So You Want to be a CART Racer? Special Series Part 2
 Introduction by Peter Burke


Strike Two:

I promised you a series of articles, not just a one-off. Darrel has been keeping busy and finally got to race, not just practice. The results are very promising (or shall I say 'addictive'?) - read for yourself and you will share my opinion that Darrel has a future in this sport... remember when you read the story that this is his second weekened in a race car. If you missed the first part of this series, click on the link to the right to catch up with the whole story.

Part 3 of the series, the second race weekend at Phoenix, is already in the books, and I can't wait to put that story online. Darrel was 'stoked' after he returned from that one - stay tuned and you'll soon read why.

 
So you want to be a Cart Racer Series Menu:
Part 1

Part 2 (this page)

Part 3 (coming soon)

Part 4 (coming soon)

 

Getting Serious: Racing Wheel to Wheel in Las Vegas

Stepping up to the plate...

October 22 came around much sooner than I expected. Time either fliesor crawls when you are anticipating something. The emotion going intoit was mixed - extreme joy with a healthy dose of anxiety. I'm thetype of person that puts low expectations on the table so I can bepleasantly surprised if I better them. But, deep down, I want to doextremely well. I put tremendous pressure on myself to be the best atwhatever I do. I did it in school, in motorcycle racing, in simulatorracing, and in my job. I'm a competitive person by nature, and when Isee a benchmark, I want to beat it. Well, now I'll have my chance inthe auto racing arena.

On the plane, I had the, well....interesting experience of sittingdirectly in front of someone with a serious hacking cough. The onlything I could think about the flight over was, "Man I hope I don'tget sick from this!!" When I landed, it was unmistakably Las Vegas— lots of slots and video poker machines lined throughout thegates. After my dad arrived from San Jose, we went to grab a bite toeat, then went to our motel.

Las Vegas Lapping Practice

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Tuesday through Thursday was lapping days. This meant each session wastightly regulated and passing is limited to specific zones (thestraights). Throughout each lapping day, there was a handful ofpeople that were just there to run the car for a day — not racein the series. The track was interesting and very technical. It had anumber of combination turns, and some with a little banking. Thereweren't really any elevation changes like Laguna, but the combo turnsmade up for that in my opinion.

Each day started out with a quick talk from the instructor and atrademark Skip Barber "van around" on the track. The first day,getting used to the track, my best times were 1:27-6s, which werepretty good in the group. The second day, things came together quitea bit better, and I consistently improved a second to 1:26-5s, andeven hit a 1:24!

LV track
The Twisty Track at Las Vegas

At the end of the day, I hung around a little bit and talked with oneof the racers and the instructors. They were discussing the computercar, which the instructors set up. This car had all sorts of dataacquisition equipment on it — everything from lateral G sensorsto pedal position sensors to steering position sensors to instant laptime display. I thought it might be a good idea to run this, but Iwasn't sure. It was pretty expensive, and I wasn't sure if it woulddo that much good, especially since it was a different car and Ididn't know if I'd adapt to it well.

The Computer Car

Well, I decided to go for a run in the computer car, and...I think thecomputer car was so cool, it deserves a topic of it's own. The costof running the computer car was $350 for 7 laps. Kenny Johnson, theinstructor running the computer car show, decided to let me have anextra warm-up lap, to put my total to 8. Kenny told me to just run mynormal laps, don't overdrive the car trying to do a wonder lap. Mytimes in the car were low 1:25s (most of them 1:25 flat), with a besttime of 1:24.8. This was my best outing yet — extremelyconsistent. I guess being on the track after the lapping day withoutany other cars helped in consistency. When I was all finished, theyplugged the "black box" into the computer and downloaded all thedata. When it was all downloaded, they ran a computer applicationthat translated all the data and made a 2-D line chart for any of thecollected information, such as speed, lateral G, etc. Always on thechart were 2 bars showing accelerator and brake pressure. The graphwas also split into segments (T1, T2&3, etc) so we could analyze thelap in minute detail. They took my 1:24.80 and put it on top of KJ's1:22.90 lap and compared the differences. The speed graph was themain one we looked at. When looking at the speeds in each segment, wesaw that in T1 Kenny had a couple tenths on me in that turn. In T2,he had 0.6 sec's on me (the biggest margin of all the segments), T5&6he had 0.2 sec's, and in T9 he had 0.3 sec's on me. A few tenths ineach corner REALLY adds up!

