Ryan Pond - Clean Sweep at NASA SoCal Auto Club Speedway Event


nota4re

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Feb 15, 2006
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Proud dad writing...

Ryan continues to improve his racecraft as we both also learn more about the complexities of car set-up.... and getting it "right". The results were fantastic this weekend. NASA SoCal was at NASCAR's Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, CA this weekend. ~17 Miatas entered in the races Sat & Sun. There is officially one race on Sat and one on Sunday but for some extra fun, they run the Sunday qualifying session as a top-10 reverse grid (from Saturday's race results.)

Ryan won all 3 races during the weekend and also set the fastest lap in each of the races. Auto Club speedway is interesting insofar that bump drafting with 2 or more cars can allow those cars to gain ~100 yards over driving solo. So, you need to be careful because these adhoc pairings can bite you! Top speed at the end of the bank is about 130mph and then you have to slow for a 2nd gear ~25mph left then right hand turn. Hairball! If you care to watch the videos, you will see RP using some hand gestures. These are either acknowledging yellow flags or communicating with other drivers for "OK to bump draft me".

It was a very fun and rewarding weekend!!

Sunday Race Part 1: (Race starts with pace car exiting about 7 minute mark.) https://youtu.be/KRa-AW6g_WM

Sunday Race Part 2: https://youtu.be/Gs2W2Y9Tui4
 

Apollo

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Outstanding, congratulations! Ryan has got incredible talent and such an incredible person, (Lauren too). If we could order kids, these would be them. Go Ryan... :thumbsup
 

KJRGT

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Absolutely awesome!
Way to go Ryan!
 

Ed Sims

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Congrats!

Ed
 

GKW05GT

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Way to go great to see Father and Son being successful together.
 

nautoncall

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Congratulations Kendall and Ryan.
 

Vince H

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Well done Ryan. Stoked to hear how skilled you have become. So good.

Vince H
 

nota4re

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A fellow competitor posted this video from his car of the first race of the season at Willow Springs. Ryan is #21 red car....

Action begins at 9:00 minute mark. Real racing talent demonstrated (by both racers) at 15:00 minute mark.

Car filming has his "incident" on the checkered flag lap and Ryan took the win...

https://youtu.be/SpRtZMpqY2A
 

timcantwell

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Congrats to Ryan. Job well done!
 

GTJack

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Congrats, what a great weekend. Talented son, talented father! On to the future....
 

STORMCAT

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Congratulations! !
 

junior

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Mar 9, 2007
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So Cal
Pretty darn close at 15:20, way to hang in there Ryan ! Congrats.
 

roketman

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Excellent!
What a blast!
Love racing and winning!