Q-clubs Mid OH Event Report - Long

[QSHIPQ@aol.com]

Found some time to slide down to the recent Q-Club Event at MID-OH and report
that the turnout was good, the track as always, awesome, and the fun factor
high.  

I managed to get down late in day 1, which sounds like I missed little, since
with the fog and rain, the track was closed in the a.m. and minor exercises
in the early afternoon.  Porshe Club Track Time Instructors were running the
exercises and instruction to P-club rules, which made for more relaxed fun
for the Qclub instructors (decision was made, since not enough qclub
instructors able to go, to let P-club do the instructing, their rules
dictated they rule.  They did get a free ride for both days for this
service).  The feedback from the P-club folks (and they were very
conservative towards the q kids) was that the students and instruction was
certainly up to their standards, and a more relaxed second day ensued.  

TRACK:  Mid Ohio Raceway, Lexington OH
2 1/2 miler, 11 turn Multiplane Course, Much wider than Grattan, some greasy
cement in the apex of the turns.  2 straights, long back faster than short
front.
Right when I go there, a tweeked S4 bought some of the armco.  Good time:
2:10-2:25.  Fast = <2:00

Listers:
Me, hey c'mon now

Notables:
A plethora of 944t + Deb and Bob Polich with 4 track tires in theirs
Fred Baker 30v A4 (dealer-sponsor)
PDQSHIP I
5 spd v8 of Mike Fisher with dual 4 pots
Palumbo Bros - 2 X Urq, 1 4kq NOS, 1 '87 944t
Phil Long MGBGT track car
W.G. and his coupe q
T.A.P. A4 NATCC fwd
Keith and Susan
Greg Somervilles fast S4 Hoppen 6spd
A 82 Urq from Maine - silver
The Lava Machine
Red NSX

Well Bruce will be happy to know that I got a pretty good spanking for
hopping into Phil's MGB without my proper paperwork at the ck in station.
 Chris Gota even apologized for being so anal.  Hey, no problem, I WAS at
Grattan.  Actually, this event was about as low key as I ever been.  The S4
Armco thing was a wet off into a rail that won't even be close to a total as
the Grattan mishap.  Talked to the owner some after dinner that nite, he was
bummed but his hardly critically injured car will be fine.

I rode with Keith, no spin this time, those sport q brakes really bite the
pavement well.  Mucho better technique too, I think he goofs around till he
wants to be fast.  Rode with Susan Anderson too, very fast in the 90 20v.
 The wildest ride, just had to be Phil Smith in the race prepped and nicely
restored MGBGT.  We teetered on spins the whole course, the first car I felt
that the COG was my butt, not real hungry after that ride either.  More than
a few surprised 944t owners with this car, making gains on them in the
corners at the expense of the straights, very competitive times at 2:03 in
this go kart (and I mean that in the nicest way).  Many 944t were clocking
1:50 lap times, unfortunately, I didn't get my promised ride with one of
those guys.

The pits had more excitement than the track really.  Ivor was a little bummed
since his Watkins driver 1 got the penalty for pit speeding (Ouch, btdt).
 Sounds like the car was doing well at the time, but regaining the field ran
out of race time.  Car is gourgeous btw, very well prepped and executed.
 Hope he puts Audi back on the map here.  Palumbos are like meeting the good
ole boys.  Some heretical talk of selling out the nice Urq's and buying 944t
got them a dirty look from me.  They were very surprised that the bone stock
'87 944t with R1's could run with them the whole time.  

Rain pretty much stuck throughout day 2, and this made for some VERY slick
conditions, the asphalt to cement patches in the apexes, really put the R1
equipped cars less than advantaged.  R1's in the rain are easy to get
sideways, and mroe than a few learned that.  Mike Fisher and his big braked
v8 managed to spin at the end of the back straight, right in front of Susans
car, watching that thing sideways on a track is quite a sight.  He is hoping
to get the quad 4 pots figgrd out, and when he does, that car will be really
quick.  A 4kq managed to spin going into 3, went way off track, and watching
that, he was really lucky not to flip, the audi gods were forgiving.  

All in all, a very safe and fun event, well run, the p-club interaction was
fine by day 2, and I think the p-club had a newfound respect for the q's
abilities.  Unlike the excitement and smiles at Grattan however, things
seemed very subdued here, maybe owing to the rain and chilly temps.  MID-OH
is a great track, hoping q-club continues the tradition at this fine venue.  

End of Report

Scott Justusson
QSHIPQ@aol.com
Chicago IL