Here is a link to the Road Atlanta results:
http://www.mylaps.com/results/showevent.jsp?id=635900

But where is "The rest of the story". Come on guys give it up, what really happened?

well the quick synopsis from the Spoiled Boys camp first has to do with the forecast changing from a 40% chance of rain Saturday to a 90% chance Saturday and Sunday as of Thursday night... we were and are still in the process of acquiring wheels and more rain rubber so we figured we would wing it. Due to the ominous change in the forecast, PCA moved the schedule to try and dodge the rain. First sprint was nice and dry with cool overcast conditions. They then crammed the second sprint early as well and I was late to grid and started from the rear on old slicks in a moderate rain. Did the best I could but was no match for Tim on a good set of rains. The third sprint (added due to the re-arranged schedule) appeared as if it would go down in between showers but on grid the sky opened up and on the warm up lap there was 4" of standing water in 1, 4, 10a, and 12. Decided that due to a lack of tread and nearly crashing multiple times at 20mph it was a lost cause. The enduro was slightly better with light rain and brief absence there of just long enough to tease the formation of a dry line. After watching team Hahneman/Torgerson pit and then Tim, I thought I could click off some quick laps with no traffic and build a small lead. Then the lucky double yellow came out with both opposing cars in the pits. I pitted shortly after the return to green only to find out the race had been shortened from 90 to 75 minutes and that I had come in 1 minute shy of the 10 minute cutoff for enduro pitting. With 5 minutes to think about how I was going to make up the pace car yellow lap deficit in the last 5 minutes Brent, Case, and Dad stood there talking to me as we had no need for re-fueling or work on the car. On my outlap I was then black flagged due to too many people over the wall (thanks PCA) and served a stop and go. When I came out Tim was in sight but he saw yellow in his mirrors and kept pushing hard.

Now for the important stuff. We discovered a blown head gasket in Case's 92 ride Friday in practice and attempted to repair the issue but ultimately could not make the repairs needed to re-field the entry. That being said, I had been curious as to the reason for the unusual dyno numbers on the 92 car at nationals that ultimately resulted in a DQ based on the 5% rule. The substantial drop in horsepower which took the numbers outside the 5% was obviously due to the head gasket starting to go (which I had figured there may have been an internal problem to make his numbers drastically different from my identical engine). Which brings me to the point; why penalize a car based on the 5% rule when both numbers lie below 144? Wouldn't the best case scenario for enforcement of the rule be for a car that has sacrificed >~5% of HP to gain it in the torque category? If the torque number isn't over 144 or even a slight margin of 1 or 2 points more, a downward loss of horsepower contributing to being outside the 5% rule seems to punish a disadvantage. I understand the idea of trying to prevent someone from having 135hp and 153ft/lbs but hell, why punish someone for a mechanical failure? Even in the 44cup fundamental Utopian idea of a 60k junk yard motor with a fresh head, all it would take is a broken Worldpac aftermarket valve spring and you would be DQ'd!

Thanks for the recap Joeboy. What a sad tale of woe. However the Spoiled Boys true spirit of never giving up is quite evident. Better luck next time.

I also agree that the series needs to look at the 5% rule. There doesn't seem to be any point in penalizing a car with low Hp and low Tq. If the Tq is below 144, having less than 136.8 Hp, which would be illegal, can't be an advantage. Can it?

You bring up an interesting point Joe Boy.

were both numbers below 144 for the 92 car? note: tq is not a stand alone limit for tq under 144.



At Nationals, I dont think anyone knew the 92 car was experiencing a mechanical failure. Dont think we have any reliable or practical way to know a large disparity between hp and tq is due to mechanical failure or nonstock parts not permitted.

Few yrs back we were seeing unusally high tq numbers and so we placed a limit on the total hp and tq number, following the GTS rules. Then we saw numbers under the total but an inordinate rise in tq numbers and drop in hp..something way out of line with an engine with stock internals. Hence the limit on the differential between hp and tq.

Having said also this, a good discussion to have again after the season when we are redoing the rules for 2012.

Problem with the rules enforcement on PCA's part?

The Spoiled Boys tale of woe was a pretty good story. However, I have my story too:)

I ran with NASA at Road Atlanta two weeks before the PCA to check-out the new wheels and tires. In addition to determining that the 275/35 tire was too small a diameter, I also experienced some minor habdling issue and several times on track it felt like the car slipped or someone had bumped me in the rear. I was using 4th gear in turn 5 but the gearing wasn't right and I would go dog slow thru turn 5 and on several occassions I was helped along with a small tap in the rear by my special spec miata buddies.

After the NASA weekend, I inspected the transaxle and the CV joints and could not find anything wrong so, loaded the car up went to Road Atlanta on Thursday night. Met Fred Beasley and we did our best to secure an area for the 944CUP camp. I registered, got the new larger diameter tires mounted on the 15" rims, backed the car off the trailer and started the job of changing wheels and tires. Right side no problem. Got to left rear and the wheel spacer would not come off. Used a brass drift and small hammer and the star spacer finally came off.

