NASA Nationals PTE
 

I had this up on in the West coast forum. But thought it may have more interest here.
So I'm reposting.

I didn't have the best of luck in Mid-Ohio. But learned a lot and had a lot of fun. The track it one of the most fun tracks I've ever had the pleasure to race on.

NASA has 2 qualifying races to set the grid for the Championship race on Sunday. I get on to the track Thursday. Cars running poorly. With a misfire at 7k.

Thursdays Qualifying: At the start, no one seems to want to go at the green. So I jump from P9 to P3. But my lap times are still slow 1.46 (2 sec off the pace) and slip to P5. My race is short lived when I have a off in madness. Stall and can't refire. The Starter wire fell off. Finished last.

Friday Qualifying: I'm looking better. Starting to get the track. Figure out the misfire. Cars running good. Pull off a 1.44:7 in Qualifying. But then it rains. Ran in P5 till the end. Finished P7.

Saturday: They just had a fun run for all the PT group. I went out to try and get a better understanding of the race line. It helped. Pulled off a 1.44.2 Just 1 sec off the leaders.

Sunday: Practice was looking good. I could run in the 1.43s and I was still running the 7in wide wheels. I have 9in wheels for the race with sticker tires ready to go. Most of the time that takes off 1 to 2 sec off my lap times.

I'm starting 7th. but get a poor start. Still as the group bunches up at madness I squeak by a few cars. In the next few laps I work my way up to 5th. Now I have my team mates, one in front and one in back. Running P4,P5,P6. I'm being held back a little but we work together and start catching the lead group.

Then on the exit of the carousel, right on Vine's tail I get a little lost and early apex the last turn. POW! Clip the inside berm, The cars ass bounces and pushes me to the outside berm. It looks ok and think I'm going to be ok. But when my front wheel hits the outside berm. The car jumps out off the track. The grass is sloped into the gravel and pulls my car the rest of the way off into the gravel. I only lose one position when I get it back on track.

This turns out to be worse that it was at the time. Two things happened. 1. I bent my rim and was losing air in the left rear tire. 2. When I went off track, it's lower and my transponder didn't pick up.
I fought my way back to P5 and start catching P4. Then the car got lose on right handers. I slip back to P7. It goes back and forth. Still I spin 3 laps from the end. Finished P7.
Still had a blast and got to race on Mid-Ohio. Next year I’m going to be ready!