Shameless Self Promotion - Going Pro!

FMRACOONFTMFW!!!!!1!!1y0!1

Go get `em! Great news!

Day 1 update.

Test day is complete. 3 30 minute sessions. I didn't get any of the others lap times, but I was competitive with the instructors that were out on track as well. Official practice tomorrow! I love racing!

I'm in car # 95 if anyone is at the track. We're paddocked in the boonies closest to the entrance.

Day 2 Update. Only 1 30 minute practice session. I'm still extremely consistent, not ultimate fastest in my class, but I will have a good race pace and can keep it there. I'm turning 1:41.8xx - 1:42.1xx lap after lap. Playboy Cup cars are in the 1:39's for the fast guys. I've rarely had the outright quickest lap, but always race better. Qualifying tomorrow!

Can't wait until an update.

Qualifying went OK. I am 3rd in the SB field of 4 (yes 4) cars. But times are fairly close and I always race better than I qualify. My times are very consistent still. I was fighting a very understeer car in right turns and a free/neutral in left turns. Making a tire pressure adjustment for tomorrow a.m.'s warmup to see if that helps. Of course, now there has been a ton of rubber put down by the Rolex race so the track will be completely different again.

The SB cars are starting at the back of the field. Standing start style, which is new for me. Should be interested. My plan is to avoid any issues from the Playboy cup cars, and just run a steady race and work my way up.

Sounds good so far, kick some butt tomorrow!

Quick update. Full report later.

Started P3 in the Skip Barber MX-5 class, 21st/22 overall.

Finished P2 in SB MX-5, 14th overall. Not a scratch on the car. It was HOT! I'm exhausted. Stopped for dinner on the way home now.

Thanks for all your support!

Dude, that's a killer finish! You did good!

Here's the MX-5 Cup press release. I'm mentioned towards the end.

http://www.mx-5cup.com/2012/event/eventnews.php?id=2589&event=9141

Great work!

Congrads!

Phil How much set up are you allowed to change on the car?

And what's the real differecnce between the SB cars and the others? It's always interesting to see the fast SB cars make their way though the field when you all start as a pack in the back of the field.

Nice run!

Nice work!

Also interested in setup differences between the classes.

Congrats. I was really hoping to stop by but a 4 year old and hot days we did not make up up that far in the paddock.

SB MX-5's use a Penske shock package and Supertrap mufflers for top speed tuning. Straight line speed seemed about equal to the Playboy cars. We also ran with the same tires the whole weekend.

The Playboy cars run Sachs shock package and full Mazdaspeed exhaust. They run new tires in qualifying and must use those in the race.

As far as adjustments, we were allowed to adjust shocks and air pressures. PB cars were open setup. Both had a minimum ride height.

Those are the biggest differences.

In reply to CGLockRacer:

So is it your driving style that makes you a better racer than qualifier, or you have found a shock/ tire combo that's a better racing compromise?

Oh, and since you don't change tires... didn't you post about partially missing some time- if so, did that help?

In reply to alfadriver:

I'm not sure why I've always been better at racing than qualifying. Only adjustments I made on the car was tire pressure. I didn't have enough seat time in those cars to start making damper adjustments. The tire pressures did help a bit, but I still had to drive around the issues and change lines and technique some.

Anyway, race report hopefully tonight or tomorrow. I had to take a day to recover and relax.

June 10, 2012 – Lexington, Ohio

Phil Mather Racing Captures Second Place in their First Professional Race at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course!

Phil Mather joined the Skip Barber Racing School in their new for 2012 Mazdaspeed Pro Challenge Racing Series this past weekend at the world famous Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. He was racing in the world’s best-selling sports car, the Mazda MX-5.

There were four racecars in the Skip Barber Mazdaspeed Pro Challenge class joining the 18 other Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup racecars on the track. There are some minor differences between the two groups of racecars. The Cup cars run a different exhaust and suspension package than the Skip Barber cars. They are also allowed to make more adjustments and run fresh BF Goodrich g-force R1 tires for qualifying and the race, where the Skip Barber cars are only allowed tire pressure and damper adjustments, and must run the same tires all weekend.

