John Shiels

Day started out wet but dried fairly fast. Puddle going on to the front straight was enough to send my car side steeping with slicks even while creeping through it. Second session their was a bunch of us running real hard.

I was following Pete's former C4 WC car with 383 7500 rpm stroker. Pete's car and driving was the best yesterday I think the fastest car their . PDA moved the checker flag from it's usual position of the past 7 years or more. None of us saw the flag on the infield. I told Joe C. / PDA owner and he said he missed it also.

When I came around to go on the front straight no one had their arm out for pit in signal. Pete had stopped because the car in front of him was stopped or near stopped. By the time I realized everyone was stationery or close to it I slammed the brakes but was not going to avoid the hit. I then by reaction exited to the right with my heart pumping . I had a brief excursion off road for about 30-40 feet between the cones and tire wall back on the pavement and stopped. Car was bouncing hard and I figured goodbye splitter. I was scheduled for a 60+ MPH hit into Pete so was still happy. Splitter was OK and I felt lucky.

After that excitement my car was over heating hitting 250 water temps before I realized it in the next session. Came in to check radiator but it looked clean. I had recently installed a screen in the front and thought that may be the culprit. I removed it but it didn't help. I am thinking something happen after the off road ride. May be sat or water pump but to happen right after my off road is some coincidence.

Vince was running #52 yellow Z and it was very fast with Vince, Greg blue Z was cranking very fast also. The 5 Vettes were making short work of everything on the track. That was as close as I have ever came to a crash in the past 7 years and it would have been two cars totaled

Pete's Tire Service now goes to all the PDA events and sells Hoosiers and other tires at track. His prices and service were great. If you need aparticular tire he can bring it and meet you there. He has a ton but just make sure if you know ahead.

95jersey

Glad you are OK! You always fear hitting another car, glad your were able to pull out of it...sorry to hear about your problems. I actually had a GREAT day on Saturday, I didn't break anything and the car ran freakin awesome...my clutch problem almost went away (weird) and the brakes and motor were flawless. The weather was good until I had to pack up and go home. I did however break my jack, but after the last 4 or 5 events, that didn't bother me.

I ran against some T1 cars, Ferrari 355 Challenge race cars and assorted club prepped Porsche's and cleaned house. I really got into a groove and my knoweldge of the track paid off. One guy in new 977 CS was pretty fast. It was a beautiful car, but my HP on the straits paid off and I finally caught him.

I hear PDA might be doing this course again in a few weeks as a bonus day???

John Shiels

yes PDA is doing it double infield red black only 60 car limit $400$ bucks Passing everywhere on course with a point. I was hoping the long course but it's the one you ran.

Stage7

I'm happy you avoided the accident! Sounds scary. I didn't go because of the threat of rain in that area.

At least you and the car are in one piece. Nice to hear the Vettes were running strong!

gonzalezfj

John, good save, man. It must have been a real pucker moment. Glad there were no serious consequences. It's amazing what you can do on the track by pure instinct once your brain is trained to look for daylight.

Sounds like I should have taken the C6Z also to give you guys a hand with those other pesky marques. Too bad I had other commitments.

Hope to see you at the Fall Fling.

Frank Gonzalez

95jersey

$400 bucks!!! WTF?!?! That is a rip,

I am thinking about it...sounds like a cool day, red and black only, open passing. This is my favorite course outside of the Glen. It has everything from fast straits, high speed corner entry into low speed turns, you really need to keep the momentum going.

John Shiels

Pucker to say the least scant millisecond from cleaning the shorts It would have been two totaled cars and injured occupants for sure. Thank God he let me avert it.

I was hoping you would show up Frank with slciks. Few new Z's there but no slicks and fairly new drivers. The Z's did look nice, to nice to chip up. Ran high in turn one and it was "marbley" car felt real weird like it was lifting not real squirrely sides ways. I was holding my breath.

Matt I was thinking of going also but when it wasn't the long course I was disappointed. When they through in point-by's doubt I'll go. It is open track all day so you can run as long as you want all day which is a plus. Maybe not depending on the persons bank account. Run hard all day and you will eat some tires, brakes, rotors and fuel.

