2014 Trans Am Round One: Sebring
03-03-2014, 09:32 PM
#1
Le Mans Master
Thread Starter
2014 Trans Am Round One: Sebring
The 2014 Trans Am season started this past weekend at historic Sebring International Raceway. This is season number two for the Kryderacing/WRP Investments Chevrolet Corvette, and we are looking for good things to happen this year.
Last year's race at Sebring was a disaster for us. We were able to qualify tenth in a field of 15 cars with only two abbreviated sessions with the car. We calculated that when I took the green flag at last yar's race, I had al of 15 "at speed" laps in the car, and at that track. Unfortunately I was unable to add to that number as a rear axle snapped before I reached Turn Five. So going into this event I still was a bit green when it came to driving a Trans Am car at Sebring. It showed...
We tested on Thursday, and our troubles began right after the second session began. I used the first session to shake of the rust from not driving a race car since last November. Sebring is the perfect track to shake anything and everything from you and the car. LOL Session two I experienced transmission problems; the dog rings were getting niced up. Session three the header cracked, causing me to stop short. Session four was rained out. So we go into Friday's offical Trans Am schedule with little additional knowledge.
Friday morning's practive session was interupted by a minor incident between me and TA2 car. I passed him on driver's left entering the braking zone at Turn 7 and thought I cleared his nose, but evidentlyI didn't, as his right front tire clipped me at the driver's door and spun me around. No significant damage to the car, but the session's precious minites were wasted waiting as we looked over the car.
Practice session #2 on Friday was even worse. The header that broke on Thursday? Well, the weld to repair it caused the header-to-cylinder head flange to wap, and the exhaust heat cooked a plug wire. So I was driving around Sebring with 7 cylinders. Another wasted session.
Saturday brings us qualifying. I have no idea what I can do. I am slower this year compared to 2013, so I am fumming. My game plan is to drive the car as hard as I can as see where we end up. Yeah, right.
Entering Turn One of my first hot lap, the rear snaps around on me causing big lazy 360 degree spin; think Danny Sullivan in the Indy 500. I nailed the landing and was able to continue on. The bad thing about that is that this caused all four...brand new, ot even one lap old, Hoosiers to be flat-spotted.
I qualified 7th and was VERY disappointed. But there are no points for qualifying (unless you win the pole), so we focused on the race. Only I am not starting 7th, but 18th. Trans Am has a rule that if you change more than one qualifying tire, you lose your qualifying time. So off to "back of the pack" for me! Woohoo!
The car was still not right, so the crew replaced everything. These guys are my buddies and all, but come Saturday night I don't think they had too many found thoughts about me. They worked their butts off 3 nights in a row.
Starting 18th actually got me excited about the race. I had a challenge in front of me: get through the field as fast as possible and hope for a Full Course Yellow so I can get back behind the front runners.
I was able to make it up to sixth place by passing a few cars and some attrition in front of me. But the only Full Course Yellow happened in Lap 2, and was not close to the to guys yet. I settled into agood pace and hoped for a break, but none came.
At around lap 23 (of 27) I saw a small amount of smoke in the cockpit and a fine mist of engine or gear oil starting to cover the windshield. I was determined to finish the race (the crew worked so darned hard), so unless saw a Black Flag, I was pressing on. I slowed my pace down because while I could see "ok," I wasn't sure if I was dropping oil on my tires. This helped the seventh place car driven by Kenny Bupp to catch me.
With one lap to go the smoke got more significant and the oil on the windshield even more so. Kenny got around me, I tried to repass him but exite Turn 16 to hot and spun around. I was able to continue and get the finish in 7th place.
Right after I passed the Start/Finish line I looked fora corner station. I had not idea if the car was on fire or not. I stopped and crawled out of the car. These 10 mile races in a car like this are brutal. An absolute workout. I love it, but I am tired. Add the smoke in the cockpit and I was gassed. The safety crew insisted they take me back to my paddock in the ambulance as a precaution. After a few bottles of water and Gatorade I was fine.
So Round One is behind us. Now we head to Miami and Homestead. I have never been there, and since we are running the "short" course (no high banking), so one else has. Maybe having that field being level will allow me to do better. We will see.
