RACER RESIN 2009 NATIONAL FINAL RESULTS
23 Racers made the trek to Philadelphia to run in the 2009 Racer Resin National Final on this past Saturday, 3/27/10. The finalists came from a group of 8 qualifying events held across the country, where the top 4 finishers from each event made the final. The car of choice was the Ferrari 312p, based on the body's relatively light weight, and low/wide stance.
Handout Slot.It orange endbell motors and silicone tires were installed during tech inspection. Each driver was then given a few laps to ensure their car was functional, then they each ran 10 laps to get their best qualifying lap time. Top lap times and lower lap times were grouped together in the race starting sequence. Dave Davis came away with the top qualifying time, followed by Phil Pilong (2009 SCX National Champion) and Joseph Rosales.
The race started with Nick Zuk being the first to finish the 4 lanes on the GTSLOTS Carrera track, with a lap total of 294. That total was then surpassed by fellow Michigan slot racer Art Roberts, the first to crack the 300 lap mark, with a total of 303, but next up was Joe Pierzynski, topping that mark with 308 laps, driving a heavier bodied Ferrari 250 LM.
As the higher qualifiers rotated in, the lead kept changing, and Tom Pintchuck, driving a Porsche 935K, took the lead posting 312 laps. Tom's first couple of segments showed he would had even more, but somewhere in segment #3 his weight came loose, and the car began to slide. Bob Kuss then surged into the lead with a total of 321 laps, also particularly impressive since he was one of only 3 drivers using the Ferrari 250LM.
But Bob's lead was then surpassed by consistent driving from Adam Mashike from Michigan, putting up 325 laps and assuming the lead. Adam was the first driver to do 80 laps or more in each segment.
Anticipation rose when top qualifier Dave Davis stepped up to the track. Dave's car got off to the expected great start on the gutter red lane, passing some very fast cars even though he had the longest distance to cover around the layout. But then his car stopped working, and after a quick diagnosis it was discovered his motor lead wire came off. Since repairs must be made while the clock is running, this cost Dave about 40 laps or more, effectively taking him out of the running for the win. But to his credit, where others I've seen just gave up and quit, Dave came back with a vengeance, and taking his frustration out on the track, won each of his remaining 3 segments, the only driver to post 83 laps on a lane that day, and he did it twice. Much respect to him for coming back to finish, he still finished in the top 20, but deserved a much better result.
At race conclusion, it turned out that Adam Mashike's 325 was not to be surpassed, and he came away with a well deserved win. Driving fast, consistently and making smart passes paid off. This was the first time racing on the GTSLOTS track for Adam and the other Michigan participants, so kudos to that group, which included Andy ("Professor Motor") Smith. Adam was followed by Robert Holt, Joseph Rosales, and Phil Pilong, each of whom won trophies and a VERY limited edition Racer Resin Sunoco livery of the Ferrari 312p, see picture below:
In addition to the top 4 winning this car, Rich Shanfeld, owner of Great Traditions (aka GTSLOTS), gave away 4 more of these great cars (only 30 made by Racer) to participants who could answer random trivia questions, or who had the best 'poker hand' using the digits on their 1/5/10/or 20 dollar bills. One must realize that this car sold for $1000 this weekend...so in several ways, it pays to participate in races that lead to finals at GTSLOTS!!! Rich gave away several Racer Sideways cars as well, as prizes for answering random trivia questions.
Final results:
1. Adam Mashike....325, Ferrari 312p
2. Robert Holt.....323, Ferrari 312p
3. Joseph Rosales..321, Ferrari 312p
4. Phil Pilong.....321, Ferrari 312p
5. Bob Kuss........321, Ferrari 250LM
6. Paul Coppin.....318, Ferrari 312p
7. Sandy Walden....315, Ferrari 312p
8. Bryan Thomas....312, Ferrari 312p
9. Tom Pintchuck...312, Porsche 935k
10. Joe Pierzynski..308, Ferrari 250LM
11. James Drayton...307, Ferrari 312p
12. Mike Stott......306, Ferrari 312p
13. Andy Smith......303, Ferrari 312p
14. Art Roberts.....303, Ferrari 312p
15. Dutch Cloud.....301, Ferrari 312p
16. Tony Easley.....298, Ferrari 312p
17. Martin Dixon....298, Ferrari 312p
18. Nick Zuk........294, Ferrari 312p
19. Dave Davis......291, Ferrari 312p
20. Mike Rossbach...289, Ferrari 312p
21. Mike Grigsby....278, Ferrari 250LM
22. Reggie White....278, Ferrari 312p
23. James Cook......270, Ferrari 312p
More pictures to follow...meanwhile get ready to participate in the 2010 Racer Regionals, which will be starting up shortly. If your group/club/raceway wants to participate in running a regional race in your area, give a phonecall to Rich Shanfeld of Great Traditions, at (267) 250-1735. Rumour has it another very limited edition car specially designed for this series will be made by Racer, and awarded to winners and lucky participants...stay tuned. And, events held at GTSLOTS are always fun, regardless of prizes awarded.
