Racing Diary

First Formula Mazda Race

by Jennifer Tumminelli

I had met the IndyCar driver, Parker Johnstone at Laguna Seca and asked him for some "quick" advice on my upcoming race at Sears Point in a Formula Mazda. Parker didn't just give me "some quick advice." Parker took the time to talk to me in great detail - turn by turn and on the shift points, driving line and how to set up the Formula Mazda for my upcoming race. The information was "almost" overwhelming.

Some of the information Parker told me was to stay more to the left on the straightaway going into turn one. He also told me to concentrate on the carousel because I can produce enough power to gain more speed onto the straightaway that would take me up into the turn seven. He also told me to stay tight in turn eleven getting as close to the inside tires as possible. He later again went through the course with me turn by turn.

I had a lot on my mind going into this race. The fact that this was the third largest event (Nascar Super Trucks) that Sears Point held with 30,000 spectators wasn't a factor. It had a lot to do with my brother-in-law, Rich Stephens who was running first in points and needed to finish fourth or better to be the Pro Star Formula Mazda Series Championship.

42 Formula Mazda drivers entered the race. I was the most rookie driver out of them all. I had less than three hours of testing in a Formula Mazda. Starting a marketing job shortly after the Atlantic race season left me with no time to test. Testing is everything in a race car and I needed the seat time.

During our only practice for the race weekend I went out just learning and feeling the car and track conditions and my set up on the car. I had many factors to quickly get up to speed with. I hadd gone from winning in a Porsche race car and never having to look in my mirrors to almost being lapped and to be constantly looking in my mirrors.

Fortunately, I had worked on my brother-in-law, Rich Stephens, Formula Mazda (owned by my dad) to earn a ride in a Porsche and in doing so I became familiar with the sounds and feel of the car.

My only test session that weekend was filled with quirks. We went out at 8:00am for a 40 minute session. It was cold and misty and the track wasn't very visable. My visor kept fogging up so I had to come in (many of us did) and get that fixed.

Then I went out and realized that the car was giving me a push in several of the turns. I came in and the crew made a drastic change on the set up. I was instructed to take it easy and come in after three laps.

What a difference! The car was loose and it drove much like a go-kart. Although I could easily get through the corners and I began to start passing people, I now had to learn how to drive the car completely different. So for the next 15 minutes (which was all that was left in the session) I had to learn how to drive all over again, changing my line and shifting points. That was it for our practice session - next was our qualifying session which was scheduled for late the next afternoon.

The pressure was on for many of the drivers. If my teammate Mike Conte (who was in second place behind my brother-in-law) won, he had aÊfree Formula Atlantic test set up. So with that, my dad and Rich didn't visit me.

Our team hospitality tent was filled with sponsors, family and friends and the weekend races included Tim Allen of Home Improvement and his entourage of very fast Saleen Ford Mustangs that run in the World Challenge Series (of which I have run with several of IMSA drivers in my Porsche).

Qualifying was tough! We only had seven laps to qualify in. They split up the field of cars because we had such a large field of Formula Mazda's. The qualifying session was over so quickly. I actually went faster than I did in practice while everyone else went slower in their times. I still only qualified 37th out of 42.

The Formula Mazdas are spec race cars that include spec tires. The Mazdas produce 170hp with their rotary Mazda engines. The unique and fun part of the Formula Mazdas are not only because they are fast, but the cars are all the same and so it's all up to the driver's ability to make the car go fast.

During testing I followed my brother-in-law around for a couple of laps. We analyzed my driving from my in-car camera and I found that I was doing the exact same line that my brother-in-law was doing. We had almost the same shifting points but the time lost all came down to reflexes, late breaking and getting on the gas sooner.

On race day I went to my brother-in-law after the driver's meeting and asked him for a tip to use in the race. I rethought the strategy for the race and decided that I would have to make up my time difference and qualifying position in the start and any restarts. I have always been very good at the starts so my concentration was on using my best strength to my advantage in the race.

At the rolling start of the race the green flag waved. My strategy worked and I immediately moved up position after position. Yellow flags ensued during the race and eight cars either crashed, spun or wiped out during the race. I did a lot of dodging of spinning cars and strewn body work on the track. Seven out of the eight crashed cars were positioned around my qualifying and current race position. I was definitely in the danger zone.

I had a radio, but I didn't know that one of the ear pieces had broken. I'm deaf in my right ear and had the good ear piece in that ear. I couldn't hear a thing!

Nearing the end of the race, I was currently running in 22nd position. Another yellow came out and four people passed me under yellow (without being black flagged). The race ended on the 14th lap and I finished 26th out of 42. I won the "Hard Charger Award - for the most positions moved up in the race". My brother-in-law, Rich Stephens, won the Pro Star Formula Mazda Series and we celebrated in style at the series banquet that evening.

The race will be broadcast on ESPN2 on November 17th at 11:00am Pacific Time.

--Jennifer

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