This had never happened before. Upon closer inspection, HOLY CRAP! the rear hub is broken. I consulted with several of the local porsche techs close by and the decision was made to load the car back up, go to shop on Friday make repair and get back early afternoon on Friday.

I met John Kob at Rylands Specialized Imports at 8:00AM, we had the rear hub, bearing, stub axle, 1/2 shaft, etc., installed new bearing with the help of Beal Hardy of Checkpoint Auto. Ryland searched his warehouse for a spare and could not find one. A made sevral calls to local racers and long story short, Victor Keeley found one in Buford that Scott Proffit had in his garage. Victor retrieved the complete rear trailing arm and delivered it to Rylands in Marietta at about 1:30PM. Ryland and I finished the install of the rear hub and I was in the trailer and on my way back to Road Atlanta at 2:30PM.

Got to track just in time to see the Group 3 fun race. Showed back up Saturday to get ready for the Qualifying session and found out that the Qual session is now race 1. Case and I started at the back because we missed Friday practice #3. As Joe already stated above, Case blew 2nd head gasket and DNF, I finished 3rd overall with a faulty shifter mechanism. I could only use 3rd and 4th gear. After race discovered that the short shift linkage tab weld was in the process of breaking and was creating the excess side to side lash that prevented the shifter from finding 2nd or 5th gear. Removed part took it to 944Cup camp and Mark Peebles welded the parts back together securely. Reinstalled lever and changed to rain tires with 10 minutes to race #2.

Race 2, I started 3rd and finished first. Tranny still needed another small adjsutment. I only had 3rd and 4th gears again. Adjusted linkage and started race #3 in front. This was the most rain I have ever raced in. It was crazy. Windshield was nice and clear (using my newly installed defog system). Pace lap started, hit a big puddle in turn 1, water hits header, header makes steam, steam rises thru holes in floor pan on passenger side and steams the whole interior, windshiels and mirror. Using gloves to remove most of the moisture, lucky we went two pace laps and I was able to clear a port hole to see thru. After 3 laps the defog system overcame the moisture load and the windshield was clear again. Finished first, however, race #3 does not count toward 944Cup points for the weekend.

I survived Saturday and got everything ready for Sunday. Enduro was wet, I qualified first and Team Torgersen (Matt driving) Joe Boe and I had a nice 3 car run of follow the leader thru the field. I was in first and while going down the back straight my windshield banner ripped about 80% off and left a short piece on the left side, my winshield wiper got caught in it and blew the fuse. This got my attention and I reached over to my switch panel and removed another fuse that I was not using and replaced the blown 20amp fuse, this fuse immediately blew but was able to get the wiper down and away from the banner. During this repair Matt and Joe Boy were able to get around me. I eventually found a 30amp fuse from the 2nd colling fan circuit and installed it.

Time to pit, I enter pits and cannot find my pit stall (rookie mistake), I had to go back out but, as Joe stated above it was a double yellow so I causght the field and could see Joe about 10 cars in front of me. Wow! that was lucky. Then here comes John Torgersen and he is right behind me. Race starts again and I pit within 2 laps, reenter race and I have no idea how I stand, all I know is I gotta run like hell and hope for the best.

After several laps I see the bright blue car of Team Torgersen ahead. Holy Crap! I'n catching him. I eventually run him down at turn 7, John gets back on the power a little too hard and spins. Yeah Baby! I think I'm at least in 2nd. Get to Start / Finish and the checkered flag is waving. Results come out and I'm listed as the winner. I talk to Joe and find out about the stop and go because of four men over the wall. WOW! what a weekend. One 3rd place and three first place finishes. Repaired Rear Hub and Short Shifter Linkage.

Thanks to John Kobs, Ryland Mills, Beal Hardy, Victor Kelley, Scott Proffitt, Kerry Singley, Mark Peebles and my wife Terry Herbert for the help and support to turn lemons into lemonade:)

Holy crap. Paragraphs are your friend, man.

No problem with PCA enforcement. It was our mistake. Just a crappy mistake to loose by...... and with that many scruits in one place they have to find something to enforce, right? Hell, after last year I felt it was the responsibility of Spoiled Boys Racing to uphold the image of the Cup in PCA's eyes. I'm sure they weren't watching for us to slip up at all!

And, as I recall, you have a legacy to uphold in PCA, following Joe Sr's storied past, aka , the Father of Spoiled Boys Racing ! Hell Joe Boy, your kids and their kids will be watched closely.

haha well I surely wouldn't want to disappoint anyone especially as long as the rear-engined guys are willing to let the red headed step children come and play! And as far as the next generation goes, I'm sure Meredith is thrilled by the thought. Although if she has it her way it will be a bunch of little girls going to horse trials..... and I just wouldn't feel right pumping ponies full of steroids and yelling at judges in fancy hats.