It was a fun time at Mid-Ohio, and here's my experience…

It all started after I paid for my overnight ticket at the gate, and drove the wrong way to the campsite. Instead of turning left, I went straight and eventually over the turn one bridge and into the track. After touring the infield (that was my excuse), razor called me and guided me back to the right spot, where I met him and his brother stretch, and stretch's wife Tracy. That's when I found out about Wayne Taylor's big fire, and the work that was going on in the paddock at that moment. After a few instructions about camping I a tent (it was my first time), it was off to bed. I got in after 10pm…

After being woke up by the rain, then creating a puddle in my side of the tent due to my camping inexperience, I got up to go get my credentials. Back when I was at Hoseheads Sprint Car Photos and News, I had to really fight to get credentials, and usually the track office people didn't treat you very nice for getting something for free. However, this was easy and the woman at the credential window was very nice and helpful. That was the start of a good impression for me.

After a Chewy Chips Ahoy power breakfast, it was off to the paddock. One of the first people we ran into was FCYTravis, a.k.a. the PR guy for the Gainsco/Blackhawk crew. That's when I saw the spinners for the first time!! After talking to the pole winner's PR guy (he was pumped, for sure…), we strolled around the top of the garages. There's an observation deck above the garages where you can see the crews hard at work. You can get some cool perspectives from their, as J.D. has shown in the past. Look for my pictures from their soon. Speaking of J.D., we ran into him up there, too, as well as the next destination.

As we rounded a corner in the paddock, we noticed one of the TRG GTO's up on the Chassis Dyno. We got to hear the big beefy V8 go through the gears and try to launch itself off of the flatbed trailer. It was way cool! The Pontiac powerplant has an excellent sound to it. As we were walking away from that, stretch ran into Andy Lally. stretch had met his parents at Watkins Glen, and wanted to meet him. I joined in towards the end, and Andy said that he saw the new shirts on the website and that he reads the CogZone. Ask razor or stretch how geeked I was about that…we get a bunch of hits everyday, but to hear a driver reads the board is pretty cool.

We went to check to see if our own jjvincent was at his post in the Matt Connelly Motorsports (MCM) pits (the ST team that will be a GT team next year), and he was either in the bathroom or still sleeping, one of the two. Just kidding…sort of, I'm guessing he was in the little cowboy's room. HA!

Since it was getting close to time for the first Grand Am Cup practice, we started heading over to the Madness area, but we had to stop when we saw the TRG Pontiac Riley on the Chassis Dyno. We HAD to stop and see/hear that! I wish I had a sound recorder, as it was sweet. I'll admit that the GTO sounded better, but the Pontiac Riley was cool. It was then time to get into position for the first Grand Am Cup practice…and my first experience of watching cars circulate around the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

Grand Am did a smart thing and split the practice up between the two classes so teams would get quality, useful testing instead of avoiding each other the whole time. We slowly worked our way across the top of Madness, taking in the cup cars. If you haven't heard the sound of the Mini, you need to. It has a distinct yet indescribable shriek to it.

Going down the hill from turn 6 we ran into Mark Windecker (mwphoto). After getting our pictures taken and talking about racing and how screwed up hockey is right now, it was off to the other end of the track for Rolex Series practice. After watching the cars go over the hump and into Thunder Valley, we trekked over to the Carousel to finish the tour of the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. We crossed the bridge over Thunder Valley, and let's just say that you haven't truly lived until you had a Ferrari charge underneath you at full song! You want to talk about a beautiful sounding car…WOW. Especially that close. Double WOW!

After watching the cars dive into the Carousel, and watching Price Cobb get busted by the bicycle police for having his bike up on a spectator mound, it was time to head back to the paddock to see what was going on over there. Just as we walked it, mwphoto was taking our picture again. He must hate his camera, as he was risking breaking it by taking so many photos of the blue crew! After chatting some more, we went our separate ways, I was going strolling in the paddock. With razor in tow, we ran into Dave Klym of FABCAR, talking about the new website I designed for him, about the new parts and pieces on the FABCAR's this weekend, and stuff about the new Pontiac FABCAR. He stopped and checked to make sure Mae Van Wijk was okay after her testing shunt earlier in the week, then we were on our way. Dave is a great guy to talk to if you get a chance.

It was then about lunch time, so we headed out, stopping back by the MCM pits. They were changing an engine on the #39 BMW due to a blown head gasket, so we didn't bug jjvincent. We didn't want a wrench thrown at us so we didn't bug him. Him and Matt were working hard to get the car ready for qualifying, as they skipped the final Saturday practice session.

Then we went back for lunch, and it started raining. I was going to take pictures of J.D. running laps in one of the school Acura's, but I didn't want to get my camera yet. I don't know why…it would be an excuse to get a digital! More on that some other time.

