Tanney Motorsport’s Fall 2010 Report

September 4 - HADA Autoslalom Event # 3 - Powerade Centre Brampton

After a couple of weeks off, Mark and Wes had the itch once again to get out and run an event. Since both were around the city for Labour Day weekend and HADA Motorsport Club had an event on the Saturday. It was a no brainer to get out and have some fun.

Wes navigating through the course....

Once again they both drove Mark's '07 Civic Si in DSS, as the club choose to run the Provincial Classes. With just 4 cars in the DSS class, it was actually the biggest class present. There were just 24 competitors that turned up for the long weekend event...

Mark had some guests that had come out to try the sport they had been hearing so much about from Mark . The father and son, Faizar and Irfan A., came out in dad's BMW M5 for some fun…..

WIth so few competitors, they decided that traditional marshalling would present some issues, so they decided to break the 24 competitors into two run groups. The first group would do three runs while the second group marshalled and then switch. This would continue until it was determined that time would run out. Wes was in the first run group and Mark in the second since having two driver cars in the same run group would no doubt hold up the event.

As it turned out, everyone that stuck around managed twelve, yes, twelve timed runs… And for those that did stick around until the very end, there were even a few damp to wet runs for the last couple of runs of the day, just to keep things interesting.

Mark makes his way around the course in Brampton...

With no pressure to perform, no series points, not even bragging rights, it was a low pressure and very fun day. Wes took out Mark's buddy from work, Ifran, while Mark took out Ifran's son, Faizar, for some runs to introduce them to the sport. Both Mark and Wes also hopped into their M5, to help with some direction and instruction to get them up and running with the minimal amount of frustration.

The day went very fast, doing three quick runs in a row, changing to marshal three runs and then back in the car again for three more runs. Wes' first three runs were only three tenths apart with the exception of the first run in which he coned (the raw time was still consistent). He took the early class lead. Mark's very first run was enough to put him in second place by less than one tenth of a second, but his second and third runs were all over the place.

The second set of runs were just a little quicker for Wes, setting what would be his fastest time of the day on the sixth run. Mark was not able to improve in his second set of runs and was now sitting 1.4 seconds behind Wes, but still in a commanding second place in class.

For the third runs, Wes was again fairly consistent, but was not able to post a faster time, Mark on the other had managed to put down two quick runs on his eighth and ninth runs, knocking almost a full second off his previous best.

Rain visited the event mid-afternoon....

Durning Wes' last runs and again with Mark's last runs, rain was a factor. It rained for both run groups, just enough both times to make the last two or three runs damp or wet runs. Of course both set some surprisingly quick runs that would have still managed to take the one two in class, even against the other two competitor's dry times…..

Ending the Autoslalom season on a high note, Wes once again took the D Super Stock class win with Mark in second by a mere 0.355 seconds. One of the closest, if not the closest Mark has been to Wes in competition yet.

Unfortunately Wes did not take the camera out for this event as HADA usually has a bunch of photographers out. This wasn't the case at this event, but they did take on board video footage of almost every run….

September 10, 2010 - HADA Motorsport Club Lapping - Fabi Circuit, Shannonville Motorsport Park - Mark

For the first time in a couple of years, HADA managed to organize a lapping evening before the HADA organized Shannonville SoloSprint weekend. In the past it was a staple in the season, HADA always organized a lapping evening at Shannonville on the Friday before a SoloSprint weekend.

Unfortunately it was the start up week at the College and neither Wes or Sonia could get the time off work to make it to Shannonville. Mark signed up and although he arrived late, he did manage to get some track time before it was shut down with darkness encroaching....

By the time that Wes and Sonia arrived in Belleville, Mark had wrapped up at the track and managed to catch up to Wes and Sonia for dinner at what is turning into the regular Belleville haunt, the Red Rock, for some good food and bench racing.

September 11, 2010 - CASC-OR SoloSprint Event # 7 - Fabi Circuit, Shannonville Motorsport Park

The final weekend for the CASC-OR 2010 SoloSprint Championship Series took place on September 11th and 12th at Shannonville Motorsport Park. The penultimate event took places on the Saturday at SMP's Fabi Circuit and was hosted by HADA Motorsport Club.

Wes in the Fabi hairpin...

After arriving at the track, going through registration, doing the car prep and then scrutineering, Mark's car was quickly made ready for another day at the track. Since Mark had been out for a few laps the evening before, Wes was up first for the morning lapping. Wes, over the years, has had a little bit of experience on Fabi and it still ranks up there among his favourite tracks. It is fairly tight, more of a handling track than a power track, that rewards a good handling car over one with brute force. Since Mark had been out and learned his way around the track, it was time for a lesson on the proper line and a little lesson on where some time can be made up by letting it hang out a bit..