I am working on videos and will post when available.
Last year's race at Sebring was a disaster for us. We were able to qualify tenth in a field of 15 cars with only two abbreviated sessions with the car. We calculated that when I took the green flag at last yar's race, I had al of 15 "at speed" laps in the car, and at that track. Unfortunately I was unable to add to that number as a rear axle snapped before I reached Turn Five. So going into this event I still was a bit green when it came to driving a Trans Am car at Sebring. It showed...
We tested on Thursday, and our troubles began right after the second session began. I used the first session to shake of the rust from not driving a race car since last November. Sebring is the perfect track to shake anything and everything from you and the car. LOL Session two I experienced transmission problems; the dog rings were getting niced up. Session three the header cracked, causing me to stop short. Session four was rained out. So we go into Friday's offical Trans Am schedule with little additional knowledge.
Friday morning's practive session was interupted by a minor incident between me and TA2 car. I passed him on driver's left entering the braking zone at Turn 7 and thought I cleared his nose, but evidentlyI didn't, as his right front tire clipped me at the driver's door and spun me around. No significant damage to the car, but the session's precious minites were wasted waiting as we looked over the car.
Practice session #2 on Friday was even worse. The header that broke on Thursday? Well, the weld to repair it caused the header-to-cylinder head flange to wap, and the exhaust heat cooked a plug wire. So I was driving around Sebring with 7 cylinders. Another wasted session.
Saturday brings us qualifying. I have no idea what I can do. I am slower this year compared to 2013, so I am fumming. My game plan is to drive the car as hard as I can as see where we end up. Yeah, right.
Entering Turn One of my first hot lap, the rear snaps around on me causing big lazy 360 degree spin; think Danny Sullivan in the Indy 500. I nailed the landing and was able to continue on. The bad thing about that is that this caused all four...brand new, ot even one lap old, Hoosiers to be flat-spotted.
I qualified 7th and was VERY disappointed. But there are no points for qualifying (unless you win the pole), so we focused on the race. Only I am not starting 7th, but 18th. Trans Am has a rule that if you change more than one qualifying tire, you lose your qualifying time. So off to "back of the pack" for me! Woohoo!
The car was still not right, so the crew replaced everything. These guys are my buddies and all, but come Saturday night I don't think they had too many found thoughts about me. They worked their butts off 3 nights in a row.
Starting 18th actually got me excited about the race. I had a challenge in front of me: get through the field as fast as possible and hope for a Full Course Yellow so I can get back behind the front runners.
I was able to make it up to sixth place by passing a few cars and some attrition in front of me. But the only Full Course Yellow happened in Lap 2, and was not close to the to guys yet. I settled into agood pace and hoped for a break, but none came.
At around lap 23 (of 27) I saw a small amount of smoke in the cockpit and a fine mist of engine or gear oil starting to cover the windshield. I was determined to finish the race (the crew worked so darned hard), so unless saw a Black Flag, I was pressing on. I slowed my pace down because while I could see "ok," I wasn't sure if I was dropping oil on my tires. This helped the seventh place car driven by Kenny Bupp to catch me.
With one lap to go the smoke got more significant and the oil on the windshield even more so. Kenny got around me, I tried to repass him but exite Turn 16 to hot and spun around. I was able to continue and get the finish in 7th place.
Right after I passed the Start/Finish line I looked fora corner station. I had not idea if the car was on fire or not. I stopped and crawled out of the car. These 10 mile races in a car like this are brutal. An absolute workout. I love it, but I am tired. Add the smoke in the cockpit and I was gassed. The safety crew insisted they take me back to my paddock in the ambulance as a precaution. After a few bottles of water and Gatorade I was fine.
So Round One is behind us. Now we head to Miami and Homestead. I have never been there, and since we are running the "short" course (no high banking), so one else has. Maybe having that field being level will allow me to do better. We will see.
I am working on videos and will post when available.
03-04-2014, 06:24 AM
#7
Safety Car
I was at Sebring this past week. I went to watch the vintage cars (SVRA) but I came away totally impressed with the Trans Am cars. They have 3 classes in TA and a huge turn out. I think there were more Trans Am cars than vintage cars.
