July 26th 2008. US Drift Round 3 PRO/AM Competition at VIR

I will just post the writeup from lookout drift and drift411 on the event. It was a great event from my perspective because I qualified 1st and ended up with the win.

I am not sure what has changed with my drifting, but I’m feeling extremely confident in the car. I really wish I could figure out what has changed so I could help others progress like I have over the past few months. My first guess would be the Dunlop tires I’m using, those things are fantastic. So much grip as well as consistent tire wear.

Misc:
During practice, Dan Savage (VA) and Max Hellstern (DE) ended up hitting at the front wall, preventing both driver’s cars from competing.
Eugene Kretschmer (VA) ending up tagging the front wall on two different occasions and managed to drive away with only cosmetic damages each time.

Top 16 Qualifying:
1. Dennis Mertzanis (PA) - Nissan
2. James Evans (MD) - Nissan
3. Zachary Catlin (VA) - Chevrolet
4. Robert Fallowes (NC) - Nissan
5. Doug Van Den Brink (NC) - Ford
6. Marc Rozzo (PA) - Nissan
7. Clinton Florczyk (IN) - Mazda
8. Nathan Brasz (VA) - Nissan
9. Greg Blair (NC) - Nissan
10. Ali Aljibouri (VA) - Pontiac
11. Dado Carvalho (MD) - BMW
12. Steven Angerman (NJ) - Nissan
13. Dustin Prater (NC) - Toyota
14. Rodrigo Campos (NJ) - Nissan
15. Eugene Ktretschmer (VA) - Nissan
16. James Lauther (VA) - Nissan

Top 16:
Dennis Mertzanis v. James Lauther:
Lauther leading Mertzanis:
Lauther spins entering turn 10, Mertzanis passes by and finished the run. Advantage Metzanis.
Mertzanis leading Lauther:
Mertzanis enters 10 with tons of speed and puts down a solid run. Lauther spins at front wall.
Mertzanis wins.

Nathan Brasz v. Greg Blair:
Brasz leading Blair:
Both cars are fast and exhibit good angle, Brasz little more however. Slight advantage Brasz.
Blair leading Brasz:
Again, both drivers very close, slightly more angle for Blair this time.
One More Time.
Brasz leading Blair:
Blair straightens in 10 and a little bobble in 9. Advantage Brasz.
Blair leading Brasz:
Blair straightens in 9, Brasz spins in 8.
Blair wins.

Doug Van Den Brink v. Steven Angerman:
Van Den Brink leading Angerman:
VanDen Brink has lots of speed throughout the course. Angerman enters turn 9 too fast and as a result goes wide and off track. Advantage Van Den Brink.
Angerman leading Van Den Brink:
Both drivers put down average runs.
Van Den Brink wins.

Robert Fallowes v. Dustin Prater:
Fallowes leading Prater:
Prater comes close to the front wall and is off track in turn 8. Advantage Fallowes.
Prater leading Fallowes:
Prater sets up out of turn 10 off line and as a result straightens at the front wall. Both drivers off line in turns 9 and 8.
Fallowes wins.

Marc Rozzo v. Dado Carvalho:
Rozzo leading Carvalho:
Both drivers have sloppy runs. Tie.
Carvalho leading Rozzo:
Carvalho is right on the front wall and enters turn 9 too fast and goes off track.
Rozzo wins.

Zachary Catlin v. Rodrigo Campos:
Catlin leading Campos:
Campos straightens in turn 9. Advantage Catlin.
Campos leading Catlin:
Both drivers have average runs.
Catlin wins.

Clinton Florczyk v. Ali Aljibouri:
Florczyk leading Aljibouri:
Aljibouri straightens in turn 9. Advantage Florczyk.
Aljibouri leading Florczyk:
Aljibouri straightens in turn 9 again.
Florczyk wins.

James Evans v. Eugene Kretschmer:
Evans leading Kretschmer:
Kretschmer is too fast and spins off course in turn 9. Advantage Evans.
Kretschmer leading Evans:
Kretschmer goes wide entering 9 and goes off track in turn 8.
Evans wins.

Top 8:
Dennis Mertzanis v. Greg Blair:
Blair leading Mertzanis:
Blair has lots of speed and both drivers have similar angle. Blair maintains distance. Advantage Blair.
Mertzanis leading Blair:
Blair goes wide and off course in turn 9.
Mertzanis wins.

