Got my first top 10
Got my first top 10
This weekend was the Heacock Gold Cup at VIR. Friday and Saturday morning was practice yesterday afternoon was race qualifier and today the race. We had car issues all weekend; throttle only opening up 50%, brakes barely working, wrong rear gear, engine only reving to 6200 not 7200, etc.
After Fridays practices I opt to have my crew change the rear gear since I'm barely using fourth. Saturday morning I pick up time but I'm like 2nd to last on the speed charts. Looking at data, my team owner is a total of 9sec faster than me on the straights alone, but his lap time is jusy 7sec faster than mine.
I get ready to head out for the race qualifier and start the car and it immediately idles at 5000. Shut it off and the guys jump on the car to fix it. The throttle cable was binding up somewhere, something that should have been seen but wasn't. I jump out on track and am immediately 2 laps down. On lap 4, my right foot gets hung up on the clutch foot brachet they made for me, and since my brakes suck, I'm using the engine to slow down. I try balancing the clutch and brake but carry a little too much speed and spin in turn one. Car takes a while to restart, by the time I restart it, the checkers wave. I qualify 27th out of 31 cars, 3 laps down, I'm pissed.
Saturday night brings us rain and working on the car. We bleed the brakes, adjust the gas pedal to get more throw out of it and call it a night at 1215am.
Sunday morning brings heavy rain, I opt not to practice since the weather forecast has it being dry for our race. The day clears up but at 430 race time a drizzle has moved in and by the time we get the green its a mild rain. Many guys opted not to run so I'm second to last, 16th or so. On lap one I hang back expecting carnage, nothing big happens but a few cars spin off in front of me, I pass afew cars and before I know it I'm 11th or 10th. I'm able to pick up 9/10th out braking someone into turn 1, yay I have brakes now and sliding it in on the wet surface. The rain really starts benefitting me. My visibility is smeared but I know the track well and the car is predictable. I get into a 3 way battle for about 7th with the three of us trading places over the last 4 laps. They bury me on the long straights, I make up for almost everything in braking and cornering. I can't quite get it done and finish 9th or so.
My car is wo-fully underpowered, to where cars were pulling 15lengths on me on the back straight but in 14-17 I could make everything back up. It was fun trying to gauge distance and timing it right to get my run out of 16/17, I just didn't have enough oomph to make it stick.
The plan for the off season is a SCCA race 948 engine, hydraulic master cylinder, and maybe some fresh rubber.
I'll have video up as soon as its edited by our computer guy.
After Fridays practices I opt to have my crew change the rear gear since I'm barely using fourth. Saturday morning I pick up time but I'm like 2nd to last on the speed charts. Looking at data, my team owner is a total of 9sec faster than me on the straights alone, but his lap time is jusy 7sec faster than mine.
I get ready to head out for the race qualifier and start the car and it immediately idles at 5000. Shut it off and the guys jump on the car to fix it. The throttle cable was binding up somewhere, something that should have been seen but wasn't. I jump out on track and am immediately 2 laps down. On lap 4, my right foot gets hung up on the clutch foot brachet they made for me, and since my brakes suck, I'm using the engine to slow down. I try balancing the clutch and brake but carry a little too much speed and spin in turn one. Car takes a while to restart, by the time I restart it, the checkers wave. I qualify 27th out of 31 cars, 3 laps down, I'm pissed.
Saturday night brings us rain and working on the car. We bleed the brakes, adjust the gas pedal to get more throw out of it and call it a night at 1215am.
Sunday morning brings heavy rain, I opt not to practice since the weather forecast has it being dry for our race. The day clears up but at 430 race time a drizzle has moved in and by the time we get the green its a mild rain. Many guys opted not to run so I'm second to last, 16th or so. On lap one I hang back expecting carnage, nothing big happens but a few cars spin off in front of me, I pass afew cars and before I know it I'm 11th or 10th. I'm able to pick up 9/10th out braking someone into turn 1, yay I have brakes now and sliding it in on the wet surface. The rain really starts benefitting me. My visibility is smeared but I know the track well and the car is predictable. I get into a 3 way battle for about 7th with the three of us trading places over the last 4 laps. They bury me on the long straights, I make up for almost everything in braking and cornering. I can't quite get it done and finish 9th or so.
My car is wo-fully underpowered, to where cars were pulling 15lengths on me on the back straight but in 14-17 I could make everything back up. It was fun trying to gauge distance and timing it right to get my run out of 16/17, I just didn't have enough oomph to make it stick.
The plan for the off season is a SCCA race 948 engine, hydraulic master cylinder, and maybe some fresh rubber.
I'll have video up as soon as its edited by our computer guy.
350Z-holic
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 14,502
Likes: 22
From: NC
Very nice job. I completely understand your frustration with the lack of power. I was 100-120 HP down from the rest of the field this year. I think you should take great pride in being as close to front runners as you were, and even finishing in the top ten is quite a feat considering the circumstances.
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Oct 29, 2020 07:44 PM