senor honda

By Vickie Miller
Early into the weekend, I realized this was going to be a very different racing event. The amount of rain being dropped showed no signs of slowing, which makes for wet equipment, wet drivers, wet crew, and wet everything. While Road Atlanta did have the track blowers out at every chance, nothing could keep up once the skies opened up. There was standing water and several parts on the track where a river was running across. Many race cars were the victim of hydroplaning and the wall was there to welcome them and turn the car into jigsaw puzzle pieces. The water didn’t care about the car number, manufacturer, series or class.
Thoughts kept taking me back to the GrandAm Homestead-Miami Speedway race in 2012 where, according to Vickipedia, over 40% of the race was run under caution and the race was stopped after 54 laps due to rain. I was at the “Grand Prix of Miami” race and the one main difference between Homestead-Miami and Road Atlanta is the duration of the rain. At Miami, the rain dumped…mass quantities in a relatively short amount of time. By the time the race was called and I was at my car in the parking lot, the rain had stopped. At Road Atlanta, the rain was continuous, and very heavy at times. With the television coverage, articles written during and after the race, you can read about all the accidents, issues, facts and figures during the race. All I saw was the rain.

I don’t care which car you are driving or what tire you have, the track became more dangerous than anything I have ever witnessed. I stood on the straight watching the cars racing out of turn 9 and into turn 10a totally amazed there was any grip at all to get them whoa’d down in time to take the turn. Despite your driver ranking, or pro or “gentlemen”, the conditions were the same, with each team trying their best to hold on. I am not saying I agreed with “when” the race got called, but I don’t see how it could have continued.

After the race ended, we “buzzed” the paddock to attend the podium ceremony, which is usually long and unorganized on a sunny day….imagine the same concept but in the pouring rain. It was not “FANTASTIC”! With Road Atlanta being the last race of the season, three titles were available for winning: (1) the race itself, Petit LeMans, (2) the TUDOR championship; and (3) the Tequila Patron North American Endurance Cup. Congratulations to all the teams and drivers.

Okay, if you are like me on any given weekend, I like to know if anyone (yes, even karting) is racing. I will Google search for races or check Race Monitor app to see what is approaching and how I need to plan. Yes, I’m addicted and racing is my drug of choice. For example last year, I noticed a racing series called Radical Racing and Radical UK. As like with any racing event, I navigate to the series entry list and scan it for any familiar name.

For Radical UK, whom do I find but John Falb. I had first met John with One Motorsports where my good friend, Jeff Bucknum, was coaching. So I booted up the old laptop and watched several races online as John raced through Europe. I have had the pleasure of watching John race at several Lites events this year and finally had a chance to catch up with him at Road Atlanta.