teamziptie.com

So as of Sunday, the score is sawzall 1, my thumb 0.  This is not from the blade either.  I somehow managed to pinch my thumb inbetween the blade clamp and the saw body. Severed my thumb about 3/4′s of the way through and cracked the end of the bone.  If it doesn’t heal in time for the Pumpkin Carve, it will be easy to hitch hike there the way it is immobilized…

Gimpys camaro is never again to be a grocery getter…

That was FUN!

The 2009 Harvest Moon Autocross is in the bag, and I don’t think you could have asked for a better September weekend.  Sunny and in the high 70s combined with the return of some familiar faces made the weekend on of the best this year.

On Saturday, Boggs prepared a fast, flowing course that would allow Cumberland’s more traditional cliental (the ones with more HP than common sense) to really stretch their legs.  Low-(HP)-lives like me can only be comforted by repeating “it’s a momentum course” over and over again until we finally break down into tears, but I digress.

From Ben’s CACC Writeup

After breakfast, we walked Mark Bogg’s course. I have to compliment the Maestro on this one. After experimenting with challenging busy and tight features all year, Mark distilled this one to the pure, simple essentials, but those were technical elements that demanded attention, and would bite if driven poorly. Basically, it was fast and open. Starting from the hanger side, a slight offset gate fed into a tight left hander, down a crooked straight, leading to a spooky “thread the needle” jog at the fastest point, into a long lead into the police chopper hanger turnaround, more sweeping than usual. Rolling out of that down the long especially straight back straight, into the kink, a deep chicane this time, feeding into a right hand angled crossover, into the terminal end turnaround, down a short, open slalom and a sinuous flowing lazy S into the finish. A course for brawlers, not toe dancing ballerinas. There was plenty of speed to be had, even through the turns. The trick would be carrying it and keeping everything glued down.

Unlike Saturdays past, I found myself (gulp) in my own car, meaning Kate and I were forced to duke it out in ST.  I was able to pull off the class win, while Kate settled for second, but pinned down the Cone Award that day with a total of 5 cones.  If anyone else were actually trying for the Cone Award (meaning, where are you Thomas?) they’d have a hell of a time against her (I love you sweetie).  TZT redheaded stepchild, Mustang Boy got a rude awakening when he arrived at the airport that morning – 6 other competitors, including DC hot-shoe Dan Ireland and the Brothers Nyga, had signed up to compete in ESP.  When it was all said and done, Mustang Boy just missed the podium with a 4th place finish in class.  While that gives you the impression of distance, he was only 0.640 off of first place.  Great racing!  In more SP news, Doug Macy took DSP on Saturday, besting Steve Wade in his Mini, fellow Audi driver Larry Zajdel, and the nicely-boosted Subaru of Tom Delawder.  Rich kept the “If you’re not first, you’re at least fourth” theme in BSP, beating out Bill Herbaugh’s Vette and Scott Presson’s Solstice.  What surprises would tomorrow hold???

(Author’s note – much of that evening is a blur, but apologies should be made to Nicki.  You know who you are, and I’m really sorry about Al.)

Sunday was a day unlike any other day we’ve had all year in Cumberland.  Why, you ask?  Because Sunday marked a record attendance for TZT.  In addition to the 2009 regulars, Patrick and Bill managed to take to the course on Sunday.  In another “blast from the past” it turned out I would be piloting my old Hyundai in FSP, graciously loaned to me by Andy Thomas.  There were high hopes that Thomas would also be able to make it, meaning 100% attendance, but I assume he thought it best to leave us in suspense until the final race of the year.  Disgruntled teenager, Michael “I swear it’s never happened to me before, Baby” Bane arrived at the airport without a car, so without thought or permission, I invited him to join Kate in driving the ST 318ti.

Sunday’s course, much to my dismay, was even more open than the day before.  If I ever need motivation to get the CP car done, running in Cumberland is it.

Doug really earning his place on the team.

Andy and I battled it out in FSP with Andy eventually showing me who changes the oil now, besting me by 0.419 seconds in the Hyundai.  Kate took on her younger competition, but this time beauty and experience gave way to teenage angst, as she lost the top spot to Michele Bane in the BMW.  Rich, growing back his mustache, joined the Cumberland “key party” and borrowed Steve Hotckiss’ Corvette.  While he couldn’t beat the owner, he did move up to a (correct me if I’m wrong) season high finish of third place.  Doug went at it again with Steve Wade, but had to settle for second in DSP, despite adding extra zip-ties during the heat.  Patrick, despite all his wishing, found himself in a contested class and had to settle for second to Steve Wilson’s ASP 944.  Bill had to go it alone in (cough cough) BS, but did put down some really solid times, despite missing his beloved R-comps.

Would Mustang Boy be the only TZT member that day to win a contested class?  Nope.  Dan Ireland was back that day, and while Mustang Boy put on the show of his life, he still wound up 0.098 seconds behind, securing second place.

All in all this was a great weekend of racing, and I’m saddened by the fact that 2009 is almost over.  Only one race remains in the chase for the Cup, and it promises to be close.

Team Zip-Tie Cup Standings

Saturday (82 Entrants)
10 – Mustang Boy (16th in PAX)
9 – Gimp (23rd in PAX)
8 – Doug (32nd in PAX)
7 – Rich (48th in PAX)
6 + 1 – Kate (54th in PAX– Cone Award winner with 5 cones)

Sunday (76 Entrants)
10 – Mustang Boy (10th in PAX)
9 + 0.66666667 – Gimp (31st in PAX, Cone Award co-winner with 2 cones)
8 – Rich (32nd in PAX)
7 + 0.66666667 – Doug (50th in PAX, Cone Award co-winner with 2 cones)
6  – Patrick (64th in PAX)
5 – Bill (65th in PAX)
4 + 0.66666667 – Kate (67th in PAX, Cone Award co-winner with 2 cones)

Current Team Standings
1. Gimp (96.66666667 points)
2. Mustang Boy (95 points)
3. Doug (81.66666667 points)
4. Rich (74 points)
5. Kate (67.66666667 points)
6. Bill (11 points)
7. Patrick (11 points)
8. Thomas (0 points)

Only one more race, not event remains in the battle for overall TZT standings, with Gimp and Mustang Boy separated by only 1.66666667 points!

Remember, these totals still contain the lowest four scores. The lowest four will only be dropped at the very end.

You can track the team standings on Google. View the spreadsheet here:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=rwr3T8ikb1HSYvAwc0ltrJw

Good going Mustang boy! ESP Class was tight on Sunday and ya done good…. I had a great time dukin it out with Steve Wade again… beat him Saturday and lost to him Sunday…

I found out how to raise my rev limiter to infinity for free… coulda caught that waskle given a few more revs in second!

A fitting song came on the radio Sunday night as I finished stripping it…

Updated…

This just in….  Spy photos out of Rawlings suggest that the terror of DSP, Steve Wade, may have just out done all of us!  It appears that Steve has found a body kit for his Mini that may give him an unfair aerodynamic advantage.  No word from the Lion’s booth.