Region: Wichita
Car #: 8
Year : 1992 FP Posts: 406
Status: Offline
posted
Unofficial
Christian Franck Todd Buras Robert Huffmaster Eric Foss Eric Curran Ara Malkhassian Mark Jenkins Brad McAllister Robert Michaelian Ryan Schmisk
2:08:41pm See you next season. 2:08:10pm This race will air on DirecTV, Dish Network and regional cable networks the week of November 10. 2:07:52pm Thank you to all teams, staff and fans for a fantastic 2008 season. 2:07:32pm Congratulations to Eric Foss on the 2008 SCCA Pro Racing Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup Championship. 2:07:20pm Congratulations to Christian Franck on his first race win. 2:06:43pm No. 56 Buras, No. 27 Huffmaster, No. 28 Foss and No. 30 Curran complete the top five at Mazda Raceway. 2:05:58pm No. 16 Franck also set the fastest time of the race, a 1:41.731. That is a new race lap record. 2:04:48pm Franck is the fifth different winner this year. 2:04:08pm Seventeen year-old gets his first MX-5 Cup win at the MX-5 Cup finale. 2:03:26pm CHECKERED FLAG 2:03:16pm 25 No. 14 being held at pit out. 2:02:18pm 25 No. 16 with a 1.737-second lead over No. 56. 2:02:12pm 25 No. 14 in pit lane. 2:01:13pm 25 WHITE FLAG 2:00:50pm 24 No. 14 being shown the black flag for contact with the No. 16 on the restart. 1:59:55pm 24 No. 18 Ouye in the gravel at Turn 11. 1:58:58pm 24 NO. 16 retakes the lead in Turn Five. 1:58:08pm 23 No. 56 going deffenisve to hold off No. 28 out of Turn 11. 1:57:59pm 23 No. 14 takes the lead over No. 16 in Turn Five. 1:56:48pm 22 No. 23 in the gravel at Turn 11. 1:56:32pm 21 No. 16 your new leader. 1:56:21pm 21 No. 16 takes a look at No. 14 going up the hill to Turn Six. 1:55:08pm 21 Top five remains unchanged through Turns One, Two and Three. 1:54:25pm 21 GREEN 1:54:17pm 20 Lights out on the safety car. 1:54:01pm 20 There is less than 10 minutes remaining in the race. 1:52:38pm 20 Going green next time by. 1:50:28pm 20 We continue under full-course yellow to remove No. 23 from Turn Two. 1:49:44pm 18 Top five is currently: No. 14, No. 16, No. 56, No. 28 and No. 27. 1:49:33pm 18 FULL COURSE YELLOW 1:48:48pm 18 No. 23 Loth is spun in Turn Three. 1:48:32pm 18 No. 28 has fallen to fourth. 1:48:15pm 17 No. 14 now with a 2.542-second lead over No. 16. 1:47:24pm 17 No. 28 spins in the Corkscrew. 1:46:24pm 17 No. 28 all over No. 14, now for the lead. 1:45:36pm 16 No. 16 loses it in Turn 11, No. 14 takes over the lead. 1:44:18pm 16 Leaders will be catching the back of the field soon. 1:44:02pm 15 With a crumpled hood, No. 81 has worked his way back up to 14th. 1:42:59pm 15 20 minutes remaining in the race. 1:42:25pm 15 Top three are nose-to-tail. 1:41:08pm 14 Top five is currently: No. 16, No. 14, No. 28, No. 56 and No. 27. 1:40:24pm 13 No. 30 falls back to seventh. 1:40:08pm 13 The pass for the lead on lap 12 occurred in Turn Five. 1:39:16pm 13 No. 14 gets No. 28 for second in Turn Two. 1:38:30pm 12 No. 16 takes over the lead. 1:37:08pm 12 No. 16 makes a move for the lead in Turn Two, but No. 28 takes it right back in Turn Three. 1:36:58pm 11 No. 56 has lost ground to No. 14. 1:36:05pm 11 No. 16 just resets the fast race lap and shows it, cranking up the pressure on No. 28 for the lead. 1:35:39pm 10 No. 14 around No. 56 for third. 1:34:31pm 10 While the top four battle and pull a gap on fifth, fifth-place No. 30 as his hands full with No. 27. 1:33:47pm 10 No. 14 filling No. 56's mirrors into Turn One. 1:32:42pm 9 No. 56 takes third from No. 14 in Turn Two, but No. 14 is all over him through Turn Three and Four. 1:32:09pm 8 No. 56 pulls alongside No. 14 out of Turn 11. 1:31:05pm 8 Top five is currently: No. 28, No. 16, No. 14, No. 56 and No. 30. 1:30:21pm 8 No. 16 starting to pressure No. 28 now for the lead. 1:29:17pm 7 No. 16 back in second. Top four are locked nose to tail. 1:29:01pm 7 No. 16 flies by No. 14 on the front straight. 