Competed in the SCCA-RM Memorial Day event this weekend, which covered both Sunday and Monday (2 separate points races). I finished 3rd (of 18) in SM on Sunday, but only 4th (of 16) on Monday. Beat all the same people and lost to all the same people, but one of our top guys showed up on Monday who wasn't there Sunday, and he smoked me. I'm a bit concerned that I'm falling further behind the top guys when I beat some of them handily in my first event. I don't know if it's because of the courses being worse for my setup (stock suspension and brakes), or if they are just improving more than I am.

I did learn that my brakes are totally shot. They caught fire from running so hard on the road course back in Feb, and I knew they were due for an update, but I didn't realize it would make THAT much difference until I tried to brake hard after a straightaway (first one of the year) on Monday. The moment I hit the brakes, I got absolutely no response, so I had to let off and then pump them quickly. I did stop in time for the turn, but the safety chief told me I lifted the inner rear tire enough to almost roll over, so the next 3 runs I got out of boost much earlier and hit the brakes earlier to compensate. I have new rotors and pads waiting to be installed this week, so maybe that will help me make up some lost ground.

Regardless of the brakes, my stock suspension and my lack of skill make me unable to keep up with some of our top guys with full suspension setups and more experience. That's ok - at least I have a good challenge to shoot for.

I'm currently 1st in the Novice standings overall (out of 100) and 4th in SM (out of 36).

Here's some pics of my nasty body roll, haha:

 

Next time tell the safety chief you were not even close. I have seen, and been up on two wheels more than 45' without rolling.

When the both inside wheels come up more than 2 feet or so, then I might worry. (Without something strange like lots of rubber down on concrete, off-camber corner, I doubt this is going to happen)

After the fire, what did you do to the brakes? I would suspect a complete overhaul, but there is a good chance there was still air in the lines that didn't get pushed on hard enough till that first hard brake zone, also your pads might not have been bedded in properly, and therefore giving you a pedal, but no stopping. I am betting if this is the case it got better as the runs went on.

As far as falling back, don't worry soo much about it, try different things. As you are learning and doing runs, you will see inconsistancy in the times, keep focusing on going faster each run, and compare yourself to some of the top guys in other classes... (% of time works for this, not so much raw time because of different courses and cars)

Jon K

 

No, I'm still on the same brakes that I had back during the road racing when the rotors caught fire. The rotors and calipers are the original stock pieces, but the pads are ceramic, and I have Super Blue fluid. However, none of it has been changed since that track outing, thus the weak braking. I will be putting on the slotted rotors, new pads, SS lines, and new fluid this week, so it should feel a little better, heh.

 

Good lord man! do you ever get roll understeer from the car (it snap understeers when you lean it enough because you start to pick up the inside to middle of the outside front tire). I have felt this on stock suspended aligned evos with "R" compounds.

You need to take a lap in my car someday and we need to talk about you hand positions on the wheel

Nice job with your position in the standings and results

 

Chrono, whenever we can get to PMI at the same time will be very helpful. Will you be there for the July NASA event or the June NASA event at La Junta? I will probably also be there on June 22d for the open track day. Let me know if you have any plans.

I'm open to any hand-position suggestions as well as anything else. I actually was hoping to get your input/advice/services when I start upgrading the suspension, which will be done at the end of this season in preparation for next season.

I'm not sure I've rolled enough to get roll understeer, but it's possible. I have some severe understeer at times when I don't drive properly.

 

I was thinking the EXACT same thing. That's funny. I stay at 9 and 3 under almost all conditions. And when I need lots of "turning" I feed the wheel around - no arm crossing. I try to paint happy little trees with my hands, no kung-fu flying arms!

 

"happy little trees", have not heard that in awhile. that is almost mr rogers time . or are you not a painter?

 

I was taught not to crossover in an anti-terrorism driving course, but I'm not fast enough to feed the steering wheel in a really fast turn in auto-x.

 

heh, nice.

I wouldn't believe it til i saw it, but i actually wore my black plastic undertray from braking. (it bottomed out) the nose dives that hard on the stock suspension.

Keep up the fun

 

It's tricky, but the key is looking far enough ahead to know what you need to do. That way if I know a hard corners is coming up I will shift my hands to a postition that will eliminate crossover hands from flyin'.

For Example: up coming hard left... instead of staying at 9 and 3 I will shift the left hand up to 12 and keep the right hand at 3. I'll start the turn in at 12 and 3 and by the time my left hand is down at 9 my right hand will have "feed" down to what is now 3, and was originally the 6 position on the wheel. And I'll keep "feeding" like this if it's a full 180 turn.

Anyway, it's kinda hard tro explain. Maybe I have a video... standby.

 

No, jid2, I understand you completely. The key is being in control enough with enough knowledge of the course to prepare the hand positions in advance. I wasn't doing that very well. The lack of brakes was also keeping my mind occupied a bit.

 

Did you at least do a quick bleed of the brakes to get some fresh fluid in there? Espically if you boiled them after the track event before. I always do a quick bleed before a track event.

You also might want to try Motul over the Super Blue and see how you like it.

 

No, I haven't even done a quick bleed.

I know Motul is good, but is it something that I'd want for the way I use my car? Auto-x, HPDE, drag, and daily driving to/from work...

 

Then that is probably one of the big reasons your brakes feel horrible after that event and then this one. You boiled your fluid and then didn't replace or freshen it up. Do a quick bleed and I am certain they will feel better and won't go away like that.

Do you own a motive bleeder? If you get one with the proper attachment that screws onto the brake res (instead of clamping on like the universal) you can literally do a quick bleed in 10 minutes after your wheels are off. With just yourself. Don't need a second person pumping the pedal.

I run motul every day. My car is also a daily driver. I do however do the quick bleeds like I said above before I leave for every event since I am swapping my pads anyway. I usually do an event every month and for sure at least every other month. I've gone months without freshening the fluid up before though, but I always bleed them quickly before an event.

Nice thing about motul is you can tell by just looking at the res if it needs to be bled. New it's a nice clear caramel color. Once it starts getting not-so-fresh it darkens up.

 

Warrtalon don’t be too quick in blaming the car the driver is usually the weakest point in the link....

You have

Track
Weather
Car
Driver

The most thing that can change above is the driver then the car. Its normal for brakes to loose bite and stopping power after few laps, its also normal for tires to give up so what you do? Deal with it. Just like you did.

I would personally keep the car the way it is and put more and more seat time.