a few of us have entered the October 23/24 Alfa Big Willow event.

[ted]

Info for the Alfa club October 23/24 time trail and race at Big Willow.

The desert heat has cooled, our best race weather has returned.

This will be my first time at an Alfa club event.
I know we have an Alfa board member or two here.
What's the typical schedule?
How many sessions and how long is the race?
Will they have a race Sat and Sun too.

Any So Cal guys interested in some local track time please join 5 or 6 R Gruppe early 911s, lapping, time trailing or racing at the next Alfa club Big Willow event.
Alfa's and Porsches at it again.
Anyone else here going?

[italcarguy]

Originally posted by ted
Info for the Alfa club October 23/24 time trail and race at Big Willow.

The desert heat has cooled, our best race weather has returned.

This will be my first time at an Alfa club event.
I know we have an Alfa board member or two here.
What's the typical schedule?
How many sessions and how long is the race?
Will they have a race Sat and Sun too.

Any So Cal guys interested in some local track time please join 5 or 6 R Gruppe early 911s, lapping, time trailing or racing at the next Alfa club Big Willow event.
Alfa's and Porsches at it again.
Anyone else here going?

Typical schedule is four 20 minute sessions on Saturday. If you are in a race group your last session of the day is a qualifying race. Sunday you get two or three 20 minutes sessions in the morning. In the afternoon, the time trial people get 5 timed laps and the race group gets a flag race. I believe the races on Sat and Sun are 10 laps each.

I'll be there with my Alfa GT Jr. vintage race car. Hope to mix it up with you if you are in the race group.

[ted]

Thanks Anthony,
Yes myself and a couple of other early 911s will be in the race group with you. We know we're not racing for a bucket of blood or 2 weeks in Hawaii, we're just out to enjoy some fun/close competition.
I like the pics of your Alfa race car on the pelican page, should make for some fun video after the weekend!
Your schedule has plenty of run time.
This is my first time with your group so your insight is very helpful.

Correct me if I got it wrong...
Is the last or 4th session Sat a qualifier based on your best timed lap in the that session? Then is there a 10 lap race after that on Sat with the grid set by your best lap in the previous session?

Sunday do we qualify again for the Sunday race or do they use our positions at the end of Saturday's race for the grid Sunday?

Thanks,
Mike G
aka ted

[Jack Olsen]

I'm thinkin' about it.

The Alfa Club runs a great event.

[italcarguy]

Originally posted by ted
Thanks Anthony,
Yes myself and a couple of other early 911s will be in the race group with you. We know we're not racing for a bucket of blood or 2 weeks in Hawaii, we're just out to enjoy some fun/close competition.
I like the pics of your Alfa race car on the pelican page, should make for some fun video after the weekend!
Your schedule has plenty of run time.
This is my first time with your group so your insight is very helpful.

Correct me if I got it wrong...
Is the last or 4th session Sat a qualifier based on your best timed lap in the that session? Then is there a 10 lap race after that on Sat with the grid set by your best lap in the previous session?

Sunday do we qualify again for the Sunday race or do they use our positions at the end of Saturday's race for the grid Sunday?

Thanks,
Mike G
aka ted

The qualifier on Saturday is based on estimated lap times. I usually just wait for everyone else to post their time and then write down something equal to someone with my same time. Sunday grid is based on Saturday finishing.

[ted]

Originally posted by italcarguy
The qualifier on Saturday is based on estimated lap times. I usually just wait for everyone else to post their time and then write down something equal to someone with my same time.

Ok so the qualifier is the 4th session on Saturday, honor system grid. So no reason to sweat getting an open lap on any sessions for grid purposes. More time then to just enjoy running door handle to door handle.

Jack I heard some of the TRE guys might make it.
Come on out and do the race, then we can call you a racer too. Is you car race ready?

[italcarguy]

Hey ted,
What kinda lap time's you turn at Willow? I am assuming mid-low 1:30's?

[ted]

Originally posted by italcarguy
Hey ted,
What kinda lap time's you turn at Willow? I am assuming mid-low 1:30's?

Yeah that's about right, moslty 33s and 34s. I do ok in the corners but for some reason lately I get chewed up on the exit from 6. Maybe I need to work on 5 and 6 more.
Is that close to your times and some of the other Alfas?

[italcarguy]

I can run a consistant low 1:37's with my car. I did a lot of work to my car since my last visit to Willow so, hopefully I can drop down to the 1:35-1:36 range.

My friend has the same thing I do but more suspension work and a straight cut gearbox, he does consistant 1:33's.

[RSupdate]

Hi Anthony....I'm another of the early 911 guyz who'll be out there having fun with the Alfa gang...Looking forward to it, as this will be my 1st time running with you all.

