Starting a thread for daily updates from VIR...
Good luck everyone! Safe travels, and have fun!
Good luck everyone! Safe travels, and have fun!
Runoffs Updates - F Production
- Thread starter Jason Stine
- Start date
EPrill
Well-known member
Originally written and posted on Facebook
I started writing an “Eric edition” of a 2022 Runoffs Report, but it is getting too long and I’m too tired to finish a single post to hit all the things I want to say.
So this will focus on wrapping up my racing portion. For those that may not have watched the post race interview, I will not be competing at the Runoffs in 2023 or any time in the foreseeable future. It also means that I’ll be selling the car and evaluating what might be in my future driving wise, if anything at this point.
Until probably mid-August, I was 50/50 that I was going to race. There were various reasons for that but obviously I did, so they’re moot.
My family was unable to attend this year’s Runoffs because of my cousin’s wedding, which I sadly had to miss (whether I raced or not). I was fortunate enough to have in attendance some of my closest friends from several different chapters of my life, going back to high school and college in Ohio, to my time in Denver and finally now a Kansan for the last 20 years. Couple that with some really cool round numbers (30 years since my first drivers school, 20th Runoffs race as a driver and 100th race for me in this car) and it seemed to come to the perfect apex.
I’ve been thinking about a change for a few years. Like most families, we have a busy schedule and lately we have too many things happening on the same weekends. When it comes to racing (and most things) I’m a bit of a perfectionist. So just pulling back to partial throttle doesn’t sound super attractive to me.
I’ve had a lot of people over the years ask me how I am able to balance my professional responsibilities at an event like the Runoffs and also try to race at a high level. I have to say, it’s difficult—mentally and physically exhausting. I have always tried to prioritize my obligations to the club and my staff team first and foremost. I’m satisfied with my effort there over the years, but I’ve always been concerned that my driving may cause more stress on my people. If anything, my racing effort has suffered at various times. I can think back to instances in 2014 and 2015 for sure, and I don’t even like to think about 2020, which was pretty much a disaster from a racing standpoint. So from a racing and working at the Runoffs standpoint, I just don’t want to do it any more…
But obviously I did it this year, and the results were as good as they could have been. The new engine from Jesse Prather was awesome. My previous two winning engines were JPM technology but ”built” by me. This one was all Jesse, and it was great! I managed to find good drafts during qualifying to help out my best laps. It was great to get a 5th Runoffs pole (1 in the Lotus and 4 in this car), but the weather kind of negated any advantage that may have provided.
Decided to go with hand-grooved slicks (intermediates) for the race. My amount of grooves ended up being good for later in the race as the track dried but they were pretty sketchy early. I went off because I had no real gauge of how fast I could go; the problem with leading in uncertain track conditions.
Mid race I was about 10 seconds off the lead duo and 12 seconds ahead of 4th. So I just kept riding and evaluating the conditions. Charlie ended up coming back to me after a couple moments, and I suspect that maybe his car was better set up for a damp track more than mine and then struggled later as it dried, but that’s just speculation on my part. We were catching Kevin approaching the end, and with two to go I felt that if I could get to within drafting distance out of Oak Tree on the final lap, I had a shot. And that’s what happened. I later learned about the issues he was having. I understand his heartbreak. Daytona was similar heartbreak for me. Road America 2012 too. And 2010, and Heartland 2008…
So that’s it, I haven’t had a chance to even get the cameras off he car yet, but I’ll post video soon…
Thank you to everyone that’s been a part of this amazing ride over these years. Hoosier Racing Tire, Mazda Motorsports, Carbotech Brakes, GoSunoco Racing. Thank you to my family -especially Robin and Max, as well as my mom Pat for all of the love, support and sacrifices over the years. Also to the significant influences over the years that have given me great guidance and taught me so much, and I’m sorry I know I’ll forget someone, but to name a few: Jesse, Tony, Jim, Kent, JFO, SFO, Jon, Joey, Bruce, Tim, Michael, John, Bob, David, Mark, John…
And to all of my fellow FP racers especially, it’s been a pleasure. You all helped me become the driver I am, accomplishing more than I ever believed I could. I hope you have enjoyed racing with me as much as I have with you. Of course, you’ll still see me at the track, just not on the track.
Finally, I don’t view this as a retirement. I don’t know that amateurs really have anything to “retire” from. I‘m sure I’ll get behind the wheel of something and I don’t intend to let my license lapse. I’m just going to focus on other things for a while.
