boomn29

iTrader: (47)

1st in TTA and new Track Record!

Saturday....
After driving up late Friday night (~6 hrs), got up Saturday, unloaded all the remaining crap inside the car, unloaded the car and did a little prep. This was the first time the car had been off the trailer since being loaded at Putnam Park May 15th! Only changes were a quick wash and I had installed a Kognition rear wing on the car since!


With the new wing set at the lowest possible angle, I lined up and ran a 1:43 for the practice session which put me #3 in grid for the entire TT group. Always strive to be in the first couple spots so I can get some clean laps right away!
For S2 (the first timed session) I was lined up behind the current TTA track record holder; what else but a C5 Vette! We did 3 laps hard laps and I could gain on him in a few spots, but he'd pull away in a few spots too. My best was a 1:40.0 - while his transponder didn't register. Sucks... as we had to be close!

For session #3 I made my 1st wing adjustment and fired a 1:39.3 which broke the track record for TTA! The car felt more planted and I liked it! Session #4 was at 2pm and it was starting to get pretty heated up. I made another adjustment and thought the car pushed a bit. Best was a 1:40x. Session #5 was at 3:40pm; hot hot hot. I backed the wing off 1 step and ran another 1:39x but not better than before as track conditions were degrading quickly. The car was also sorta hopping in low speed turns under hard throttle. It did this a bit last year in 3rd gear corners, I assumed because the turbo comes on so quickly there. With the new 2011 alignment it's been better, but apparently it's back! I can drive around it, but it's not ideal so I hope to be making some adjustments down the road....

My 1:39.3 stood for 1st out of 6 in TTA. I also ended up with FTD of the entire TT group!


Sunday....
The TT group was the first group out on track - 8am. Very early. I figured the track might be a little damp, but I was wrong. After about 1.5 laps of 'recon' I started pushing it. I ran a solid time of 1:39.6 but I didn't have the optimal tire/pressure setup so I left some on the table as I did not think the track would be optimal. It was almost a grave mistake as another TTA car ran a 1:39.0 but got called for 4-wheels-off and DQ'd for that session!

Session #2 was at 9:45am so still pretty early. I set everything up and fired a 1:38.9 which was my fastest of the weekend, reset my track record, and stood for 1st in TTA on Sunday as well!

I pushed the car hard through every session this weekend; really hard! Because of the track layout, I think I was pushing near 7500 rpms 4 times per lap. I kept expecting to find the rev limiter on the front straight but never did. So lots of high rpm revving in 4th, high oil temps, lost rubber, cranked up boost, etc. Everything help up beautifully though. to a great tune from AMS Performance.

It's been a pretty good year thus far. 8 wins in 8 events and track records at all 4 tracks I've been to. I've tried 3 different configurations as well, and each one seems to be a little better in some aspects; but not 100% ideal. Kinda wish I had a few more mod pts to use; but that's the bueaty of the NASA TT system right?!? I've got some ideas for things to change and a lot of mid-season maintenance to take care of before a busy July schedule. Check out the progress via the blog or twitter if you like (details in sig).



Vid from Saturday:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v53balkxr0U

Vid from Sunday:
This is actually my fastest lap of the weekend. Only the audio sucks as the camera is clicking off the window; install error! Still, the car that passes me is a TTS Vette which is 1 class up from me. He's also the 2009 Nat'l champion. We nearly get 3 wide around T6...check it out!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHoGQssoOZY

boomn29

iTrader: (47)

Also gotta thank my dog for helping guard my tires...

And also a good pic of the new Kognition rear wing below.

Balrok

iTrader: (15)

Haha, not much bigger then the GF's dog. Nicely done buddy (wait's for bueller's wtf comment). So away went the franken wing and got a proper wing. Looks like it fits pretty well and into the stock location? Also you running 245 a6's still? I always see 8k rpm or 5th gear on all of our tracks, major straights with high speed corners leading up to them. So 4 free tires, and free entry for being an instructor...you suck

boomn29

iTrader: (47)

It's more the wife's dog - and she came along this trip; hence the pup.

My Kognition wing is the trunk mount option. It uses both of the stock holes plus 1 extra one you have to drill. Pretty simple and it feels pretty stable. Testing up to about 125mph this weekend...lol.
I'm running 255 A6's this year. Actually ran a mix of R6's this weekend too, broke them out in fear of the high high summer temps that are approaching.

