124 replies to this topic

[Cheater]

Someone opined to me the last day or so that the Fall Brawl is essentially the US Retro National Championships, and while that is more of an opinion than an official title, the label is certainly supported by the incredible number of top-level Retro racers who will be here competing over the next four days. The Fall Brawl X is shaping up to being one of the most competitive Retro racers of the year, that's for sure.

Jay Guard drove from his home in Deland, FL, on Monday to my place in Norcross, GA, and we left for Mt. Holly at about 7:15 AM Tuesday morning. Roughly fourteen hours later we pulled into the parking lot of our Super 8 motel in Mt. Laurel, NJ. We grabbed a late meal at the Miller's Ale House one building away and then after a few adult beverages back in the room, we tiredly slipped between the welcoming sheets.

The raceway's doors were already open when we arrived at SpeedZone this morning about 20 minutes before the published 11 AM open time. I won't bother to list the racers who were already in the house, as I'll start posting pics and names tomorrow. But a few of the California crew had arrived Thursday the week before, so they had quite a jump on most of the rest of the racers. During the day, a number of other notable Retro racers came through the doors, too.

It's too early to suggest who might be the racers to beat, but there are some guys lapping very quickly today.

Thursday's racing is:

GTC Coupe at 1:30 PM on the Jersey Devil Flat track,
Can-Am Plus at 4 PM on the King
RetroPro on the King an hour after Can-Am Plus ends.

Should be a great Fall Brawl. More reportage and scurrilous rumors to come tomorrow... stay tuned!

[Cheater]

Well, that was different...

Everyone was either beavering away in their pit spaces or turning laps on the tracks when the power to the building went off about fifteen minutes ago. A few emergency lights powered up and evidently some of the racers are using battery-powered pit lights, so we weren't in total darkness, but it did put a crimp in everyone's activities immediately.

After about ten minutes, power was restored and the trashing resumed.

I can't recall this happening at any other race I've ever attended.

[Tom Eatherly]

Thanks, Greg. Looking forward to your pictures. Will there be live streaming?

[Upfront slot cars]

Can't wait for a box tour if you do one, Greg!

[Cheater]

Tom,

Don't know about the live stream; I'll ask.

Andrew, weren't enough cool boxes on the first day to warrant a tour. Maybe today things will be better that way.

Did see that Howie character flogging on one of your terrific chassis a good part of the day.

[JBProducts]

Looking forward to watching some of the live timing and awesome coverage!! Thanks, Greg!

[Danny Zona]

It's already been a great time testing and conversing with racers.

Fall Brawl is by far my favorite race event I've attended!

[elinsley]

I'll be there Saturday for F1.

[Cheater]

I wrote earlier, "... a few of the California crew had arrived Thursday the week before," and that seemingly was inaccurate. 

The guys who arrived Thursday were Kojak-imitator Tom Hansen, from Washington state, and Howie (I don't think I need to give his last name; he's iconic these days, like Elvis or Sting), from Madison, WI. Most of the Cali guys came in on Saturday.

 

In regards to a live stream, Mic Byrd indicates he's not been successful getting it to work with YouTube Live, which everyone seems to be using now since Ustream started charging a stupid amount to use their platform. I offered to see what I could do with it, thinking if the streaming isn't working now, at the least I couldn't make it any worse. Will try to get something going with that later today, if Mic will give me access to the equipment and the log-ins. Most likely won't be working for the classes today.

​Jay so was so beat after driving almost eight hours to get to my house on Monday and then doing the ironman thing for fourteen hours driving to NJ yesterday, he slept in a bit the morning. He says he's got his Coupe racer in pretty good shape, but I don't believe him. If he doesn't do well, his tune will be that he didn't test and tune on the car enough... LOL! He's so predictable...

Lots of new faces this morning, so I'll start taking some pics and getting some mug shots posted soonest.

[JBProducts]

Love your updates, Greg!!! It really is appreciated.

 

A live stream would be cool if you can get that running for sure! If not, then well, there is always live timing. 

 

I'll be lurking on this thread for the next few days. 

 

Good luck everyone and most importantly have fun!

[Steve Deiters]

Looking forward to ongoing coverage. Is it being streamed anywhere?

[Cheater]

Steve, Steve, Steve... read post #9.

[Steve Deiters]

Greg, Greg, Greg... sorry I missed. It's Slotblog, not two tablets handed down on Mt. Sinai.

