Photos from Watkins Glen

Here's a few photos taken by Ken Bedford.

Watkins Glen Video 2018

Sunday day 4 Watkins Glen

So it's been almost 48 hours since the last qualifying and I'm ready to race.  Starting at the back, because missing the first race Saturday.  I would have been close the back anyway, of the 17(one other F5000 car) cars in the race 14 were 1990 or newer and much faster.  But I knew that coming in.  So at the start of the race, I passed one of the older cars and by then the rest of the pack was gone.  These are timed races so if there are no problems you should get 20 minutes.  One of the cars in the fast pack blew an engine and oiled the track.  So the cleanup started and our race was over in 10 minutes.
This has been a complaint about the September race for a long time.  That at the end of the weekend you end-up with very little track time.  I was told the Saturday race I missed was only 11 minutes long.
I'll post some photos in the in the next couple of days.  Now it's time to get ready for a antique show in two weeks.

Saturday day 3 Watkins Glen

The fuel pump problem was fixed and the car back together long after the race was completed.  It took longer to locate the problem and repair it.  But there's always today.  Race at 2pm.

Francois, my backup driver.

Francois and Ken, our long time F5000 supporters and good friends.

Friday day 2 Watkins Glen

The morning qualifying session went well.  The sessions are 30 minutes. I'm more use to 20 minutes so that was nice.  Adding the water, corrected the water temp gauge issue.  Noticing a small oil leak toward the front of the engine, not to bad but something to keep a eye on.  The afternoon session was a little slower in lap times.  Started to have fuel pressure problem,  the gauge was reading close to 15 psi, should be 5 psi.  So with high pressure, the pump forces gas through the carburetor and starts to flood the engine.  So today I need to pull the full pump and inspect the fuel pressure relief valve.  Our race is at ten o'clock, hope to have the repair done by then.

Thursday day 1 Watkins Glen

The rain forecast ended up being just a occasional springle.  The practice session went ok.  Did have some concerns on the water temperature gauge.  It would read between 200 and 230 degrees back and forth. I did add about a quart of water.  Being a drain the system for the radiator repair I might not have gotten all the air out of the system.  

It was very interesting being out with so many different type of cars.  Today's qualify will be the same group of cars.

Watkins Glen

Arrived around 4pm yesterday.  Hot, very hot.  From Binghamton to Watkins Glen it was 95.  This was a good test for the trucks transmission.  The new trans oil cooler worked fine, no problems.  We have a good parking spot, evening a tree with shade.  The hotel is about 1/2 hour away.
Today we tech the car and have a practice session around 1:30.  Then a trip to Geneva.

Rest stop in New York.

Starting to pack for WG

Still looking at leaving sometime on Wednesday.

Room for more.

100% ready.

Watkins Glen Race Schedule

The race schedule has changed 3 times in the past month.   Thursday we're out at 1:30 with 3 other groups.  Friday it's at 11:30 and 5:00, also with 3 other groups.  Saturday it's 10:05 and Sunday it's 1:55.  Was going to leave early Thursday morning but the weather forecast is not looking good.  So I think it's going to be Wednesday.  That's the plan for now.