# 2011 Greenbrier results



## slotking (May 27, 2008)

2011 THUNDERJET CHALLENGE
Race Report
(Scroll to bottom of page for race score card and photos)

4/2/2011 - Once again, Racers from all around gathered for Upstate N.Y.’s most prestigious and longest running Thunder Jet race – Greenbrier Raceway’s 19th Annual THUNDERJET CHALLENGE.

The focus of this year’s race would be a new race format - Moving towards a more traditional format, this year’s TJC race was reconfigured utilizing an actual ‘qualifying/Main’ arrangement. All drivers would first ‘qualify’ running 5 min. heats. The top 6 qualifiers were selected for the Main, and remaining drivers would once again run another round of ‘second chance’ qualifying rounds… whereas the top 2 would fill out the 8 driver ‘Main’ field.

The Main itself was broken into 2 groups of 4. With each round now being 20 minutes, this would make for a constant 1.3 hrs. of racing per Driver.

In Qualifying, The first qualifying round would have Steve Dickinson, Mike King, Dave Vickers, John Durbin, John Peckham, and Mark Webster make the Main, with Jeff Eve and Larry Weaver rounding out the top 8 in the second chance qualifying round.

MAIN – Starting the Main, John P., Mark, Jeff, and Larry would be the first 4 to hit the track. The first 20 minute heat quickly set the pace for the race. With double the time per heat, it was easy to figure the laps needed to be in the running – last years minimum 50 laps/10 min. would now be 100 lap minimum per lane. The new format would also show wear & tear on both drivers and vehicles. Numb fingers, & feet, and extensive oil pit stops would be the new norm. John P. had little problems making the 100 lap minimum 3 out of 4 times while everyone else would break 100 laps only twice. Jeff Eve, however, would pick up the highest laps per heat (106) on Yellow.

The second group to run the Main would be Steve, Mike, Dave, and John D.. Dave Vickers without a doubt had the fastest car on the track, and would turn numerous best lap times. Unfortunately, the handling of Dave's black Lola GT was sporadic at best as he would end up in 3rd place. The real story would (again) be the unbelievable performance of Steve Dickinson’s blue Sunoco Camaro, which would never fall below 111 laps per any heat/lane. Finishing on the Yellow lane (which would prove to be ‘the’ lane throughout the race), Steve would rip 116 laps, for a race total of 450 laps... 26 laps more than Mike King’s 424 second place finish.

All in all, the new format for Greenbrier Raceway’s 19th Annual THUNDERJET CHALLENGE was well received. While a little more grueling, the extra track time, chances, added fairness and fun seemed to be a big hit with Racers.

Congratulations to Steve Dickinson on another THUNDERJET CHALLENGE championship, and a special shout out to this years Featured Sponsor. 











for more go to http://slotcar64.freeyellow.com/tjc2011.html


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