Mather arrived to Mid-Ohio on Thursday for testing. This allowed him to get used to the racecar and track conditions. Saturday’s qualifying brought very different track conditions with much less grip. Phil qualified third, less than a second behind second place, and about half a second ahead of fourth place.

Sunday brought 90 degree temperatures and bright sun for the race. The 45 minute Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup races begin with standing starts. Mather got an excellent start, and made it cleanly through turn one. He was able to out brake his competition into turn two, running almost three wide. Ahead, several cars made contact, sending two sideways. Mather was able to take evasive action and avoid any contact and found himself in the lead! He was able to maintain the lead for another lap before being passed, dropping to third in class. At about the half-way point, the leaders were still in sight. The second place car went wide and into the grass allowing Mather to jump into second place. First place was too far ahead at this point to pass unless the leader made a mistake, which never came. Mather was able to drive consistent laps for the rest of the race, finishing second place in class and 14th overall!

“I’d like to thank the Skip Barber coaches and mechanics for all of their help this weekend,” Mather said. “Mazda has put together a great program for up and coming professional drivers to be able to show their talent in front of thousands of racing fans. I’d also like to thank CG-Lock, SeatSnug, and Mechanical Simulation for their continued support. I was able to handle the heat today thanks to my training at The Health and Fitness Center at Washtenaw Community College and my trainer Keith, and Kart2Kart has helped me keep my driving fast and consistent. And thank you to all of my friends and family for your support, especially my girlfriend Mandy and the Ohm family for making the trip out to the track to cheer me on!”

The race from Mid-Ohio is scheduled to be televised July 7th at noon on the Velocity Channel.

The Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup press release may be viewed here: http://www.mx-5cup.com/2012/news.php?id=2589

Phil Mather Racing will be instructing throughout the summer with local car clubs. PMR wants to continue on the professional circuit, but we need help. If you know of any companies that want to advertise on national television and in front of thousands of race fans, please contact us at advertise@philmatherracing.com!

Please visit PhilMatherRacing.com for more information!

Excellent write up! I could feel the excitement and suspense.

Where do you move up from here? To the Playboy cars?

Oh, wow. When I ran the Barber event at Road Atlanta we were on BFG street tires and the Playboy guys were on R1s. They were faster enough on exit speeds where we couldn't really even get a good draft on them down the straights. With the Barber cars on R1s as well that would make for some really interesting two-class racing.

jg

Javelin wrote: Excellent write up! I could feel the excitement and suspense. Where do you move up from here? To the Playboy cars?

Thanks! Not sure where next. This was a one off since I don't have any paying sponsors yet. I'm planning on the VIR 13 hr again though, unless something comes up. My next big job is to work this event into a new marketing proposal and get to networking with companies and teams.

When I did the SB Regional series in '09 the cars had the street tires. Adjusting to the R1s was interesting. They are very stiff and while they had smooth break away characteristics, they grabbed hard and almost caused me to have a couple of tank slappers my first few laps out on them. They also chattered a lot when just over the limit, but I hear that was mainly track related because the other drivers never experienced that before either. We did mix it up pretty well with the PBC cars. We had fairly equal power, but since we had to run old tires, they were a bit better in the corners overall.

Phil Have you considered B-Spec? There are a few teams around here... Still not all that reasonable in cost- when I checked the prize money, it was very light compared to the cost of the car and the exposure.

more applicably, how much does a used Playboy series car cost? There have to be some opportunities there... well, maybe not.

That, and you need to save up some money and take your support staff on a vacation in 2014 that I'm planning...

Anyway, it seems it's time to check the cost of the series, and then use this result as an example of how an investment in you can pay off. (This is a national series. Zingermans sells nationally... hmmmmm)

In reply to alfadriver:

I've looked at B-Spec and it's not really what I'm looking for (however, I won't turn a seat down ). I'd love to get into the Continental series. My co-driver from last year's VIR 13 hr is driving for Freedom Autosport this year. Several drivers that I raced against (and beat a few of them) in Skip Barber in 2009 are racing in Grand-Am this year too. I just don't have the funding they do.

In pro racing, it's not just what you know, it's who you know.

On Saturday, 7/7 at noon, my race will be televised on Velocity Channel! Look for car 95.

Also, does anyone have the ability to record this to DVD for me? I'll send a few bucks your way for your trouble! PM me, please!