Topic: First Race of 2025 at Rapid Raceway!

Rapid Raceway held the first race of 2025, and it was a barn burner!

Howie chose a double header race to start off the new year. He used a two race format with the first race for Can Am class cars, the second race was for the Porsche 962 class. Each race consisted of two rounds of four minute heat races. There were awards for first through third place in each race. In the Can Am race Bob Nakamura was clearly in control. His car was very well prepared and was clearly the fastest and best handling car in the field. The rest of us all duked it out behind Bob, and man was it a battle! It was less than ten laps between positions all the way back to seventh. If you finished in the top ten, you had a very good race!

Can Am starting grid.
http://www.naste.org/members/bill/RRJan42025h.jpg

Race results for Can Am:

1.....Bob N-----------------390 laps------------------4.409 fast time.
2.....Bart--------------------372-----------------------4.501
3.....Rico--------------------371-----------------------4.499
4.....Bill---------------------362-----------------------4.575
5.....Mike G-----------------357-----------------------4.641
6.....Al----------------------353------------------------4.672
7.....Tiny--------------------346------------------------4.845
8.....Howie------------------333------------------------4.594
9.....Bill E--------------------315------------------------5.128
10...Doug-------------------314------------------------4.449
11...Jordan------------------276------------------------5.010
12...Hershe------------------215------------------------4.817

The Porsche 962 race was no different as far as the competiveness. However this time Howie was able to stay ahead of Bob for the win. Howie and Bob clearly had the field covered, but form third through seventh it was again very close!

The Porsche 962 starting grid.
http://www.naste.org/members/bill/RRJan42025l.jpg

Porsche 962 results:

1.....Howie-------------------386-------------------------?
2.....Bob N-------------------381------------------------4.451
3.....Bart---------------------369------------------------4.763
4.....Al-----------------------366-------------------------4.847
5.....Mike G-----------------353-------------------------4.492
6.....Jordan------------------352-------------------------4.550
7.....Bill E--------------------349-------------------------4.718
8.....Tiny---------------------318-------------------------5.221
9.....Doug-------------------298-------------------------4.948
10...Hershe-----------------189-------------------------4.979
11...Bill----------------------175-------------------------4.490

I'd like to thank Hoiwe for yet again another fantastic day of racing at Rapid Raceway! As usual the pizza lunch was also very good and much appreciated! I'd also like to commend all of our new racers for some outstanding driving! They all raced very well, and aside from some mechanical issues finished well. The racing at Rapid Raceway has become so good and so close, to win you not only need a really good car, you need to have an exceptional day of driving! Congratulations to all the racers!

Re: First Race of 2025 at Rapid Raceway!

Here are some more photos from the day of racing:

http://www.naste.org/members/bill/RRJan42025a.jpg

http://www.naste.org/members/bill/RRJan42025b.jpg

http://www.naste.org/members/bill/RRJan42025c.jpg

http://www.naste.org/members/bill/RRJan42025d.jpg

http://www.naste.org/members/bill/RRJan42025e.jpg

http://www.naste.org/members/bill/RRJan42025f.jpg

http://www.naste.org/members/bill/RRJan42025g.jpg

3 (edited by reek455 January 6, 2025 12:29 pm)

Re: First Race of 2025 at Rapid Raceway!

Thanks for the excellent write up Bill. It was indeed a fierce and close battle. I was .2 from a tie for 2nd and .2 from 50 lap heats a couple of times. My car certainly has enough battle scars to show for it. Thanks to everyone for a fun day.

Race cars are neither beautiful nor ugly. They become beautiful when they win.

Re: First Race of 2025 at Rapid Raceway!

Rico, you not only had a great car in that number 16 Ferrari, you drove an excellent race! Nice job!