November 7-9: A mid-pack view of the NASA Western State Championship 944 Spec race weekend.
Anytime you get to compete in a championship event your heart rate rises in anticipation, double the excitement if your first time is at a home track. Daybreak over the San Rafael bridge, Sonoma Raceway revealed her blind crests for the inaugural NASA Western State Championships. Had to start early and sunlight’s first rays radiated brightly off a setting moon as everyone prepped for the first session of the day. Drivers from California, Washington, Nevada, Arizona, and as far away as Illinois would be joining NorCal's local racer contingent.
Thursday's pre-race testing brought an inauspicious start to the weekend: Jim Richmond’s car coming off a tow truck, front left wheel shrugged into the wheelwell. Before Richmond was out of his driver’s suit, Jim Hicks, Ron Dale and others were rolling up their sleeves to get dirty and keep the 512 car on track for Friday’s sessions. Driving Concepts Racing School instructor, Carl Mc Ginn had a saying, paraphrased: "Your driving is your reputation." 944 Spec has a reputation: We come together for each other. The early diagnosis was a broken spindle and the group got Richmond’s wheels turning before sunset. Dan Piña’s reputation was growing, traveling all the way from Chicago with a second place from the Eastern Championship event, but he was swapping computers. His crew was working hard to get things right.
Our race director Tim Comeau summed it up proudly: “It shouldn't be about the car, it should be about how you drive it." Comeau wanted legal, compliant cars, zero contact reports and for everyone to have fun.
There are a couple other reputations NorCal 944 Spec carries: Every field has multiple drivers named Jim, every other car on grid is Porsche Guards Red, and a driver who’s reputation precedes him, Charlie Buzzetti opened the weekend right by hosting the Buzzetti barbecue for any hungry driver in our class. Say it with me everyone: “Fish Tacos!”
The roll call Z to A is as follows: Auburn Schmidt Jim Richmond (Jim #1) Dan Piña Katherine Pelland (Red #1) Austin Newmark Ken Myers Steven Lewis Jason Jane (Red #2) Jim Hicks (Jim #2, Red #3) James Foxx (Jim #3, Red #4) Alberto Fonseca (Red #5) Pete Dimuzio (Red #6) Ronald Dale Javier Cantu-Lucero Charles Buzzetti (Red #7) Thomas Atteberry.
Friday Qualifying: All of our sessions were shared with the Spec Miata run group, each race would have split starts half a lap apart to minimize lapping traffic. There were 17 Miatas and 16 944s. We’d get apples-to-apples results between the two classes all weekend.
In qualifying, everyone tells themselves to give room, set a time and get back to the pits. Then you get out there and there’s someone in your way and you want to get around them and you’re about to dive-bomb—it’s the racer in all of us. Take a deep breath and bring out the cool, smooth, quick driver who can step down from the loud pedal to open up some track to roam. The session was more exciting than it should have been, Newmark’s car was spitting parts, Foxx’s car was misting oil at whomever was quick enough to stay near his bumper, and Hicks sheered a balljoint at 80MPH right in front of Schmidt. Hicks kept his car in control and drove it out of the racing line. After the session Lewis and Richmond pitched in to get him ready, our qualifying race was only an hour later.
Friday Qualifying Race: The field bunched up for what was a really tight start, less than half a car length between rows because nobody wanted to give an inch. The green flag stirred our grid into a chaotic stew of acceleration, cars bubbling out looking for space. Inside to outside Fonseca, Atteberry and Schmidt went three wide around turn 1 with Hicks on Fonseca's bumper.
The front row entered turn 2 (one of those blind crests) with Foxx sending up a big puff of tire smoke in an attempt to stay door-to-door with Buzzetti. This allowed Lewis to stake a claim on second place. We streamed uphill otherwise holding position. Schmidt took an aggressive look inside Atteberry into 2 but Atteberry turned in feeling boxed by Dale in front, Fonseca outside and Richmond off his rear quarterpanel. Schmidt took his car off-track to the inside, avoiding contact. Hicks, Richmond, Dimuzio and Jane gained a spot for the excursion. Schmidt recovered enough to draw overlap on Jane over 3a (another blind crest), then finished the overtake inside 4, two corners of side-by-side already causing the back of the pack to fall three seconds adrift.
