News | RJ Racing

Hot Buttonwillow Nights

04/22/12

With the thermometer spiking at 94 degrees and 78% humidity, the second round of the 2012 National Auto Sport Association’s (NASA) Western Endurance Racing Championship (WERC) at Buttonwillow Raceway Park would feel like a trial by fire. Even though the green flag would not drop until 30 minutes before sunset, ambient temperature on track was over90 plus. The relative nighttime coolness would bring no relief as the thermometer never fell bellow 80 degrees.

With sunscreen applied in copious amounts and drinking water within arms reach, RJ Racing (RJR) started off the race weekend bright and early on Saturday morning. Dialing in pressures on the Hoosier Racing Tires would be crucial with track temperatures through the roof. RJR would use their qualifying session and corresponding sprint race as test sessions for the 3-hour endurance race scheduled for later that night. During this time, RJR was able to tweak with the set up on their Stewart Development custom-valved suspension, ensuring that the car was in top form by the green flag.

With a jam-packed schedule during the day NASA was not able to schedule a enduro qualifying session. Instead, the starting grid was to be determined by the “name out of a hat” method. The RJR #23 Miata drew second to last of the thirty plus cars.

Racing was fast paced and intense from the green flag. Mid-way through the third lap, the #17 Super Truck West team that was leading the field began to throw out billowing clouds of white smoke, obscuring vision on the entire backside of the track. A few laps later, due to oil on the track, somewhere between six and eight cars went spinning off track in turn four, including RJR. This left Driver/Co-owner Rob Gibson sitting off track in a blinding cloud of dust, unaware of even which direction he was facing. “My helmet visor was caked with dust, the windshield was caked with dust and I was sitting in a dust cloud,” exclaimed Rob later after getting out of the car. With help from Crew Chief/Radio Spotter Craig Tsurumoto, RJR was able to safely get back on track and back into the thick of things.

Just past the halfway point, the race came under full course caution. This was right in the middle of RJR’s pit stop window so the call was made to stop as soon as the race went green. The #23 RJR Miata was in the pits for fuel and a quick driver change. As Driver/Co-owner John Gibson was greeted with an empty track as the rest of the field was battling it out half a lap away. With the pit stop in the books and John laying down fast and consistent lap times, RJR began gaining positions. As the remaining cars came in for their pit stops RJR quickly went from P5 to P1.

With RJR in the lead, the last 45 minutes of the race turned into a sprint race for the podium positions. The #024 Second Chance Roadster team was running P2, driving like their hair was on fire to close the gap on P1. The #23 grew the lead from about five seconds up to twenty-two seconds before the #024 started winding RJR back in. The radio spotters began feeding gap times to John: “Eighteen seconds to P2!” came across the radio. “ Fourteen seconds to P2!” came through several laps later. The gap to second place was narrowed to just three seconds. The next lap around, the entire team expected to see an intense battle for the lead – RJR wasn’t going to give it up that easily. Instead, the radio screamed “P2 is in pit, repeat, P2 is in the pits!!!” In an attempt to pass slower traffic, the #024 car made contact with a BMW through a twisty bit of track known as turn twelve. With severe damage to the #024′s left front, it was forced to pit for repairs moving the #05 949 Racing Miata up to second place… but over a lap behind RJ Racing. Exhaling a sigh of relief, John finished out the last final minutes of the race with measured laps to retain a certain win. First place in class and 10^th overall in Round 2 of NASA’s WERC series. Sweaty, sore, and tired, the RJR crew accepted their trophy and proceeded to attack the healthy layer of dust that had accumulated on the car with Mother’s Car Care Products.

Sponsor List

RJ Racing: info@rjracing.net

www.rjracing.net P:949-305-3552

Stewart Development: Custom suspension work

www.stewartdevelopment.com P: 336-899-0072

Porterfield Enterprises: Raybestos endurance race pads and Brembo brake rotors

www.porterfield-brakes.com P: 949-546-4470

CDOC Racing supplies: racing consumables

www.cdoc.com P: 800-915-2362

Mishimoto Radiators: aluminum radiator, silicone hoses

www.mishimoto.com P: 877-466-4744

Hoosier Racing Tire: R6 tires

www.hoosiertire.com P: 559-485-4612

Mueller Motorwerks: dry cell battery

www.muellermotorwerks.com P: 855-669-7224

Exedy Racing Clutch: clutch

www.exedyusa.com P: 734-397-3333

Bill Brewster Independent Porsche

www.billbrewster.net P: 949-366-2009

Autowave, Inc.: tuning and general automotive maintenance

www.autowaveinc.com P: 714-841-2433

Race Engineering: endurance-built transmission

www.raceengineering.org P: 704-202-5551

MiataPartsSource.com: spare parts

www.miatapartssource.com P: 702-505-1110

Maxima Oil: Performance Racing Oils

www.maximausa.com P: 800-345-8761

Mothers: Polishes, Waxes, and Cleaners

www.mothers.com P: 714-891-3364

Posted in Buttonwillow, Endurance races, Sprint races, Tracks | Tagged 2012, April, Buttonwillow, Champions, Championship, Endurance, Endurance Race, enduro, Grassroots, hours, Mazda, Miata, Motorsports, mx-5, nasa, Racing, Thunderhill, WERC, Western, win | Leave a comment

Will WERC for Track Time

03/11/12

RJ Racing (“RJR”) returned to the track for the first time since the class victory at the 25 Hours of Thunderhill to secure a podium position at an eventful four hour endurance race at Infineon Raceway in scenic Sonoma, California.

