This vintage racing organization with its roots in the Pacific Northwest made the first of three events this year at the renowned 2.25mi. Pacific Road course. The two day race event kicked off with a Friday test and tune, licensing for new driver’s and paperwork for racing. The range of race cars goes from when auto’s started racing thru those made before the end of 1972 and an exhibition class for those distinctive race cars produced by the end of 1989. No “bump and run” or “body rubbing” to gain position in this type of racing. These are some very pricey auto’s. Imagine going to your local parts store asking for something to repair a ’64 Elva Mk 8 and hear the reply, “a what”. Driver’s race hard but take great care not to run into each other.

Saturday started with practice and qualifying for all classes. Each group had a 20 minute session to set their position for the start of competition. For those who race here in the Northwest know you have to race the weather. With 3/4mi. or so distance from the west to east ends of the track you can have “sun” at one end and “rain” at the other end of the track. The right tire’s play a pretty important roll under these conditions. By the time racing started in the afternoon the weather had changed completely, greatly reducing lap times and speeds causing the drivers to check how much right foot they used.

Sunday was all racing. The 15 separate races scheduled for the day was timed out to the min. This is a testament to the hard work put in by all SOVREN’s people. From the president down to the turn worker’s they share the same passion for vintage racing. To get involved go to www.SOVREN.org and check them out.

A welcome lunch break each day had the “Bigfood” people hopping to get everyone their food in the 1 hour time frame. There is nothing better than a hot meal to start off the afternoon, check them out on your next visit to the racetrack.

Over 2,000 images from all three days of this event are now online and available for purchase.  Click here to go to the photo albums.

Kent, WA – For St. Patrick’s Day, Rainbows, Pot “O” Gold, little green men were nowhere to be seen but a shamrock was spotted for today’s HPSPD at Pacific Raceways.

Quite a number of cars showed up for a holiday romp around the track. The weather played it’s part and put a “GOLD” shine on the surface from time to time and put a big grin on the driver’s faces. With no moisture on the track surface until the last half hour of the day’s session, lap after lap went on with no issues for the safety teams. Luck of the Irish? Good driving? Either way it”s the best way to finish a driving day. Images from all the action are now available – click here to go there.

The two days that comprise the 16hr Roll-X could not have been more different. The first day started out with cool temps with bright sunshine. The second day was damp, overcast and featured light rain.  With team names like “The Flying Lumberjacks”, “Gange Green” and “FahrFrumWinnin” and cars to match, this event brings out inventive minds and ingenuity.

Saturday began with the sunglasses or tinted visors as the sun glared down on these stripped down to the bare essentials cars as they made their way around Pacific’s 2.25mi. roadcourse. As the sun got higher in the sky the glare eased off the driver’s forward line of sight and the lap times increased, with most lapping at about 1:45min. per circuit. All four of the required driver’s per team got their 2hr. shift behind the wheel.

By the end of the first 8hrs. of the race the leader had amassed a very impressive 229 laps or 515.25miles and held a 3 lap lead on the second place team.

Sunday greeted all with the need for cool and wet conditions. Some pretty heavy jackets were common. The drizzle let up for a while at the start of the last 8hrs, but the driver’s now had a slippery track to navigate, unlike the conditions yesterday. As the lapping went on the teams tires stripped away a layer of moisture in the groove and lap times increased to a little lass then the day before. Not bad for such a change in traction.

The teams went through their driver changes, each got driver their shot at the track. With rain covering the course some lost their line and put the safety workers to work, something they did not have to do the day before. The safety workers had to sweep off some gravel, and mop up some fluids, then the racing continued.

When the checkered flag waved the leader had gained a 9 lap lead over the second place team. With a total of 417 laps or 938.25 miles the team of number 112 “Team Beagle” claimed the prize.

Images are now available – click here to go to the photo album.

RESULTS –

With the weather overcast and no rain this weekend, the Sport Driving day featured a multitude of instructions, teachings, and focus on the finer points of the craft. The Proformance Driving School along with Gymkhana Drift and Lost Mines Safety Team all put their skills to work for those who came to learn.

Showing the correct line around the road course, how to follow the coned course and learn the safety rules involved in overseeing a road course event were all going on at the same time.

