*Todd Alan (LMP2) victorious in the CMS NA Division at Vanport!
Troy Dalton (LMPC) and Daron Hume (GT2) also class victors.*
Writeup by Champion MotorSports Network (CMSN) reporter Getda Buuti
(screen shots by “Lenny”)
Image: http://cmsracing.com/storage/CMS_2013_Club_Writer/20130321/01.jpg
After an exciting round at Road Atlanta the CMS NA Division packed their transporters and headed for the Northwest and Portland International Raceway “Vanport”.
Here is a brief story of the track from the Portland International Raceway website:
“More than half a century ago, the Portland International Raceway site was something quite different than a park: a city.
Built during World War II as housing for Kaiser shipyard workers, the city of Vanport was home to nearly 40,000 people at its peak, making it the second largest city in Oregon. But, built behind dikes, Vanport was washed away by a flood in 1948, never to be rebuilt.
The site, 640 acres of low-lying farmland, was America’s largest public housing project, and was built in less than 10 months. There was a library, post office, police station, several fire houses, an infirmary, stores, five elementary schools and a 750-seat movie theater. Vanport College, created after the war to support veterans headed to school on the G.I. Bill, moved after the flood to become Portland State University.
Left from the remains of Vanport was an intact street system, and little else, when acquired by the City of Portland in 1960. It was a time of growing interest in sports car and drag racing, and the Portland Jaycees saw that the abandoned roads of Vanport had the potential to become a road race course. In 1961 the first Rose Cup race was held as part of the Portland Rose Festival.
By 1965 the track was hosting regular drag races as well as motorcycle and kart races.”
From a personal perspective I’ve spent many a Sunday afternoon watching CART, IMSA and ALMS events at this venue. It has a place in my heart..
I was able to locate some dated (2005) drivers’ quotes from Audi LMP1 drivers concerning Portland:
JJ Lehto (Fin).
“We had a good race here last year. It was full of action although I doubt it will be like that this year. Tire selection will again be very important here as the track is very slippery.”
Marco Werner (D).
“We had a really nice battle here last year with the Dyson Team so I expect it will be interesting again. The track is not one of our most difficult tracks so that means the cars are fast and the racing will be real close.”
Frank Biela (D).
“Racing at Portland was a long time ago for me, 2001. I remember it being a nice circuit and I look forward to seeing it again. The Championship is still open so we need to achieve a good result.”
Emanuele Pirro (It). “Although Portland is not one of my favorite tracks (little grip and very bumpy) I haven’t been here since 2001 so maybe it’s changed some. This weekend will be a little more difficult for Frank and myself because our race engineer will not be here.”
Hmmmmm…… “very slippery”, “little grip and bumpy”, “cars fast and the racing real close”…
A recipe for an exciting race? Sounds as if!!!!!
Let’s see how it all went down for the CMS NA Division in Season 1 Round 3 at Vanport!
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Image: http://cmsracing.com/storage/CMS_2013_Club_Writer/20130321/02.jpg
*Qualifying.*
There has not been a more exciting battle for pole position this far this season, with any one of five cars showing the potential for P1. Drivers Jay Dargert, Todd Alan, Rick Smith, Wayne Fitzgerald and Lenny Trapp all dipped into the 1:01.xx category, but at the end it was Dargert at the top of the heap in the #07 Porsche taking class pole. Keeping Dargert very honest was the Rothmans Porsche driver Todd Alan with a1:01.559 followed ever so closely by the No Fear Porsche pilot Rick Smith with a 1:01.655. Less than half a second covered the top five qualifiers-outstanding competition!
In LMPC it was Troy Dalton taking class pole with a 1:05.910 in the IMSA Performance Matmut Oreca #85. Spot two went to LMPC returnee Dave Slee in the DS Primetime Racing Oreca #38 with Scott Beck in the #49 Applewood Seven car.
GT2-and what would you expect other than the same Maranello versus Stuttgart story of Daron Hume versus Greg Hall? The epic battle carries on, with Hume taking class pole just under three-tenths ahead of the Porsche driver. Getting a very close look-in on this front two was Anthony James with a very competitive 1:09.972. Just over 8/10ths of a second covered the top six in GT2-short tracks do have their positive attributes!
Let’s see how it all panned out for the NA Division at Portland International raceway..
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*Race*
Under sunny skies a grid of 32 cars took the start for the race-which resulted in a very high number of cars per tenth mile of track ratio!!! 13 LMP2 and 15 GT2 cars took the green with some renewed life in LMPC with five entries, and more to come on the horizon as reported from the paint shops of Arturo Pereira..
*ON TO THE RACE!*
The "Gaps” tab on the SLS results tell the whole story-this was a race amongst four drivers in P2. The Porsches of Dargert, Alan and Trapp all held the top spot at some point in the race-Dargert early on for the first quarter of the race, then it was Alan’s turn, the Rothmans driver holding the lead for a handful of laps, then it was Trapp’s turn, who kept P1 in his hands until the midway point when Alan retook it for good. A well fought battle for the Rothmans driver and a well-deserved win. With a steady race from 7th spot on the grid Porsche driver Dale Ballweg was rewarded with 2nd spot –a very nice steady drive on his part. Finishing where he started having experienced a somewhat eventful race was Rick Smith in the NO Fear Racing Porsche making it a podium sweep for the marque.
Image: http://cmsracing.com/storage/CMS_2013_Club_Writer/20130321/03.jpg
In LMPC Dalton domination continued with one noteworthy change to the program-he didn’t lead all the laps, with Dave Slee in the DS Primetime Racing entry leading lap 44 when Dalton took a pitstop. Great to Slee returning to the NA Division LMPC ranks. At the end it was the JMB Racing entry of Dalton in first Slee in second, and final podium spot in LMPC going to Scott Beck in the Applewood Seven Oreca.
Image: http://cmsracing.com/storage/CMS_2013_Club_Writer/20130321/04.jpg
In GT what more can be said about the Hume-Hall feud that has not already been said!! The Ferrari of Hume lead the Porsche of Hall from flag to flag, and while the gap ran as high as nearly seven seconds at one point it was as low as just over a tenth of a second on multiple occasions. Think we’ll see more of this close racing this season? I’ll make that wager!!! Showing continued good form for the final podium spot was Andrew Godlewski in the #45 Flying Lizard Motorsport Porsche.
The next round marks a return to the Southeast for the NA Division as Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham Alabama appears next on the calendar *See you again in less than two weeks!*
Image: http://cmsracing.com/storage/CMS_2013_Club_Writer/20130321/05.jpg
Image: http://cmsracing.com/storage/CMS_2013_Club_Writer/20130321/06.jpg