Wes was once again running the '07 Civic in Open Modified and there were three other competitors, all in real Open Modified vehicles, so Wes had his work cut out for him on this gorgeous early September day. Not only were Miles and Martin out in the Super 7, but Kevin M. was out in his Dwarf as well. Mark was running in the car's proper class, Grand Touring 2, trying to maximize his Novice points. After a couple of lapping sessions each, it was time for competition.

Mark turns into the Fabi hairpin....

Mark was up first while Wes was running timing. Mark's first session was good. All three laps he got quicker, dropping about a half second per lap on all three laps. Again, as with most other tracks they ran on this season, this was Mark's first competition exposure to Fabi and it was expected that he would improve. For his second session, Mark picked up almost exactly where he left off, setting an almost identical time to his last lap from his first session. Unfortunately he stopped going quicker at that point and his second lap dropped off a couple of tenths and his third another half second. This was mostly due to the tires they had chosen to run for the day, last year's Toyo RA1s. They were past their prime and definitely on the way out.

Wes took over the driving duties at this point while Mark did his marshalling stint as the assistant grid marshal, helping to grid cars for Wes' run group. Wes had logged a lot of laps at Fabi in the past, most at the Horizon Race School back in 2004. Since taking the race school, Wes has really liked the challenging sections of Fabi and it showed back in 2005 when he took his first Pole Position Award (top scorer of the day) at the ASN Canada FIA Canadian SoloSprint Championships on his way to the Grand Touring 4 National Championship title.

On his first timed track session, Wes put down some times that were well off the pace of the Open Modified competitors. Actually he wasn't even on the pace with the GT2 guys (where the Civic should be classed) but managed to take off two tenths of each consecutive lap leaving him over seven seconds off the pace of Miles in the Super 7. Wes' second timed session was almost identical to his first, with each lap about a tenth of a second faster than the equivalent lap from the first session. He did manage to drop one tenth off his previously quickest time though.

Mark pushing his Civic into the corner....

After the first runs there was a lunch break to allow everyone who needed nourishment time to run over to the canteen or run out and get gas. Both had once again underestimated the amount of gas and after a couple of lapping session then the morning timed runs, they were almost out of gas required. At lunch, Mark had to run out and get more gas. The lunch beak also allowed some time for Wes and Sonia to visit with Wes' mother who drove out from Brockville to visit for the day. Once the racing season gets into full swing, the only time there is time to visit is on holidays and when events take place in Eastern Ontario and Wes' mother makes the trip to Shannonville, Picton or Ottawa….

When lunch was complete and competition started back up Mark was first up again. Mark's third session was more than a second off of both of his morning sessions. The well used Toyo RA1s were showing that they had been heat cycled out and all used up. After a tire pressure adjustment, trying to get what little was left out of the tires, Mark went out and set some times a little quicker than his third session, but still not on the pace of his first two sessions. When all was said and done, Mark's quickest lap was his first lap from the second session and just over three seconds off the class leaders pace. Considering it was his first visit to Fabi and given the competition in GT2, Mark had a decent finish, finishing fourth of six in class.

Wes trying to make up ground on the Open Mod guys...

When Wes took over the driving duties once again, the well used Toyos were pretty much used up… His third session had him about a half second to a second a lap off his morning pace. A substantial tire pressure adjustment before his final session helped, but the tires were trashed by then. His final session was about a half second slower than his second session where he clocked his fastest lap. More than seven seconds off the pace of Open Modified was little frustrating, but again, not unexpected. He ended up fourth of four in Open Modified. Actually, Wes' quickest time of the day would have only been good enough for third in GT2….

The day ended with the usual (now typical) BBQ burgers and sausages, salads and a bunch of deserts put on by the hosting club. After supper and some socializing, Mark retired to his sister's place just north of Belleville while Wes, Sonia and Odinn returned their motel in Belleville.

September 12, 2010 - CASC-OR SoloSprint Event # 8 - Full Track, Shannonville Motorsport Park

The next morning had Tanney Motorsport back out at Shannonville Motorsport Park, this time to run on Full Track. This would only be the second time that SoloSprint had run on Full Track and was once again, it was a track the Mark had never driven before. Just to make learning a new track a little more difficult, it was threatening to rain...

Wes went out for morning lapping first, with Mark in the passenger seat. Full Track uses most of Fabi Circuit, the track they had used the day before, but learning the rest of the track presented an extra challenge for Mark. Although Wes had only run Full Track once before, last season, he was comfortable and attempted to show Mark the best way around this extended circuit.

Wes in the morning wet....

After a few laps it was back into the pits for a driver change and allowing Mark his first laps around the track. Each managed a couple of sessions of lapping, in worsening conditions, before the competition started.

By the time competition runs started, it was raining and there were full wet conditions for the first run group. The conditions were terrible, but with all of their recent wet running in Autoslalom and SoloSprint, both rose to the challenge....

