This was the first track event ever, where both Chris and Michael were able to join me. The stars aligned, and we all came out to Sonoma. Michael ran HPDE3, and Chris decided to run the Spec Miata race this time, which meant he would be running with the Spec E30s. I decided to run PTE (my normal class) and also Spec Miata, so I was in both the Group A race (SM & SE30) and the Group C race (about 8 or 10 different classes).
Chris and I were the first ones out on track Saturday, as warmup for both A & C was first. I was glad I had done Open Test Day the day before, so I didn't feel the need to push the warmup session. Unfortunately, one of the Thunder Roadster drivers (Ralph - who is about 80 years old) decided as soon as the out lap was done and he got the green flag, it was time to go full bore. Cold tires, cold track, cold reflexes (after 4 weeks off) - not the best decision. In turn 1, he spun and hit the wall head on, shortening his car somewhat. He bounced off and was T-boned by another Thunder Roadster who apparently thought that following too close during warmup was a good idea. It wasn't. By the time I got to Start/Finish, the waving yellow flag was out, and I had to miss the two wrecked cars on the right, and a slew of car parts on the left. (video) It was a strange portender of things to come.
Qual for both groups was uneventful. Chris qual'ed better than I did, because I hit traffic or someone slow on every lap <sigh>. So, he started the race in front of me. Ironically, I set a much better qual time during the Group C qual, but he wasn't part of that.
Because he started in front of me in the race, I was able to catch most of what he did on my forward facing video. For a while, he was mixing it up with one of the other Miatas - he passed them, and then they passed him back. But, as he approached T4, he came over the crest of T3a a little fast, and found that cars on the other side were going slower. (He says) he went off drivers left, and then shot across the track to spin on drivers right (video only shows the last part). But, that means I pass him and though he battles furiously to come back, he ins't able to pass me by the checkered flag. Once again the adage - the race is won by the person that makes the fewest mistakes. I think he's still mad about that.
The Group C race was the normal hectic, Charlie Fox, with all different cars at all different speeds. But, at the end of it, I found out I had my first "podium finish" - second place.
Sunday warmup was a bit more subdued than Saturday, largely (in my opinion) because of the events on Saturday. Later, in the drivers meeting, we found out that Ralph had three broken ribs and a cracked back - in addition to a wrecked car. Suddenly, any frustration I had with my goals of sacrificing position to run clean, went out the window.
Again, Chris qual'ed better than me, so he started in front of me. This time, he didn't make any mistakes. but, other people did. One E30 went into the wall in T5, and the other one went into the wall in T9 (video). Shortly thereafter, they declared a full course yellow and after a couple of laps, gave us the checkered flag.
The Group C race was next. A couple of laps in, I heard a "whap whap whap" from the rear of my car in T5 (fairly high-speed right turn) which alarmed me, but didn't seem to be adversely affecting the car. So, I continued. I heard it a couple of more times in hard right turns, and then it stopped. I figured everything was OK, but then progressively the car became more difficult to handle. At some point, one of the other cars decided to play "bumper cars" with the wall in T11 (video), so they declared a full course yellow, and brought out a pace car. By then, I had a marginally controllable car that I was just trying to limp off the track. I was off-line and pointing everyone by. But with a full-course yellow, many were reluctant to pass (because passing under yellow results in DQ - except when the car being passed has a mechanical problem).
I limped off the course, and back to my paddock spot. My neighbor asked me why I was back so soon, I said that I had a car control problem. He looked and said "Well, you've got a flat rear tire!" After a few moments of thinking about it, Michael and I decided to change the tire and I would go back out and finish the race. Even if I finished last, it wouldn't be a DNF (did not finish). So, in record time, we changed the tire, and I got back on track in time to do two more laps and take the checkered flag. I did finish last, but I DID FINISH!! So, I get points for the race.
Later, I went to talk to the race director about some concerns I had about one of the people in my class that I suspected might have too high a hp-to-weight ratio to be running in our class. After we chatted about that, he asked me if I had seen a blue car off-line pointing people by in the Group C race. I told him the story (flat tire, etc) and he asked if I had been passed by a Legends car at the exit of T6. I couldn't remember. He asked me if I had video, and I said I did - full front and rear video, so he asked if I could bring that to him because a driver had been suspended for passing under full-course yellow, and they would like to see what happened.
Turns out, the "blue car' was me (guess the other driver is color blind) and I did have video of the whole event. After watching the video, they exonerated the other driver and cleared him of any wrong doing. Someday, I hope if I'm in the same situation, someone does that for me.
Michael had two more sessions, for which I stuck around. He also got approved to move up to Group 4, the most advanced HPDE run group.
Then, with another one in the books, it was time to pack up and head for home.