Darrel Preps in the sun
Prepping for a few hotlaps
The different data we could get was pretty awesome. In the lateral Gdepartment, the highest we recorded was 1.8 Gs in turn 2 (becauseturn 2 is somewhat banked). Typically we race at 1.2-1.4 Gs aroundthe other turns. The two most helpful pieces of data for me were thespeed and segment times. These told me where I can gain time, andwhere I can go faster. After doing this once, I am totally sold onusing the computer car; it is a fantastic tool! I am DEFINITELY goingto do it at every new track or every time I plateau on lap times.This (along with all the practice) was one of the best things I coulddo to help myself go fast this weekend.

Back to lapping...

I came out the next lapping day (Thursday) with a mission — breakinto the 1:23 realm. This was my goal. I now had the data to knowwhere I can shave those tenths off my lap times. All I had to do wasapply that knowledge. To this time I haven't gone through turn 1flat. I have been breathing off the gas then getting back on it whenI turn in. Today, I was going to make sure I go through T1 withoutletting that gas pedal see the light of day.

Line up for practice
Lining up for another practice session
The first session out, things felt pretty good on the track. I was ina new car, so I had to get used to its personality. Once I took a lapor two to get used to the brakes, I started charging hard. Halfwaythrough my first session, I came in to get some feedback about turn 3and 5. When I rolled up in pit lane, there were some cars ahead of megetting feedback, so my dad came up to my car with a big smile on hisface. "You are smoking out there," was the first thing he said to me.Smiling myself I asked, "Did I do a 1:23?" When he told me I did acouple of them and all 1:24s, I was stoked beyond belief, and Iimagine so was my dad! Boy was that computer car worth theinvestment!!! My best time that day was 1:23.3, and I was neverslower than a 1:24 on a clean lap.

Friday's Practice session

Things are run quite a bit differently on Friday. That morning, we allgot to choose the racecar we would be using for the weekend.Appropriately enough, we picked the car numbers from poker chipsinside a cupcake tray. Luckily I picked the car that I used theprevious day! I guess that kinda makes up for the $70 I lost in thecasinos trying to win back my race weekend money ;-). In Fridaypractices there is open passing. Unlike lapping days where you werelimited to the straights, we could pass anytime, anywhere (as long asit was safe, of course). Also on Friday, and throughout the weekend,every lap was timed and a printout was given to us after everysession or race.

Everyone was split into 4 groups of about 12; I was in group 3. Thesegroups designated our practice and race order. The first practicesession out was great. Lots of good passing maneuvers going intodifferent turns was definitely cool, much better than having to waitfor a straight to make my pass. The first session my fastest lap was1:23.0, and boy was I happy about that! I couldn't believe I wasgoing that fast, and all my racing buddies, who I've been hanging outwith since Tuesday, were in awe. It was the fastest time of mysession. Now, some really fast guys started to come out. One inparticular was James Eaton, who drove the computer car on Friday andset the unofficial fastest time of the weekend at 1:22.10. I talkedwith him for awhile about racing and the track, and he said that thecomputer car definitely has a stronger motor than the rest of thecars. There were quite a few people who drove the computer car onThursday and Friday, but James was the only non-instructor to breakthe 1:22 barrier before Saturday.

Saturday.... 'nuff said

Saturday's schedule had every group doing one 30-minute practice andthen the races. The 1:22 barrier would be history in today'spractice. In the 1st group that went out, two guys, Joe O'Brien andAl Longtin, turned a 1:22.5 and Grant Show (yeah, the Melrose Placedude) turned a 1:22.9. Wow, I was pretty nervous now — therewere a handful of guys going faster than I. The pressure wasdefinitely on now; I had to do a 1:22, or I would be disappointed. Iworked it hard and thank God, I got my 1:22.9. In fact, I got two ofthem! I was pretty satisfied with that. Then, I looked at my racegroup again and got a small sinking feeling. James Eaton and AlLongtin were in my group. Ouch! Two of the fastest guys out there inmy race heat....why me!