Set against green rolling hills with a back drop of the San Pablo Bay, the team could not have asked for a better setting to kick off the season. The forecast warned of rain, adding another variable to the always challenging Western Endurance Racing Championship (“WERC”). Also upping the level of competition would be the fact that 15 out of the 31 registered entries would be in RJR’s class, E3. (The next largest class, the E0 class, had only seven competitors.) Due to scheduling reasons, there would also be a truncated schedule with only a short warmup before the race leaving minimal time for preparing the car. With all of these challenges the goal was to walk away with a podium finish with no mechanical issues.

RJ Racing had not raced at Infineon Raceway in over two years. So with limited past data on this track, dialing in the SD Suspension and setting the proper pressures on the Hoosier Tires was yet another challenge. The race officials allowed for a short warm-up session with the four-hour race starting immediately after. The cars would not even come off track in between, leaving no opportunity for last second adjustments. Rob Gibson would take the first stint and with the wave of the green flag, the endurance racing season had begun! After a clean start an unfortunate and disputed penalty was assessed a stop and go penalty for passing under yellow. Unfortunately, the race officials could not be dissuaded so the team, reluctantly, served the penalty and focused on the rest of the race. After taking a handful of laps to re-familiarize himself with the track, Rob was up to speed and picking his way through the field.

John Gibson took over for driver duties with a full tank of fuel running in fifth position. This would be John’s first time behind the wheel since the 25 and he would have no warm-up session to get comfortable. The weather forecasts would prove true as it began to rain, simply ratcheting up the difficulty level. Shortly after his stint started and while mixing it up in a pack of cars on a slippery track, John exited a turn with a little bit of oversteer and, after a little help from the competition, was spun around. Unfortunately, the car behind clipped the rear bumper on the way by, ripping it off. Now the cars behind us would no longer have the RJ Racing web address handy, but other than that there was no damage. As the rain began to come down enough to make the technical track slippery the team made the decision to quickly disconnect the sway bars during the second and final fuel stop. (Disconnecting the sway bars gives the car more body roll, which makes the car press down on the outside tires through the turn and giving more grip – very useful in the rain.) As luck would have it, and even after a look to the skies to check the next hour’s forecast, the rain almost immediately stopped and the sun came out. But once again, consistent laps and quality teamwork put us third in class when the checkered flag was waved.

With tough on-track competition, an unfortunate stop and go, no testing to dial in the car for the track conditions, a three month break since our last race, and rain, RJR was still able to put the car on the podium – a great result and a good number of points towards the championship! Now that the 2012 NASA WERC season is officially underway there is plenty of work to do in between now and our next race on April 21 at Buttonwillow. Until then, the RJ Racing Headquarters will be a busy place.

Sponsor List

RJ Racing

www.rjracing.net P:949-305-3552 info@rjracing.net

Stewart Development: Custom suspension work

www.stewartdevelopment.com P: 336-899-0072

Porterfield Enterprises: Raybestos endurance race pads and Brembo brake rotors

www.porterfield-brakes.com P: 949-546-4470

CDOC Racing supplies: racing consumables

www.cdoc.com P: 800-915-2362

Mishimoto Radiators: aluminum radiator, silicone hoses

www.mishimoto.com P: 877-466-4744

Hoosier Racing Tire: SM6 tires

www.hoosiertirewest.com P: 559-485-4612

Mueller Motorwerks: dry cell battery

www.muellermotorwerks.com P: 855-669-7224

Exedy Racing Clutch: clutch

www.exedyusa.com P: 734-397-3333

Bill Brewster Independent Porsche

www.billbrewster.net P: 949-366-2009

Autowave, Inc.: tuning and general automotive maintenance

www.autowaveinc.com P: 714-841-2433

Race Engineering: endurance-built transmission

www.raceengineering.org P: 704-202-5551

MiataPartsSource.com: spare parts

www.miatapartssource.com P: 702-505-1110

Posted in Endurance races, Infineon Raceway | Tagged E3, Endurance, Infineon, nasa, RJ Racing, Sanoma, WERC | Leave a comment

RJ Racing Featured in Grassroots Motorsports

02/10/12

We are extremely excited to announce that Grassroots Motorsports (“GRM”) magazine’s next issue will feature an RJ Racing-penned article detailing the team’s year long preparation and planning for the 2011 USAF NASA 25 Hours of Thunderhill. The issue will also feature GRM’s coverage of North America’s longest sports car race, and our first win at the grueling event, as seen through the eyes of J.G. Pasterjak, Production Manager/Art Director at GRM. (RJ Racing fans may also remember J.G. as an RJ Racing driver during our 2009 running of the 25 Hours.) For more information on Grassroots Motorsports magazine, please visit grassrootsmotorsports.com. Here’s a sneak peek at the RJ Racing article…

GRM’s RJR Winning Recipe/25 Hours Coverage.pdf

Posted in 25 Hours of Thunderhill, Endurance races | Tagged 25, Champions, Endurance Race, enduro, Grassroots, hours, Magazine, Mazda, Miata, Motorsports, mx-5, nasa, Thunderhill, WERC, win | Leave a comment

RJ Racing Climbs Thunderhill

12/29/11

Big thanks to The United States Air Force for presenting the 9th annual 25 Hours of Thunderhill

The 2011 edition of the USAF 25 Hours of Thunderhill could be described as a race of firsts. It was the first race for some new crew members, drivers, sponsors… and first 25 Hours win for the team!