Now they just need to promote the series a little better. This weekend they're going to be at Homestead. Trans Am was brought into SVRA as a support race. It now seems that the SVRA is the support race for the Trans Am series.
Richard Newton
Car Tech Stuff
Now they just need to promote the series a little better. This weekend they're going to be at Homestead. Trans Am was brought into SVRA as a support race. It now seems that the SVRA is the support race for the Trans Am series.
Richard Newton
Car Tech Stuff
03-04-2014, 07:06 AM
#8
Drifting
We had entered a new TA2 Mustang for Bobby Kennedy, but it didn't get done in time. The chassis only came in a few weeks ago and the motor arrived on Thursday of last week.
It will be close, but we have a shot at making Homestead this week.
It will be close, but we have a shot at making Homestead this week.
03-04-2014, 08:22 AM
#9
Racer
David
Thanks for sharing your season with us.
I enjoyed meeting you at Daytona last year and look forward to seeing you again there.
Locke
North Florida Corvette Assn.
Jax, FL
Thanks for sharing your season with us.
I enjoyed meeting you at Daytona last year and look forward to seeing you again there.
Locke
North Florida Corvette Assn.
Jax, FL
03-04-2014, 12:29 PM
#11
Le Mans Master
Thread Starter
Team release:
http://www.gotransam.com/latest-news...he-season.html
http://www.gotransam.com/latest-news...he-season.html
Pintaric aims for improvement in second race of the season
(Team Release) David Pintaric has told anyone that wants to hear it that he intends to put a full effort into winning the 2014 Trans Am Series Championship. He knows that means winning races and running up front. He also knows that it sometimes means making something out of nothing and that something might be the difference in getting that championship. The 2014 season opener at Sebring turned out to be one of those get something out of nothing races.
The #27 KRYDERACING/Carbotech/WRP Investments Corvette had a problem of one kind or another in every session of the event, yet Pintaric very likely passed more cars than any other driver on the race track and salvaged a solid 7th place finish when he needed to.
"We started 18th and ran as high as 6th," said Pintaric. "We then got a puncture in an oil line and oil was everywhere including the windshield." You could hear series announcer Daniel Lacy on the public address system yelling about Pintaric fighting through the closing laps with a smoking car. In the end the oil leak cut short the forward progress of his race, but he only lost one of the hard earned positions gained to get the checkered flag in 7th spot.
It was a struggle but usually professionally spoken Pintaric let his passion for the his racing and his team slip out when he said after the race, "There was no way I wasn't going to finish. The crew worked too hard for me to just pack it in!"
Next for Pintaric and KRYDERACING is Homestead-Miami Speedway. The March 9th race is at a track new to Pintaric. Its also a track located someplace warm. "Its 18 degrees here right now," said Pintaric from his Ohio home.
(Team Release) David Pintaric has told anyone that wants to hear it that he intends to put a full effort into winning the 2014 Trans Am Series Championship. He knows that means winning races and running up front. He also knows that it sometimes means making something out of nothing and that something might be the difference in getting that championship. The 2014 season opener at Sebring turned out to be one of those get something out of nothing races.
The #27 KRYDERACING/Carbotech/WRP Investments Corvette had a problem of one kind or another in every session of the event, yet Pintaric very likely passed more cars than any other driver on the race track and salvaged a solid 7th place finish when he needed to.
"We started 18th and ran as high as 6th," said Pintaric. "We then got a puncture in an oil line and oil was everywhere including the windshield." You could hear series announcer Daniel Lacy on the public address system yelling about Pintaric fighting through the closing laps with a smoking car. In the end the oil leak cut short the forward progress of his race, but he only lost one of the hard earned positions gained to get the checkered flag in 7th spot.
It was a struggle but usually professionally spoken Pintaric let his passion for the his racing and his team slip out when he said after the race, "There was no way I wasn't going to finish. The crew worked too hard for me to just pack it in!"
Next for Pintaric and KRYDERACING is Homestead-Miami Speedway. The March 9th race is at a track new to Pintaric. Its also a track located someplace warm. "Its 18 degrees here right now," said Pintaric from his Ohio home.
03-04-2014, 12:31 PM
#12
Le Mans Master
Thread Starter