Turn 4 came up, a slow sharp right-hander. Myers and Newmark side-by-side. Fonseca dropped four wheels off on the outside but pulled his car back on track without issue, Dale and Atteberry cruising by. Hicks dropped a couple wheels off in the same place. Fonseca, Atteberry and Dale went three wide around 5, a fast sweeping right-hander. We streamed off the Carousel, turn 6, a parabolic downhill left, the lead pack still together, a bit of a gap, then Dale at the head of mid-pack.
Myers had gotten in front of Newmark and Cantu-Lucero took a look at the bright yellow racer. Richmond and Hicks spent the entire first half of the lap side-by-side and into 7, a double apex right. Hicks finally claimed sole-possession of the position under breaks in the middle of 11, a hairpin right. We finished the first lap Buzzetti, Lewis, Foxx right at Lewis' rear quarter panel, Piña, Myers with Newmark salivating all over his rear bumper, Cantu-Lucero, Dale, Atteberry, Fonseca, Hicks, Richmond, Dimuzio, Schmidt, Jane and Pelland.
By turn 4 of lap 2 Hicks made it up the inside of Fonseca and Schmidt had made up the gap to the back of Dimuzio. Lap 3 Richmond went wide in 4 and Dimuzio moved through the inside and passed. Hicks snarfed at Atteberry’s tail into 7 looking for a way around. From the front, Foxx chased Buzzetti, Piña had gotten around Lewis, Myers was still holding off Newmark, small gap to Cantu-Lucero who was followed by Dale, and Hicks had gotten by Atteberry. Five laps in and something in Newmark’s car gave up on the front straight and he pulled out. A Miata had stopped in 7, both events bringing forth local yellows.
Richmond was wide again into 4, and after 8 laps finally relented to Schmidt. On the final lap Buzzetti made the classic former Champion error of running out of gas, being pipped by Foxx and Lewis before he nursed his car across the finish line. Piña held fourth, Hicks worked all the way up to fifth followed by Myers, Cantu-Lucero, Dale, Atteberry, Dimuzio, Fonseca, Schmidt, Richmond, then Pelland running by Jane in the closing laps, and Newmark with mechanical troubles.
Jim Richmond's Video of the start of Fridays qualifying race.
Saturday Qualifying Race: Racer reputation is built corner by corner, and earned by the respect of your fellow driver. Atteberry and Hicks on Richmond: “Jim’s got a reputation down in SoCal Region: He makes sneaky good starts and he drives a wide car.” He’d teach this lesson to new students as the weekend progressed. After yesterday’s performance Cantu-Lucero was gaining a reputation as a sideways driver. Buzzetti was quick as always. Foxx had run with the locals a lot and Lewis represented the local NorCal region well, rounding out the top three.
It was another tight start. The green flag flew, many cars on the inside row all drifted towards the wall looking for space, giving Atteberry room to move up a spot. We had three wide again into 2, with Dale on the inside this time. Hicks dropped two wheels off the inside of two, balking Dale. Richmond, Atteberry and Schmidt swung around Dale.
Cantu-Lucero and Myers went side-by-side cresting 3a, Cantu-Lucero bouncing on the sharp inside curbing. Myers going wide exiting 4 in the dirt and giving away the position, Cantu-Lucero tossed up dirt at the exit of the Carousel in return but held his spot in line.
Richmond, Hicks and Atteberry went three wide going into 7. At the end of the lap, coming around 11 it was Buzzetti, Piña next to Foxx, Lewis next to Cantu-Lucero, Myers fighting off Fonseca, Hicks had a big lock taking an inside look at Atteberry, then Richmond, Schmidt, and Dale.
