G-Fab Goes to Texas

G-Fab went to its first-ever Formula 1 race last month. We headed to Austin, TX for the inaugural race at the Circuit of the Americas, and it was one of the best vacations we could have taken together.

Peej, Pie, Justin, Dave, Rachel, Eric, and Tim

The first time I heard the cars, I giggled uncontrollably. The first time I heard them at full throttle on the straight, I was grinning so hard I couldn't even speak. It was one of the greatest noises ever - sexy, raw, and LOUD. Anyone who says only boys get turned on by the sound of a Formula 1 car is wrong. (I'm looking at YOU, certain Jalopnik contributor).

We sat at T11, which gave us a pretty good view of the run down the hill and the whole hairpin, into some of the DRS zone. After walking around, we think next year we'll try for somewhere around T9, but if I have my way (and my fantasies come true), I'll have paddock access :-D

www.fluxauto.com

The track is mid to lower speeds most of the time, so Fernando and Felipe barely stood a chance. The downforce issues have been terrible all year, so I wasn't hoping for too much. Though, it would have been nice, considering the CW wasn't there.

One of the super odd things was that there were 209561057205620852605 porta-potties, but only 30 food and merchandise vendors. We waited in line practically forever to do everything but pee. The food was decent, but expensive. Though after waiting in line for an hour, you'll eat nearly anything. Everything we wanted to buy sold out by qualifying, which was not really good foresight on their part, but also poor judgement on our part. I wanted a blue Ferrari hat, and a Force India shirt (this was my fault though, since they had SFI stuff - just not in my size), and PJ wanted a McLaren jacket and lanyard. And alas, they were sold out of everything. Note to self: Buy everything you want on day 1, during FP1. 

During FP 1, 2, and 3, we walked around and were able to get some really great shots of the cars. It was nice to have actual seats for qualifying and the race though, since there were over 270,000 people there in 3 days (and because yours truly is very short, which does not bode well for GA). We will definitely be getting grandstand seats again.

Lewis Hamilton

My other favorite driver, Nico Hülkenberg, who will be moving to Sauber next year. This is a good thing for me, since I cannot find a Force India women's shirt in my size. 

Oh hai, Fernando!

Each night, we went to the downtown FanFest area. There, we tried our hands at pitstops, simulators, and RC racing. The RC cars were kind of awkward, but PJ was able to win, so I think I need more practice.

They might need a little more practice before they are hired. 

Chair alone: $30,000

I was absolutely terrible at this. It was really fun though. I just need more practice. 

While downtown, we also ran into a few old friends. Janna lives in Austin, and Chris lives in Hawaii, so it was nice to be able to meet up with them and hang out. Janna got to do data entry in race control for the event, which is such a great thing. We miss them a lot, and I hope we get to visit them on their own turf too :)

Dave, Janna, Eric, Pie, Chris, Justin, Peej, Tim

Peej and I got up close and personal in the Ferrari garage. This was by far the highlight of the race (aside from Lewis being able to pass Sebastian and win - I might have cried if Seb had pole and won). I brushed up on my Spanish and got in touch with someone from Santander, and we had been corresponding all season. As part of their "Mas Mujeres en F1" initiative, I was able to get a pit pass, and he told PJ (in a Ferrari shirt) that it was his lucky day, and he was handed one as well.

Marussia Tires. People think autocrossers have a problem. They haven't seen anything yet. 

Busy inside the Ferrari garage. Just beyond the car is Fernando's chair - you can kind of see it under the wing. I want that chair for my living room.

Pit stop practice at Lotus.  Kimi Räikkönen nearly knocked us over trying to get into the paddock area on the other side of the garage, and then couldn't pull the doors open. It was kind of awesome. PS - he is really short.

McLaren, just next door to Ferrari. I did see the back of Jenson Button's head for a second.

One of the best days we've ever spent together. 

All in all, it was an amazing vacation filled with incredible memories. What started out as an impulsive and whiny want turned into an experience that only people who have gone to these races really understand. I can't wait to go back next year.

Still Needs a Name

Newman, you are slacking.

Newman Has Landed

Newman has been invited to contribute to this blog.

Hang on to your hats, folks.

Summer Camp Is Over :(

Another Nationals in the books. Cones were hit and avoided, cars were broken and fixed, friendships were made and questioned, and trophies were won and lost. It was another best 10 days of the year, and I'm sad to leave Nebraska.

The drive out was as uneventful as we could imagine. Grand Potato and the Fleet of Ships encountered Big Bear, King Kong, and an unfortunate bystander in the form of Chris Dressler, while stopping in Ohio. No one was left behind. We had only one tire puncture (on the truck), while we were pulling into a gas station, and the spare tire was not as dry rotted and terrible as we thought, so we were able to make it to Nebraska without further incident.

My first Pro Finale might as well have been called "How to move up in Session 2, and totally blow it in Session 3." I started in 8th, moved to 7th after the first session, and ended up in 6th by the end of Day 1. However, that's where the rest of the event went to hell, because I was back in 8th by the end of Session 3. Despite this, I was held for the challenge rounds (my first time!) and  even though I didn't get in, it was nice to see my name above that orange highlighter line.