Wes' first run had a BIG moment in turn one on his first hot lap..... About the midpoint of the corner, while getting back on the throttle, the rear end decided it didn't want to stay behind the car and as it started to come out, Wes corrected, and never lifting off the throttle pulled the car out of what should have been a big spin into the turn one wall. It was all caught on camera with the camera mounted in car, full opposite lock all the way to the stops...

The first lap was fairly quick, for a wet time, but the second lap had Wes looking for grip and he managed to drop a full second. The third lap time was right in the middle of the first two laps.

Mark on his rerun in drying conditions...

Wes' second session was in conditions almost as wet and after finding a wet line in the final corner that worked, he managed to drop another three tenths of a second. He dropped another full second of his second lap before falling off again on his last lap of the second session. The first lap on the second session also had a big moment in turn one, that even two years ago would have probably been well beyond Wes' abilities, but all the rain from the last two seasons had prepared him well.

Both Miles and Martin were struggling in the wet with their Super 7. Martin even hoped into his Miata trying to put a lap time in the books. Both did manage one hot lap in the Super 7 in their first session and both pulled off saying it was much too dangerous to continue. Martin spun in his Miata in his second session in the oil left around the entire circuit by another competitor before both called it a day and packed up....

Mark's first timed session was also in full wet conditions. Mark was quick! So quick in fact that he was ten full seconds ahead of the class championship leader in each of his first three laps. At the end of the first session Mark had a commanding three and a half second lead over the second place competitor in the GT2 class.

Mark's second session was very interesting. One of the other cars on track along with Mark, was dumping oil all over the already very slick track. As mentioned above, Martin was out in his Miata trying to get a lap in, but he spun coming out of the esses in the oil. Ben F. Spun in turn one and EVERYONE was sideways in the final corner....

The session was wisely red flagged and an hour long clean up ensued. The ENTIRE track was a giant oil slick and with the help of the Shannonville personnel and all of the oil dry on site, clean up began. While the lengthly clean up was going on, the rain stopped and the track began to slowly start to dry out.

By the time the track was cleaned up of all the oil, it was definitely starting to show signs of drying up. All the cars previously on track when the oil slick was laid down got to do their runs over and the effects of the drying track were clearly visible. Lap times started to drop dramatically.

Mark went back out and and promptly dropped 13 seconds off his previous best lap time, on his third lap of the second session. By the time the seconds runs were complete Mark had dropped down the class order as Dave B. And his Camaro had dropped a whopping 27 seconds in the drying conditions.

After a quick marshal swap Wes was back behind the steering wheel for his last two sessions, this time in further drying conditions. With Martin and Miles packed up and headed back to the city, Wes just focused on going as fast as possible knowing he would be able to win the Open Modified class for the event.

His third run had his times drop about 16 seconds with his second lap being the quickest of the three. The session was pretty much uneventful with the track now basically dry, on line. Wes slotted right back in line and was out for his final competition runs of the SoloSprint season. He managed to drop another tenth of a second on his first lap and another four tenths on his second before dropping off a bit on his last lap.

Wes' final laps had opened up a 27 second lead over Miles in second place in Open Mod and 34 seconds over Martin in third. Wes' time would have landed him in second place in the cars true class, GT2, about a second behind Dave B. and his Camaro.

Mark with his passenger coming out on the front straight...

Mark's parents and sister's family all showed up to check out what Mark has been up to all summer. Mark is also from Eastern Ontario and this was the closest venue to where his family lives that the SoloSprint Series runs. Mark's final two runs were with a 200 lb passenger, his brother in law, Steve.

Mark's third timed session was his best as his confidence was high and the track conditions good. His second and third laps of the third session were his two best laps of the day and a mere two one hundreds of a second apart. All three were fairly consistent.

His fourth session was fairly consistent as well with each dropping a couple of tenths of a second per lap but were not quite as fast as the two quickest laps in the third session.

When all was said and done, Mark was fourth in the class of four, about 5 seconds back of the battle for second and third place in class.

After the event was over, Mark, his parents, sister and family as well as Wes and Sonia all stopped in Belleville for nice dinner before heading back to the city.

The end of the season is always bittersweet... On one hand it is good that the season is over and there is time to regroup, but at the same time it's a long seven months here in Canada with our winters before the next season starts back up again.

The SoloSprint Season didn't turn out quite as planned, but it turned out to be an interesting season nevertheless.

September 18, 2010 - HADA Autoslalom Event # 4 - Powerade Centre Brampton - Mark

With Sonia and Wes off shooting a wedding, Mark decided to get out to the final HADA Autoslalom event of the season for a bit of fun. Accompanied by a couple of friends from work, Mark was off to the Powerade Centre in Brampton for Event #4 of HADA's club series.

It was a relatively mellow event with a fairly low attendance and without any of the pressures of a series to worry about, Mark was just out to have some fun.