A nice surprise was testing by an open wheel car recently rebuilt. Needless to say those who came to watch were seen moving from observation point to observation point to catch what was happening on the track.

Images from all the action are available now – click here to go to the photo album.

With drag racing and moto-cross still to come the activities at Pacific Raceways are fast building to a strong 2013 season. Check out their website for upcoming events  at www.pacificraceways.com

Driving on a road course is not the beginning; you have to back up a few steps. Starting with classroom sessions on rules and proper lines around the track, how to get into and out of the turns. Pick your points for your own cars ability, not the one in front of you. Beginning with your cars breaking actions (ABS/Non-ABS). The instructors run you a number of times through the breaking zone, passing on what they are seeing. One at the start and one at the end watching what the cars do and explaining what they see to the drivers. Once comfortable with this step you proceed to a lap around the course at about 50mph learning the line and noting the turn numbers around the track.

The corner worker stations pretty much follow the turn numbers so it quickly helps with learning the turn numbers, which the instructors can then ask them in the after run classroom de-briefing/schooling, “How did it feel in through turn 4”?

With the instructors driving the students car they get a firsthand look on how to navigate the track following the proper line around. The quickest way around the course is not neccessrly the fastest car but the one that follows the line without mistakes. With that imaginary string from the break to the steering wheel in the drivers mind you learn that you can only do one action to your car at a time, multitasking the action of your car is not a good thing and most time it won’t end well doing so.

After a lunch break the students do a “Lead/Follow” around the course, again at about 50mph they get to feel the right line to take as the car in front of you is the instructor. Put to use the “controlled breaking” and “threshold breaking” first hand, be comfortable in your mind to better do what you are attempting.

Following with another classroom session the students are cut loose on their own to go at their own discretion on the course. Lap after lap you see the confidence building as repetition at anything will get you better. In this case it’s called seat time and there is no simulator that can match it.

With a visit of the second place finisher in their class at the 24hr race in Daytona, Bullitt Racing put some laps on their Porsche and drawing a crowd to the stands. In this type of racing they are like royalty and will draw a crowd.

Now the people at ProFormance Racing Schools people starting with owner Don Kitch Jr. and instructors Michael Lord and Brent Jordan follow the radio conversations of the turn workers and if need be they are “Black Flagged”  and brought in to be “schooled” on their mistakes. Back out they go knowing all involved are in it for their best interest.

If interested in trying this contact don@proformanceracingschool.com or call 253-630-5130 and he will get you started.

Pictures of all the action are now available – click here to go to the photo gallery.

Groundhog Day in Seattle fell in step with the predictions from the east – NO SHADOW. I believe the rodent was under cloudy weather, not the FOG that hovered around the track for the High Performance Sport Driving Day at Pacific Raceways. Not that it would have changed his call, but driving in the fog is a bit more challenging then under cloudy conditions.

With instructors from Proformance Racing School located on the grounds, instruction turned to stopping under control. With the fog adding moisture to the track surface the entries gained some real world experience under these conditions. Each student got one on one with the teachers before each attempt at stopping safely between the marked cones.

Meanwhile the fog persisted to hang around giving just enough visibility to safely run the course. Turn workers have to be able to see from station to station to insure the safety on the track.

There were a wide range of cars running the course all day long.  The tracks surface moisture evaporated enough to foster increased lap times and speeds for all of those involved. There are quite a number of Driving Days ahead, those who can take advantage of more seat time will gain a leg up come racing season.

The weather in the Northwest this time of the year always the un-known, so each practice day can be quite different. Getting in all the laps that you can will only help in the long run.

Images from all the action are available now – Go see them, click here.

The annual “Fall Finale” for the SOVREN Road Racing Series was a wonderful way to close out 2012 at Pacific Raceways this past weekend. The event was held in perfect weather with bright sunshine, blue skies and temperatures in the middle 80s!

More than 200 competitors in a variety of classes took on the classic and challenging road course in Kent, WA. Over two great days of competition.

More information about the event and about SOVERN can be accessed at:
http://www.sovren.org/

Full photo coverage (over 2,200 images!) are available by clicking here.