10 Hour Enduro weekend results

[cstreit]

THis Labor Day weekend was the 5th annual running of the 10 hour endurace race at Gingerman raceway. As usual, I found myself there bright eyed and looking forward to a good weekend. Rarely do the teams ever leave bright eyed though!

We started the weekend running the sprint races on Saturday. A 30 minute format. I've been on a roll lately and this day was no exception fortunately! Surveying the field it looked like there were two cars to threaten me, a new model BMW M-Coupe and *gasp* a quite new looking BMW M3 apparently owned by T.C. Kleine and being riven by James Sofranas. If you watch the SpeedVision World GT challenge, you know who these two guys are.

Well me and my 34 year old Porsche were ready to go heads-up with them.. I qualified just before lunchtime. I knew my qualifying position would be critical, so I built up a few nice laps with a good line and smooth driving (broke my previous best time by .5 sec) to get a good baseline. After laying these laps down I thought I'd try some new stuff.... First, just a "hang it out" Banzai lap driving to the limit. Gingerman is a track with very little danger so you can really push it. This lap (of course) came in 1.5 seconds slower. Slow is fast, fast is slow as they say. The next lap I decided to 'take it easy" but to make sure every corner was executed perfect. Not pushing it, just doing that "Track ballet". I hit every turn in, every apex, and drove almost "leisurely". THis lap (you guessed it!) was my fastest.

I think I went back to the results board 4-5 times over lunch because I knew I had a good shot at a front position. Finally I saw the T&S Steward walking up wtih staple-gun in hand. I got the pole!!! This would be my first in the new "Big Production" group.

For those that know me, I've been running vintage races for about 4 years now. After seeing the SCCA run-offs and hearing too many "vintage racers aren't REAL racers" comments I decided that it's "GO TIME". I joined the Big Production group and entered my 1970 Porsche in the GT2 group. There's only so many times you can hear that you're not a "real" race driver when your 34 year old car is one of the fastest cars in the sanctioning org.

Now I'd done well in the group so far, placing in the top 5 a number of times (overall) and well over similar cars (class) this year, but I'd never had the first overall.

I think the best, and at the same time worst, position to be in while racing is first. Second is always easier because there's someone to chase. Starting first, you can only do worse. Needless to say I didn't have much appetite for lunch, and as Jerry@EuroEast can probably attest, I was a bit keyed up all afternoon waiting for the race.

A Porsche GT2 was our pace car when it all got started (good omen) and I tried my best to warm up the tires well for the start. I was a little distracted on the warmup lap because I realized that the grid marshall put me on the OUTSIDE lane, not on the inside as I asked for. DAMN! I just decided as we were approaching the main straight to line up where I wanted rather than where they put me. I saw the 2nd place guy turn his hands up at me when I did this, but fortunately everyone behind us took up their "new position". Next time I'll be sure to double check with the marshall before gridding!

THe starter is a notorious "early flagger" so the moment I rounded the corner to head towards the flag station I mentally connected my eyes to his elbow. You see, he sort of raises his elbow about 1/10th of a second before he whips out the flag. Being on the pole does mean I can pace the field where I want. I roll up at the beginning of my peak power band in 2nd gear. This almost always gives me a car length right away.

UP comes his elbow and down goes my right foot. I'm really watching 2nd place more than forward at this point. I wind out 2nd gear in about 2 seconds and catch 3rd. At this point I can see that I've got about 1.5 car lengths on second and slot in front of him for turn one. Perfect!

At this point I put the hammer down with the intent on building a cushion early on so I can dial it back when the tires start to lose some traction. I guess I gained about .5 second each lap so by 3-4 laps in I had a comfortable gap and could lessen the pace slightly.

I've probably got over 2000 laps at Gingerman, so I can run on auto-pilot fairly well and settled into a nice rythym just watching the minutes tick by. Lap traffic was courteous and presented no real problems.

As the end approached I knocked it back another notch or two. Funny thing is, I nearly lost it by doing this. I messed up my rythym and missed a braking point in turn 3 by about 10 feet. The moment I saw it flash past I was thinking, "what is the runoff like there? Can I get the car back on before the BMW arrives?!" I did make the turn in the end, but was dancing with the grass and gravel on the edge. Jerry claimed I was "Showboating"

...and then there was Checker!

As I did the obligatory victory lap with the checkered flag I couldn't help but think that the "thumbs up" from the grid and pit people was a little higher because I was driving a 34 year old car and was "not a real racer".

[project935]

Sweet Chris!! I knew you'd take it to 'em.

Again (I've said this before), I hope to someday run on the same track with you and really have some fun doing it ...

Hoping little Streit Jr. doesn't dampen your racing too much ... just remember it'll hopefully be a temporary break.

[}{arlequin]

awesome (as always)

[jluetjen]

"little Streit Jr." ???

[project935]

Esther's expecting ... Chris is gonna be a Dad!
Hence little Streit Jr.

[k9handler]

Awesome Chris...I really do hope to have the skills you have one day.

[rdane]

That is just awesome Chris! Congrads to you and your car

[jluetjen]

That is just awesome Chris! Congrads to you and your car

... And Esther! I hope that you enjoy parenting as much as I do. The girls love to ride in the Porsche. The 4 year old always asks in a loud voice if I brought the Porsche when I get her from school.

Good Job!

... on the win I mean.

[Plavan]

Great job Chris!
On another note: Where can I get a set of those trick LED tail lights. Do you have the info so I can order a set???
Thanks

[Zeke]

Nice write up. All the background and info in a concise article. I wish the club newsrags were as good! Congratulations on a well deserved and planned out win.

[Vintage911Racer]

Great Job Chris.

I know what you are talking about when people say you are not a real racer because we drive Vintage Cars. Little do they know it takes more talent and balls to drive these 30+ year old cars then the newer ones. These things just dont handle the same, have all the weight hanging over the a$$.

Way to show um, that we vintage drivers can take it to em....

[nostatic]

very cool...

[bell]

congrats chris, a well deserved victory
sounds like you really have her dialed in now.