After the five runs for the day, Mark ended up fourth of the five in the SS2 class, about six seconds back of the lead. He didn't manage to get a clean run in all day, so even his fastest run of the day carried a cone. But so did almost everyone else in class....

To say it was a disappointing day wouldn't be quite the truth. Mark had fun and enjoyed the day of low stress competition.

October 3, 2010 - Driving Clinic and Lapping Day - Mosport DDT - Wes

Wes was asked once gain if he would be interested in helping out as an instructor for another of Duncan Johnson's organized Mosport Driver Development Track Fall lapping and instruction day. Wes couldn't turn down the chance to get out one more time especially since the last time he was out with the group, back in July, he had a blast...

The chase is on....

The '98 Civic's limited slip differential wasn't really up for the task but Wes promised to take it easy on it. Ok, whatever.....

Wes' student was an older gentleman with a big boat of a Caddie.... Wes spent the day instructing, gradually bring the gentleman slowly but gradually up to speed. After the first session Wes took him out in the Civic and promptly showed him how to go off track.... In the process, Wes broke the front bumper cover mounts on the drivers side and cracked the bumper cover in about five spots. So much for a gentle 30kph straight off run.

Like the previous track day back in July, this was one of the more fun events from 2010. Wes had an absolute blast both instructing and driving. Another M3 chase video was produced with about ten minutes of video footage with Wes chasing down Duncan's M3. Lots of fun indeed!

At the end of the day, Wes changed tires and packed up the car. He then managed to drop over at the big track just in time too catch the final Formula Libre race of the season. Mark had also made the trip out to Mosport to check out some of the action and the two managed to catch up to the Formula 4 guys as they were celebrating the end of the season. They also managed to run into all kinds of former Solo competitors that were either involved with RACE or just hanging out checking out the action.

After hanging out for a bit the pair made the trip back to the city, wrapping up the 2010 season with a great day. All that was left now were the end of season banquets....

November 13 – CASC-OR Annual Awards Banquet

Tanney Motorsport were out to the 2010 CASC-OR Annual Awards Gala on Saturday November 13th to pick up the seasons hardware.... Mark, Wes, Sonia and guests Pat and Amy Harrison were all in attendance for the 46th Annual Awards Banquet.

Mark brought home a 5th place trophy in the CASC-OR 2010 SoloSprint Championship Series Novice Championship and 2nd place in CASC-OR 2010 Autoslalom Championship Series D Super Stock Class Championship.

Wes brought home a 3rd place trophy in the CASC-OR 2010 SoloSprint Championship Series Open Modified Class Championship.

As well as SoloSprint, Wes brought home 1st place in CASC-OR 2010 Autoslalom Championship Series D Super Stock Class Championship and the 3rd Place in the Autoslalom Overall Championship. Wes also captured 2nd Place in the Toyo Autoslalom Championship for the 2010 Season, winning a nice trophy and some Toyo Tire coupons to use for a future Toyo Tire purchase.

In the three years that the Toyo contingency has been going on, Wes has managed to take all three of the top three spots (1st in 2008, 3rd in 2009 and now 2nd in 2010)

Both Wes' and Sonia's Solo photography was showcased, along with RACE, as slide shows and awards presentations took place. It was a great night out with friends and fellow racers.....

November 27 – 2010 BARC End of Season Bash

Saturday, November 27th was the annual BARC Bash.... Both Wes and Sonia attended a very nice evening at the Toronto Delta East in Scarborough to celebrate the 2010 BARC racing season.

Nice evening out with great company, as usual. Thanks the BARC crew for great time.

Photos by Sonia Tanney Photography and Wes Tanney.

Wes Tanney
Tanney Motorsport

Tanney Motorsport’s Sponsors – As always, a special thanks goes out to Tanney Motorsport’s sponsors for their generous contributions to Tanney Motorsport’s efforts throughout the 2010 season and look forward to the upcoming season.

Tsunami Technology Group Inc. – http://www.technology.ca/

Reaction Grafix – http://www.reactiongrafix.com/

Pathfinder Lubricants – http://www.daydistributing.ca/

GTA Wheel & Tire Zone – http://www.wheelandtirezone.com/

CG-Lock Canada – http://www.cglockcanada.com/

Fall 2010 Tanney Motorsport Results

Wes' 2010 Season Summary

The following are the series that may be abbreviated above;

CASC-OR Autoslalom -CASC-OR 2010 Mobil 1 Autoslalom Championship Series
CASC-OR SoloSprint - 2010 Mobil 1 SoloSprint Championship Series
Canadian Autoslalom Championship - ASN Canada FIA Canadian Autoslalom Championship
Canadian SoloSprint Championship - ASN Canada FIA Canadian SoloSprint Championship
HADA Autoslalom - HADA Motorsport Club's Autoslalom Series

This page was last updated on Novermber 27th, 2011