Race 1 - Saturday

Grid for the race
Where are the Tecate Girls on the Grid?
Turning the 1:23.0 in Friday's Qualifying practice netted me 3rd onthe grid for the race behind Eaton and Longtin. Both Eaton andLongtin are experienced Formula Dodge racers. Longtin being fromFlorida and the Southern series, and Eaton just finished up theMidwest series, rubbing elbows with the top guys in that series likeAlex Gurney and finishing 5th overall. Behind me was Leland Barron,another driver who has been doing Formula Dodge racing for awhile.Well, my times were about 0.4 sec's behind fast guys Longtin (who wonthe 1st group race — he was doing two races each day instead ofone), so I thought I would just try and maintain my position and comehome with a podium finish and a trophy.

I can't describe the feelings (read: butterflies) going on when weleft out on the pace lap. We go out in 2 by 2 formation, and thinout to single file for the middle of the pace lap. When the pace cargot to turn 8, we all got into 2 by 2 formation again, and when gotto the last turn, the polesitter, Eaton, slowed down to a crawl. Wewere barely crawling, and the pace car was in the pits before weexited turn 9. Right before the starter waved the green flag, Eatonfloored the gas and all of us behind him follow suit. We thinned outenough to go into turn 1 single file.

From the beginning of the first lap, this was a total differentfeeling than any of the practices. The first noticeable differencewas running in a pack of guys that are about the same speed. It waspretty awesome because you didn't really have to adjust your markers,you could use the same markers and run nose to tail. Running thatclose is really fun...and nerve-racking, depending on which positionyou are in. The first few laps were kind of easy — we were in asingle file train. I got a little over-anxious on the third lap andwent into T5 too hot. I got very sideways and was thinking in myhead, "Oh-no, you're going to throw it away, you idiot!" But,fortunately I kept the car sideways through the turn, with the leftrear wheel up on the curb, and was able to click it into second gearand keep charging. The whole time I was checking my mirrors too,wondering if fourth place was going to try to sneak under me, butthere wasn't enough of an opportunity.

How much does it cost?
I wanted to make sure I did my first weekend right, so I splurged for all the practice days. This gave me ample time to get used to the cars and the track. And now, looking back, I'm so glad I did. And even though my VISA is feeling it big time, I wouldn't change a thing.
  The gory details: Race Weekend              $1695 Practice days  $695 x 4 = $2780 Computer Lapping           $350 Travel, lodging, and meals $750 Rental Car                 $175  Total Expenses            $5750 Total Sponsor Income         $0

 

The race went on, and I stretched a little gap between fourth place,and myself but first and second also gapped me. My only concern wasto get a podium finish my first race. I just wanted to keep thirdplace. With this comfortable cushion of space between me, I saw thedaunting double yellow flags that meant the pace car was coming out!There goes my little comfort zone. On the restart, Eaton slowed thefield early and started full speed out of turn 8. This was a surpriseto the guy behind me, but second place and I were on the ball andright on top of first. This gave me a little breathing room again,which made me happy.

Close to the end, with a few laps to go, we started hittingbackmarkers. Fourth was still close to me, and I hit my firstbackmarker in turn 1 — not a good place. This guy stayed on theracing line, and I decided to pass him on the outside in the middleof the turn. Doing this slowed me enough so fourth was now on mybutt. That was kind of frustrating for me, and I was checking mymirrors quite a bit. Fourth was showing me a nose in every corner,filling up my mirrors trying to force me into some kind of mistake,but I thankfully stayed cool. We came up to another backmarker thenext lap. This time it was in turn 2. I saw a golden opportunity toput a car between myself and fourth. You can't really pass in turn 3,only in the exit, so if I didn't get the car between us, fourth mayhave got a run out of T3 and passed me in T5. I barely squeezed underthe car in T2, almost putting 2 wheels off doing it, and that gave meenough breathing room to finish in third without any pressure! Wow,it was all over and I got third! I was incredibly stoked! When I cameinto pit lane and got out of my car, the instructors congratulatedme. Third in my very first race, I was pretty surprised. I had somegreat bench racing for awhile with the top 4 guys, taking aboutstrategy, backmarkers, and little mistakes. I got my podium finishand was ecstatic!

