John

iTrader: (17)

Congrats to Rob and Jason! Good to see there was not attrition this year!

I still laugh that the Lotus has to carry a 200lb lead ballast in the passenger seat - I still don't know why all the organizations are so scared of it...

jmark

iTrader: (1)

I want to see Nissan USA step up and provide the demo/test Nismo 350Z's to racers like Rob & Jason as a basis for a new T2 car. The improved chassis stiffness, better motor and aero kit would make a great basis for a 2007 T2 race car IMHO. They are going to crush the cars anyway!

jmark

iTrader: (1)

Just talked to Jason. The Solstices definetly have GM support. Said a team of 6 GM engineers were there helping! Go 350Z's.

mpowers

iTrader: (7)

Are the Z's on Hoosier A's?

jmark

iTrader: (1)

Jason is on Hoosiers & Rob on Kumhos. Not sure what compounds.

mpowers

iTrader: (7)

Rob should swap over to the A's and drop the Kumho's (710's most likely), I bet he would pick up a min of a 1/2 second a lap.

It would be nice to know what Jason is running for a compound.

John

iTrader: (17)

The A's would only last a few laps and drop off quickly. Jason is likely running the RS06'... Rob won't be switching anytime soon since Kumho has been his sponsor for a long time now...

mpowers

iTrader: (7)

Not ture, I am racing on a set. Over 70 minutes of race time and two qual.
Still just as fast.

I know the vettes and vipers are running them so it's not a question of weight. Yes they won't last as long as R's or 710's, but were talking about trying to win a championship race.

edit: corvette forum thread doing the same thing were doing here
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1832779

NASA runoffs were the same way, if it had to be dot it was a Hoosier A.

dkmura

iTrader: (64)

Since I'm a GT guy at heart, I wanted to mention that the 350Z tubeframe cars are going at it hammer and tong. In GT3, John Black's KA24DE powered 350Z is on pole and in GT2, Jim Goughary's limited prep VQ35DE is 2nd (both results after the third qualifying session)

jmark

iTrader: (1)

Well looks like GM & the GXP Solstice took the top 4....Ed Z. bought a Solstice at the track! Nice job Rob. Top non GM runner. Good luck to Rob & J!

Provisional
Pos No. Name Make Model Sponsor Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
1 35 Don Knowles Pontiac Solstice Phoenix Perf/Iracing.com/Hoosier 01:46.626 01:47.333 01:45.864 01:46.214
Pittsboro - NC
2 79 Edward Zabinski Lotus Elise theracingcoach.com -.--- -.--- -.--- 01:45.993
Hallandale Beach - FL
3 05 William Ziegler Pontiac GXP Swisher/Phoenix/Hoosier 01:47.251 01:46.417 01:47.558 01:46.190
StamFord - CT
4 32 Joseph Aquilante Pontiac Solstice GXP Phoenix Perf/Iracing.com/Hoosier 01:47.334 01:48.334 01:47.476 01:46.479
Chester Springs - PA
5 14 Rob Hines Nissan 350z Kumho/Nismo/Carbotech/RedLine 01:47.338 01:47.748 01:47.222 01:46.826
Arlington - VA
6 73 John Buttermore Cadillac CTS-V Detroit Muscle 01:49.109 01:47.872 01:46.958 01:56.897
Pontiac - MI
7 75 David Schotz Pontiac Firebird Formula SCCAForums.com/Kumho/Carbotech/HP2 01:47.559 01:47.596 02:25.358 01:46.972
Chandler - AZ
8 99 Jason Henderson Nissan 350z Trailex/Hoosier/JRZ/DriversRoad.com 01:50.276 01:48.359 01:47.114 01:50.226
Cincinnati - OH
9 02 George Biskup Dodge SRT-4 Biskup Motorsports 01:48.880 01:48.477 01:47.303 -.---
Naperville - IL
10 3 Ken Dobson Nissan 350z Nissan Motorsports/Hoosier Tire 01:48.581 01:48.086 01:48.173 01:47.621
Sonoma - CA
11 8 William Baten Chevrolet Camaro Z28 Online Architecture; MarksADR;Kumho -.--- 01:49.555 01:47.698 01:48.705
Indianapolis - IN
12 0 Bryan Viviani Subaru STI Hoosier 01:49.457 01:48.767 01:48.109 01:49.004
Leechburg - PA
13 16 Michael Santos Mitsubishi Evo worksEvo.com/Hoosier 01:51.780 01:50.512 01:48.271 01:48.996
San Lorenzo - CA
14 34 Marty Grand Mitsubishi Evo IX AMS Performance 01:52.221 01:52.987 01:51.720 01:48.629
Manassas Park - VA
15 15 Chris Brannon Pontiac GTO 01:52.539 01:50.461 01:49.524 01:50.030
Mntn Home - Ar
16 41 Michael PettiFord Chevrolet Corvette Z28 GO 4 IT Racing Schools/Kumho 01:50.954 01:50.055 01:49.741 -.---
Louisville - CO
17 33 William Moore Jr. Chevrolet Camaro Swift Filters/Kumho/Tim Lally 01:50.837 01:51.099 01:50.413 01:51.395
Chagrin Falls - OH
18 12 Joe Hermes Nissan 350z Kumho/Nissan/lamborghini Portland -.--- 01:51.534 01:50.479 01:51.399
Happy Valley - OR
19 11 Kumar Viswalingam Pontiac Firebird Hoosier/Predator Motorsport 01:54.908 01:51.225 -.--- -.---
Cincinnati - OH
20 77 Segundo Quinones Chevrolet Camaro -.--- 01:52.660 01:51.322 01:52.399
Glenwood - MD
21 10 John Baldwin Jr. Subaru STi Baldwin Subaru/JB2 Motorsports -.--- 01:53.435 -.--- 01:52.471
Covington - LA
22 58 CJ Moses Mitsubishi Evo 9 MR AMSPerformance.com 02:00.408 -.--- -.--- 01:52.872
Gainesville - VA
23 5 Richard Roberts BMW M3 Kinetic Energy Resources/Fall-Line 01:52.930 01:53.735 01:54.569 01:53.420
Chicago - IL
24 4 Dennis Aubuchon Lotus Elise Kumho Tires 01:58.468 01:55.324 01:55.020 01:53.169
Arnold - MO
25 2 Spencer Gorham Jr. Nissan 350z Grand Prix Imports/Kumho/Carbotech 01:59.208 01:55.571 01:55.189 01:53.173
Gresham - OR
26 9 Steven Christopher Fast F22 DTV 021709 Conversion 01:55.344 01:57.327 01:53.735 02:00.894
Olathe - KS
27 21 Arthur Brass Ford Mustang HalJoy Renewable Fuels -.--- -.--- -.--- -.---
Houston - TX
28 08 Guy Pavageau Chevrolet Camaro Z28 Honest Pierre's Kids Parties -.--- -.--- -.--- -.---
Columbia - MD
29 7 John Tecce BMW M3 BGB Motorsports Group/LLC -.--- -.--- -.--- -.---
Ormond Beach - FL