The RJ Racing #23 Mazda Miata that arrived at the race was in the best shape of its racing life. Just about every crucial part had been replaced and prepared for the grueling race. The major priority was the new transmission for the car. The transmission that let them down at Buttonwillow was replaced with a new stronger Race Engineering piece that never gave a hint of problems. Cooling, while not a major concern in the chilly December weather of northern California, was kept under control by the team’s Mishimoto Radiator.

RJ Racing and fellow SoCal team 949Racing on the back straight as the sun begins to fade

The trek from the team’s base in Santa Ana to the track in Willows was far from easy. The eight-hour journey was fraught with dangerously high winds (up to 50+ mph gusts) and a blown out tire on the trailer. The drive to the track had more interruptions than the race itself!

The test and qualifying days were spent dealing with a small electrical gremlin that limited time on track. That on-track time was needed to re-familiarize the team and drivers to the track. It was especially needed for the team’s two new drivers Craig Evans and Miller Motorsport Park driving instructor Johnny Kanavas, who had never driven the #23 car before. The car was prepared to meet the challenges of the Thunderhill circuit; only minimal changes were needed to the SD Suspensionsetup to make the car fast and comfortable for the drivers. The task of qualifying the car was assigned to Johnny Kanavas. His solid 2:11.9 put the car third in E3, the largest out of the six classes with twenty-two cars.

New crew members performing like seasoned veterans

During the first six hours of the race there is another race taking place: the final race of the Western Endurance Regional Championship. Therefore, the opening hours of the race are intense and hectic because of the added cars on track. RJ Racing stuck to its original plan and began running steady and solid laps regardless of what the others in class where doing. That strategy would be decisive as the race went on.

This year’s race was marred by penalties – nearly every car in every class had a penalty of some sort. Staying out of trouble became the key to taking the lead. As RJ Racing turned consistent laps their competition ran into problems: DivaSpeed lost a right rear wheel, two of the Hooverspeed cars had contact, and the Sector Purple machine played catch up from early problems. The #23 pit stops where flawless – not a drop of fuel spilt along with fast tire changes.

Sunrise in beautiful Willows, CA

The consistent and smooth teamwork combined with solid driving gave the team a half lap advantage after every pit stop which allowed RJ Racing to take the lead roughly eight hours into the race. They would never let it go.

As morning dawned, RJ Racing was in complete control. The lead was built up to nine laps so the team could begin to conserve the car for the final stretch. The only drama was a late race right front vibration. The team readied itself for every possibility, including a quick hub change in pit lane that the team had practiced countless times, only to discover it was caused by a wheel weight that had fallen off. A final fresh Hoosier Racing tire was quickly thrown on and the car was back on track. That little drama had brought the Hooverspeed 2 machine within six laps but in the end RJ Racing had them covered.

Car running P1 in E3 Class after a long night of racing

At noon Sunday the #23 machine blasted down the front straight to claim the team’s first victory in the 25 Hours of Thunderhill.

The car ran flawlessly which is the first ingredient in any victory. The second is pit stops: the crew was perfect every time, with only a few seconds variance in pit stop times and not a drop of fuel spilled. The third is the driver lineup: John Gibson, Jaime Florence, Craig Evans, Johnny Kanavas and Rob Gibson kept it clean but fast, keeping the car out on the track rather than in the paddock. Team driver and co-owner Rob Gibson summed up the race with “We are so proud and pleased with the performance of the crew, drivers and car. Getting the win is just a bonus.”

Crew Chief Craig Tsurumoto added: “The race may have seemed boring to those outside the team, but from the pit wall it was pretty intense. We are in the most competitive class and none of our competitors were going to allows us to rest one bit. As others had problems we were prepared for the same to happen to us and put the pieces in place to remedy any problem quickly. All of the work done back in the shop pays off in times like these!.”

John and Rob interviewed by GoRacingTV.com after E3 victory

Special thanks to Porterfield Brakes for supplying us with the outstanding Raybestos pads which lasted the entire race with great stopping power throughout. Stewart Development Suspension kept the car planted underneath us and helped contribute to our quick lap times. And to Mueller Motorwerks, Mishimoto Radiators, Hoosier Tire West, CDOC Race Supply, Exedy Clutch, Miller Motorsports Park, Bill Brewster Porsche, and Drift Innovation. We couldn’t have done it without you.

Your 2011 USAF NASA 25 Hours of Thunderhill E3 Champions!

Posted in 25 Hours of Thunderhill, Endurance races | Tagged 1st place, 25 Hour, Champions, E3, Endurance Race, Mazda, Miata, P1, Thunderhill | Leave a comment

Winning in 4th Gear

04/17/11

Team Co-owner and Driver John Gibson prepares food for the community BBQ.

