teamziptie.com

So the 2009 racing season in Cumberland is officially over with the running of the Pumpkin Carve.  This year saw some great battles, and this final weekend was no exception.

Going into the weekend, I lead Mustang Boy by just 0.6666667 points for the cup.  I knew I couldn’t beat him on talent, so I needed a miracle. Upon waking up Saturday morning, things were looking good (for me).  ”Yes Jesus, rain will do.  I’ll get you back later man. Holla!”

All through setup and the drivers meeting, it was rain.  Miserable, cold, wonderful rain.  See, Mustangs are afraid of water, and BMWs love it so much they routinely let it in through their seals.  I could best Mustang Boy on a wet course.  To keep things even, we both decided to run the same heat, but by the end of the drivers’ meeting the rain had disappeared along with my hopes of winning the cup.  Long story short, he won.  So that’s enough about that.  Kate, on the other hand, did as expected and took home the TZT Cone Award.  BMW parts would like to thank you for all the fog lights, fog light delete pates, brake ducts, bumper clips, fender liners, and under-body trays you have helped them sell this past year.

CCAC Writeup – None But the Brave

To add further insult to injury, Kate and I, running in STX on Saturday, were forced to take a 2-3 finish to the evil Eagle Talon of Slem Kraus, who bested my 51.929 by almost three and half seconds (maybe it was all the dirt in and around my car that slowed me down… oops).  Slem Kraus; even that name sounds evil.  Mustang Boy took first place over a field of four with a very fast 49.264.  Rich landed squarely in the middle of BSP with a 52.651, only 4 seconds off the season leader, Steve Hotchkiss.  Doug won DSP with a 50.837, showing me and Kate what we’d be in for the next day.  Patrick was the only Geraghty that day, and won ASP with his 54.203.

CACC Writeup – Trail’s End

Sunday brought us a beautiful fall day in Cumberland, with sunny but cool weather for us to race in.  With the pressure of the Cup off, Kate and I had planned on running in DSP, but I played “car whore” again and instead drove Rob Robeson’s RX8 in B-Stock, where I got my clock cleaned (52.283, 2.944 back from first) by Shawn Roberts, Chike Dellimore, and Katie Orgler, all visiting from the D.C. area.  Thanks a lot for stopping by… Doug, Andy Thomas (in our BMW), and Kate all competed in DSP that day, with everyone taking a hit from the freakishly fast Integra of Miro Valent and the BMW of Brian Launer.  This was record attendance for DSP this year, with a total of 6 entrants.  Doug finished up in third witha 52.041, Andy in fourth with a 54.923, and Kate in fifth with a 55.852.  Rich moved up a spot to second in BSP.  His 52.932 only about two and a  half seconds off the leader, Steve Hotchkiss.  Patrick got knocked down a few pegs to third in ASP, but still put down a solid 55.395.  Mustang Boy, if anyone cares, won ESP again with a 50.857.

Thomas and family did stop by the bar Saturday night and it was great to see them.  We’ve missed them this year and hope they can come out and play next year.

The last race of the year is always sad.  Sure, there are other events in our area, but nothing is quite like Cumberland.  Despite the close and exciting racing, it’s the people that really make the difference.  There is no better way to surround yourself with good people than coming up to a CBE race.

Kate and I took a ton of pictures this last time, and you can view them here – http://picasaweb.google.com/kate.mewhiney/PumpkinCarve09#

Thanks again for another great year, and stay tuned for team updates, including the new class of 2010!

Final Team Standings
1. Mustang Boy (70 points)
2. Gimp (69.66666667 points)
3. Doug (60 points)
4. Rich (53 points)
5. Kate (51 points)
6. Patrick (16 points)
7. Bill (11 points)
8. Thomas (0 points)

… Engaged

Now get off my ass about the Camaro not being done.

So that’s the last time I ask someone to join the team…

The 2008 season ender has come and gone, with no less excitement than any year before. A few of us forgot our cars, others forgot dry clothes, but all in all it was a great end to a great year.

Coming into this weekend, should someone be kind enough to invoke a cone on Mustang Boy, there was still an off chance that I could push my STS BMW to an overall win in the Team Zip-Tie Cup.

Saturday welcomed us with terrible weather.  Rainy and cold – a perfect day for me to dominate in my street-tired BMW… wait, I’m driving what?  …dominate in my street-tired Honda Fit (thanks Kate).  The morning started out wet, but began to dry as the date moved on.  Mustang Boy, proving he was smarter than most of us and waited until the 4th heat to unleash his furry (eww) fury.  His grip and ability were more than a match for mine that day, and without even seeing the results, I knew my season was done.

(I’m crying on the inside)

Thomas also walked away this weekend with the TZT Cone award, showing us once and for all, who the best driver isn’t.

As a team, TZT managed to pull of some of the best one day finishes we’ve seen all year.  Bill managed to find enough money to pay someone else to enter into BS, securing his third place finish.  Patrick, using the same techniques as his father, manged to squeak out a third place finish in ASP.  Rich showed an amazing piece of driving and brought his Z-car into third place in BSP.  Thomas, in his stolen DSP Audi managed to close out the class with a third place finish (notice a trend so far?).  Joseph “Mustand ‘I’m a big jerk and I have to beat everyone’ Boy” Oxenham showed everyone how to do it and placed first in ESP.  Bloodied and bruised from the two Civics, I managed to pull off a fourth place finish in STS.

Sunday started out looking just as bad, but once the fog finally lifted, we were greeted to a nice, sunny, and dry day.  With the pressure of the Cup off, we were all able to relax and enjoy trying to beat the pants off of each other.  The course, barely changed from the day before, became even faster and more fun in the dry weather.

Class wise, Bill took the bronze medal in a best of three BS, Patrick used Lotus’s legendary reliablity (when compared to a Porshe) to place third in ASP, Rich pushed his faster and faster 280 into fourth place, Thomas was again put in place by the real owner of the DSP Audi – winding up in third, Mustang Boy was served a big piece of humble pie with a second place finish in ESP, and I risked life, limb, and automatic transmission to earn fourth place in STS.

Now, the final total for the Team Zip-Tie Cup (with update points scale)

Saturday (67 Wet, Cold Entrants)
20 – Mustang Boy (10th in PAX before the cone penalty, 20th after)
18 – Rich (22nd in PAX)
15 – Gimp (30th in PAX… in a Fit, mind you)
10 – Thomas (31st in PAX… in a stolen car)
5 – Bill (38th in PAX)
1 – Patrick (40th in PAX)

Sunday (94 Dryer, Cold Entrants)
1. Mustang Boy (30th in PAX)
2. Thomas (48th in PAX)
3. Rich (52nd in PAX)
4. Gimp (56th in PAX… still in a Fit, mind you)
5. Patrick (66th in PAX)
6. Bill (74th in PAX)

Final Team Standings
1. Mustang Boy (77 points)
2. Gimp (64 points)
3. Rich (45 points)
4. Patrick (23 points)
5. Bill (18 points)
6. Thomas (15 points)

The points system will be revised next year to hopefully level the playing field.  Until then, enjoy your spoils Mustang Boy.

See you next year!