Notes

John

iTrader: (17)

How'd that Lotus get up there?

jmark

iTrader: (1)

He bought a Phoenix prepped Solstice GXP and they finished it at the track in time to qualify 2nd....

dkmura

iTrader: (64)

GT3 and GTL Runoff results are in: Larry Hansen's 350Z finishes second (and it looks like 350Z polesitter John Black also finished all 18 laps, but was classified LAST). In GT Lights, Peter Zekert takes third in a tubeframe 200SX!
Congrats to all!

jmark

iTrader: (1)

Pontiacs took all three top spots. Dobson was top Z. Rob spun will trying to get around Joe A's Solstice. Jason finished in the top 10. No one had anything for the GXP's. They were reported to be putting out 400 HP.

ULLLOSE

You missed Schotz in the Fbody in 4th. Dobson gave him a good run, but near the end he had some issues. He told Schotz he hurt the motor. When he drove out of pit lane, to head to tech, the motor sounded fine but the diff sounded like it was blown and smoke did come out of that area during the last few laps. Great race from 4th on back, the top three was a joke.

dkmura

iTrader: (64)

Another tough year for the 350Z. Hats off to GM for finally backing SCCA racing and developing the Solstice GXP. Having said that, it's time to put a lid on unlimited boost for a class like T2. The competitive playing field is now so HEAVILY tipped in favor of FI cars that NA cars have to take huge chances just to be competitive.

Rob Hines deserved better and Ken Dobson and Jason Henderson drove well to make top ten finishes.

jmark

iTrader: (1)

Exactly. Are the Solstices really getting at 26# 400 HP with special GM tuned ECU's? Like Jason said they had 5-6 engineers working with the GM cars. Nissan needs to learn to play the game.

http://www.solsticeforum.com/forum/s...ad.php?t=37775

dkmura

iTrader: (64)

Interesting reading on that link. So GM Performance parts have a special ECU that allows 26# of boost and all safeties OFF? They were collecting them back from the competitors after the race, too.

SCCA has never been able to adequately police FI cars at this level of motorsports. They'll probably just add some lead to the GXPs for '08 and call it good...

jmark

iTrader: (1)

I am kinda surprised Joe A & Ziegler talked so freely about their cars.

ULLLOSE

Boost is open, so nothing to police. I was just over in the tech shed and most of Don's motor was in a box, they went over it with a fine tooth comb. We did an interview with the GM guys, and they gave us a copy of their "how to build a T2/SSB Sol" book, which I have not read yet. They told us they were seeing 20psi.... 1st rule of racing never trust the car builder. I am sure not even the drivers know how much boost they really have.

Also had a nice talk with Dobson and Schotz... Both of these guys put everything they had into these cars this year, pro built/fresh everything, and they had nothing for the Sol.