The Racing Season Begins

West Virginia was warm and wet for the weekend of the start of our season. Hello April 2008.

Saturday started out bright and sunny then it turned cloudy and then dark, with lightening in the distance and then it started to rain, no - pour. I was trying to get a better time than I had in the morning session. But in the rain in the morning I tried to take turn three without braking or lifting, it can't be done. As I flew into the trap, I discovered a mound on exit that was not there last year. They say I got airborne, spun across the track and ended in the "woods." I call them bushes. I got caught up on some leaves and spun the tires trying to get out so I got out of the car and the session was done for me.

The afternoon practice session in the rain had places with three and four inches of water in spots, and was not very fast. In fact Allen Olsen flew off the track after deciding to pull in, instead he ended up on the tire wall.

I messed up the numbers again. Numbers are important as they are the only way the people in timing and scoring know who is driving a car on track. Electronic transponders keep track of the speed and position of the cars but don't indicate who is the driver. In my case I ran the car thru the sand trap in turn three and then into the bushes, it's important to know who is in the car. That being said I had Joyce Sinclair in registration going nuts. First I had number 10, don't know how I got that number but that was OK, I got a bottle of wine out of the deal. Rick Race came by and left a bottle of wine for me. He said it was in appreciation of allowing him to have that number, his favorite. Back to the numbers game. I had Number 0 on the car, it was placed so we could add another digit if we need it. The 0 was placed so I need a number to go in front of it not behind so they gave me 02. I tried to get 0 but that number was taken - it was on my old car. Marc sold that car to a new driver and he just kept that number on the car, that car was in my race so I needed another number. So I went back and forth. Joyce has the patience of Job, she helped me and finally I got to Run 00 in my race. There is more to the story but I'll leave it with this. Both our cars had 00 as the number. Marc on his car in his race and me on my car in my race.

The race was fun, I've been showing it in the office all week to prove to the staff there are a big group of NUTS who race cars for fun.

This race was the first of a new series we joined this year, MARRS or the Mid Atlantic Road Racing Series. Great group of racers and they made us feel welcome. The influences the older drivers have on the younger ones is encouraging to see. Mentoring is everywhere you look, on the track, in showing good example, in the pits, in giving fatherly advice, and on the social level in encouraging acceptance of the young. I always say the future belongs to the young and we older people must step aside and let the young go.

For all the people I knew there were many I never met, but that will change. I roam the paddock meeting new people every chance I get.

Mike Rossini, the veteran motorcycle racer, was there with his infectious smile. The Miata engines he supplies to some racers do well with the right guy behind the wheel. Mike Collins of Meat Head racing had so many customer cars it looked like a race car dealership. His dad is one of my favorite people, as we are about the same age and ability, sometimes he beats me and sometimes I beat him, Chris Collins is one CLASS ACT.

One man had a nick name that does not fit him, "Bad Al Bell," does not have a bad bone in his body, and so I'll have to find out how he got that name and maybe change it.

After racing I had the opportunity to watch the last race with Marc racing from the back with Errol Tucker, a fellow driver. He had his young son with him so we had a blast watching the race from a great spot, all from the bed of his pickup truck.

I will be writing on this MARRS series a lot this year so I'll leave many things for future reports. There are many people who you get to know thru these stories, hopefully you will enjoy them.

One final note, neither Marc nor I won our race, but we did do well. I started 38th and finished 19th, an improvement of 19 positions in Spec Miata. Marc did even better, he started 45 as a result of having his qualifying time taken away for passing under yellow in the qualifier and finished 11th in Showroom Spec Miata.

One more story. I somehow locked myself out of my motel room Sunday morning. I never got the electronic lock all the way in when I closed the door. They got the maintenance man out of bed just to tell me and the manager there is a master electronic key for emergencies. He came with his wife and although he was pleasant to me he was upset with the manager. He showed me some great tricks on how to open locks. I promised never to use them unless in an emergency.

BE SAFE GO FAST HAVE FUN
Love "the commander" Mike Cefalo