SCCA SPEED World Challenge GT

[AZBMWRIDER]

Haven’t heard from Harry (GPM)…

I know he’s in Long Beach, CA for the 2007 SCCA SPEED World Challenge GT.

http://www.world-challenge.com/index.php

He told me earlier in the week that they were going to be testing Friday afternoon, Qualifying Saturday and racing Sunday…

I have to work all weekend so I won’t be able to see the race on ESPN.

Good Luck to you and your Team Harry (GP Motorsports)…!

Team: GP Motor sports
Car # 55
Make: Dodge
Model: Viper
Class: SPEED GT


(*** GP Motorsports Gold Dodge Viper ***)
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g5/BMWK1200RS/GPMViper.jpg

[BobFV1]

Kick ass Harry and GPM!

Vipers rock!

[AZBMWRIDER]

Results of first day of Practice:

Session 1.

#55 GP Motorsports

http://www.world-challenge.com/events/pitboard/GT.php?ID=25&group=gt&session=Practice1

[BobFV1]

Results of first day of Practice:

Session 1.

#55 GP Motorsports

http://www.world-challenge.com/events/pitboard/GT.php?ID=25&group=gt&session=Practice1

P30 - No place to go but up - go GPM!

[AZBMWRIDER]

Practice ** Live ** as of 09:30am West Coast time...

Session 2.

#55 GP Motorsports

Look at Number 55 GO...!!!

http://www.world-challenge.com/events/pitboard/GT.php?ID=25&group=gt&session=Practice2

[AZBMWRIDER]

11:46:54am No. 55 Glenn is stopped at pit... "Smoking slightly".


That's not good...???

[AZBMWRIDER]

11:46:54am No. 55 Glenn is stopped at pit... "Smoking slightly".


That's not good...???


Just got the news...


#55 Dodge Viper V-10 Engine Blew... :baldy: :022: :102: That Suck's...

[AZBMWRIDER]

Looks like they have to swap out the engine with another one…

(Must be nice to have a spare Viper V-10 Engine back in the trailer.)

[AZBMWRIDER]

Here’s a nice picture from yesterday’s practice session #2.

Team GP Motorsports,

http://www.world-challenge.com/files/photos/thumbnails/DSC_7210-720_720x0.jpg

After a long night installing a new engine, Team GP Motorsports was able to Qualify for this afternoon’s race…

[GPM]

Wow Mike, almost live coverage, thanks..

Very interesting weekend. Our first World Challenge race had to be at one of the world's biggest zoos. The Long Beach Grand Prix is quite a spectacle. There was the Champ Car race, Formula Atlantic race, American Le Mans race, a Celebrity race of some sort and us.

Being our first race at this level, and our first race on a street course lined with concrete our main goal was to survive. Well, we sorta succeeded. As Mike said, we blew our engine in our only practice session on Saturday. Located a new Motor (Thanks to the folks from Woodhouse Dodge in Omaha), towed the car to an open parking lot outside the Convention Center Exhibition Hall (our pit area) and started pulling the old engine. Worked until 11:00 Sat night but got the new engine installed.

Back in the pits Sunday morning at 7:00 filled the new motor with fluids, rolled it out for Qualifying, and the damn thing started right up. Tom took it a bit easy in the 20 minute qualifying session but got a good enough time to make the field.

The 29 lap race was a hoot!! We got tapped in the rear a few times by a rather impatient faster car (that would be most of them), and the last tap dislodged the rear diffuser. A pit stop to remove it put us further behind, but at that point the only goal was to get laps and experience running with these guys. After a pretty bad wreck in turn one we found ourselves slotted up front with the fast guys on the final restart. We agreed to let Tommy Archer's Viper past going into the first turn so he could hold off the Corvette chasing him.

All in all a fun weekend. Although the Saturday night engine swapping routine wasn't quite the Long Beach party I'd been promised. I think we finished around 25th place. Not great, but, we weren't last!! The race should be shown on Speed next weekend if anyone's interested.

[BobFV1]

I think we finished around 25th place. Not great, but, we weren't last!! The race should be shown on Speed next weekend if anyone's interested.

Man - some of the other teams must have really sucked!

:pftroest:

Seriously - congrats on what sounds like a great weekend of racing!

[DarthRider]

Congratulations Harry, sounds like a wild weekend!

[GPM]

Man - some of the other teams must have really sucked!

:pftroest:


No, I think we pretty much had the suckage award wrapped up. It was pretty cool to get a round of applause from the other teams as we rolled the car out for qualifying.

Given that the Cadillac team had to have at least a 20 man support team, huge transports, and full factory support, I think most people got a kick out of three guys with a small one car trailer, swapping motors in a deserted parking lot just to make the grid. Those guys come with spare cars, we have to go to NAPA if we need a new set of spark plugs. I guess nobody said racing with the big boys would be easy (or cheap).

[BobFV1]

No, I think we pretty much had the suckage award wrapped up. It was pretty cool to get a round of applause from the other teams as we rolled the car out for qualifying.



:)

Team Viper Minardi!