Just 2 free tires this weekend. We didn't quite have 7 entires in class so that fell short. And no, I don't instruct for NASA. I did for the SCCA and some other organizations, but I've never bothered to take the NASA Instructor school. I'm usually busy enough with the Evo on Saturdays as it is. Plus with the 3 different configs at 4 events, but been making a lot of changes, comparing data, adjusting...rinse/repeat.

TxEvo8

iTrader: (5)

Nathan, I've been reading your blog, very nicely documented indeed!! I just started competing in TT this year and am still sorting the car out, so it seems as if I am going through the things that you have been discussing for a couple of years now. Anyway, you mention a new alignment, do you care to share the specs of the new alignment? I had been running stock suspension for years and just switched to coilovers this year and really have no idea where to start...

Thanks,

Jim

boomn29

iTrader: (47)

Thx Jim! Glad somebody reads some of the crap I write!

It takes time to sort things out. Some stuff you need to try, even though it might be wrong just to see how it feels. Like a certain line around the track, turning in too early, feeling the rear come around just so you know how to catch it later down the road, etc.

About alignments...
The diehards used to say they are vital. I figured as long as it was straight; good enough. Now the shop sponsored cars will come to every track with a different setup AND different alignment! I'm not shop sponsored; I'm just 1 guy so I do what I can.
I've had the car aligned by a few different places. Hell, in 2010 I self-aligned it! It was just as good as any ordinary shop fwiw. This year I took it to Winning Forumla in Louisville, KY not only for an alignment, but also a corner balance and ride height setup on the new AST's. Long story short, we had aimed for more camber but encountered some rubbing on the tender/helper perch. So I've remedied that (think offset or spacers) so we'll try it again next time I'm there.
As for the rear alignment and the aggressiveness of how it tracks or kicks out - that has some to do with rear camber and some with rear toe. It was initially setup 'in the middle' per my guy, knowing some about my style but not wanting to have a completely tailhappy car that's nuts to drive. We'll be loosening up the rear for sure the next stop too.

These changes should help. They might result in minor laptime reductions, major reductions, better tirewear - or we might go too far and I'll be counter-steering through 1/2 the course. One way to find out...
Now if his shop was closer to me, we'd already be on the 3rd alignment by now I'm sure.

blackenedwings

Congrats on the track record and class win... you are getting it done for the Evo's! It's really good to see an Evo competing successfully in NASA. I haven't gotten a chance to check out your blog yet, but I will when I get home. What mods are you running for your current setup?

apex electric

It takes incredible effort to do this competing on your own. Good results. Learning set ups from pro race shops cost money but does not go to waste if you learn and apply it to your driving. Same here I wish my friends shop wasn't 3 hours away.

Balrok

iTrader: (15)

Cool man, doing the same tire wise. What track temp do you think a6's become useless at?

boomn29

iTrader: (47)

I'm just shooting from the hip on this one (I do that alot)....

I'm not saying they become useless. But I have taken tire temps and even on a 60 degree day, I was pushing the A6's enough that they were overheated somewhere during their 2nd lap. Now I was pushing them and sliding them pretty hard, so factor that in.

I think the big positive of the A6 over the R6 is that is comes up to temp right away. That's especially useful on those 60 degree days. When you run R6's, it takes a few laps in the morning for them to come up to temp. Maybe 2-4 laps.
Now that it's coming up on July and it'll be 90 out, I don't see that as such a big advantage. The R6's can come up to temp pretty quickly. And if you're running sessions just an hour apart... see where I'm going?

Now am I going to switch to R6's in July? I'm not saying that....but I'm not ruling it out. Depends if those mod pts can be used elsewhere for a better end result. That's always the bottom line in TT!

honda-guy

iTrader: (55)

congrats on the new track record. i love nasa TT in that you can switch setup and stay in the same class

i'm new with the evo this year and have been running different configuration at every events, trying to find that sweet spot.

boomn29

iTrader: (47)

Thx man - I'm a tryin!

The car setup specifics are here: http://boomn29.blogspot.com/p/ending...car-setup.html

Stock turbo on 100octane, pushing around 360whp, 3263lb min weight (with driver).

M.P.G.

iTrader: (1)

Nate, The new wing looks pretty good..sounds like it works too. Pete

JDavenport

iTrader: (33)

Wow, Nate. You just keep laying the smack down. Way to represent for us Evo guys.

I hear you on the alignment shop. Here in Mid TN if you are not a drag racer, you might as well be in BFE. I do want to get down to GTE (Gran Turismo East) in Atlanta and let them set the car up. Heard all kinds of good things about them, but 4 hours away.

goforwand

iTrader: (132)

Wash...rinse...repeat