[brnursebmt]

LOL!! Good one, Steve!

[Cheater]

It's Slotblog, not two tablets handed down on Mt. Sinai.

Of course not. It's much more important than ancient history everyone knows.

[Cheater]

The first race of the 2019 Fall Brawl is getting underway: GT Coupe on the Jersey Devil Flat track.

 

There are ten entries, so the format will be two five-man mains. Qualifying was by laps and sections in one minute and I haven't been able to get the Q results just yet, but will post them when I get them.

The B Main is starting and I'll have results posted as soon as I can.

[Cheater]

GT Coupe flat track qualifying results:
 
1) Wes Pikunis - 11.01 laps  (best lap of 5.564 secs)
2) Tom Adams - 10.14  (5.773)
3) Howie Ursaner - 10.14  (5.7530
4) Adam Chaya - 10.11  (5.799)
5) Bill Gerhart - 10.09  (5.915)
6) Mike Iles - 10.06  (5.624)
7) Mark Lawshe - 10.05  (6.052)
8) Jay Guard - 10.03  (5.916)
9) Dominic Luongo - 10.03  (5.748)
10) Bill Sutton - 9.07  (6.118)
 
GT Coupe flat track B Main results:
 
1) Mike Iles - 240.01 laps
2) Dominic Luongo - 237
3) Jay Guard - 223.06
4) Mark Lawshe - 218.16
5) Bill Sutton - 211.01
 

 
GTC flat rack B Main racers: L to R, Mike Iles, Bill Sutton, Dom Luongo, Jay Guard, Mark Lawshe.
 
GT Coupe flat track A Main results:
 
1) Wes Pikunis - 243.02 laps
2) Howie Ursaner - 239.01
3) Adam Chaya - 238.14
4) Tom Adams - 237.10
5) Bill Gerhart - 222.12

GT Coupe flat track combined results:

1) Wes Pikunis - 243.02 laps, best lap of 5.551 secs in orange
2) Mike Iles - 240.01, 5.536 in red
3) Howie Ursaner - 239.01, 5.625 in orange
4) Adam Chaya - 238.14, (best lap was a rider)
5) Tom Adams - 237.10, 5.667 in green
6) Dominic Luongo - 237, 5.658 in white
7) Jay Guard - 223.06, 5.804 in green
8) Bill Gerhart - 222.12, 5.869 in orange
9) Mark Lawshe - 218.16, 5.913 in orange
10) Bill Sutton - 211.01, 5.913 in orange

 

 

GT Coupe flat track podium: L to R, Mike Iles, second; Wes Pikunis, first; Howie Ursaner, third.

 

 

 

Howie Ursaner's third place car.

 

 

 

Mike Iles' second place car.

 

 

 

Wes Pikunis' first place car.

[Cheater]

Can-Am Plus on the Gerding G9 King track
 
Seventeen entries were presented at the tech table for the 'tech Nazi' Joe 'Noose' Neumeister's not-so-cursory examination. The race format decided on was a nine-man round-robin B Main and the usual eight-man A Main, with overall results determined by lap totals.
 
Can-Am Plus qualifying results:
 
1) John Gorski - 3.827 secs
2) Keith Libby - 3.831
3) Dom Luongo - 3.850
4) Dale Yamashita - 3.873
5) Jimmy Williams - 3.899
6) Bill Vanderziel - 3.945
7) Matt Bruce - 3.959
8) Dennis Dominey - 3.976
9) Mike Iles - 3.980
10) Jason Holmes - 4.049
11) Joe 'Noose' Neumeister - 4.093
12) John Weaver - 4.142
13) Doug Griffith - 4.150
14) Rejean Leflamme - 4.227
15) Doc Dougherty - 4.292
16) Eddie Dufour - 4.410
17) Vinnie Wisniewski - 4.678

Can-Am Plus concours results:



L to R, Eddie Dufour, second place; Joe Neumeister, first place; Dale Yamashita, third place.
 
Can-Am Plus B Main results:
 
1) Joe 'Noose' Neumeister - 333.3 laps
2) Jason Holmes - 333.1
3) John Weaver - 332.2
4) Mile Iles - 330.3
5) Rejean Laflamme - 324.6
6) Doc Dougherty - 314.2
7) Doug Griffith - 311.4
8) Eddie Dufour - 308.8
9) Vinnie Wisniewski - 255.8
 

 
L to R, Doug Griffith, John Weaver, Rejean Laflamme, Joe Neumeister, Eddie Dufour, Mike Iles, Jason Holmes, Doc Dougherty. Not shown: Vinnie Wisniewski, who was sitting out in this nine-man round-robin.
 
