I love CCPS

[cornerwkr]

I am a new corner worker and I have to say out of all the races I have flagged at VIR, the CCPS is the finest serious of racing I have ever seen. I simply can't wait for the next race, you guys are awesome. I flagged the October race and the race among the IT7 guys was the most incredible finish I have seen in my life! All the way through hogpen to the checker. Just who were those guys? The winning car was white and the other was white with a red front end. I gotta meet those drivers. What are they doing that the others aren't?

[nutdriverrighty]

If the white care with the red nose had "Skipping My Medications" across the top of the windshield, that was Blair "Pepe" Stitt. Not only a good driver, but a hilarious person.

Scott Franklin
CCR BoD
SWC of the CCR Road Racing Liaison
ITA/7
SPU
F&C

[e3]

White Care? O... I get it, it's Pepe. haha He does need some "white" care!
Seriously, "cornerwkr", welcome to the new forum. Glad your here! Are you going to make it to March Memories?
I will be glad to answer any questions you might have about CCPS. Just ask. Also, thanks for cornerworking with us.
Estus

[cornerwkr]

Thank you for identifying the red and white car, is it possible that the car "pepe" was racing is the white number 4 of Gary Gentry? Just curious. I plan on flagging for the March race. What day is the CCPS race?

[e3]

Feb 23, 2009 13:38:36 GMT -5 cornerwkr said:

Thank you for identifying the red and white car, is it possible that the car "pepe" was racing is the white number 4 of Gary Gentry? Just curious. I plan on flagging for the March race. What day is the CCPS race?

Gary's is mostly white with some blue. Pepe's is mosty red and white. CCPS run all on Sunday. Come look us up under the big CCPS banner some where in the padock area.

Estus

[itracer]

Feb 23, 2009 13:38:36 GMT -5 cornerwkr said:

Thank you for identifying the red and white car, is it possible that the car "pepe" was racing is the white number 4 of Gary Gentry? Just curious. I plan on flagging for the March race. What day is the CCPS race?

Hey Cornerwkr,

Welcome to the CCPS forum......we are glad to have you. And, we are so glad to have you working events. We know that workers are volunteers and without people such as yourself, well, none of it could happen at all. You are appreciated by the drivers and we Thank You!

As for the white IT7 car other than Blair or myself, it may well have been Paul Perez in a white/red car....both of them are great guys and are a hoot to race with. I have been racing for only two full years now and those two have a rather (to me) annoying habit of peering at me through their rear views....we'll see if we can reverse that trend or, at least, look bigger to them for longer this year.

By all means come over and say "Howdy" to us.....we'll certainly offer you a beverage of your choice. We usually park fairly close together at what we informally call IT7 corner...off to the left at the end of the parking rows as you head up toward and near the grid. It'll be good to meet you!

Now if I can just get that damn air dam fixed and painted this weekend......the ground off drivers right in T14 is rough......I don't recommend any off-pavement excursions at that particular location!

Cheers.

[cornerwkr]

Thanks Gary, I was really trying to figure out who won that race. I really thought it was you. I saw some car with the Perez name on it, but there was a name before that. I thought it was a financial company or something like a sponsor. It seems to me that car was turning really fast times, then I realized there was more than one car out there and they looked the same other than the number was different. Is the Perez guy the one who won that race?

[itracer]

Based on your description, I am now mostly certain that you are thinking of Paul Perez driving the Garmon-Perez car......Bob Garmon is his "partner in crime"; you never know what Bob might drive...IT7, EP, some other class in a Miata....? They often field multiple entries. The driver of the other car on the track at that VIR event was likely Scott Gallimore.

In looking back to the CCPS web-site, it appears that the results for 2008 are no longer there...What about that Estus?

Chairs.

[nutdriverrighty]

The word before "Perez" is "Garmon". Not sure what it means, but that's what it says.

