I believe he picked up Norman from the Oakland airport and spend thursday site seeing and visiting the the Napa Valley wineries. Jim used friday as a practice day.

I wasn't able to get to Infineon till late friday afternoon to drop off my car and trailer. It was great to see Jim Foxx, his lovely wife Barbara and pit dog Peanut again (I met them at Buttonwillow last November.)

I communicated with Norman quite a few times via email and it was good to finally meet him in person. Norman has such a friendly and easy going personally that automatically puts you at ease and he's a very fast racer.

 

We were the first group out for warmups at 8:00AM, a good time to learn or refamiliarize yourself with a very technical track. Norman made good use of the time and took pole in the latter qualifying session.

 

We were the second to last group for the green flag.  They didn't space the groups very well and by the time we got around and got our green flag, the lead cars from the first green flag group were making their first hot lap and drove thru our group.  Deja vu of what happen last year at Infineon.

I swung wide to make room for them as I was going into Turn 1 as they split the field which allow Jerry to get in front of me.

Norman took the lead follow by Jim, Greg, Jerry and me.  A off by Jim before Turn 6 allowed Greg to  pass Jim on the exit of the carousel (Turn 6).

 

 

 

During the course of the race a EVO tagged Norman on the right rear quarter between the wheel well and the door and part of the door.  Norman pulled into the hot pits to inspect his car which allowed Greg to take the lead.

I finally got by Jerry and saw a wide open track.  I was working hard to lower my lap times and trying not to lose too much grounds to the lead cars.  A open track is like euphoria, it just pulls you in.  I had three laps like that and I could tell I was getting faster with each lap.

Turn 10 at Infineon is infamous for eating cars.  It's a high speed right hander with very little run off and walls on the left and right.  I never thought I would be in that statistics but I overshot my turn in and missed the apex.  I was carrying a lot more speed and knew I was going to run out of track.

I was trying to ease my speed and not do anything to snap the car across the track onto possible high speed traffic and hit the wall on the other side.   I worked with what little run off I could but the steering would have none of it and the wall was coming up fast at which point I braced for impact.

I hit the tire wall and the rubber apron caught me quite gently and dissipated the energy, no drama at all!

I calmly turn my kill switch, look around the cabin to make sure there were no smoke or fire. I couldn't see the front of car because the rubber apron was in my way.  I was looking at my mirror to watch the race when a emergency worker ask if I was O.K. which startled me.  Where did he come from?  I told them I was fine and they proceed to pull the car from the tire wall.  They ask if the car will run and I started it right up.  They protected my back while I drove off the track, I waved thanks and got back to our pit area.  The car obvoiusly will need body work in the front and left front quarter panel but everything looks intact and no fluids leaking.

 

Back to the race.....

Norman got back onto the track after he determined his car was O.K.

Greg held onto the lead to take 1st, Jim took 2nd, Jerry 3rd and Norman 4th.