Laze Fox Racing 2009 Results
12-12-2009, 08:02 AM
#1
Laze Fox Racing 2009 Results
As you may know, Doug Haymes and I purchased a old worn out race car in early-summer (94 BMW 325i). Doug and I did a shake-down run at Roebling, then off to Road Atlanta for NASA Competition License School in August! I passed the class on Friday, and then raced Sat & Sunday...and won my class...but without any other competitors in class (I will take it) Road Atlanta still scares the pee-turkey out of me...and maybe will for life. Doug ran in HPDE 3/4, and was quick...but still feeling the car out.
Then I ran CMP last month with no issues...nice clean run and was the last in class each day (a 3rd, 2nd and 2nd)...But those races completed my Rookie period of 4 races. If you screw-up during this period, you may not get the regular Comp license. Therefore I took it easy, drove smooth and stayed out of everybody's way. The car ran fine again, just kinda slow even discounting the driver. The car's open diff just lets the tires spin-spin-spin, just can't get any power down exiting a corner. And we only have 156 RHP...
So this last weekend I ran Road Atlanta. As you know it was as cold as a ****...way too cold for me. Anyways I ran pretty good, and got down to 1:53 laps during the race. Not real fast as my 350Z ran 1:45s with some more speed left in there, maybe 1:43. But the previous owner who was a very experienced racer ran 1:53s in the BMW, so I felt pretty good. I think I can get to the very low 1:50s in the next outing @ RA as I am starting to "trust" the car more now. I had complete trust that the Z-car would "behave" well no matter the conditions...but I don't have that yet with the BMW. The car has some more speed in it...and I think I can get some out of it here and at the other tracks on the NASA schedule. Doug ran HPDE 3/4 and said he is getting a much better feel for the car too. With any luck Doug and I will both be running in competition next year, both Enduro and Sprints.
I have a couple of major mods in mind that should really help the car: install a LSD and go to much higher spring rates. The open diff is just a joke on slow corners. I get big wheel-spin in T2, T7, and 10B @ RA. CMP was just a mess in the slow corners. Same for Roebling...just wheel spin. The stronger springs should help with the body-roll.
Today the car handles like the almost stock E36 that it is. It has Bilstein sport shocks, and H&R sport springs...but they are just HiPo street quality. When I see pics of the car it looks like it is gonna flip-over.
OK, so some BIG news is that I took 1st place overall in PTE for the 2009 NASA-SE season! This is pretty cool, but frankly there was very little competition. I just ran more events than the other PTE racers. But i will take it !
But I did receive another award that was a complete surprise, and a HUGE HONOR: 2009 NASA-SE Rookie of the Year! WOWOWOWOWOW!
This is voted on by the NASA Officials and Directors...I am humbled and yet VERY PROUD! My plan this year was just to buy a race car, get a Comp license, and not tear up mine or anybody else car up! I was very focused on NOT getting in the middle of an "in class" race battles between the experienced guys. i.e., don't screw up somebody's race if/when I inadvertently block them when they are chasing a competitor in the the same class. So it looks like my plan worked very well (if i do say-so myself)
So I want to say thanks to the following folks for their help this year:
My wife Doe who puts up with me
Doug Haymes - co-owner and race team partner (who puts up with me)
JMAN @ RedLine Auto Club for Sponsorship and a laugh
Karl Kondor - good advice during the season
All the other racers who took time to give me good advice and didn't "take me out" in any events
And Ross Bentley for writing the book "Speed Secrets"...as I learned to drive fast by reading this book about 5 times, and I still read it.
I hope to see you guys/girls at a track next year!
Happy Holiday!
__________________
NOOB Racer
Then I ran CMP last month with no issues...nice clean run and was the last in class each day (a 3rd, 2nd and 2nd)...But those races completed my Rookie period of 4 races. If you screw-up during this period, you may not get the regular Comp license. Therefore I took it easy, drove smooth and stayed out of everybody's way. The car ran fine again, just kinda slow even discounting the driver. The car's open diff just lets the tires spin-spin-spin, just can't get any power down exiting a corner. And we only have 156 RHP...