I didn't feel like I drove as well as I could have, and that the push and general weird feeling from the car was just because of the surface. As it would turn out, the lower control arm bushings separated, which explains the massive push and why the car felt more difficult to control. It was fine at the last Devens event, and on the drive out, so I'm guessing the 24 runs on the grippy concrete knocked them out. Not that these are excuses, because G-Fab doesn't make excuses. G-Fab is awesome, or we suck, and for the Pro Finale, I chose the latter.

At least the banquet was fun. There were lots of boobs. I think we got in trouble for laughing so much (or so loudly). I love these girls. We make it like the girl's locker room, but better. Eat your heart out, gentlemen.

"Suck" for the Pro Finale is ok, as long as you pick "Awesome" for Nationals. Somehow, I managed to find the secret third option: awesomely sucking. When you only get three runs, you're allowed two fuck ups, and my first run fuck up was that Nate, James, and I did not check the shock settings when we reinstalled them. I came back from my first run, with tons of cones, and told PJ that I couldn't control the car - when I turned one way, the car was hopping, and turning the other way resulted in massive push. He, like the logical creature he is, checked and found that one side was set to full soft, and the other was set to full stiff. Note to self - check next time.

Run 2 was positively perfect.  Good lines, good speed, good acceleration and braking points. No really. It was about as perfect as I could have done it - aside from one tiiiiiiny error. I based a cone, and if the wind had been blowing the other way, it would have stayed up, but alas. The 0.4 second lead was eliminated by that silly cone. Mother eff.

Run 3 started ok, but halfway through, the car started to not do so well again. I tried to be more aggressive, but by the end of the run, I ended up with 4 cones and the car pushing like a mother in labor. At some point, the bushing popped out and that's what was causing the car to handle poorly. I suppose this is fuck up #2, but at that point, I didn't care. I was solidly in 5th, which is actually the same as I have finished at every Nationals. I suppose I should not be surprised.

During open class competition, the engine oil starved and you could hear the rod knock from 100 yards away. Yep, another blown Nissan engine. Sigh. Lots of drama ensued. I'll spare you, mostly because it makes me sick to my stomach to even think of it anymore.

I was able to get into another car - Kate Mewhiney from DC Region offered a codrive in her 2011 WRX, and at the eleventh hour I took her up on it - Thanks Kate (and Paul)! You guys are lifesavers, and you don't know how much I appreciate the offer, especially at such an important event.

Photo courtesy of Paul Przyborski

I have never driven a Subaru further than two miles to get beer. My first run was tentative but smooth, and despite (more) cones I was able to lay down a time that would have been fast enough to at least trophy. Unfortunately, I didn't drive around the ridiculous understeery push that is synonymous with Subaru, and managed to lose it just before the end of my third (and really awesome) run...and so I would stay in fifth. Hey, when you have a streak, you should probably not break it, right?

I was also overwhelmed by the amount of support from people I only see two or three times a year. They were concerned how I was going to get the Grand Potato, and myself, home, they were making sure I had a drive for Day 2, they gave me a sounding board, and some just gave me a hug (because I needed LOTS of them after everything that happened). Thank you very much to all my friends for being so wonderful. 

As it would turn out, Thursday and Friday would be the two best days of Nationals. I was able to watch all my friends run, got a surprise golf cart and broke every rule on the warning label, had a squirt gun fight, got drunk at noon, and got to play with Tony F-ing Savini's dog, Flame. Tom O'Gorman and I engineered the most awesome, ugliest windbreaker for the golf cart I've ever seen. And he hit cones in reverse. It was great.  I also may or may not be co-driving golf carts with these two next year:

Now I'm sitting with PJ's legs on my lap, and my laptop on a panda, reflecting on a really great week with some of the best people in the world. It's a good thing we've already decided that we're going to Spring Nationals, because I am not even halfway home yet, and I miss it already. 

Up, Up, and Away!

G-Fab's PotaTOW Edition rolls 5 + 1 deep, heading to summer camp!

Todd and Jojo (the +1) are in Grand Potato, which is getting fantastically better gas mileage than the mighty Armada, currently housing Nate, Dave, PJ, and yours truly. We are getting 8.3 mpg, and were just warned that Indiana gas prices are $0.40 more expensive than in Ohio, and I just paid $4.18/gal. Yay.

Somewhere behind us is the Big Bear and Queen Kong camp, followed by the Thursbymobile. Wiley will come in on Saturday, BreakingTheLau will follow on Monday, as will Stiff and Grant. I hear Newman and #35 are en route as well....eventually.

We're somewhere in Ohio, the sun is coming up, and I've gotten 3 hours of sleep. I love the road trip. Of course, all my "stuff to do while smushed against the door and having a head using my leg as a pillow prop" is in Grand Potato, but at least there's a pretty sunrise.

More later. I need to tell the "head in lap" person that my leg is falling asleep.