2014 Drive Against Prostate Cancer: Day Seven Wrap Up

Friday, May 10, 2013

Day Seven Wrap Up

Pittsburg International Race Complex is in our rear view mirrors and a fading memory. We had a another good day at this track as we did nothing to hurt us. We brought the car out of the serious competition events shiny side up and undented. I ran the afternoon in dry track conditions and finished 22nd fastest. With the effort we maintained our 17th over all position in the standings and we locked up third in the luxury sedan class. That is a one, two, three finish for the BMW marque in luxury sedan in the 2013 Tire Rack One Lap of America. Where's our check BMW NA?

After leaving the track a large group of us headed to Fat Head Brewery in North Omsted, OH. If you ever find yourself in the area and want a great selection of hand crafted beers and some good food, stop by. The atmosphere is also fun and the wait staff attentive. Thanks Dick Clark and Woody Hair for finding a wonderful spot to sit and rest for an hour before continuing on to South Bend.

Currently, we are 50 miles from South Bend - we can smell the barn from here. The weather has turned decidedly cold and nasty. It's 49 degrees according to the car temp gauge and misting! It could be a nasty day on what is supposed to be the final event - dry skid pad. Just in case you are wondering, rain or shine, we run the skid pad. May be Robert can place better than 45th this time - jeez Bobby G....really, 45th is the best you could do a week ago? May be we should go by the Tire Rack tonight and get some practice in - ROBERT?!

We are both excited to have clawed our way back to a top 20 finish over all which was a goal. Finishing third in class frankly was a surprise as we thought we'd be duking it out for 4th. We beat Woody and Neil in the over all - check. The car is fine - check. We had a ton of fun and too many laughs to count between ourselves and our One Lap friends. In every way a fantastic adventure.

More tomorrow as we are both very tired and I have caught some nasty cold with a wicked cough. Some drugs may be in order this evening while watching the CAPS game.

From left to right - Woody Hair, Robert Grace, & Ben Schaut

No comments:

Post a Comment

2014 Corporate Donors/Sponsors

THE 2014 TIRE RACK CANNONBALL ONE LAP OF AMERICA ROUTE/SCHEDULE

Ten Days - 4,550 Miles
May 1 - Drive to South Bend, IN (days drive 650 miles)
May 2 - One Lap Registration & Tech, South Bend, IN (days drive 0 miles)
May 3 - Wet Skid Pad Event, Tire Rack HQ's, South Bend, IN
May 3 (cont.) - Grissom Air Force Base, Peru, IN [autocross]
May 3 (cont.) - Sticker Stop at Corvette Museum, Bowling Green, KY
May 3 (cont.) - Bowling Green, KY to Memphis, TN (days drive 641 miles)
May 4 - Memphis International Raceway [time trial events]
May 4 (cont.) - Memphis International Raceway [bracket drag races], Memphis, TN to New Orleans, LA (days drive 406 miles)
May 5 - NOLA Motorsports Park [time trial events], New Orleans, LA
May 5 (cont.) - Mobile Raceway [time trial events], Mobile, AL
May 5 (cont.) - Sticker Stop USS Alabama, Mobile, AL
May 5 (cont.) - Mobile, AL to Dawsonville, GA (days drive 555 miles)
May 6 - Atlanta Motorsports Park [time trial events]
May 8 - Carolina Motorsports Park [time trial events], Kershaw, SC
May 8 (cont.) - BMW Performance Center [time trial event], Greer, SC to Alton, VA (days drive 388 miles)
May 9 - Virginia International Raceway [time trial events], Alton, VA to Wampum, PA (days drive 455 miles)
May 10 - Pittsburg International Race Complex [time trial events] Wampum, PA to South Bend, IN (days drive 343)
May 11 - Dry Skid Pad, Tire Rack HQ's, South Bend, IN to Arlington, VA (days drive 613 miles)
May 12 - REST and HOME, Arlington, VA

ABOUT THE DRIVERS

ROBIN SPARROW:

Robin Sparrow is a Director of Project Management Services in Studley's Suburban Washington office. Last year Robin and his co-driver, Robert Grace, finished the 2013 OLOA in the top 20 overall and third in class - thanks Robert!!! Robin also joined the racing ranks in 2012 by competing in the NASA Series Spec 3 for BMWs. Stay tuned to Robin's Blog as he travels the country again raising money for ZERO - The End of Prostate Cancer during the 2014 Tire Rack One Lap of America / Drive Against Prostate Cancer!

WOODY HAIR:

Old fart, hot shoe use to be, generally all around good egg. Woody hails from Arlington, Virginia - his life long home. Woody is the former HPDE Champion of North America. He has also won numerous SCCA, NASA, and BMW National Capitol Chapter autocross events. This is Woody's 12th One Lap of America.