January 22nd Results

SUPER LAP SERIES ROUND 1

 

2005 OFF TO AN ENCOURAGING START

Let me start by telling you that the first round of the 2005 Super Lap Series left me feeling pretty impressed and satisfied. Every record in the limited classes was broken. Some were shattered. The diversity of cars continues to grow, there were again ten new drivers or new cars and the day was full of action with zero mishaps. In addition, it appears as though our original goals of providing quality driving time in a safe environment to average sports car enthusiasts ("Time Battle " participants) have now been met and we are now being complimented by the participation of organized sports car racers (SCCA racers).

NORM WADE PUTS THE "SUPER" IN SUPER LAP

I remember the early thoughts, over a few beers with Tom, about a "racing" series for streetcars. I remember how prohibitive reconstruction laws and regulations made it nearly impossible to own a safe, raceable streetcar and maintain its paperwork and registration. We came up with this idea of a safe street car competition, to be based on our years of experience hosting track days, schools and racing events and, although we expected some pretty nice cars over the course of time, we never quite expected the surprise that Norm Wade had in store for us. I met Norm a few weeks before our January 22nd event at one of the weekend days of the JN Group's yearly event. Norm had mentioned, in passing, how he wished he could have been participating with all of the other exotics that were hurtling around the short course. After asking him why he wasn't, he responded that he didn't think the JN folks would appreciate a twin turbo, all wheel drive Porsche mixing it up with the Ferrari's and Maserrati's. I mentioned the Super Lap Series to him (can you believe that I would actually do something like that at someone else's event?). He said he was interested. To make the whole story a little bit shorter, Norm ended up running in the mid 43's in his day old, $250,000 Ferrari 575M. I watched him sliding that thing around with his wife in the passenger seat and I thought it was all a bit unbelievable, but way, way cool.


FIRST LIMITED CAR IN THE 38'S

My first thought, after Mike Turolla turned a 38.99 in his limited rear wheel drive, was; "I need another hundred horsepower", I mean, come on, a 38.99 in what's basically a stock Corvette on street tires? I wish all of you the best of luck in surpassing this mark in a limited car, as I'm pretty sure that, to beat this time, a car will need to be something racy and fast with a good driver behind the wheel. Mike's car is race prepared for SCCA wheel to wheel racing and, in some regards, is the perfect car for the Super Lap Series. With Mike out of the car it weighs 3150 lbs and boasts 405 horsepower. With Mike in the car it's flat out the fastest street legal car on the track right now.

THE RETURN OF REID, BUT HE'S SWAPPED DRIVE ENDS

Barry Raff was as dominating of a factor as could be found in the limited front wheel drive category last year. He finished in first place in every event he entered in 2004 to grab the Championship in class and was one of the first in line when the gates opened at 7:30 am this past Saturday. Barry bettered his fastest lap from 2004 by turning a 41.42 in this round's "Time Battle " competition, but it wasn't enough. A former record holder in the 2004 Super Lap Series limited rear wheel drive class had returned to the series with a somewhat different approach than he used last year. Reid Morimoto brought out his yellow Acura Integra Type "R" this past Saturday and started chipping away at his times all throughout practice, never showing his true colors until it was time. Reid impressed everyone by breaking the old record, a 41.51 set by Barry in round 6 of the 2004 season, by over a second. Reed's 40.40 was backed up by a next fastest lap within two tenths of a second, and he will be a strong challenge to the rest of the limited front wheel drive participants having set the benchmark to beat.

EGMAR KLEMMER, DEDICATED AND COMMITED TO WINNING

If there is anyone that commits more to participating in road racing events in Hawaii than Egmar Klemmer, then please step forward. It is pretty evident that anyone who campaigns two cars per event, is in love with the sport. Even preparing one car is enough of a challenge for most of us. For the last three or four events Egmar has done just this. At this past event he drove his silver Subaru WRX STI to win the limited all wheel drive "Time Battle " competition with a new record of 40.29, all within ten minutes of driving his patriotically painted 240Z to win the unlimited rear wheel drive class. Last year he was swapping between the "Z" and his Porsche 911. It seems to be paying off, all of this practice and track time, because Egmar went on to win the SCCA Hawaii Region closed wheel race on the following day in a heated battle with the infamous, Scott Schulte. Congratulations on the great victory, Egmar!

SCCA RACERS SEIZE THE OPPORTUNITY

The SCCA seasoned drivers are at the Super Lap Series events, in part, because they recognize the value of additional practice time offered through these organized events that occur between their own races. One of the best side effects for us having wheel to wheel racing at our events is that of exposing the numerous "Time Battle " participants to Hawaii's grass roots sports car racing (members of the Hawaii Region of the SCCA) when they go "wheel to wheel" racing at our events. We are encouraged by this because of the inevitable "trickle-down" that occurs and we recommend to all avid participants that they set a mental goal to take their love for the sport as far as possible. There is very little bad about aspiring to greater levels of achievement and challenge, in fact it is all quite positive. The only negative effect, of all of this, is that it might leave you with a bit of a hole in your wallet.

THANK YOU FOR ALL THE SUPPORT

Round 1 left me feeling that there was some serious growth occurring within our new series and the presence of Norm Wade in his quarter million dollar; one-day-old Ferrari 575M was some type of evidence of this. Long time recreational drag racer Mike Berger put new shoes on his supercharged, on nitrous 600HP Dodge Viper to test the waters. There were new records set in every limited class that were astounding and I saw more than one set of disbelieving eyes as "Time Battle " scores were being called out by David Shimokawa. I would like to once again, thank all of the participants at this last event and encourage you to come back as often as possible, but more importantly I'd like to tell all of our staff how much I appreciate their support and dedication.

FINAL REFLECTIONS ON THE SERIES

As a final note, for anyone interested, we can always use help, although we can't provide much in return, we have found that a great brother/sisterhood has developed amongst our workers. Many of them are secretly aspiring to heights of fame and fortune in the racing world (not). Actually, all of us feel a certain amount of satisfaction knowing that we have made something where there was previously nothing, that we have brought together these bits and pieces, personalities and vehicles, facts and figures and have made something out of it. Every last helper is responsible for the success we have seen so far and it's only just begun. If you have time, in order to check out what Mike Kitchen's has developed for the Race Events Hawaii website so far, just go to: http://www.raceeventshawaii.com and imagine the future of this sport with us. Call Chris at 227-8455 if you would like to help at any of the future Super Lap Series or Drift Session events.

I look forward to seeing you all on February 19th .

Chris Messer
Events General Manager
Drift Session