MARRS 8&9 - 2007 - Summit Point Race Report
MARRS 8 in-car video from Team Nissan 240sx
MARRS 9 in-car video from Team Nissan 240sx
Defining moments during the season are sometimes pre-destined and sometimes they are not. This weekend had all of the makings. The points situation was very tight. The ITA Team Sisu Nissan 240sx with driver Kirk Dohne was leading in the
points and could virtually wrap it up with one more race win against the up-and-comer Chris Perera and his Acura Integra. The Integra had showed the speed to surpass the Team Sisu Nissan so the Team had fabricated some custom modifications to
enhance the horsepower. Brimming with the success shown on the dyno we were ready for the weekend of competition. We needed a win on the weekend to virtually seize our third MARRS Championship and second in a row.The weekend started out well with a pole for the first race. All is good and well. The car has been strikingly reliable over the past five years. We had regained some of our missing speed. Then it happened, first lap of the second qualifying session - a session that would set the grid for the second race of the weekend - no second chances this weekend in additional qualifying sessions - all feels good, the car is warming up and we come under the bridge toward turn 10 to get a good clean lap, shift to fifth gear, correct that - try to shift into fifth gear. So this is not good, no fifth gear. We do our best and qualify third without fifth. We set about to change the transmission with the unknown spare. But bigger problems loomed, without fifth gear we really beat on the engine driving in fourth down the long straight. We are down on horsepower as we have about 15% leak down on one of the cylinders and suboptimal on some others. No spare engine/cylinder head this weekend so we are forced to make do and trust that the bullet-proof car would remain only wounded and not incapacitated.
First race, starting from the pole. Good start but the Team Sisu Nissan would not carry the day. We got a reasonable start but got passed by Ginsberg's Honda (not running for MARRS points) and then we were passed by our series competitor Perera's Acura Integra. We were loosing about 10 car lengths down the font straight and had to push really hard to keep up. Luckily, Ginsberg and Perera were racing each other and slowing each other down a little so we were able to keep pace and hope for traffic or a mistake to allow an opportunity to repass for the lead. Our one chance came with lapped traffic entering the high speed turn 4. The two lead cars were slowed slightly by lapped traffic exiting turn 3 and we made up a lot of ground but there was scant room to pass. Perera went left and we went right to split around the lapped car. Unfortunately, our opportunity was lost as Perera had the inside line for the next turn. That was the last chance we had to pass and we would have to wait for another day and see if we could win.
The Team Sisu Nissan was hurting and we attempted everything that we could to make it better but to no avail. The second race of the weekend was uneventful with one exception. We got a good jump on the 2nd place car of Ginsberg at the start and moved up to 2nd place before turn 1. We did not have the speed to race with Perera today and he moved off to a comfortable lead. We also gained enough
ground at the start and early laps to cruise to 2nd place in the race.The Championship would be decide by the last race of the year. A winner take all extravaganza. If the Team Sisu Nissan 240sx wins the race, we win the Championship; BUT if Perera wins the race he wins the Championship...
MARRS 8 Results
Finishing Position Name Car Laps Fast-Lap 1 Chris Perera Acura Integra 16 1:28.884 2 Gregg Ginsberg Honda CRX Si 16 1:29.198 3 Kirk Dohne Nissan 240sx 16 1:29.377 4 Chris McClary Honda CRX Si 16 1:29.678 5 Brad Barnhouse Honda Civic 16 1:30.129 6 Bryan Pritt Acura Integra 16 1:29.968 7 John Martin Honda CRX Si 16 1:29.878 8 Doug Kinser Toyota MR2 16 1:31.781 9 Andrew Johnston Acura Integra 15 1:31.513 10 Jason Fields Nissan 240sx 15 1:31.200 11 Earl Richards Nissan 240sx 15 1:31.667 12 Brent Simonson Mazda Miata 15 1:31.257 13 Chris Ridgely Honda CRX Si 15 1:32.467 14 Mark Schechter Mazda RX7 15 1:33.508 15 Tommy Thompson Chrysler Neon 15 1:34.279 16 Kurt Genatowski BMW 2002 tii 15 1:33.247 17 Art Jaso Toyota MR2 15 1:34.643 18 John Griffith Toyota MR2 15 1:34.563 19 Mark Johnston Nissan 240sx 15 1:36.469 20 Sean Christie Honda Civic 14 1:32.446 21 Matthew Yip Volkswagen GTI 11 1:32.102 22 Matt Rowe Dodge Shelby Charger 3 1:33.293 23 Jeffrey Exter Honda CRX Si 0 24 John Cummins Mazda RX3 0 MARRS 9 Results
Finishing Position Name Car Laps Fast-Lap 1 Chris Perera Acura Integra 16 1:28.592 2 Kirk Dohne Nissan 240sx 16 1:30.198 3 Chris McClary Honda CRX Si 16 1:29.752 4 Bryan Pritt Acura Integra 16 1:30.115 5 Brad Barnhouse Honda Civic 16 1:30.529 6 Jason Fields Nissan 240sx 16 1:31.058 7 Brent Simonson Mazda Miata 16 1:31.684 8 Earl Richards Nissan 240sx 16 1:31.547 9 Andrew Johnston Acura Integra 16 1:31.587 10 Matthew Yip Volkswagen GTI 16 1:32.083 11 Doug Kinser Toyota MR2 16 1:31.784 12 Chris Ridgely Honda CRX Si 15 1:31.554 13 Mark Schechter Mazda RX7 15 1:32.449 14 Kurt Genatowski BMW 2002 tii 15 1:33.458 15 Gerry Walsh Honda Civic 15 1:32.151 16 Tommy Thompson Chrysler neon 15 1:33.990 17 Art Jaso Toyota MR2 15 1:34.465 18 Matt Rowe Dodge Shelby Charger 15 1:34.427 19 Gregg Ginsberg Honda CRX Si 14 1:30.173 20 Jeffrey Exter Honda CRX Si 12 1:37.404 21 Mark Johnston Nissan 240sx 0 22 John Cummins Mazda RX3 0