Even with my pretty horrible weekend at Barber, I've done well enough to be on the bubble for a Vegas invite:
https://www.optimabatteries.com/en-...ousci-invitation-predictions-after-six-events
I'm on the wait-list for the last event. Hopefully I get in and nail down a high-300 or low 400 point event.
But if not, I'm not going to be too disappointed. I'm in the hunt despite breaking something at all three events that limited my ability to earn points.
NOLA: Charge hoses and exhaust leaks severely limited power, which screwed my road course and speed stop runs
NCM: Transmission overheated, restricting track time on Sunday and cutting speed stop short again
Barber: Transmission gave up, which killed my track time and speed stop runs again.
As of right now, everything is fixed on the car. The local autocross this past weekend had me moving way up against the local CAM-C crowd. What had been a two second gap shrank to just one against modern Mustangs and Camaro ZL1s (with good drivers). I was only 1.6s slower than the CAM-S winning (and two time National Chamption) Corvette on a 32 second course.
My weakest element by far has been Speed Stop, and it's 100% due to the mechanical issues. This has been a very educational season in terms of developing the car. My attempts to run in 2016 and 2017 all resulted in the car coming home broken, with the New Jersey Event leaving me with a shattered engine.
But 2018? I have completed every single event and scored well enough to be in the conversation for a Vegas invite, despite some lingering mechanical difficulties. That's impressive, especially for a Buick.
I have an autocross Sunday and the SCCA Time Trials Nationals next weekend to uncover whatever bugs are left. Then I get to hope for a shot at Road America.
Fingers crossed, folks.