Buttonwillow, CA (April 09, 2011) - In celebration of the much-anticipated birth of the 2011 challenging Endurance Race Season, RJ Racing graciously hosted and sponsored a community BBQ for teams that were to participate in the evening race. The race occurred amongst the background of a beautiful orange glow, with mild spring temperatures, and not too much dust, on Saturday, April 09, 2011. Experienced and rookie teams alike came together to talk shop (mostly), socialize (much embellishment was overheard!), and indulge in a delicious full-bore lunch spread. As the chatter, food and drink supply dwindled down to a dull roar leaving only a few die-hards, the teams parted ways in order to prepare for the upcoming race against their contemporaries.

Earlier in the already event-filled day, RJ Racing had placed 4th in the PTE Sprint Race as well as qualified 2nd for the endurance race. After making the obligatory last minute final adjustments, inspections, and receipt of advice, Co-owner and team Driver Rob Gibson suited up. Rob began the race confident in his car seat, as all systems were running properly as designed. Soon though, the precisely tuned blue/orange MX-5 got stuck in 4th gear after only completing 3 laps of the 3-hour demanding gear-grinding race. After much debate and deliberation (mostly amiable), the team members agreed unanimously to finish as much of the race as possible, while still perennially and perpetually stuck in that darn 4th gear.

Team Co-owner and Driver Rob Gibson passes pit lane.

The team anxiously maintained tedious contact with Rob while preparing several back-up plans in the event that the situation worsened. Rob later said, “I am impressed with the level of professionalism maintained during the trying times. We didn’t know what to expect but everyone retained a calm and positive attitude as the routine pit stop neared. I couldn’t have asked for a better team!” Rob pulled into pit lane halfway through the race and the team completed a flawless pit stop comprised of fueling, safety precautions, and a much-needed driver change. Despite requiring a hefty push-start from several crew members, car #23 was back on track in just under two minutes with team Co-owner and Driver John Gibson now at the controls and manning the wheel.

Team Owners and Drivers Rob Gibson and John Gibson celebrate their win.

John continued the race in the compromised car, requiring all of his skill and much of his past training and he battled a competitor for the coveted 1st place position for the remainder of the race, ultimately placing 2nd. Seconds after the race concluded, an official adjustment was made to the live-timing and scoring, (being tested for the first time at this event) and RJ Racing soon learned that they had in fact held the 1st place position by an entire lap! John said, “We were all pushed beyond our limits and came through with a victory that we will be talking about for many years!”

Crew members work together to complete a track-side transmission swap.

The close-knit team humbly and honorably celebrated their victorious success alongside their peers and competitors with whom they broke bread with just a few hours earlier. Exhausted, most of the crew then called it an early night. The triumphant win wouldn’t keep RJ Racing from taking the necessary steps to prepare for the PTE Sprint Race the following day however. No rest for the weary they say in racing! The team rested up and arrived at the sun-soaked track early on Sunday morning and immediately began a transmission swap, among other work. With efficient communication and strong team dynamics, they completed their chores in less than 1.5 hours, leaving over 30 minutes to rest and reflect on the upcoming challenges, the previous day’s events, and wonder when the next BBQ will be. Overall, it was an outing to remember!

Weekend Results:

Saturday, April 09, 2011

PTE Sprint Race

Qualified 2nd (John Gibson)
Placed 4th (Rob Gibson)

WERC 3-Hour Endurance Race

Qualified 2nd (Rob Gibson)
Placed 1st (Driver 1: Rob Gibson, Driver 2: John Gibson)

Sunday, April 10, 2011

PTE Sprint Race

Qualified 5th (Rob Gibson)
Placed 2nd (Rob Gibson)

Posted in Buttonwillow, Endurance races, Repairs, Sprint races, Tracks | Leave a comment

Endurance Racing Season Begins!

04/08/11

Santa Ana, CA (April 8, 2011) –RJ Racing will be competing in their first endurance race of the season at Buttonwillow Raceway Park the weekend of April 9-10, 2011. RJ Racing specializes in the set-up and tuning of racecars for endurance races anywhere from 3-hours to 25-hours in length. Buttonwillow Raceway Park is a highly technical track that favors properly tuned racecars, thus giving RJ Racing an advantage over their competitors. Team co-owner and driver Rob Gibson said, “anyone can buy an expensive engine, but it’s hard to tune a car properly.

Team Co-Owner and Driver Rob Gibson and Suspension Engineer Sean Ryan finishing race preparations.

Although proper set-up and tuning allows RJ Racing to excel at Buttonwillow Raceway Park, they face several challenges unique to the track. For instance, the runoff areas are fine silt, which causes impenetrable dust clouds when other drivers leave the track. The silt also compacts and collects inside wheels causing major drivability issues, so much so that extra pit stops to clean out the chunks of dirt may be necessary.

Timing is also a concern, as RJ Racing will compete in sprint races during the day with a 3-hour endurance night race following shortly after. This quick change limits the time available for the team to make adjustments for the endurance race. “It is important for us to prepare for track conditions well in advance to prevent any surprise challenges,” said John Gibson, team co-owner and driver.

