Re: Sebring National

What a great weekend for racing!  I can't imagine how the weather or the 
competition could have been any better.

My hat is off to all the racers for a really nice clean race, especially 
Jack Walbran and Chuck McAbee.  What a fun battle it was for the 3rd 
position.  I don't think the same one of us led across the start finish line 
in consecutive laps.

Congrats to all on a successful race, and I look forward to fun and safe 
season.

Chris Hite
SEDIV F500 #9

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Chuck McAbee" <sedivf500@...>
To: <f500@...>
Sent: Sunday, January 06, 2008 6:20 PM
Subject: [F500] Sebring National

> The 2008 version of the Sebring Winter Nationals was held Jan. 6, 2008 on
> the Sebring Long Course (used by the Sebring 12 Hour event), with
> temperatures in the low 70's with light puffy clouds drifting across the
> sky.
>
> The F500's were in a race group that included, DSR, FF and FV. As you 
> would
> expect DSR's filled the first 6 places on the grid. The some intermixed 
> DSR
> & FF's down to the F500 Pole Sitter Bob Berman in 15th with a 2:19.732
> compared to the Pole Sitting DSR with a 2:01.551. The rest of the F500 
> field
> was Jim Elder in 16th, Jack Walbran in 25th, Chuck McAbee in 26th and 
> Chris
> Hite in 28th.
>
> The race was flagged off as the last race before the lunch brake and, as
> opposed to several years ago, the start was uneventful with the entire 
> field
> making it past the starters stand and through Turn 1 (which is still as
> rough as ever). On Lap 2 Jim Elder reported he spun at the Safety Pin and
> had to wait for a number of cars to pass before rejoining the race, by 
> which
> time he had lost all contact with Bob Berman. Meanwhile further back in 
> the
> field the other 3 F500's were having a real race....with multiple passes 
> for
> position on a number of laps. By the time the Checker flew the finish 
> order
> was Bob Berman, Jim Elder, Chris Hite, Jack Walbran and yours truly bring 
> up
> the 5th position after a momentary loss of concentration caused by an
> overtaking FF caused me to miss a braking point and go agricultural on the
> penultimate lap giving, Chris and Jack separation that I could not regain.
>
> All in all .... a successful start to the F500 season, as no cars broke 
> and
> all will be able to compete at the Homestead Double National next weekend.
>
>
> Chuck McAbee
> SEDIV #16
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