Can-Am Plus A Main results:
 
1) John Gorski - 350.2 laps
2) Keith Libby - 347.4
3) Dom Luongo - 346.2
4) Dale Yamashita - 346.2
5) Matt Bruce - 336.3
6) Bill Vanderziel - 330.8
7) Dennis Dominey - 321
8) Jimmy Williams - 97

 

 

L to R, Jimmy Williams, Dale Yamashita, Dennis Donimey, Bill Vanderziel, Keith Libby, Matt Bruce, John Gorski, Dom Luongo.

Can-Am Plus combined results:

1) John Gorski - 350.2 laps, best lap of 3.864 in orange
2) Keith Libby - 347.4, 3.943 in orange
3) Dom Luongo - 346.2, 3.84 in orange
4) Dale Yamashita - 346.2, 3.914 in orange
5) Matt Bruce - 336.3, 4.039 in orange
6) Joe Neumeister - 333.3, 4.026 in orange
7) Jason Holmes - 333.1, 4.029 in blue
8) John Weaver - 332.3, 4.188 in orange
9) Mike Iles - 330.8, 3.999 in orange
10) Bill Vanderziel - 330.8, 4.001 in orange
11) Rejean Laflamme - 324.6, 4.116 in orange
12) Dennis Dominey - 321, 4.061 in green
13) Doc Dougherty - 314.2, 4.3326 in orange
14) Doug Grifft - 311.4, 4.224 in orange
15) Eddie Dufour - 308.8, 4.184 in orange
16) Vinne Wisniewski - 255.8, 4.482 in orange
17) Jimmy Williams - 97, 4.089 in purple

 

 

L to R, Keith Libby, second; John Gorski, first; Dom Luongo, third.

 

 

Dom Luongo's third place car.

 

 

 

Keith libby's second place car.

 

 

 

John Gorski's first place car.

[Richard G With]

I'm confused as to the rule set being used. I thought the Brawl was IRRA^® rules but the pics show Pro Slot Scorpion motors (not on the IRRA^® motor list any more AFAIK).

[Noose]

The Coupe race on the flat track was not an IRRA^® governed race. It was a “house race” and as such those motors were allowed.

[Richard G With]

Thanks, Noose. I guess that makes sense.

[usadar]

The Gorski Can-Am Plus car has the Kamo-built chassis modified by John.
 
Keith’s car has the original Kamo-built Can-Am Plus chassis.
 
Congratulations, the podium racers!!

[Cheater]

Friday at the Fall Brawl...
 
The RetroPro race scheduled for last night didn't attract a lot of racers and Jay and I were getting pretty zonkered so we bailed and headed back to our hotel in Mt. Laurel after the Can-Am Plus race.
 
​Mic Byrd informed me this morning there were five RetroPro entries, so they decided to run one minute for laps and sections, with a lap subtracted for each de-slot. Like Mic said, "We had plaques for RetroPro to award so needed to do something." I'll post the results for this class when I get them.
 
Today's classes are Stock Car and then GT Coupe with hand-out motors, which Cindy was distributing at the counter when we arrived about fifteen minutes ago. Mic just announced that starting at 9 AM, only Stock Cars will be allowed on the track, which shouldn't inconvenience the Coupe racers as they need to break-in the motors anyway.

Lots of fresh faces in the building this morning and a lot fewer pit spaces are now available, although we're not at capacity just yet. There's no doubt the the entry numbers for today's two classes will exceed what we saw yesterday.

[John Streisguth]

Greg, thanks for doing the reporting on the activities. Sounds like it's shaping up to be a heck of a weekend.

[Cheater]

The abbreviated RetroPro 'race' results:

 

1) Matt Bruce - 17.6 laps

2) Doc Dougherty - 16.1

3) John Gorski - 14.7

4) Mike Iles - 13.8

5) Wes Pikunis - 2

 

 

L to R, Doc Dougherty, Matt Bruce, John Gorski.

 

 

Matt's first place car.

 

 

Doc's second place car.

 

 

John's third place car.

(Thanks to Robert Geibel for taking the pics in my absence.)