Robert Fallowes v. Doug Van Den Brink:
Fallowes leading Van Den Brink:
Van Den Brink is fast into 10, has to back off Fallowes. Van Den Brink picks speed back up again and is back on Fallowes bumper. Advantage Van Den Brink.
Van Den Brink leading Fallowes:
Fallowes has an average run. Van Den Brink makes a slight mistake in turns 10 and 7. Advantage Fallowes
One More Time.
Fallowes leading Van Den Brink:
Van Den Brink is off line in turn 10. Fallowes is off line in turn 9. Tie.
Van Den Brink leading Fallowes:
Van Den Brink has shallow entry in turn 10.
Fallowes wins.

Zachary Catlin v. Marc Rozzo:
Catlin leading Rozzo:
Rozzo goes wide in turn 9. Advantage Catlin.
Rozzo leading Catlin:
Rozzo pushes in turn 9, Catlin is on point.
Catlin wins.

James Evans v. Clinton Florczyk:
Evans leading Florczyk:
Evans spins in turn 9. Advantage Florczyk.
Florczyk leading Evans:
Evans has lots of speed and is all over the bumper of Florczyk. Evans spins in turn 8.
Florczyk wins.

Top 4:
Dennis Mertzanis v. Robert Fallowes:
Fallowes leading Mertzanis:
Fallowes is off line in turn 8. Advantage Mertzanis.
Mertzanis leading Fallowes:
Mertzanis enters turn 10 with lots of speed and angle.
Mertzanis wins.

Zachary Catlin v. Clinton Florczyk:
Catlin leading Florczyk:
Catlin off line in turn 8, Florczyk maintains correct line. Advantage Florczyk.
Florczyk leading Catlin:
Catlin straightens between turns 9 and 8.
Florczyk wins.

Finals:
Dennis Mertzanis v. Clinton Florczyk:
Florczyk leading Mertzanis:
Florczyk is right on line, both drivers good speed and angle. Very slight advantage Florczyk.
Mertzanis leading Florczyk:
Mertzanis enters with lots of angle. Florczyk off in turn 9.
Mertzanis wins.

Consolation:
Zachary Catlin v. Robert Fallowes:
Catlin leading Fallowes:
Catlin straightens in turns 9 and 8. Fallowes is faster and just off line on the rumble strip in turn 9. Slight advantage Fallowes.
Fallowes leading Catlin:
catlin straightens again in turns 9 and 8. Fallowes is off line in turns 8 and 7.
Fallowes wins.

Final Results:
1. Dennis Mertzanis (PA) - Nissan
2. Clinton Florczyk (IN) - Mazda
3. Robert Fallowes (NC) - Nissan
4. Zachary Catlin (VA) - Chevrolet
5. James Evans (MD) - Nissan
6. Doug Van Den Brink (NC) - Ford
7. Marc Rozzo (PA) - Nissan
8. Greg Blair (NC) - Nissan
9. Nathan Brasz (VA) - Nissan
10. Ali Aljibouri (VA) - Pontiac
11. Dado Carvalho (MD) - BMW
12. Steven Angerman (NJ) - Nissan
13. Dustin Prater (NC) - Toyota
14. Rodrigo Campos (NJ) - Nissan
15. Eugene Ktretschmer (VA) - Nissan
16. James Lauther (VA) - Nissan

PRO/AM:
The top 8 drivers from this event earned invites to the PRO/AM Championship Event held at GTLive on October 3-5, 2008 at VIRginia International Raceway, in Alton, VA.
After just 3 events, this brings the current number of East Coast Divisional invitees to 15.

Dan Savage (VA) - Mazda
Lee Alexander (MD) - Nissan
Jedd Fahnestock (VA) - Nissan
Mike Swartz (PA) - Dodge
Nathan Brasz (VA) - Nissan
Brian Wilkerson (MD) - Nissan
James Evans (MD) - Nissan
Matt Waldin (PA) - Nissan
Kiely Mackey (SC) - Nissan
Marc Rozzo (PA) - Nissan
Greg Blair (NC) - Nissan
Dennis Mertzanis (PA) Nissan
Clinton Florczyk (IN) Mazda
Robert Fallowes (NC) Nissan
Zachary Catlin (VA) Chevrolet