Thanks for reading and kudos to all the Prod community for a really good G2C Runoffs!
I started writing an “Eric edition” of a 2022 Runoffs Report, but it is getting too long and I’m too tired to finish a single post to hit all the things I want to say.
So this will focus on wrapping up my racing portion. For those that may not have watched the post race interview, I will not be competing at the Runoffs in 2023 or any time in the foreseeable future. It also means that I’ll be selling the car and evaluating what might be in my future driving wise, if anything at this point.
Until probably mid-August, I was 50/50 that I was going to race. There were various reasons for that but obviously I did, so they’re moot.
My family was unable to attend this year’s Runoffs because of my cousin’s wedding, which I sadly had to miss (whether I raced or not). I was fortunate enough to have in attendance some of my closest friends from several different chapters of my life, going back to high school and college in Ohio, to my time in Denver and finally now a Kansan for the last 20 years. Couple that with some really cool round numbers (30 years since my first drivers school, 20th Runoffs race as a driver and 100th race for me in this car) and it seemed to come to the perfect apex.
I’ve been thinking about a change for a few years. Like most families, we have a busy schedule and lately we have too many things happening on the same weekends. When it comes to racing (and most things) I’m a bit of a perfectionist. So just pulling back to partial throttle doesn’t sound super attractive to me.
I’ve had a lot of people over the years ask me how I am able to balance my professional responsibilities at an event like the Runoffs and also try to race at a high level. I have to say, it’s difficult—mentally and physically exhausting. I have always tried to prioritize my obligations to the club and my staff team first and foremost. I’m satisfied with my effort there over the years, but I’ve always been concerned that my driving may cause more stress on my people. If anything, my racing effort has suffered at various times. I can think back to instances in 2014 and 2015 for sure, and I don’t even like to think about 2020, which was pretty much a disaster from a racing standpoint. So from a racing and working at the Runoffs standpoint, I just don’t want to do it any more…
But obviously I did it this year, and the results were as good as they could have been. The new engine from Jesse Prather was awesome. My previous two winning engines were JPM technology but ”built” by me. This one was all Jesse, and it was great! I managed to find good drafts during qualifying to help out my best laps. It was great to get a 5th Runoffs pole (1 in the Lotus and 4 in this car), but the weather kind of negated any advantage that may have provided.
Decided to go with hand-grooved slicks (intermediates) for the race. My amount of grooves ended up being good for later in the race as the track dried but they were pretty sketchy early. I went off because I had no real gauge of how fast I could go; the problem with leading in uncertain track conditions.
Mid race I was about 10 seconds off the lead duo and 12 seconds ahead of 4th. So I just kept riding and evaluating the conditions. Charlie ended up coming back to me after a couple moments, and I suspect that maybe his car was better set up for a damp track more than mine and then struggled later as it dried, but that’s just speculation on my part. We were catching Kevin approaching the end, and with two to go I felt that if I could get to within drafting distance out of Oak Tree on the final lap, I had a shot. And that’s what happened. I later learned about the issues he was having. I understand his heartbreak. Daytona was similar heartbreak for me. Road America 2012 too. And 2010, and Heartland 2008…
So that’s it, I haven’t had a chance to even get the cameras off he car yet, but I’ll post video soon…
Thank you to everyone that’s been a part of this amazing ride over these years. Hoosier Racing Tire, Mazda Motorsports, Carbotech Brakes, GoSunoco Racing. Thank you to my family -especially Robin and Max, as well as my mom Pat for all of the love, support and sacrifices over the years. Also to the significant influences over the years that have given me great guidance and taught me so much, and I’m sorry I know I’ll forget someone, but to name a few: Jesse, Tony, Jim, Kent, JFO, SFO, Jon, Joey, Bruce, Tim, Michael, John, Bob, David, Mark, John…
And to all of my fellow FP racers especially, it’s been a pleasure. You all helped me become the driver I am, accomplishing more than I ever believed I could. I hope you have enjoyed racing with me as much as I have with you. Of course, you’ll still see me at the track, just not on the track.
Finally, I don’t view this as a retirement. I don’t know that amateurs really have anything to “retire” from. I‘m sure I’ll get behind the wheel of something and I don’t intend to let my license lapse. I’m just going to focus on other things for a while.
Thanks for reading and kudos to all the Prod community for a really good G2C Runoffs!