UPDATE - Here's my Nationals story.
2005 Season - This year I'm going to spend most of my time in Jim Murphy's '84 Daredevil F500 FM car. Jim and Duane Dunham think I have a good chance of at least trophying if not winning at the Nationals in that car so who am I to argue! His car is much better than last year with a new engine, stiffer chassis, and better tires. Topeka here I come!!! Matthew will be driving my car some and the kart some. I'll spend some time in my car when I'm not in Jim's. It's slowly being built for SM and I'll see how much I can get done to it this year. Z06 brakes and 3.73 gears should be on the car by the first event where I would run it for time only runs. We'll see!
(2005 Update) - The season is over. I drove the F500 all season long. I won the FM class for the Atlanta Region, only losing one event (coned it away). Divisionals... well, I didn't do to well. Actually, most of the Divisionals I drove in took place before the car was setup as well as it is now. Jim won the SEDiv. We both went to the National Championships in Topeka and here is my story. It was very disappointing for me and it was all because of weather. I'll post the whole story but I ended up finishing in the trophies in 7th place (out of 29) so it wasn't a total loss. I ended up driving a Saleen Mustang for the Champion of Champions. My index was STU and the Mustang just wasn't capable of achieving the index. Jim was running the F500 in south Georgia, and Chris Dansbury decided the weather was too bad to bring his Z06. Oh well, not the finish I was hoping for but I guess you just drive what's available!!
2004 Season - The season is over. I discovered I need to get a little better. Tommy drove my car at the last event and beat me by .934 seconds. IMHO, Tommy is the best driver in the Atlanta Region. Looks like I have more work to do. But I felt like I accomplished a lot this year.
- I won the SEDiv in ESP (Thanks for not showing up at Gainesville Tommy!!)
- Finished 6th in our Champion of Champions event
- 5th in Pro class
- Average PAX for points events was 11.2. Take away my 24th and it goes to 9.9. Had a 3rd, 4th, and 5th.
- Average Divisional PAX (not including 1st event) was 10th, actually 10th at each of the two I attended.
Congratulations to Paul Barros for winning the Champion of Champions, you're an awesome driver in an awesome car Paul!!!! Thanks for the ride this year. You're right there with Tommy and I don't mean to take anything away from your victory. Time to go win the Nationals next year!!!!! I'd also like to congratulate my son Matthew on a awesome rookie season!
- Qualified for the second round of the Red Bull Driver Search in Boston
- PAX'd 1st at the first two autocross's he ever ran
- Had one FTD and one 3rd FTD
- Finished 1st in the FJ4 class
- Finished 3rd in the Champion of Champions event
- Won the Atlanta
Region Rookie of The Year award.
Great job son!!!