Schmidt went wide at 7 and Dale moved up. Richmond, Dale and Schmidt ran nose to tail for a lap, coming up on waving yellows at 7 to find Myers pointing at them backwards and stationary at the end of the braking zone. Myers had what would turn out to be front left caliper drag and had spun under braking, Richmond and Dale going inside and Schmidt going out and around. Myers resumed, immediately hounding Schmidt. Another lap elapsed with Schmidt closing up to hound Dale, the four drivers running clean end to end.
Up at the front Foxx had gotten around Buzzetti. Lewis made a nice move, coming from three car lengths back to draw overlap with Cantu-Lucero under brakes. There was minor contact as Cantu-Lucero turned in on Lewis but no damage done and everyone continued. Foxx is frequently teased at drivers meetings for his reputation of a wild driving style. Buzzetti stalked Foxx, hoping Foxx would stay true to that form and make a mistake, allowing some overlap, but the mistake would never come. Reputations change, are built or torn down, race to race and corner to corner. The lead pack was off, a bit of a gap then Atteberry at the head of mid-pack.
Schmidt had multiple looks at Dale into 11, but Dale defended well several laps in a row, until Schmidt made an inside move stick coming out onto the main straight. They ran side by side, concrete barrier to Dale's left, door-to-door with Schmidt tracking out and giving room as they accelerated and crossed the start/finish line.
Schmidt consolidated the position at the top of 2. There was a 4 second gap looking ahead to the Richmond/Fonseca battle and their door-to-door action allowed Schmidt to close up after he was released by Dale. Fonseca got trapped on the outside of 7 and Schmidt slipped through. Richmond, Schmidt, Myers, Fonseca and Dale all ran in a clump, Schmidt getting repeated looks at Richmond under brakes in 7 and 11 but Richmond rejected each volley. Myers stalked every move, hoping to reclaim position. White flag lap. Schmidt finally held a pass on the outside of Richmond coming out of 7 and into the esses, consolidating the position for the last half-lap until checkers flew.
Championship Race:
NorCal 944Spec has traditions: All the drivers paddock together, talk together, help each other with our cars. Before each race we shake each other’s hands and say “Be Safe. Have Fun.” Other rituals can become rote, but there’s something to a strong handshake and looking your fellow competitor/driver/friend in the eye, saying the words and feeling the weight of their meaning. There are a lot of reasons to race, boil away everything else and it is difficult to come to a more pure essence than “Be Safe. Have Fun.”
The moment wasn’t lost when 2009 944 Spec Champ Charlie Buzzetti said: “You ready?” Auburn Schmidt, his first National event, nodded slowly. Charlie said: “I’m nervous.” So rookies, remember: If a National Champ can be nervous, it’s okay for you to be nervous, it’s how you handle the moment that matters.
After our two qualifying races we hadn’t lost a car, all sixteen of us came to grid in this order: Jim Foxx Charles Buzzetti Steven Lewis Dan Piña Javier Cantu-Lucero Jim Hicks Ken Myers Auburn Schmidt Ronald Dale Jim Richmond Alberto Fonseca Pete Dimuzio Katherine Pelland Jason Jane Thomas Atteberry (11th - DQ, weight) Austin Newmark.
Newmark had made it to grid! Austin’s crew set a record for most parts swapped, earning the admiration of his fellow drivers for getting his car on track and competing despite the unfavorable starting position. It is always fun to watch a young, talented driver start at the tail and make a charge through the field.
Hicks lost his shifter off the line and dropped out, the row of cars behind him on the inside grid position ducking and weaving to find their way forward, everyone keeping their nose clean despite the surprise. Schmidt missed a shift coming around 1, but Richmond gave him a bump-draft to keep his momentum.