RJ Racing began their preparations for the Buttonwillow Raceway Park immediately following their season opener at Auto Club Speedway in March 2011. Major preparations for endurance races include pit stop practices, improving methods for fuel economy and efficiency, installing main and auxiliary lights for night races, and racecar set up.

Live trackside updates will be provided via rjracing.net, Facebook (facebook.com/rj.racing) and Twitter (@RJRacing).

What:
Performance Touring E (“PTE”)
3-Hour Endurance Race

When:
Saturday, April 9, 2011 and Sunday, April 10, 2011

Where:
Buttonwillow Raceway Park
24551 Lerdo Highway
Buttonwillow, CA 93206
http://www.buttonwillowraceway.com/

Posted in Buttonwillow, Endurance races, Sprint races, Tracks | Leave a comment

RJ Racing Breaks the Auto Club Speedway Curse!

03/06/11

Fontana, CA (March 6, 2011) – RJ Racing triumphantly began their 2011 season by breaking the Auto Club Speedway curse that had previously plagued the team. Heading into the weekend the team’s focus was on using prior track experiences (such as an engine failure, a freak hood-pin failure, and a critical oil leak) as opportunities to drastically strengthen the team dynamics. “The weekend proved to be an exemplary product of effective team development and learning from prior experiences,” said team co-owner Rob Gibson.

Saturday began with warm-up, time-trial sessions, and a qualifying session that would allow RJ Racing to start fourth in the day’s Performance Touring “E” (“PTE”) Sprint Race, due in part to Auto Club Speedway favoring high horsepower cars, whereas the #23 RJ Racing Miata’s handling is its strong suit. After minor adjustments to the racecar, team co-owner and driver John Gibson began the race confident that if he could get to the front somehow, he could hold the lead through the tight infield section. A great start saw the team rocket to first place by the end of the front straightaway. After an epic multi-lap battle with Shawn Sampson, John was able to easily pull ahead thanks to a perfectly set up race car designed to come into its prime several laps from the finish. The first place finish in class was the perfect way to start the 2011 racing season.

Team co-owner and driver Rob Gibson took the wheel for Sunday’s PTE Race after qualifying third. Unfortunately, Rob’s start was not as strong as John’s the day before and he was bogged down for the majority of the race behind a competitor whose horsepower allowed him to rocket away on the straights, only to “park it” in the turns. Rather than make a high-risk/low-reward move, Rob chose to consolidate third position. This was improved to second place when a competitor was disqualified for a post-race technical violation. RJ Racing left Auto Club Speedway leading the PTE championship.

Fans who came out to support the team were greeted with beautiful Southern California weather conditions and spectacular hospitality services courtesy of RJ Racing. Be sure to keep updated on future races via rjracing.net, Facebook (facebook.com/rj.racing) and Twitter (@RJRacing).

Posted in Auto Club Speedway, California Speedway, Sprint races | Leave a comment

RJ Racing Returns to the Track and Gives Back for Charity

03/01/11

Santa Ana, CA (February 26, 2011) – RJ Racing will be returning to the track this weekend for their first race of the 2011 season. The team is eager to continue their success after surpassing team goals in the 2010 season. RJ Racing will be competing in the Performance Touring E (“PTE”) and Time Trial E (“TTE”) on March 5th and 6th at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, CA.

In addition to working to achieve team goals, RJ Racing will be racing to raise awareness for the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation (“PCRF” pcrf-kids.org). PCRF, a non-profit organization, was founded in 1982 to improve the care, quality of life and survival rate of children with malignant diseases. “We are pleased to combine our passion for racing with our ambition to help improve the quality of life of young children and their families,” said John Gibson, Team Owner and Driver of RJ Racing. As part of the program RJ Racing will be hosting the winning bidders and their friends and family at the race track

Fans are encouraged to come out and show their support for both the team and PCRF. There is no cost to attend, and hospitality will be provided by RJ Racing.

If you are unable to attend or watch this weekend’s festivities, be sure to keep updated on the racing action via rjracing.net, Facebook (facebook.com/rjracing) and Twitter (@RJRacing).

When:
Saturday, March 5th and Sunday, March 6th, 2011
3:00 PM PST

Where:
Auto Club Speedway
9300 Cherry Ave.
Fontana, CA 92331
autoclubspeedway.com

RJ Racing’s Remaining 2011 Schedule*
April 9-10: Buttonwillow Raceway Park (3-Hour Enduro, PTE Sprint Races) – Buttonwillow, CA
June 25-26: Buttonwillow Raceway Park (3-Hour Enduro, PTE Sprint Races) -Buttonwillow, CA
July 30-31: Auto Club Speedway (PTE Sprint Races, TTE) – Fontana, CA
October 8-9: Buttonwillow Raceway Park (3-Hour Enduro, PTE Sprint Races) – Buttonwillow, CA
December 2-4: Thunderhill Raceway Park (25-Hour Enduro, 6-Hour Enduro) – Willows,

About RJ Racing
RJ Racing, a Southern California based team, competes in endurance and sprint auto races on purpose-built tracks across the country. The Team consists of Drivers and Team owners Rob Gibson and John Gibson; Crew Members Norm Sandstrom, Craig Tsurumoto, Sean Ryan, and Sean Trabue; Marketing Director Ashley Shuherk; and Hospitality Director Jennifer Macy.