So this last weekend I ran Road Atlanta. As you know it was as cold as a ****...way too cold for me. Anyways I ran pretty good, and got down to 1:53 laps during the race. Not real fast as my 350Z ran 1:45s with some more speed left in there, maybe 1:43. But the previous owner who was a very experienced racer ran 1:53s in the BMW, so I felt pretty good. I think I can get to the very low 1:50s in the next outing @ RA as I am starting to "trust" the car more now. I had complete trust that the Z-car would "behave" well no matter the conditions...but I don't have that yet with the BMW. The car has some more speed in it...and I think I can get some out of it here and at the other tracks on the NASA schedule. Doug ran HPDE 3/4 and said he is getting a much better feel for the car too. With any luck Doug and I will both be running in competition next year, both Enduro and Sprints.
I have a couple of major mods in mind that should really help the car: install a LSD and go to much higher spring rates. The open diff is just a joke on slow corners. I get big wheel-spin in T2, T7, and 10B @ RA. CMP was just a mess in the slow corners. Same for Roebling...just wheel spin. The stronger springs should help with the body-roll.
Today the car handles like the almost stock E36 that it is. It has Bilstein sport shocks, and H&R sport springs...but they are just HiPo street quality. When I see pics of the car it looks like it is gonna flip-over.
OK, so some BIG news is that I took 1st place overall in PTE for the 2009 NASA-SE season! This is pretty cool, but frankly there was very little competition. I just ran more events than the other PTE racers. But i will take it !
But I did receive another award that was a complete surprise, and a HUGE HONOR: 2009 NASA-SE Rookie of the Year! WOWOWOWOWOW!
This is voted on by the NASA Officials and Directors...I am humbled and yet VERY PROUD! My plan this year was just to buy a race car, get a Comp license, and not tear up mine or anybody else car up! I was very focused on NOT getting in the middle of an "in class" race battles between the experienced guys. i.e., don't screw up somebody's race if/when I inadvertently block them when they are chasing a competitor in the the same class. So it looks like my plan worked very well (if i do say-so myself)
So I want to say thanks to the following folks for their help this year:
My wife Doe who puts up with me
Doug Haymes - co-owner and race team partner (who puts up with me)
JMAN @ RedLine Auto Club for Sponsorship and a laugh
Karl Kondor - good advice during the season
All the other racers who took time to give me good advice and didn't "take me out" in any events
And Ross Bentley for writing the book "Speed Secrets"...as I learned to drive fast by reading this book about 5 times, and I still read it.
I hope to see you guys/girls at a track next year!
Happy Holiday!
__________________
NOOB Racer
12-12-2009, 03:43 PM
#5
I am stunned that I won that award...but very proud 
and happy
basically, i respected everyone else races-in-class, while I attempted to learn to drive in real race traffic. Frankly I only performed one REAL competitive racing pass the entire 3 race weekends. But just as important I learned how to "get passed" anywhere and everywhere by 1, 2, 3, 4-5 car trains without damage to any party
The Esses at Road Atlanta is a good example; if you open the door at T2, and entire pack of Spec Miata/SpecE30 would pass me for the rest of the Esses to T5. A true lesson in driving off-line and living to tell about it.
However, I pursued other drivers for advice, then attempted to learn and execute it. Also. I showed respect for others drivers, crew, race officials and workers. All kinda basic things, but evidently maybe not that common.
and happybasically, i respected everyone else races-in-class, while I attempted to learn to drive in real race traffic. Frankly I only performed one REAL competitive racing pass the entire 3 race weekends. But just as important I learned how to "get passed" anywhere and everywhere by 1, 2, 3, 4-5 car trains without damage to any party
The Esses at Road Atlanta is a good example; if you open the door at T2, and entire pack of Spec Miata/SpecE30 would pass me for the rest of the Esses to T5. A true lesson in driving off-line and living to tell about it.However, I pursued other drivers for advice, then attempted to learn and execute it. Also. I showed respect for others drivers, crew, race officials and workers. All kinda basic things, but evidently maybe not that common.
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12-14-2009, 03:38 AM
#9
Thnx!
And yes, W2W is a HUGE step up from HPDE & Time Trial...and likely not for everybody. My limited experience in W2W gives me even greater respect for those drivers that are very successful...wow this is hard to do!