1:28:24pm 6 No. 14 takes second back from No. 16. 1:27:28pm 6 No. 14 tries another move through Turn Two, but it costs him as No. 16 slips into second spot behind No. 28. 1:27:11pm 5 No. 28 retakes the lead. 1:26:52pm 5 Top five currently: No. 14, No. 28, No. 16, No. 56 and No. 30 Curran. 1:25:57pm 5 No. 14 grabs the lead from No. 28 in Turn Five. 1:25:06pm 5 No. 16 pulls alongside No. 56 on the straight. 1:24:02pm 4 No. 14 pulls alongside No. 28 down the front stretch, but No. 28 has the line for Turn One and Two, holds the lead. 1:23:33pm 3 No. 14 making a move in Turn 11. 1:23:13pm 3 Top five is currently: No. 28, No. 14, No. 56, No. 16 and No. 27. 1:22:20pm 3 No. 14 currently has your fastest lap of the race and is dogging No. 28 for the lead. 1:20:51pm 2 No. 14 up to second. 1:20:41pm 1 No. 81 hits the wall in Turn Eight. 1:20:19pm 1 No. 14 up to third. 1:20:02pm 1 No. 14 Rampelberg making a move for fifth in Turn Three, but No. 16 holds the spot. 1:18:46pm 1 Top five remain unchanged through Turns One and Two. 1:18:17pm GREEN 1:16:22pm Pace car lights out in Turn Nine. 1:15:29pm Pace car leads the field across start/finish for their final pace lap. 1:13:37pm Pace car is in Turn Nine. 1:13:28pm This will be a 45-minute race. 1:13:16pm Cars are currently on their pace lap. 1:12:03pm The current MX-5 Cup race lap record is a 1:42.944 (78.264 mph), set last year by Jason Saini. 1:11:16pm Mazda Raceway is an 11-turn, 2.238-mile road course. 1:10:52pm No. 81 Schimsk, No. 27 Huffmaster and No. 16 Franck complete the top five on the grid. 1:10:13pm Regardless of where No. 56 finishes, if No. 28 completes at least half the distance of the race, he will be the 2008 MX-5 Cup Champion. 1:09:02pm The only man with a mathmatical shot at catching Foss will start second, No. 56 Buras. He entered a 1:41.225 in qualifying. 1:07:48pm Your polesitter for today's race is current point leader No. 28 Foss, who turned a 1:41.184 in yesterday's qualifying session. 1:06:37pm It is a brisk 54F in Monterey, Calif., this morning, but there is nary a cloud in the sky. 1:06:20pm Today's race will begin at 11:25 a.m. (PDT). 1:05:55pm Welcome to Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca and the SCCA Pro Racing Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup Finale. Time is for reference only and is cued from the Central Time Zone
-------------------- Rick Harris F Production - A place for 1.6 Miata's
Region: MidDiv / SOWDIV
Car #: #39
Year : 99 LS1 Miata Posts: 1756
Status: Offline
posted
Congrats to Foss & MER on the Championship. Congrats to the Kid and ALARA on the win. Great Racing!
-------------------- Mac Spikes IPRESS Racing MER East Street Auto SAFERACER Hoosier Carbotech MotorSport Ranch Cresson, Texas "To hell with you Gen. Sheridan...I 'll take Texas!"
Region: SFR
Car #: 82/73
Year : 1991 Posts: 2015
Status: Offline
posted
Congrats to Eric and Christian for their respective victories!
"1:59:55pm 24 No. 18 Ouye in the gravel at Turn 11."
With some help....
-------------------- Kim
91 BRG SMT RIP 06 MX-5 Cup
"Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting 'Holy sh*t...what a ride!'" - Unknown
Region: SeDiv
Car #: 45
Year : 1991 Posts: 54
Status: Offline
posted
I wasn't anywhere near close enough to see what #14 was hit with the flag for. I did have the displeasure of having to hang around an additional hour and a half after the race in the "protest line", and I wasn't near the last one. Wow.
There were some frivolous enough protests going on that it was laughable, too. I suppose if people can sleep at night filing protests like THAT, well, there's no reasoning you can do. *sigh*
If I bother to run MX-5 Cup again it won't be without video, that's for sure.
