The March race weekend of the 20th-21st was also the beginning of spring and with it came sunshine, hillsides turning green and more racers coming out of their winter break.   NorCal welcomes their newest member Steve Lewis, a relocated 944 racer from back East and visiting Sean Thul from the Rocky Mountain region.

Ten 944-Spec cars and drivers came out to play at Infineon and most were rewarded with personal best laptimes.   Rick Lofgren did a amazing 1:56:860 during qualifying so you figure the 944-Spec track record for Infineon was going to fall.  Saturdays race was at 5:30pm and everyone was cleaning their windshields to minimize the glare from the setting sun going up the hill to Turn 2.  The race start was clean and everyone was packed in tight going thru 2.  Rick took the lead and was on his quest for the track record when a couple of laps in two 911's got tangled up in Turn 11 which resulted in a full course yellow.  When the full course yellow was dropped there was still a local yellow in Turn 11 and only one clean line thru the all debris in Turn 11.

Jerry and Greg got by Sean and was chasing Sid.  Jerry and Greg were going at it and were nose to tail and often side by side even into the esse with Sean right behind but nowhere to pass.  Jerry and Greg's battle allowed Rick and Sid to open up a little more of a gap.

Steve managed to get by Dan

Saturday's race had Rick finishing 1st with Sid just 0.806 seconds behind.  Greg started 5th and had car handling issues but managed to finish 3rd with Jerry and Sean rounding out the Top 5.

Sunday

Sunday's race started at 1:00PM which offset the late 5:30PM race on Saturday.  Ivan got pulled in the morning to perform emergency eye surgery even though he wasn't the doctor on call and missed both the warm up and qualifying.  On his rush to get to the track for the race, Ivan forgot his race suit.  It was fortunate Sean had a spare race suit to lend him.   Sunday was a lot cooler and mainly overcast but the clouds parted and the sun came thru just before the race.

Steve Lewis made big strides from Saturday's race and qualified 2nd.   We had our usual split start with our 944-Spec class getting a separate green flag.   On green everyone charged thru Turn 1 and up the hill towards Turn 2.  Ivan got a jump on me on Saturday's start and gave me half a car width on Turn 2's apex, he was trying the same thing on me Sunday but seen that move already and I got to Turn 2's apex first and stuff my car there and took away his line.  This took away his car's momentum and by Turn 3 Ivan was about five car length's behind and I'm right behind Dan.  Just after Turn 10 there was a full course yellow again.  A 911 hit the wall tracking out of Turn 11.  We were under a full course yellow for three laps while the emergency crews cleaned up and tow the car off.  Lap 5 we were on green again.

The battle up front had Rick, Steve and Sid going at it.  Greg was still plagued with mid corner oversteer and trying his best to stay on track.  A 911 was separated from his class during the full course yellow incident and was caught between Jerry and Dan and in our class battle.  The 911 driver realize this and Dan, myself and Ivan got by him on Turn 4 as he stayed left.  On lap 7 I took the inside line going into Turn 11 trying to hold off Ivan but that made it a very tight turning radius going around 11.  Ivan got a better exit speed coming out of Turn 11 by staying wide and we were drag racing down the front straight.  He was able to get to Turn 1 first by less than half a car length but we were still side to side, as we both went up the hill towards Turn 2 Ivan was trying to make the pass stick but went in too hot and spun off exiting Turn 2.   With Ivan behind me I was now trying to close the distance to Dan but couldn't with two laps left.

Rick took home another 1st and a new 944-Spec track record for Infineon with a 1:57.844.

Steve Lewis did a phenomenal job of taking 2nd on his second day at Infineon and will be a great addition to NorCal.

Congrats to Sid on 3rd and a great battle with Steve.  Sid did his personal best with sub two minute laps for both Saturday and Sunday.

Great job Sean Thul for moving up a position from Saturday and  taking 4th!

Greg round out the Top 5, twitchy car and all!

Welcome Cameron Lloyd who will be joining our race group next month.

Wrap Up

It was so good to see everyone again for the start of a new racing season.  February was NASA NorCal's season opener but February has more rainy than dry days and it's hard to get folks excited including myself when you look outside and it's all wet.   This March race was more typical of sunny NorCal and April should be better still as more racers come out of their winter break.

It was good to finally meet Steve Lewis and his lovely family and we welcome them to NorCal.

It was good meeting Sean and Eric and I can't wait to read Sean Thul's excellent adventure.  Sean and his friend Eric did a road trip which includes racing with three regions Arizona, SoCal and NorCal and five tracks: Phoenix International Raceway, Auto Club Speedway (the renamed California Speedway), Willow Springs, Laguna Seca and Infineon.  Sean headed back home after Infineon and with plenty of time to attend his home Rocky Mountain region season opener in April.

Thanks for racing us and "Way to go Sean" !!!!!  

 Sunday's Podium

Prize distribution:

Rick $300 Toyo's and $100 Hawks
Sid $175 Toyo's and $25 Hawks
Steve L. $100 Toyo's and $25 Hawks
Greg $100 Toyo's
Sean $75 Toyo's
Jerry $50 Toyo's 

Congratulations everyone and see you next month.