W2W is like driving in TT, with a swarm of bees in your helmet
And yes, W2W is a HUGE step up from HPDE & Time Trial...and likely not for everybody. My limited experience in W2W gives me even greater respect for those drivers that are very successful...wow this is hard to do!
W2W is like driving in TT, with a swarm of bees in your helmet
12-21-2009, 06:33 AM
#14
Seriously...thnx all for the kind remarks. Especially from the very advanced/fast drivers from this Forum!
This year has far exceeded my expectation. When I decided to purchase a cheap race car to replace my Time Trial modded 350Z, I had no idea what would happen on track, or off. I knew how to drive the Z fairly quickly and safely in TT traffic. But running in NASA W2W traffic was another story all together. NASA-SE normally have 40+ cars running in either Lightning or Thunder classes, sometimes more in special "fun races", (60+cars). NASA-SE sometimes has up to 40 TT cars on track, but it is very different deal now.
TT drivers spend a great time of time plotting how to grid up, and to avoid coming close to another car in the corners...and try to pass on in the straights or under full power so as to NOT lose ANY time. If you get near another car in TT you are generally loosing time.
This is in COMPLETE contrast to W2W! Here you pass-them-when-you-get-to-them! anywhere and anytime To handle this situation, I drove fast HPDE speeds..OFF LINE FOR THE MOST PART all year. Since I was in a very slow car (compared to a well prepared 350Z) 90% of the cars on track had greater speed potential than I. I knew that I was gonna get passes A LOT! (and I did) I learned to drive 2 wheels up on the curbs all the way the way down the Esses @ Road Atlanta, off line thru T12 and T1 there also. All of these are high speed areas that have SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES if you go off or push somebody off. 
Again another big difference between TT and W2W: in TT you try to drive the "perfect line". IN W2W you drive ANYWHERE! 2 wheels in the dirt, 2 wheels up-over the curbs, any F-ing where
...I have been passed by cars with 4-wheels-off in the dirt at the start of races.
So, I think the reason I won the Rookie-of-the-Year is because I respected faster traffic and "in-class" races all year. I didn't crash, or crash anybody else out. I also completed all laps in all races!
Here is my advice#1 to "Rookie drivers"...DON"T WRECK ANYBODY!!!
Rookie advice #2: leave your ego at home!
This year has far exceeded my expectation. When I decided to purchase a cheap race car to replace my Time Trial modded 350Z, I had no idea what would happen on track, or off. I knew how to drive the Z fairly quickly and safely in TT traffic. But running in NASA W2W traffic was another story all together. NASA-SE normally have 40+ cars running in either Lightning or Thunder classes, sometimes more in special "fun races", (60+cars). NASA-SE sometimes has up to 40 TT cars on track, but it is very different deal now.
TT drivers spend a great time of time plotting how to grid up, and to avoid coming close to another car in the corners...and try to pass on in the straights or under full power so as to NOT lose ANY time. If you get near another car in TT you are generally loosing time.
This is in COMPLETE contrast to W2W! Here you pass-them-when-you-get-to-them! anywhere and anytime
To handle this situation, I drove fast HPDE speeds..OFF LINE FOR THE MOST PART all year. Since I was in a very slow car (compared to a well prepared 350Z) 90% of the cars on track had greater speed potential than I. I knew that I was gonna get passes A LOT! (and I did) I learned to drive 2 wheels up on the curbs all the way the way down the Esses @ Road Atlanta, off line thru T12 and T1 there also. All of these are high speed areas that have SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES if you go off or push somebody off. Again another big difference between TT and W2W: in TT you try to drive the "perfect line". IN W2W you drive ANYWHERE! 2 wheels in the dirt, 2 wheels up-over the curbs, any F-ing where
...I have been passed by cars with 4-wheels-off in the dirt at the start of races.So, I think the reason I won the Rookie-of-the-Year is because I respected faster traffic and "in-class" races all year. I didn't crash, or crash anybody else out. I also completed all laps in all races!
Here is my advice#1 to "Rookie drivers"...DON"T WRECK ANYBODY!!!
Rookie advice #2: leave your ego at home!
Last edited by laze1; 12-21-2009 at 06:41 AM.
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