For the record, I had one protest upheld (with the ajudicating parties saying it was a "50/50" as to whether I was at fault...there were two of them, and the higher ranking official apparently wins the 50/50!) and one protest denied (technically I think they talked the other party out of filing it, but that party would have filed it, I'm certain, if that party thought they had any chance of winning).
Whatever. I had a good drive and a great time racing at a great track with the awesomest race team in the world, Team MER. Champions in 2006, 2007, and now 2008. Great job, Eric. And thanks for all the data help both in this race and in the Koni race at Miller. Thanks to Jason, Juliann, Darrin, Jeremy, Wally, Marc, Shannon, and all the other crew and drivers. Great bunch to race with.
I never could get Tim Buck to hold that Town Hall Meeting I was asking for, but that's because he's so humble. So in that vein I will give him my vote. TIM BUCK FOR PRESIDENT!
Region: SFR
Car #: 14
Year : 1994 Posts: 241
Status: Offline
posted
Hey guys,
The wounds still a little fresh so I can't really laugh about it yet...BUT, I thought I'd correct Marc. Right now, we have heard 3 rumors for the flack flag:
1. Jumping the restart 2. Contact with the #16 3. Contact with the #81 on lap 2
Unfortunately the chief steward was unwilling to meet with us to discuss the "incident" in question(s). Which was probably in his best interest as I'm sure I would've used some 4 letter words at that time.
I'm hoping as time goes on we can get to the bottom of this as I'm sure black flagging the leader of the race was not a decision that was taken lightly.
If after additional investigation it comes to light the "contacts" are what was responsible for the black flag, that will be additionally disappointing as I have video of both incidents is question, which I have not provided and was not asked to provide in my defense.
Obviously being black flagged out of the lead of my home race is deeply wounding. But as they say: "Time heals all wounds". God willing I'll be back on the grid next year.
I'd like to thank Mazda for all the help and support this year. It's been a character building year, which is never fun, but I hope to be more of a character next year.
Congrats to Eric and the whole MER team. You guys did the best job all year and deserved to win the championship. I think I just threw up in my mouth.
Region: sfr
Car #: 12
Year : 1990 Posts: 1174
Status: Offline
posted
The thing I don’t understand about this situation, and others like them, is how you black flag the race leader with 2 laps to go??? That is simply a bell you can not un-ring, and hugely unfair to the competitor as they will have no chance to absolve themselves of wrongdoing. Its that much worse when you consider that MX-5 cup has set the precedent of handling these sorts of issues with post race penalties.
Jumping the start is one thing (if that is what the penalty is for) but penalties for contact are best addressed after looking at in car video unless the contact is blatant....
If the stewards want to factor in the outcome of a race, then maybe one of them should rent a car and suit up.
Region: San Francisco
Car #: 34
Year : 1992 Posts: 2279
Status: Offline
posted
Hey Brad,
Thanks for posting. Sorry to hear about the black flag. I hate it when the stewards use the flag vs. penalize after the race, as it gives the driver no possibility to appeal. Wish I had been there to watch. The pace notes indicated a very exciting race.
My bad. I wasn't aware that the black was due to contact. I saw the video from the 81 car and there was no contact there - and Ryan said the same. There was so much contact in that race by everyone that I lost track of all the body panels and gravel at all.
Thanks for the clarification. I am as confused as you are.
Hope you are back next season! You were a good competitor is year.
Region: SFR
Car #: 79
Year : 1990 Posts: 695
Status: Offline
posted
Out of all the races to miss I had to miss this one
Just wanted say congrats to Eric and MER. You guys kept us on our toes all year. Jules, as my counter part on MER I must say every time I looked over at your pit you were calm and always in control. GREAT JOB!!! I was pulling my hair out trying to keep tabs on 5 cars and you had 10! Have a great off season and I look forward to racing with you guys next year.
Region: CenDiv
Car #: 28
Year : 1994 Posts: 22
Status: Offline
posted
quote:Originally posted by Tony Silva: Out of all the races to miss I had to miss this one
Tony- thanks for the traffic advice about getting thru the fires in LA! I took the grapevine and almost rattled my axels off the truck On the way home I took 58 thru Bakersfield smoother but not much faster!
We mised you at Laguna- but I'm sure we'll see ya a T-Hill!
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but I hope to be more of a character next year. ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
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On the way home I took 58 thru Bakersfield smoother but not much faster! 
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