* Dates and race weekends subject to change

Posted in Auto Club Speedway, California Speedway, Charity, Sprint races | Leave a comment

RJ Racing at the NASA National Championships

09/15/10

Santa Ana, CA – RJ Racing will make its second appearance at the National Auto Sport Association National (NASA) Championships at Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah from September 16th to September 19th, 2010. The weekend will consist of qualifying races on Thursday and Friday to set the grid for the Sunday Championship race. The team will also be competing for a Time Trial Championship.

Fans can get live timing & scoring information here and can watch the race live at speedcasttv.com. Speedcasttv does require a subscription to view the races.

If you are unable to attend or watch the weekend’s festivities, make sure to keep updated on the racing action via rjracing.net, Facebook and Twitter (@RJRacing).

When:
Thursday and Friday, September 16th and 17th, 5:35pm MDT/4:35pm
PDT (Qualifying races)
Sunday, September 19th, 1:20pm MDT/12:20pm PDT

Where:
Miller Motorsports Park
2901 Sheep Lane
Tooele, Utah 84074
http://www.millermotorsportspark.com/

RJ Racing’s Remaining 2010 Schedule*

Oct 9-10 Buttonwillow Raceway Park (WERC 3-hour Enduro and PTE Sprint Races), Buttonwillow, CA
Dec 4 Thunderhill Raceway Park (WERC 6-hour Enduro), Willows, CA
Dec 4-5 Thunderhill Raceway Park (25 Hours of Thunderhill), Willows, CA

-RJ Racing

RJ Racing, a Southern California based team, competes in endurance and sprint auto races on purpose-built tracks across the country. The Team consists of Drivers and Team owners Rob Gibson and John Gibson, Crew Members Craig Tsurumoto, Norm Sandstrom, Sean Ryan, Sean Trabue and Serguey Piatrovich, and Hospitality Coordinator Jennifer Macy.

* Dates and race weekends subject to change

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

RJR Battles the Curse of Auto Club Speedway

08/01/10

SANTA ANA, CA — There’s just something about Auto Club Speedway that guarantees the weekend will be eventful. This being RJ Racing’s home track, the team can always expect the most fans to attend…and the most drama to occur. Ironic considering that the speedway features RJR’s shortest races of the season.

Last time it was an engine leaking oil, necessitating dropping the subframe, resealing the oil pan and pulling the transmission for a clutch change. And before that, a freak hood pin failure causing the hood to fly up and smash the front and rear windshields.

This time around, the team left nothing to chance – the #23 Weekend-Racer.com Mazda MX-5 was prepared meticulously, checked and rechecked – it was gone over as though we were entering the 25 Hours of Thunderhill. About the only thing the team did not undertake was tearing apart the engine and putting it back together.

The Test Day on Friday began uneventfully – heat cycling new Hoosier R6 tires in preparation for NASA Nationals in September. Halfway through the session, the car was brought in to install scrubbed tires to collect necessary tire data for race setup changes. During the brief pit stop the engine stalled. The team immediately suspected a problem with the ECU but the car fired up again, maintained idle, and was sent back out.

Before the next session, the team swapped out the ECU as a precautionary measure. As Rob was getting the car up to speed and tracking down a fellow Miata the engine suddenly lost power. Rob notified the team and was told to pit immediately. However, only two corners later in the braking zone for a hairpin turn, the engine completely died, causing a loss of vacuum pressure to the braking system. The engine refused to refire.

After a tow into the garage, the car started, but did not sound healthy. Initially fueling issues were suspected since the spark plugs were verified to be firing and there were no air blockages to the intake. Fuel pressure was verified, so the gas tank was drained, hoping that the car had just gotten a batch of bad fuel.

After refilling the car with fresh fuel the car again refired, but still did not sound healthy. On the way back to the garage the rear tires locked up and the car came to an abrupt halt. The car not only would not restart, the crankshaft would not even turn. The engine had completely seized and fused itself into one solid piece of metal. After 110,000 miles of hard driving, the last 20,0000 of which were raced flat out, the engine had finally died. All good things must come to an end.

Pulling Engine

With the enduring “never say die attitude” the team, once again, sprang into action at Auto Club Speedway. A brand new crate motor was quickly ordered from Mazda Competition parts. John and Sean Trabue traveled back to the shop for the few needed tools and pieces of equipment for the engine change while Rob, Sean Ryan and Craig Tsurumoto began the process of uncoupling the engine from the car. By 6 p.m., the new crate motor had arrived and the ancillary parts were being installed. The new engine was fully installed by 9 p.m.

Checking New Engine for Leaks

The key was turned, and RJR Engine Mark II roared to life. It sounded good and ran smooth, with not a trace of any fluid leaks. The first session of Saturday was spent seating in the piston rings. After that, the car was raring to go.

For this weekend, the team installed a passenger seat and harness to give fan rides during the Time Trial sessions. Everyone had a great time, and the RJR team thoroughly enjoyed giving its fans a glimpse of what it is like to hurtle around the track at racing speeds.

After winning the Time Trial event for the day (and setting a new Time Trial track record), John started the PTE race from pole position. He held off the field nicely for the first half of the race and began creating a nice cushion until a mysterious black flag was thrown for the entire field. For the next 10 minutes, all cars were stopped in pit lane. Apparently an ambulance was not available on standby (as is required) and racing could not resume until an ambulance arrived. Although John’s gap to the rest of the field had evaporated with the black flag, once the race resumed, John got a great restart and cruised to victory.

