Sunday, October 18, 2015

Ending the season on a high note

It's been fun developing Lupa for STR since returning from Nationals but for the last event of the season, it was time to bring out Bumblestook for one last time this year. We still had over half a tank of ethanol in the tank and practice tires that needed to get all used up before winter hibernation so this would be an all-fun, no-stress kind of event.

Hez going flat out - NNJR SCCA Autocross - 10/17/2015
Photo Credit: Perry Aidelbaum/Autox4u.com
The course was fun and fast but with the temps hovering around the high-40s and windy, getting and retaining any heat in the tires would prove to be a challenge. The conditions definitely favored narrower street tires but we wouldn't let that stop us from having maximum fun.

Me enjoying Bumblestook - NNJR SCCA - 10/17/2015
Photo Credit: Perry Aidelbaum/Autox4u.com
We broke away from the usual 3 heat format to go to a 4-heat A/B/A/B format which we haven't run in this club since the Englishtown days. This was nice because it allowed everyone to get some afternoon runs. We did 3 runs in the morning heats and 5 runs in the afternoon. In the morning, with only 3 runs we barely got the tires to feel even remotely warm but it was good to settle back into Bumblestook's pace. It felt great to be back in the seat of, what for me, sets the bar on how S2000s should drive like.

Andrew and Tamra's Factory Five 818 ("The Bug") unfortunately broke down at the beginning of the afternoon heats. Since we found we had enough fuel left to burn and it was the end of the season, I figured we could share the fun and have them hop in Bumblestook to continue the tradition of the year-end "Beehive". They did well in the car with Tamra, the 2015 CSPL National Champion, kicking my butt in only her 2nd run.

The Beehive - NNJR SCCA - 10/17/2015
I think this fired Hez up to turn his speed up to 110% and set Fastest Time of Day (FTD) in only his 2nd run in the afternoon and backing it up by going even faster with each subsequent run. I can't wait to see how Hez will do next year after being able to drive Bumblestook for a full season.

Hez takes FTD - NNJR SCCA - 10/17/2015
Hez takes FTD - NNJR SCCA
10/17/2015
We ended the event with just one bar left of fuel left on the gauge (and oddly didn't fuel starve). The tires had well over 150 runs on them and had been stored sub-zero with no protection over last winter which makes Hez's effort to put her into the top spot even more amazing. STR action is definitely fun and we'll see more of Lupa next year but Bumblestook today put an exclamation mark on why her status as the primary "A Team" race car in the stable isn't going to change anytime soon. No worries there, I know where the priority should be.

I can't even begin to describe how much fun it is to drive Bumblestook. The statement "maximum smiles per second" is probably the best way to put it. She puts up a good fight. Sometimes she's on top, sometimes she isn't but one thing's for sure, you don't get out of the driver seat without a big smile on your face and that's what makes it all worth it. I couldn't think of a more perfect way to close out the 2015 racing season. 

The Beehive 2015 - NNJR SCCA - 10/17/2015
Meadowlands, NJ

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