I'm debating on whether to enter the TT or race groups.... I ran in the TT group at Big Willow with TCRA a couple of weeks ago and was constantly blocked by groups of *much* slower cars ...extremely difficult to get a clean lap(s) during practice.

Does the Alfa club get more than one TT run group? or do you think I should practice in the race group with an X on my car? If there's more than one TT run group this question might be a moot point.

If you're running '37's It would be fun to run with you, or other alfa's as I've hit the 1:40.xx wall and need to break thru that

[italcarguy]

Alfa club has three TT run groups: (1) fast cars with experienced drivers (2) slower cars w/experienced drivers (3) novice.

I prefer race group because if I come up to a slow car, I can pass him anywhere. I have seen people in race group with an "X" on their cars.

[Jack Olsen]

Originally posted by ted
Come on out and do the race, then we can call you a racer too. Is your car race ready?

I hardly even consider myself a time trialer, let alone a racer. I've got no net, fuel cell or cutoff switch, so my guess is that I'd be disallowed from the race group.

[italcarguy]

Alfa club race group requires: roll bar, fire extinguisher, catch cans, safety wire drain plug, and arm restraints. C'mon Jack, I wanna go side by side with BB2 in turn 9

[Jack Olsen]

Originally posted by italcarguy
C'mon Jack, I wanna go side by side with BB2 in turn 9

If I go, I'm staying with the girls in the time trial group. (Besides, I've got no catch cans, safety wire for the drain plug, or arm restraints.)

[ted]

Originally posted by JackOlsen
If I go, I'm staying in the time trial group. (Besides, I've got no catch cans, safety wire for the drain plug, or arm restraints.)

Just for grins Jack when you get tech'd, check with TRE I bet it would be Alfa race legal??? I think a window net is acceptable instead of arm tethers. According to the Alfa competition code the fuel cell and external cut off are highly suggested not required. You already have an oil breather/catch can system.
With respect to all the development on your car would you let a Safety wire missing on a drain plug keep you off the track?
Besides we're racing with cooperation, coexisting in the turns.

You might find trying to blaze a time trail lap is more of a white knuckle ride than "racing" 2 seconds a lap slower in traffic.

But if you did TT and if Johnny Riz were in the fast TT group you might be able to tow/help him bust through his (temporary) .40 wall.

[RSupdate]

Originally posted by ted
Just for grins Jack when you get tech'd, check with TRE I bet it would be Alfa race legal??? I think a window net is acceptable instead of arm tethers. According to the Alfa competition code the fuel cell and external cut off are highly suggested not required. You already have an oil breather/catch can system.
With respect to all the development on your car would you let a Safety wire missing on a drain plug keep you off the track?
Besides we're racing with cooperation, coexisting in the turns.

You might find trying to blaze a time trail lap is more of a white knuckle ride than "racing" 2 seconds a lap slower in traffic.

But if you did TT and if Johnny Riz were in the fast TT group you might be able to tow/help him bust through his (temporary) .40 wall.

Boy....no peer pressure here ..aye?!!

No worries Jack, I WILL be in the fast TT group or run practice in the race group with a big red X in my rear window. either way I'm sure we'll all run together. I won't let a repeat of a couple weeks ago happen again to me... that was pure "on-track-misery"

Is Micheal Marsall going to come out with us..? Hopefully his new bullet will be rerady to roar by then, I know he's trying to get it together right now.

[ted]

Originally posted by RSupdate
Boy....no peer pressure here ..aye?!!

That's BEER preasure, as if you don't get in the 30s you're buying.

[RSupdate]

It's a deal !!!

( cooler is gonna be topped off ....just in case I need it....)

no way tho !!! I'll be in the 30's !!!!

[MMARSH]

I'm there. I'm picking up the motor this afternoon. I would put it in Tomorrow, but I'll be at the track on my Motorcycle. So, by the end of the week it should be in the car and ready to go.


Johnny and Jack, I thought you had to have a race licence to run in the race group? Having an X on the window usually means you have gone to the race clinic or school and are still a newbie. Usually you have to have an X for the first two races.(although lately I feel like I should put an X on my window) I don't think you can just put an X on your car and jump into the race group. No offense, but if it's that easy to get into a race group, that makes me a little uncomfortable with the other unknown guys I'm on the track with.

[RSupdate]

Yeah, I agree Micheal, What ever is proper, safe protocol...I'm there. No arguements here.

In reality I'll most likely run in the fast TT group. I'd be great if Jack was out there too... but no matter, I'll surely be able to pick a faster car and get towed around til I'm comfortable in the sections I am currently weak in.

So b'tween this Afla event and the Pantera event on Nov 6-7, I'll have 2 more weekends of driver development at BW b4 the '05

In '05 I'd like to get my PCA club racing licence....gawd I never thought I'd want to do this...but now I DO

Micheal....Real good to hear from ya. Can't wait to be at 'da track with ya again.

all the best !!!