As with the qualifying races there were numerous position swaps up and down the field, from the front and all the way through to the back of the pack. Buzzetti sniped Foxx at the start of the third lap, the announcers picked up on the two veteran racers who were so familiar with each other, battling it out.
The leaders had a bit of gap to a viscous nose-to-tail battle between Lewis, Piña, Cantu-Lucero and Myers. Cantu-Lucero locked up into 7, giving Myers a good look, but Cantu-Lucero took the position back as they entered the esses and streamed downhill. On the next lap a Miata had spun right in the middle at the top of turn 2. Packs of cars picked their way through without incident. Dim lights
Embed Embed this video on your site Lap 6: Lewis had to catch a fishtail in the middle of the Carousel, his correction gave just enough space to let Piña and Cantu-Lucero through, but Lewis recovered to hold Myers at bay. Cantu-Lucero had a big lock at 7, pushing hard but unable to make a pass on Piña. The four continued, loops in a chain lap after lap with Myers hanging on tightly, but not quite able to close up and contest for position. There was another big lock at 11 as the foursome lapped a Miata. Schmidt trailed by several seconds and there were several seconds again to Richmond at the head of mid-pack.
Fonseca, Richmond and Atteberry went three wide in turn 10, Richmond squished in the middle hoping things wouldn't turn sour. If there is one corner you don't want to be door-to-door in, much less three-wide, it's turn 10, a hyperventilating right-hander entered at the highest speed on track with only a touch of brakes. Oh and there's a giant wall that closes in on you as you track out. The trio made it through without incident. Deep breath.
Nobody in the Piña, Cantu-Lucero, Lewis, Myers group could break away and nobody would drop back. Cantu-Lucero got a glimpse of daylight from Piña in the middle of the Carousel but Piña held throttle and position. They finished the lap with Piña holding fort and Cantu-Lucero locking up into 11 but unable to draw overlap, the order unchanged, inches between one car and the next, then a moment of track to Myers.
At the halfway marker Pete Dimuzio had broken free of Richmond and looked towards Schmidt.
Up at the front Foxx and Buzzetti battled, then Piña wobbled a touch mid-Carousel but held onto his car, getting right back on the throttle and pulled the train forward. The four drivers contesting for the last spot on the podum took multiple lines though 7 but nobody made a pass. The next cycle through 7 Lewis out braked Cantu-Lucero, drew overlap. They went side-by-side through the double-apex right, Lewis ahead by a fender but Cantu-Lucero got on the throttle to stay even halfway through the esses. Cantu-Lucero maintained position with a twitch of oversteer in the middle transition, then sent up a cloud of tire smoke again at 11.
Thirty minutes elapsed and fatigue would leave some marks. Newmark had worked his way from 16th all the way around Dimuzio, and was eating into a four second gap to Schmidt, running seventh.
Multiple drivers missed shifts into 2, catching slides or running wide at various corners. Much of the action was at 7 and 11, Piña got a poor exit through 6 and had to go defensive into 7, but nobody could take advantage and they proceeded on, Lewis showing a brief lock to no consequence. Pelland and Jane hung around as well, turning consistent laps, Pelland stepping up over the weekend setting personal bests.
Atteberry, Fonseca and Richmond approached a lapped Miata coming into 11. Instead of lifting and letting an out-of-class battle pass through, the Miata stayed with each runner as it approached. The Miata hung in the middle of the trio from turn 1, all the way to 9, Atteberry going through at 2, Fonseca at the Carousel. The Miata went off into the dirt at the exit of 10, re-entered the track out of control and collected a dodging Richmond who had scrunched his car all the way to the opposite side of the track. The Miata continued to spin and hit Richmond a second time, making a mess of the exit lane and throwing cones mid-track in the braking zone of 11. A safety truck blocked the exit lane as the cars were cleared.
Lap 16. Piña missed the apex of 4 by two feet. Cantu-Lucero carried too much trail-brake, but got on the gas aggressively, counter-steering to hold his car on-track. It gave Lewis a strong run around 5.
