Waterfall/Area 81 Racing Team post two SARRC wins at VIR Goblins Go to end season

The Waterfall/Area 81 Racing team ended its 2015 season with the grit and dedication we’ve come to expect, pulling out two wins as it participated in its last South Atlantic Road Racing Championship (SARRC) race. Both Area 81 F1000 cars had to move at lightning speed to prep for the “Goblins Go” race at the Virginia International Raceway after a busy three weeks racing in Daytona, Florida and Bloomingdale, Georgia.

It was a busy and successful racing season for the Area 81 team with multiple wins and several personal bests. In the final race of the season, Richard Franklin, Car 81, qualified on the outside Front Row and F1000 pole position in the first race. He was in the lead almost throughout the entire race and improved his best lap time by two seconds. However, Sunday’s race brought about recurring electrical issues as his Stohr F1000 came to a stop on the warm-up lap due to battery failure.

“Missed opportunities and mixed emotions pretty much sums up my weekend at VIR,” said Franklin. However, he added, “Improving my personal best lap time by nearly two seconds at VIR was very exciting.”

Despite being slowed by lapped traffic throughout the race, Tim Pierce, Car 18, gained three positions to finish a strong second and third overall during race 1. In race 2, he had better luck, finishing in first place for the F1000 class.

“During the race my car handled very well, but I was unable to get adequate drive out of the turns due to a slipping clutch, and I was lucky to pull out the win,” said Pierce. “My car is due for a fresh engine over the winter, so we’ll be ready come March.”

The short turnaround time between races had an effect on the Area 81 team, leaving little time to fully address mechanical difficulties. The team will be taking some time off through the holidays to make the necessary repairs to their cars and further develop their F1000’s. Stay tuned to Waterfall's blog, as well as www.Area81Racing.com and the Area 81 racing Facebook page for updates on the 2016 season.

August 14-15, 2015 – Waterfall/Area 81 Racing Solidifies their Top Spots in the SARRC and SECS Championships with Double Wins at Charlotte Motor Speedway

It was an exciting weekend at the Central Carolina SCCA’s Daylight into Dark races at Charlotte Motor Speedway as the Waterfall/Area 81 Racing team posted double F1000 wins.

Richard Franklin, Car 81, qualified first in class for both races and posted his personal best on the high banks of Charlotte Motor Speedway with the fastest F1000 lap of the event. Although oil leaks prevented a finish in Saturday’s race, Car 81 came back strong on Sunday with a SARRC race win and second-overall finish.

“It was not a perfect weekend for me by any means, but not too bad,” said Franklin. “Handling wise, my car was very comfortable, and I set my fastest top MPH speed ever at Charlotte, confirming that my engine tuning and aerodynamic tweaks are working.”   

Not far behind, was Tim Pierce with his first appearance at Charlotte. Pierce qualified first in class in SECS both days, and despite some handling issues caused by the uneven track surface, Car 1 finished third overall on Sunday, taking home two SECS wins.

“The goal for Car 1 was to score two SECS wins and bring it home in one piece. I think we accomplished our goal and performed very well in the process,” said Pierce.

Next up is the 2015 SCCA National Runoffs at Daytona International Speedway Sept. 26. Stay tuned to www.Area81Racing.com and the Area 81 racing Facebook page for updates.

Waterfall/Area 81 team succeeds despite inclement weather on Fourth of July weekend

A short trip away from its headquarters in North Carolina, the Waterfall/Area 81 Racing team traveled to Roebling Road Raceway in Savannah, Ga., for the SECS.

Richard Franklin, driver of car 81, planned to use these races to prepare for October’s SARRC Invitational Challenge Championship race; Tim Pierce, of car 18, planned to do the same for the 2015 Runoffs in September. This boded well for the team on Saturday, as it qualified third and fourth overall. Franklin finished first in SARRC and Tim finished second in SECS.

However, Sunday’s races were cancelled due to unstable weather.

“The whole team weathered the storm and sacrificed its comfort and well-being to get the car to the grid. We would not be successful without these efforts,” said Pierce.

Franklin added, “Hopefully, those who showed up on grid will receive Championship points for their efforts.”

All in all, it was a productive weekend for the team, proving once again that it can continue to capture Championship points among unforeseen circumstances.

The team continues its 2015 racing schedule at Charlotte Motor Speedway for the Daylight-into-Dark Double SARRC/SECS on Aug. 15 and 16. Be sure to stay tuned to www.Area81Racing.com and our Facebook page for updates.

April 25-26th, 2015 – Waterfall/Area 81 Adds Another Epic Battle to the History Books

The Waterfall/Area 81 Racing team returned to Roebling Road Raceway in Savannah, Ga., for the Jim Stark Memorial Double SARRC/SECS.  Seven years after the team was formed, both Tim and Richard are in the hunt for championships. Tim placed second in SECS both races, while finishing third on Saturday overall and second on Sunday overall. Richard earned first-place finishes both days in SARRC with a fourth overall and a third overall.

Throughout Saturday severe thunderstorms pelted the area including lightning, 80 mile-per-hour winds and 2-3 inches of rain. At the start, Tim passed seven cars before Turn 1 and soon another epic battle between Area 81 teammates would ensue. Each lap, Tim would pull away in the first sequence of turns, only to have Richard threaten in the second half of the course. A disabled car in Turn 1 brought out a standing yellow caution, which thwarted Richard’s plans to pass from Tim’s draft on the front straight. 

Sunday’s race featured sunny skies and expected temperatures into the 90s. Richard qualified on the second row and Tim directly behind on the third row. This time, Richard fended Tim off at the start for five laps until Tim drafted going into the first turn. The teammates resumed their fight, but both encountered lapped traffic. Tim passed two lapped cars deep into Turn 1, leaving Richard to wait to get around. By the time he was able to navigate around the slower cars, it was too late.

“My car had the same shifting issues from the last event, and I wasn’t as fast as I expected to be,” Tim Pierce, driver of Car 18, said. “(Franklin’s car) was definitely the faster car this weekend.”

Franklin said, “It’s no secret that Roebling is my favorite track, and I felt confident all weekend that sufficient speed was in the car. On Saturday, I drafted alongside Tim for at least nine laps every time down Roebling’s front stretch. … On Sunday, I led him for five laps, but we were able to draft by. Going nose-to-tail for lap after lap is why I love racing.”

The team continues its 2015 racing schedule at the SARRC/MARRS Double SARRC/SECS at VIR on May 8 and 9 near Danville, Va. Be sure to stay tuned to www.Area81Racing.com and our Facebook page for updates.