The next day, the team once again won Time Trials. For the PTE race, it was Rob’s turn to take pole. After a good start, he gradually and consistently pulled away from the field and won the race with a 45 second margin over second place.

The team ended up with a perfect weekend: two pole positions, two race wins, fastest laps in both races, two time trial wins, and a lap record. The results speak for themselves. But the story this weekend was about the journey, not the destination.

The team now heads back to the shop to prep the car for NASA Nationals at Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah, hoping to improve on its second place finish last year.

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RJ Racing Sprint Races and Fan Rides at AAA Speedway

07/28/10

Santa Ana, CA – RJ Racing will make its second and final 2010 appearance at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California on July 31st and August 1st. The weekend’s sprint races and time trial events will be the final events before the National Championships in September.

As a special thank you to its fans the team will be offering passenger rides in the race car in addition to its usual paddock hospitality and always exciting sprint races. Detailed information on the weekend schedule and RJR’s garage space are below. If you are interested in riding along as a passenger in the race car please notify the team via email or Facebook of your interest. Limited opportunities are available so act fast. Complete details (what to wear, what to bring, when to arrive, etc.) will be provided after signing up.

If you are unable to attend the weekend’s festivities, make sure to keep updated on the racing action via rjracing.net, Facebook and Twitter (@RJRacing).

When:
Saturday and Sunday, July 31st & August 1st, 2:30 PST (Main races)

Where:
Auto Club Speedway
9300 Cherry Avenue
Fontana, CA 92335
Garage #5

http://www.autoclubspeedway.com/

Weather Forecast:
Saturday – 88/63 F (31/17 C), Mostly Sunny
Sunday – 89/63 (31/17 C), Mostly Sunny

RJ Racing’s Remaining 2010 Schedule*

Jul 31-Aug 1 Auto Club Speedway (PTE Sprint Races), Fontana, CA
Sept 19 Miller Motorsports Park (PTE National Championships), Tooele, UT
Oct 9-10 Buttonwillow Raceway Park (WERC 3-hour Enduro and PTE Sprint Races), Buttonwillow, CA
Dec 4 Thunderhill Raceway Park (WERC 6-hour Enduro), Willows, CA
Dec 4-5 Thunderhill Raceway Park (25 Hours of Thunderhill), Willows, CA

-RJ Racing

* Dates and race weekends subject to change

Posted in Auto Club Speedway, California Speedway, Sprint races, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

RJR Comes Back With A Vengeance at Buttonwillow

06/29/10

SANTA ANA, CA — After the numerous issues the team faced at AAA Speedway in March and the cancellation of the April event to better prepare for the future, most would expect the team to reenter the world of racing meekly. But that’s not how RJ Racing does things.

The team had a full slate for the weekend, including a Friday test day, sprint racing in the PTE class and time trial events on both Saturday and Sunday, as well as a 3-hour endurance race on Saturday night. The heat would be the big story for the weekend though. Temperatures were above 100 degrees for most of the weekend, topping 104 during most of the racing.

The test day went well with multiple tweaks to the setup to better suit the track. That, and trading out for fresher tires resulted in lap times dropping nearly 6 seconds per lap.

On Saturday, John nailed first place in Time Trials, but unfortunately this did not translate to a pole position for the PTE sprint race. John would start 4th for the race, but quickly took down 3rd and then 2nd place with brilliant passes on a track where it is notoriously difficult to pass. John was making ground on the leader, but a wreck two laps from the end caused the race to finish under caution.

For the endurance race, hydration would be key. Unfortunately, the team’s in-car drink bottle was not functioning correctly, so both Rob and John were forced to tough it out for the race. The team qualified 3rd for the endurance race after being bogged during qualifying, but with many laps to run there would be many opportunities to make up ground. Rob started the endurance race and began clicking off strong and consistent lap times. The competition was extremely tight with Rob merely maintaining position by the end of his stint.

For the pitstop, RJR was using its new crew for fueling. But extensive and intensive training leading up to the race made the pitstop run like clockwork. The car was back out on track without having lost a lap–the only car in its class that was able to make that claim. After each of the E3 class competitors had made their stops, RJR was firmly in the lead. The #23 RJ Racing Weekend-Racer.com Mazda MX-5 won the race by over a lap.

After a celebratory dinner and some much needed sleep, Sunday’s agenda was much simpler. A quick Time Trial session and a PTE sprint race. John easily won Time Trial. But because the RJR car had been setup for a consistent and strong race, Rob could only manage 4th in qualifying. At the start of the PTE race, Rob made quick work of two of the PTE cars, emerging in 2nd after Turn 1. Rob tried to make ground on the leader, but was held up by cars in other classes. By the time Rob had passed those cars, only a few laps remained. Rob finished in 2nd place, just over 4 seconds behind the leader.

With an endurance race win by over a lap, two time trial wins, and two 2nd places in the sprint races, it’s undeniable that RJ Racing is back on its game. Stay tuned for more information about the team’s next races at AAA Speedway on July 31-August 1, 2010.

