Monday, June 18, 2012
Another Victory, The June Sprints 2012
I'm not a race car driver, but my gut tells me that racers enjoy a brawl more than a walk in the park. Saturday afternoon in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin at Road America the #84 BMW Z4 from Classic BMW Motorsports, driven by Toby Grahovec won it's 15th race of the season, a brawl from start to yellow flag finish. When the race was over and the checkered flag found its way into Toby's hand, his comments weren't about how tight the finish was, it was about what a great time he had in such close competition. Toby and the #84 car, Heidi are marching toward the end of an amazing run. Partners since September 2005, the two have seen several victories all over the country, even three wins at the June Sprints, but the end of the road is near. The final race of their partnership will the at Road America in the SCCA Runoffs, SSB is being eliminated. It is long way down the road and a huge goal to dangle ahead, but if this duo can win the Runoffs it will be a fitting end to an amazing racing career for this wonderful BMW. The Runoffs are to SCCA what the Super Bowl is to the NFL, and although this pairing has two Runoff victories in hand, it is a monster task. It would also finish off a sweep as they have won the points battle in their region, and the June Sprints, the final piece to the puzzle is the toughest, The Runoffs. My guess is Toby's preference for the final race for the twosome would be an all-out, deep into the final corner, headlight smashed in, nothing left in the gas tank, battle to the checkered. Hopefully in late September, champagne will be sprayed all over the orange Z4....I'm going to dring whatever is left in the bottle.
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
MId-Season Update
June 12th and the season has reached the measuring stick. As the season started Classic BMW Motorsports and Toby Grahovec had two obvious components in its arsenal, a enormously complete and talented race car in the SCCA Showroom Stock B category and a race car that was far from being ready to compete for a National Championship in SCCA STU category. At this point of the season we find ourselves with the exact same thoughts.
Heidi, the Showroom Stock B BMW Z4 has literally had a perfect season. 14 races and 14 victories. She and Toby have even been recipients of notice from Mazda Laguna Seca Raceway that they now hold the lap record in Showroom Stock B---a record that will, most likely last forever. (this is the final season for the class) The victories started at Sebring in Florida, moved to Homestead near Miami, ventured to Texas World Speedway, up to Hallett Raceway in Oklahoma, then the long journey to Laguna Seca, back home to Texas Motor Speedway, across the deep south to Road Atlanta...a grand total to date of 9,951 miles! And now that we have run 14 races what do we know? We know that this is one of the great race cars of the last 10 years! We know that as we enter into the final half of the season that this car will be competitive again as it has earned entry into the Runoffs at Road America in September. Will it win?
Our developmental car in STU started the season as the great unknown. Problems of all sorts haunted this car through it's first few races and then seemed to disappear. In California they returned and have remained with to this date. Laguna Seca was deflating and Road Atlanta proved to be upsetting as the engine cratered and needed to be replaced. Understanding the failures has been difficult on the team and the faith that all is well is difficult to believe. We are where we were with this car. Progress has occurred, but the late failures will require a new confidence to forego the exhausting issues of the past 45 days.
This weekend is the measuring stick---The June Sprints at Road America, Elkhart lake, Wisconsin. This is the annual play date with those that are the real challengers. Fingers are crossed as we see what kind of chance we have for trophies and history as we venture through the final stages of the season.
Come by and say hi if you are in the area.
Heidi, the Showroom Stock B BMW Z4 has literally had a perfect season. 14 races and 14 victories. She and Toby have even been recipients of notice from Mazda Laguna Seca Raceway that they now hold the lap record in Showroom Stock B---a record that will, most likely last forever. (this is the final season for the class) The victories started at Sebring in Florida, moved to Homestead near Miami, ventured to Texas World Speedway, up to Hallett Raceway in Oklahoma, then the long journey to Laguna Seca, back home to Texas Motor Speedway, across the deep south to Road Atlanta...a grand total to date of 9,951 miles! And now that we have run 14 races what do we know? We know that this is one of the great race cars of the last 10 years! We know that as we enter into the final half of the season that this car will be competitive again as it has earned entry into the Runoffs at Road America in September. Will it win?
Our developmental car in STU started the season as the great unknown. Problems of all sorts haunted this car through it's first few races and then seemed to disappear. In California they returned and have remained with to this date. Laguna Seca was deflating and Road Atlanta proved to be upsetting as the engine cratered and needed to be replaced. Understanding the failures has been difficult on the team and the faith that all is well is difficult to believe. We are where we were with this car. Progress has occurred, but the late failures will require a new confidence to forego the exhausting issues of the past 45 days.
This weekend is the measuring stick---The June Sprints at Road America, Elkhart lake, Wisconsin. This is the annual play date with those that are the real challengers. Fingers are crossed as we see what kind of chance we have for trophies and history as we venture through the final stages of the season.
Come by and say hi if you are in the area.
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