Steve L

WE are going to run open track . You can run from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm = 8 hour of track time , no run groups .

John Shiels

8-5 you better have Pete there with the tire truck Are they doing point-by's? Thanks!

Jim 47

WE are going to run open track . You can run from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm = 8 hour of track time , no run groups .[/QUOTE]

Have at it Guys.

2 sets of Hoosiers - - - - - - - - $2200
Track Fee - - - - - - - - - - - - 400
2 sets of brake pads - - - - - - - 800
Set of rotors - - - - - - - - - - - 100
Gas and oil - - - - - - - - - - - - 300
Getting sideways in the Pocono Turn @ 130 MPH - - Priceless

Sounds like a real BLAST Guys. I guess I'm getting to old for all this excitement.

Jim

Stage7

Sorry if I missed it, but when is this day scheduled? Sounds scary...but oh so Fun at the same time...

95jersey

I beleive it is Double Infield, which is not scary at all. Matter of fact it is probably one of the safer courses with minimal "wall" time. It's as close as you can come to a true road course at Pocono. They only use the tunnel turn 2 (backwards) so you don't have any high speed NASCAR turns, which is fine by me. I prefer the road type course anyday. I just wish the Glen or VIR wasn't 6+ hours away.

Still hoping for Thunderbolt in Jersey, but for now Pocono is home.

Stage7

Nice. How long is the straight? Any idea when the day will be, or when it will be confirmed?

Thanks!

John Shiels

I think Oct 23 check the web site if they posted it yet.

Jim you are on target with what you could go through if you ran hard all day and then some.

Jim 47

Yeh, that kind of expense would be the "outer" limit. I don't suppose that anyone would really run more than about half of the time available, just to keep the car from disintegrating completely. But even 4 to 5 hours of hard running would consume lots of consumables (tires, pads, gaso, etc).

If a few guys got together and ran 30 minute sessions together, with some recovery time between sessions, a day like this could be a LOT of fun. I remember a few times that you, me and a few others ran together at Pocono, taking turns leading the pack. That was lots of fun and quite chalenging. While it really wasn't "racing" I know that I got the opportunity to follow a few really good drivers and learn a lot from the experience; and, who knows, maybe I showed someone a new approach to some of the corners also.

Jim

Joseesp

[QUOTE=John Shiels]Pucker to say the least scant millisecond from cleaning the shorts It would have been two totaled cars and injured occupants for sure. Thank God he let me avert it.

I was hoping you would show up Frank with slciks. Few new Z's there but no slicks and fairly new drivers.

Hi John,

I was there with my DSOM C6 Z06 running Hoosiers on the blue group. I did say hello to you; but you seemed unfriendly. Now I know why. I'm glad nothing serious happened and everyone (and every car) is well.

I will be at the open track day 10/23. I hope to see you all there.

Jose.

Stage7

10/23 is a great date for me. I'm scheduled to do the Nascar experience on the 22nd, and I have a wedding in the Poconos on the 21st. I'll make it a long weekend.

I look fwd to seeing/meeting everyone there.

John Shiels

I love to meet evryone and that is as much fun as the track for sure. Sorry if I came off that way but I was upset that no pit in signals were given and they were stopped or real close to stopped. I was upset at myself for not seeing the checker. When Joe C. / PDA said he missed it also and other people it gave me a bit of comfort. It was the closest I have come to a wreck in the 7 years of doing this. Who ever was flagging at Turn one had his back to the track. He was sitting on the wall looking into the woods every time I passed. That was not good either.

I am still running it in my mind I was 30 feet from 6-70 MPH impact with a car near stopped. It would have been grim to say the least. Hopefully I'll catch you at another event and sorry if I came off that way. I was just in shock.

Joseesp

Believe me, I do understand what you were going thru. Please don't give a second thought. I'm sure I'll see you again because I'm going to almost all of the PDA events.

PS. Your car looks radically awesome, and that's what I wanted to talk about.