Scott Franklin
ITA/7
SPU
F&C
CCR BoD
SWC of CCR Road Racing Liaison

[cornerwkr]

Thanks for all your input, I appreciate feeling involved with the sport. I quit watching NASCAR because of the intense level of sportsmanship that I have witnessed. Now that I know who a few of you are, I was just wondering, do you all get along? Are their any rivalries? I would love to know who is after who, after all everyone wants to win don't they?

[e3]

Everyone involved in SCCA that I know are great friends in the paddock and would give you the shirt off of their backs, but become fierce competitiors when the green flag drops. This is even true in SCCA autocross. Years ago when our son ran Formula Jr. kart, he popped a motor. The leader gave us his spare to use. Ess beat him on the last run with his motor. He and his Dad were about as happy as we were. This is one of the reasons that I like SCCA.

[itracer]

Here's another, of but only one of almost too many to reiterate, example of how willing the IT7 guys (and mony others as well) are to help out a fellow competitor.

We were at CMP 2 years ago at about the mid-point in my rookie year, and I had some clutch/transmission issues. I either had to change the whole shootin' match or go home. The transmission was pullled. It got dark, the car was not back together, it was getting on toward 10:00 PM, and I had a tired, cold, hungry grumpy wife (do not read anything into this...my wife will grab a floor jack, put the car on stands, and change tires without being asked...I know how lucky I am!) who had been promised Mexican fare and a strwaberry margurita. So, we left and told everyone that we would be back as early in the morning as we could.

The next morning, right at daybreak, we drove through the gate and up to our paddock. My wife, peering through the windshield,asked "Where is your transmission?". I grumbled something about it being under the car ready to be lifted up into place. She said "No it isn't". I said "Yes, it is!". She said "No, it isn't". And it wasn't.

Three of those guys that I race with/against, beginning sometime around midnight on that cold Saturday night, got together and completely installed the transmission into my car! There was a duct tape sticky on the windshield of the race car onto which had been written, in black majic marker, "Good Luck!" and it was signed "The Transmission Fairies" with three acompanying smiley faces. I still have that piece of duct tape displayed on my trailer door.

There are many, many other such stories that I could share.....I could name names to give credit, but I would have to tell all the stories to do that. Those involved in this particular related instance know who they are and I have thanked them repeatedly.

On the track, its a race.....sometimes mistakes are made but I personally know of no instance where there was any viscious or intentional foul play...hard racing, yes. But I can't think of a better overall group of guys to race against/with than the IT7 group up here in the NC region and the northern part of the SE division.

But....SSShhhh, don't tell any of em I said so.....I don't want em' thinkin I'm goin' soft on em........ cause we're goin racin' next weekend at VIR.......!

[itracer]

Hey Scott F.

I just wanna know how you get all that Karma goin' on?

[e3]

I don't know how he got all that Karma either, but I apparently gave him one more trying to figure it out! Enjoy, Scott. As soon as I find out how I gave you one, I'll give you another!
E

[e3]

So, have you been back to the track?

[nutdriverrighty]

I would love to say something eloquent or thought-provoking, but I honestly don't know.
I guess that I post like I drive. When I blow it, I apologize. When I'm obviously slower, I let the faster car pass without contest, I always try to look out for the good of the group, and I try to lend a helping hand. (Wow, what a load of crap THAT is!!)

Thanks for the extra Karma. Goodness knows that when my judgment day comes, I'm going to need all of the help I can get!!

[nutdriverrighty]

In regard to the previous post about the IT7 folks, I have to echo that sentiment. When the NutDrivers had brake problems, Ricky Thompson was the first to lend advice and offer parts. When we had problems trackside, Tom Lytle came and offered advice, tools, and parts. When we needed a mechanic to make sure that the car would make it through the double school at Roebling, Sam Henderson provided the service, hauled the car, and let us sleep in his rig. Kurt Jackson (aka Alex) has rebuilt our engine. Pepe Stitt has kept me in stitches at every event I've seen him at. The list goes on-and-on. If I forgot to include you, I apologize. It certainly wasn't intentional.

[nutdriverrighty]

Oh, and Estus is a pretty decent guy, too.