's one of many reasons why I have gone down this path! I cannot wait for next year already!!!
Joe Gaudette
10-18-2006, 08:39 PM
#2
Le Mans Master
Good year, Joe! 
We're proud to have known you when!
We're proud to have known you when!
Enjoyed your post, thanks! 
10-30-2006, 08:14 PM
#12
Team Owner
Got to ride with Joe at CMP
He should be winning a lot of races in the future
Thanks for the ride
He should be winning a lot of races in the future
Thanks for the ride
11-01-2006, 12:57 AM
#13
Burning Brakes
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Thanks again everyone for your support, the friends and faith really make it worth it!
Bill, hope to see you at the next NCM event, great job. Frank, great to see you too, and I came right home to tell Rhonda i wish we could build a C6Z for Super Touring after our outing!!
Joe
Bill, hope to see you at the next NCM event, great job. Frank, great to see you too, and I came right home to tell Rhonda i wish we could build a C6Z for Super Touring after our outing!!
Joe
11-01-2006, 07:31 AM
#14
Le Mans Master
Originally Posted by sleeper02Z06
.....I came right home to tell Rhonda i wish we could build a C6Z for Super Touring after our outing!!
Joe
Joe
It was great talking to you at CMP
jeff
11-01-2006, 08:16 AM
#15
Burning Brakes
Originally Posted by sleeper02Z06
I came right home to tell Rhonda i wish we could build a C6Z for Super Touring after our outing!!
11-01-2006, 10:05 AM
#16
Tech Contributor
Originally Posted by astock165
Congrats on the clean finish and good luck next year.
You should elaborate on what they wanted you to say in the interview ...
You should elaborate on what they wanted you to say in the interview ...
11-01-2006, 03:45 PM
#18
Melting Slicks
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Originally Posted by sleeper02Z06
Thanks again everyone for your support, the friends and faith really make it worth it!
Bill, hope to see you at the next NCM event, great job. Frank, great to see you too, and I came right home to tell Rhonda i wish we could build a C6Z for Super Touring after our outing!!
Joe
Bill, hope to see you at the next NCM event, great job. Frank, great to see you too, and I came right home to tell Rhonda i wish we could build a C6Z for Super Touring after our outing!!
Joe
I'll be cheering for you in T-1 next year.
Frank Gonzalez