After the rain eased up, we watched some support series racing then headed to the paddock again, where I finally got to meet the infamous jjvincent! He's a great guy…and I'm pumped that he and Matt are going GT racing next year. Then we wondered over to meet Sabre01, also known as Ron Ogletree from Sabre Innovations, makers of the RX8 GT car and the Stevenson Corvette. They have been improving the Vette, and it moved forward well in the race. CharlieT and mwphoto joined the conversation for a while, too, so the paddock was crawling with Cogs!

Then it was time for the Rolex Series drivers meeting, more on that later, too. Then it was time to play reporter and go up to the media center by FYCTravis and The Internet Voice of Grand American Road Racing, Mike Paz. Mike showed me his setup for the webcast, and let me listen to his interview with Wayne Taylor and Max Angelli. Thanks Mike! He has a blog about that now, too.

Then, it was time for the race. I wondered over towards the stands in the braking zone of turn 5, and saw exactly where razor and stretch were sitting from the turn 1 bridge…that's how noticeable the new shirts are! FYCTravis and Kartracer Ted said they could see the 3 of us from the media center…which was a LONG way away! There's rumors you can see the new shirts from space…but at least if you buy one, you'll be look'n good!

Well, the race will be covered in a separate report (if I ever get to that…it's been one of those weeks!), so it's onto the after-race festivities. After the race it was time for a BBQ in the CogCompound at Mid-Ohio. Oh, and if I have my say, there will be a CogCompound at every GA race at Mid-Ohio from now on!

After I got the potatoes and corn on, and razor and stretch cooked up dogs and burgers, CharlieT and Kartracer Ted drove up, followed by Cog newbie "The Happy Track Fan" with wife and daughter in tow. The story behind that name: They used to call his home track of Mosport "The Happy Track." Weird…lol! After some eating and discussing what we all saw in the race, it was time to make crack's about our "favorite" message board posters (read sarcastically), and make cracks about the ridiculous mods made to some of the tuner cars. Ted had to get out his camera for pictures, because words do not do justice to a Hyundai with "Lamborghini" doors, a Honda with a fake Turbo leading to now where, a strange looking pimped out mid-90's Stratus, and making fun of the Scion Xb's, also known as "mini-hearses" or "toasters." It was great to get to meet the people behind the names!

When we finally got CharlieT and Ted to stop telling Danica stories and get back to their hotel, it was time for bed. The next thing I knew, the sound of F2000s were ringing through the tent! What a way to wake up! I figured it was either the cars, or the burgers didn't sit well with razor. Luckily it was the sooner rather than the latter!

That morning was dedicated to 2 things, packing up and the F2000 race. Not much to tell there. After lunch we headed over to Madness to watch the Grand Am Cup race, and setup on top of the hill above turn 5, then I went down to the corner to shoot the beginning of the race. stretch had given me his scanner for both days (THANK YOU!!!) to listen to the SPEED crew, which is something I highly recommend, as they keep talking during commercial breaks. That's when Brian, Dorsey, Calvin, and Chris are hilarious! Well, they were even looser for the Cup race. Here's the story…

During the first commercial break, they asked anyone listening to them on a scanner in Stands 1 to wave, to according to them, nobody did. Then they asked anyone on the hill to wave, and razor was the only one waving, so they asked him to do the hokey-pokey. razor obliged, which was not a pretty sight (sorry big guy…). The boys at SPEED got a great kick out of that, and asked him to give the woman next to him (stretch's wife) the headphones. After they played with her a bit (playing twilight zone music and all), it was time to go back from commercial.

A few more times they came back to us on the hill (yes, if you were hearing the SPEED broadcast on the scanner, razor and I were the guys on the hill they kept talking to!). They asked us if they could hear their producer, Kimberly, and tried to warn us about a smoking Porsche (but they were late).

Then stretch got a BRILLIANT idea. He grabbed a pizza box and pulled a Sharpie out of his camera bag, making a sign for the site. We were going to flash it whenever they started talking to us under commercial break again…but little did they know that they weren't going back to us on commercial…but leading to into one! Luckily razor caught the camera in turn five pointing our direction, and got the sign up with much laughter from the SPEED boys. So, razor and I are going to be on the SPEED telecast! We're going to be famous!! Well, not really, but I can dream, right?

After the race it was time to head home and reflect on a wonderful weekend. I've going to thousands of races in my life, but had about the best time ever this weekend. I will be back, and I will probably bring the family for a fun camping trip next year!

Why did I go through my whole weekend? I wanted to show what an experience it is to go to a Grand American weekend at a road course near you, especially as a member of our board. It was so much fun. I can't thank razor, stretch, and Tracy for the great hospitality, and them and everyone else for a great time!

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