Race result 1

Race 2 - Saturday

I was quite a bit nervous going into Sunday's race. I felt like I waspressured pretty well from fourth place, so I thought he might get byme today. On Sunday, our starting position is determined by where wefinished on Saturday, so I was starting 3rd on the grid. The startwas similar to Saturday — Eaton brought us to the last turncrawling and we thinned out into single file into T1. The next fewlaps, I was pressuring Al Longtin pretty hard. In fact, he wasslowing me down a little. Wow, this wasn't really expected. WhileLongtin and I were battling, Eaton began to stretch a lead on us. Ipoked my nose under Longtin going into T1, but I didn't have a goodenough run out of T9, so I ducked back behind him. A couple lapslater, I got a great run out of T9 and popped out on Longtin. We wereside by side going into T1, and I had the inside line. I wasn't gonnagive an inch, and neither was Longtin. We went through T1 side byside! I glanced to the side, and I saw his front wheel right next tomy sidepod. Man, this was intense! I still had the inside line goinginto T2, so the position was mine! The next few laps, I REALLY feltthe pressure from Longtin. He was on my butt, filling my mirrors atany opportunity trying to force and error on my part. The next lap,we saw the double yellow flags at each corner, a full course yellow."YES!" I though, I needed a break.

Action in Turn 3
Dicing with the Fastest in Turn 3
When leaving the last turn, the last corner still had a yellow flagup, but the pace car was going in. Eaton misjudged the green flag,but I was on my game. The green flew, and I got a serious jump onfirst place. I made the pass on the front straight, and was in thelead! Whoa, leading a race, I was kind of shocked and stoked at thesame time. Eaton was on my tail, and going into T5, he slipped rightunderneath me. "Okay," I thought, "I had my fun at the lead, and nowEaton would stretch it out and I'll sit comfortably in second place."To my (pleasant) surprise, Eaton wasn't stretching his lead. I wasright on his tail. For the next few laps, we were nose to tailconstantly. This was FUN! Well, at least it was fun for me! I'm sureEaton was kind of stressed. A couple laps later I got a fantastic runof T9 and got right next to Eaton going into T1. Turn 1 was a wideopen, slide-it-around turn if you're by yourself. Since I was on theinside of Eaton, I had to lift of the gas significantly, and Eatonplayed that well. He let me by going in, then got right backunderneath me going into T2 — another short-lived lead. For therest of the race, I was on Eaton's gearbox, only inches away most ofthe time. I was trying my best to pressure him and force a mistake,but Eaton was flawless. On the last lap, I tried to get a run off T9and draft by Eaton, but his run was too good. I finished 0.186seconds behind him, or, more technically correct, next to him.

What a race, I was so psyched. I got out of my car a happy camper.The instructors were totally stoked for me too, giving meenthusiastic congratulations. Talking about the race with some of theinstructors, they were joking with me that I left the door wide openwith a plate of cookies for Eaton when he passed me for the lead inT5. I was just happy to finish second. Of course, thinking about itmore, I realized, "Man, I actually could have won!" For my first raceweekend though, I am extremely satisfied. Especially since our groupwas the fastest group out there. From the times I was turning, Icould have won in the 2nd or 4th group, but that's the luck of thedraw. Looking at the results, I turned the fastest lap of the race at1:22.4; wow, pretty cool.

Race result 2

coming to a close

That's it for this weekend. What a rush, what an awesome time. Phoenixis coming up in a few weeks, and I can't wait! I hope you all enjoyedthe write-up, pictures and video. I look forward to writing aboutPhoenix, and we will even have some in-car camera video from the raceitself!! Take care.

Next on "You Want to be a CART Racer?":
Darrel hits the pavement in Phoenix and surprises many seasoned veterans...

 

 

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