We arrived at the track around 4 pm and were able to set up our paddock area and get the XKE thru Tech Inspection. Thursday was test and tune day and would allow me to get seat time as I had never been to the track prior. I’m always intimidated a bit when going to a new track and especially THE MITTY, which attracts the top vintage race cars from all over the USA. Thursday morning brought heavy rains. This turned out okay for me as very few cars went out to practice in the rain. I was able to take my time as I did lap after lap, trying to get the track blueprinted in my mind. The Jag ran well, although it was slippery out there, but we survived the wet conditions. The weather report for the rest of the weekend was for no rain, with temperatures in the seventies.
The Friday scheduled called for two practice sessions and one full blown race, The SASCO International Challenge. I was in Group 3, which had 57 entries, which included 2 XKEs, 17 Porsches, 11 BMWs, 7 Datsuns, 4 Lotus, 4 Miatas, 4 Mustangs, Pontiac TransAms, Triumphs, Mallocks, Diasios, Caterham Sevens, Royales, and Toyotas. The cars in Group 3 covered 12 different classes, with 7 cars in my class. This doesn’t mean much as when you’re out on the track you’re racing against all the cars. As expected, with each new session my times improved. The first session was a bit hairy as I turned in a best lap time of 1:55, averaging 80 mph. In the 2nd session, I improved to 1:54 and was getting more comfortable with the track and the high speeds and lots of traffic. In the International Challenge Race, I improved to 1:53 and finished 26th overall. Road Atlanta is a very technical track and up to now I only had 37 laps on the track. With each lap you find out what works best for you at each apex and turn. In the SASCO International Challenge, Larry Ligas drove his 1962 dual plug XKE and won the race. He is a fabulous guy and a great racer. His best lap time was 1:35 which is a 96 mph average. Larry is quite well known on the racing circuit and is one of the top Jaguar drivers in the country. It is a great pleasure spending time with him and his family and crew at many venues. Bill Terry built Larry’s dual plug engine.
On Saturday, there were two sprint races. The weather was perfect for racing. Terry and Mark had the tires on the left at 18 PSI and the right-side tires at 17 PSI. It’s a process to figure out the correct tire pressure for each track and condition. Overall, you want the tires to go up 4-6 PSI in the race. The track was jammed with fans, with every turn and hill crowed with viewers. In the first Sprint Race, I improved my time to 1:51, averaging 83 mph. In the 2nd Spring Race later in the day, my times were about the same. I did, however, begin downshifting to 2nd at turn 7 and at turn 10a, then shifting to 3rd gear at 7000 rpms. I was beginning to get in harmony with the track.
My only race on Sunday was at 2:45 pm. The morning had started foggy and misty, but my noon the sky was clear. Strong winds had dried out the track and we were ready for the feature race. This race included much nose-to-nose racing, which is exciting. I finished 24th overall and had a best lap time of 1:50. I’m sure with more seat time I could knock off 4 to 6 seconds. This track is a blast, the HSR people are fabulous, and we really enjoyed the weekend. Terry and Mark did a great job in support and we headed back home.
Our next race is June 15th-18th at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It would be great to have JAGSL members at the races, especially Saturday. SVRA, which puts on the race, has a great package for fans. They have a Cars & Caffeine Car Display with an entry fee of $75. You get Two-weekend (Sat & Sun) Tickets, VIP Parking in the infield, and you get to experience driving your car on the Oval ON-TRACK Touring Laps. There is plenty to see with the races, Gasoline Alley, and the fabulous Indy Museum. We will also get together for dinner at a couple of restaurants. You can register at: https://speedtour.net/st/?lib=product&pid=667&cat=11 or just go to SVRA.com/events/2023-indy-speedtour/
See you there, Phil Taxman