Lewis would draw his bumper all the way to Cantu-Lucero’s front fender. At the crest entering the Carousel Cantu-Lucero locked up and carried into Lewis. Both cars careened off-track, hit an incline and launched. Lewis would go end-over-end and Cantu-Lucero would roll four times.
Quotes of the weekend would echo in every driver’s mind: “I’m nervous.” “Be safe. Have fun.” “My friend is in that car.” "We come together for each other."
Schmidt came through to a vigorous waving yellow, both cars smoking off-track. Team Brown/Heyer, a Spec Miata driver, and official NASA doctor stopped his car and immediately popped out to help. Safety vehicles were on-site within a lap.
Lewis exited to check on his fellow driver. Race was flagged over shortly after.
It wasn’t the end that anybody wanted. Charlie Buzzetti had taken checkers, but said: “I don’t really feel like celebrating.” All the drivers talked in impound, getting what confirmation we could that Lewis and Cantu-Lucero were okay.
We would finish: Charles Buzzetti James Foxx Dan Piña Ken Myers Auburn Schmidt Austin Newmark Thomas Atteberry Alberto Fonseca Katherine Pelland Jason Jane Javier Cantu-Lucero Steven Lewis Jim Richmond Ron Dale Jim Hicks Pete Dimuzio (7th - DQ, yellow)
Buzzetti and Foxx both running their 944s under the top Spec Miata time, Foxx setting a new lap record at 1:55.495.
We all helped Steven Lewis and Javier Cantu-Lucero scrape what was left of their cars into their trailers, thankful that they walked away under their own power.
-=Auburn C. Schmidt=- Twitter: @venndaubie 944 Spec #79
Addendum by Ken Huey
It was good seeing old friends and meeting new racers from other regions at the 2014 Western States Championship. Witnessing the unselfish offer of replacement parts and/or labor to help a fellow competitor repair his/her car and get back onto the track is something that makes 944-Spec a truly special class. Watching and taking pictures of the race as a spectator instead of a driver did not diminish the enjoyment. There were really great battles through out the pack. Very little of the track was uncontested.
I was moving from location to location during the race to get different picture angles. I was heading towards turn 11 when Jim Richmond was hit by the spec miata, it was very disappointing that the driver of the spec miata involve himself in a out of class battle and lost control. It's understandable for the miata to engage if he was fighting for position but there wasn't another miata within a quarter lap of him, these were overtaking 944-Spec cars that started a half a lap back on the second green flag!
I thought it was strange the tow operator was unhitching Jim's car at track exit and saying he'll come back, Jim and I didn't know at the time of Steve and Javier's incident.
It wasn't until the race group were brought into the hot pit impound that I found out.
There was a really somber mood in the hot pit not knowing the condition of our fellow racers.
We were so relieved seeing Steve walking to the 944-Spec compound about an hour later. Everybody ran up to him shaking his hand. I shook Steve's hand also but really wanted to give him a hug and a pat on the back but thought better of it figuring he might be sored. Javier was taken to the hospital for observation but his friend said he was up, texting and the telltale sign a racer is O.K., asking about his car :-)
The 2014 Western States Championship was tempered by Steve, Javier and Jim Richmonds incidents but it also brought three days of intense racing, hard fought battles, laughter and close camaraderie.
Special thanks to Tim Comeau on his outstanding job as the 944-Spec race director.
Thanks to Auburn for taking the time and writing up the race report.
Congratulations to Charlie Buzzetti for winning the 2014 Western States Championship!
Toyo tires very generously paid out prize money to 5th place.
We were able to pay out cash to the rest of 944-Spec field with new hundred dollar bills, even last place was a minimum of fifty dollars. In addition, four 25% off ApexPerformance certificates were given out. Jim Richmond won the random prize drawing of a HD digital video camera with a water resistant case, helmet mount, optional car mount and a 32GB micro SD card.
