The Griggs Racing Team, AI and AIX cars arrived at Infineon as a last minute addition to the ITE field in the SCCA Regional held here. ITE has become a talked about class in the region and consists of Turbo 300ZX's Turbo Rx7s, Z-28s' M-3's, 911's etc. Basically there are 4 rules to the class. The car must be a unit-body production car of any year, make or model, have any DOT legal tire, fit the General Competition rules as to safety equipment, and have mufflers.
On the fourth of July we decided to run this event. We started adding mufflers on Friday, and preparing and prepping the cars. The Griggs Crew was on vacation for the week, so special thanks goes to #42 Car chief, Rich Romeo, who came in on the 4th to help with preparation of the #40 car on his holiday.
Guy and I finished preparation on Friday, adding Mufflers and stuff. Drew who works at the Racer's Group, came in to help on Saturday. We left both cars exactly the same as we ran them at T/Hill except for the front Camber, I ventured out on to the track in time for qualifying. Also helpful, and showing up over the weekend to assist was Rob Ainscough, Steve Libby, Hal and Kim Massey, and others…I can't remember all the names…Sorry.
SCCA events mix different classes in the same run group, grid in order of qualifying for the whole group. I qualified fastest for ITE in traffic approximately ½ a second behind the two fastest time cars a couple of well driven T-1 ZO6's which put me third on the grid. It should be noted that my qualifying time of 1:52.87 was about 5 seconds slower than my practice times at the last World Challenge race I ran here two years ago showing my staleness, and the amount of traffic I had to deal with. But it was also almost 5 seconds faster than the ITE track record. Guy wasn't so fortunate as he did not get through tech inspection in time to get a timed lap and had to start 26th .
This was our first time on the new Infineon Raceway, which took getting used to. Although the track surface and layout is not supposed to have changed, my references were mostly all gone. Especially entering turn one, and through the esses. I would find myself carrying too much speed here and there, and turning in early.
The race started and the two Corvettes in front of me were going at it hard immediately. We arrived atop turn 7 and the pole sitter spun off and then on and then off again, causing me to wait for him and allowing the other Vette to get away. I was still running on the same old Toyos I ran on two weeks before, yet the lighter, wider and better shod Vette was not faster. I was slowly reeling him in, trying not to abuse my tires. I caught him about mid race, and settled in behind him waiting to pass him at the end. Of course he may have been waiting for me to try something as well, but I was running so easily I was sure I could out brake him into 7 without risk, or maybe even the carousel. Unfortunately I didn't have the chance to find out as an RX-7 crashed hard in the pit entrance, and the race finished under full-course yellow. I turned the fastest lap of the race, a 151.810, without much effort.
Guy on the other hand had a lot of fun starting way back in 26th. According to the official lap sheet, he passed 16 cars on the first lap, finishing second in ITE and 3rd overall right behind me, turning the second fastest lap of the race of 1:51.862 which was only 5 hundredths of a second slower than mine, and he was never clear of traffic, having minor contact with an errant RX-7 in turn 11.
Three days later, after thinking about the chassis, I tested on Infineon Raceway, changing shock adjustments, camber settings and to Hoosiers. In 100+degree heat, in a test session with other cars of varying speed, I turned 5 consistent laps in the high 1:48 range, with a fastest of 1:48.224. That is 8 seconds faster than the old ITE record on one of the most challenging race tracks in the world, with a 10 year old GR40 Mustang, and with a 54 year old, not so fresh driver. Not bad, even if I do say so myself.
Being just one race during the weekend, instead of the usual two as we do American Iron, the weekend was quite relaxing. The SCCA folks were very courteous, and helpful and the officials and corner workers were first rate. It has been a while since I ran a SCCA club event, and I was very pleased with the smoothness, and cordiality of all we dealt with. All there found out what American Iron cars can do at least to some extent. I have missed driving, and now with three races and three victories under my belt this year, I remember why we do it. It just feels good.
This next weekend we have another SCCA National/Regional ITE event here at Infineon Raceway, and we will be on Hoosiers, attempting to make the record official and beat the T-1 Vettes. Hopefully there will be a Viper or two as well.
Bruce Griggs