Guys - I found this link to an interview w/Neal Sapp. Part of the interview talks about his S2000.
http://www.theracesite.com/index.cfm?paget...rm_article=1266

Etgar

 

Thanks for the link. I like that one comment about how the powers-that-be were afraid that the V8s would be shown up and so an extra 75 lbs were added to the stook.

 

Guys:

The car ran with the AC still in it! I know he used it to stay cool at VIR before the National. He won that race by the way over the guy who came second at the Runoffs Rob Hines.

Mark

 

Has anyone invited Neal or anyone else that races a S2K to the Ashville meet? Anyone know how to get the word out? It would be great to hear some driving tips from a pro.

-- Tom

 

I talked to Neal Sapp at the San Diego Grand Prix (where he took his first-ever win over Peter Kleinubing in the Speedvision Touring Championship race in the TC Kline BMW).

I had my Fulmitz "S2000" hat on and I started asking him about racing in the SCCA T2 division with the S2000. He didn't seem particularly interested in talking about it and didn't have any real positive comments. He just seemed completely noncommital regarding the S2000. I got the impression that he didn't particularly like it. He seemed like a really nice guy, he just wasn't real excited about the S2000.

 

Does he own the S2K he races?
Does he get paid to race the car?

If he is not the owner he may not be too enthusiastic about the car unless it provides him a very good advantage over the competition.

Read his interview and you will see that his sights are set on climbing through the ranks of road racing not racing a car becuase he owns it or loves it. He also didn't sound on that interview as a beliver that the S2K is superior to the V8 cars.

 

Pepe you are right. I have gotten to be friends with Neal this past year because of the S2000. He basically rented the car from TC Kline for the SCCA season. He did great things with an outgunned car for the T2 class. The SCCA did the S2000 no favors as far as weight was concerned. At certain tracks ie. Lime Rock and VIR to name two the car is very competitive. Neal put the S2000 on the pole at Lime Rock with stock shocks. As I said above he won at VIR (there too) from pole over Rob Hines in the Runoffs second place Camaro. At others he had to pedal for all he was worth. He qualified 4th at the Runoffs to a Boxster S and two Z28 Camaros. The Boxster is allowed to weigh close to the S2000, use optional 18" wheels and has 250 HP with more torque. The S2000 ran on stock 16" rims. The weather was low 40's and rain (I was there) the Kumho tires just did not work in these conditions. He finished 6th on the road and 4th after tech. Neal just wants to drive racecars period. It can be a S2000 or BMW it doesn't matter. I hope he gets a break to show what he can do in a Grand Am or ALMS ride.