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Buttonwillow Friday Test Day Update

06/26/10

The day started seasonably warm for Buttonwillow in June – quite warm at 6am. The team hit the track to test and tune the car in preparation for the sprint and endurance races over the weekend. The test day would act as one been open track session allow the team to do as many laps as desired to make sure the car was working as it should, get the driver’s comfortable with the track configuration, and modify the #23 Weekend-Racer.com Mazda MX-5.

The first session showed the car was running well with what felt like improved horsepower – always a good sign. John was scheduled to take the morning track time. After getting the tires warm John started modifying the team’s new brake proportioning valve which will allow the driver to adjust the amount of braking force from front to rear. The valve worked perfectly and quickly provided superior braking from corner to corner.

Before the second session the team did a thorough check of the car in addition to its usually post session checks. Everything was working well – no surprises or unanticipated problems are always a good thing especially with a newly rebuilt engine as well as a new lightweight flywheel and unsprung clutch. The second session proved faster than the first as the car and driver started settling in. John noticed some spots on the track that would require some setup changes and the team made the appropriate changes before the third session.

The improvement was substantial. The car felt good in the first two sessions but in the third session it was hooked up. Better turn into corners, better balance, more stability, much faster times. It’s always incredible how the smallest changes to the car can make the biggest difference on track.

Rob took the afternoon session and was immediately quick posting his best times on the track configuration being used for the race weekend. And, as usual, his laps were ridiculously consistent providing the team an added boost for the 3 hour endurance race on Saturday night.

Stay tuned for more updates throughout the weekend on this site, facebook (RJ Racing) and twitter (twitter.com/rjracing).

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RJR’s First Enduro of the Year

06/22/10

SANTA ANA, CA – The team has been working at a blistering pace getting ready for its first endurance race of the season on June 26-27, 2010 at Buttonwillow Raceway in Buttonwillow, California. The PTE sprint races will be at 1pm on both Saturday and Sunday, and the endurance race will be Saturday night, beginning with a FREE dinner and beer garden at 5pm. This in addition to RJ Racing’s full hospitality experience. Details are below.

After the problems the team encountered at AAA Speedway in March, the entire engine was gone through with a fine tooth comb yet again. It was discovered that the oil leaks at AAA Speedway were caused by faulty oil galley plugs. This necessitated removing the entire engine again and removing the cylinder head, water pump, oil pump, oil pan, transmission, clutch and flywheel to get to the plugs. After replacing and sealing the oil galley plugs, the leaks disappeared. While the transmission was off again, a lightweight flywheel and clutch disc were installed.

With the extended time off, further modifications were made to the #23 RJ Racing Mazda Miata MX-5. For the last three seasons, the team had been running with the original braking system, which included a disabled ABS system and stock proportioning valve. While the ABS system provided adequate stopping power, the braking feel at the limit was vague due to the additional brake line plumbing running through the ABS system. New brake lines were run and a new brake master cylinder was installed. This also helped shed some weight off the car, it was just surprising how much. The ABS box and the bracket weighed 11 pounds, with the bracket alone weighing 2.6 lbs.

Also, the stock brake proportioning highly favored the front brakes for safety reasons, but this left the rear brakes with very little to do. After the 25 Hours of Thunderhill, 70% of the front pad material had been used, but only 20% of the rear pad material was used. To cure this problem, the team installed an adjustable brake proportioning valve in the cockpit to be able to customize the amount of braking between the front and rear brakes. The key is to adjust the braking bias so the front brakes lock up just before the rears.

The battery was relocated to the center of the trunk to aid in weight distribution and for easier access.

Finally, the wiring both inside the cockpit and in the engine compartment was further streamlined and preparations were made for dedicated switches on the center console for all electrical components.

With all of the work complete, the car and the team are ready to get back on track. This will be the first endurance race for many of the new team members. Make sure to come out and see all the action for yourself.

WHAT: Sprint and Endurance racing
WHEN: June 26 & 27 at 1pm PDT (sprint race) / June 26 at 5pm PDT (endurance race)
WHERE: Buttonwillow Raceway, 24551 Lerdo Hwy, Buttonwillow, CA‎
DIRECTIONS: 5 North to Lerdo Hwy. Turn left on Lerdo Hwy, follow for 0.8 miles. Turn left at Ralt Street to Buttonwillow Raceway entrance. Allow 3-4 hours travel time from Orange County depending on traffic.

There is a $10 admission fee to the track, but as RJ Racing’s guests, we are more than happy to pay your admission fee. When you exit the highway, call either Rob or John at the numbers below and we will meet you at the gate. Pets are allowed but must be kept on a leash at all times. Children must be directly supervised at all times. Hope to see you at the track!

–RJ Racing

Posted in Buttonwillow, Endurance races, Sprint races | Leave a comment

RJ Racing’s New Headquarters – Open House

06/12/10

SANTA ANA, CA – The team has acquired new shop space for its racing operations. The team is now located at 3480 W. Warner, Suite P, Santa Ana, CA 92704. The team has conducted extensive renovations, including demolishing an office, installing a 2-post lift and constructing a lounge area. RJR’s new headquarters will house its future Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge effort.

RJR held an Open House on June 11, 2010. RJ Racing extends its thanks to everyone who came out to show their support for the team.

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