Trackside Discussion - Round 8 - Watkins Glen

Allan Craighead

Hi gang,

EFCN is in attendance at Watkins Glen International this weekend, covering the junior open-wheel series at the historic road course in upstate New York. We will be adding notes from the paddock and the on-track sessions here throughout the weekend, so be sure to check back often.

Cheers,
_________________
Allan Craighead
eFormulaCarNews.com Managing Editor
eKartingNews.ca Managing Editor
eSportsRacer.com Managing Editor
(226) 808-9472 Cell
acraighead@howdenmediagroup.com

Allan Craighead · Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 10:56 am Post subject:

Practice Session Notes

- Ali Jackson did not take part in the morning practice session and will not be on-track in afternoon qualifying, after the RLR/Andersen Racing pilot missed his flight from Ireland.

- Charlie Kimball only ran six laps, after a battery failure with his Team PBIR car ended his session.

- RLR/Andersen Racing's Pablo Donoso only completed 10 laps in the sessions due to a mechanical problem.

- Alliance Motorsports Mike Potekhen reportedly had some problems shifting gears in the session.

- After the session numerous teams were changing gears on their cars, with many of the drivers reporting the gearing being used as too short. Due to the switch from 90 degree crankshaft to a 180 degree crankshaft this season, the gear ratios used last year are not quite right.

Cheers,
_________________
Allan Craighead
eFormulaCarNews.com Managing Editor
eKartingNews.ca Managing Editor
eSportsRacer.com Managing Editor
(226) 808-9472 Cell
acraighead@howdenmediagroup.com

Allan Craighead · Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 2:29 pm Post subject:

Qualifying Session Notes

- Sam Schmidt Motorsport's Ana Beatriz was penalized five positions in qualifying, as result of not slowing significantly in the Iowa Speedway race during the incident involving Panther Racing's Pippa Mann.

- The first stoppage in qualifying was a result of Sam Schmidt Motorsports Gustavo Yacaman braking an alternator and making impact with a barrier.

- Walker Racing's Stefan Wilson caused the second stoppage in the session, when he lost a wheel.

- A number of drivers reported the Firestone tires came up to temperature quickly, with the optimal lap being lap four or five.

- Most of the teams are busy taking out wing following qualifying and making adjustments to the gear ratios in an effort to increase top straight-line speed for the race.

Cheers,
_________________
Allan Craighead
eFormulaCarNews.com Managing Editor
eKartingNews.ca Managing Editor
eSportsRacer.com Managing Editor
(226) 808-9472 Cell
acraighead@howdenmediagroup.com

Allan Craighead · Posted: Sat Jul 04, 2009 7:18 am Post subject:

Practice 2 Session Notes

- Ali Jackson turned his first laps of the weekend in the morning practice session, having arrived from Europe last night and driven from New Jersey.

- The session was stopped early on, when Brian Stewart Racing's Sergey Mokshantev spun and damaged his car exiting the "boot" of the track.

- Polesitter James Davison suffered a slow tire puncture in the final practice run.

- The vast majority of the teams elected to run full fuel loads and reduced downforce during morning practice, in order to gather data for the race.

- All but a few of the drivers will run tires used in their fast laps in qualifying during the race.

Cheers,
_________________
Allan Craighead
eFormulaCarNews.com Managing Editor
eKartingNews.ca Managing Editor
eSportsRacer.com Managing Editor
(226) 808-9472 Cell
acraighead@howdenmediagroup.com

Allan Craighead · Posted: Sat Jul 04, 2009 2:49 pm Post subject:

Race Session Notes

- James Hinchcliffe's race ended early on, when his rear breaks locked up in turn six, sending his Sam Schmidt Motorsports car into the tire barrier. Analysis after the race indicated the brake bias was shifting unknowingly in the early laps due to brake pad knock-back.

- RLR/Andersen Racing's Mario Romancini retired from the race with a gearbox failure.

- Wade Cunningham spun late in the race in turn 11 and impacted a tire barrier, after getting the rear wheels of his Sam Schmidt Motorsports entry on the grass under braking.

- Race winner J.R. Hildebrand reported using the longer top gear in his AFS Racing entry was the key to win. Many of the other teams and drivers believed that you would not be able to use the gear without a draft. That proved not to be the case.

- Post race, AFS Racing's Sebastian Saavedra was penalized 30-seconds for a last lap blocking incident, involving Team PBIR's Charlie Kimball. As a result he was classified 18th in the final results.

- It was also announced after the race, that Hildebrand will pilot the pace car during the IndyCar Series race on Sunday. Johnny Rutherford, the regular driver, is unavailable, as he is in England, taking part in the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Cheers,
_________________
Allan Craighead
eFormulaCarNews.com Managing Editor
eKartingNews.ca Managing Editor
eSportsRacer.com Managing Editor
(226) 808-9472 Cell
acraighead@howdenmediagroup.com