Sorry to hear about your family's loss.

I hope you get things settled and everything works out okay for you.

 

Ok, I finally got the winding road article about 5pm last night. Not sure who wrote up the 'Rally' stuff but it wasn't me. I guess that's what you get from a free ad.

As for the braking issue longterm fix - it'll be difficult to stay PTA legal with it. I see why all the other Evo's just run ST2 - and do the brakes and fancy splitter / wing setup. It's probably cheaper and much safer in the long run.

 

After the brake caliper failure on Saturday, I switched the car to run Time Trials on Sunday to do some testing with the brake setup and to get my confidence in the entire setup back up. As for changes, I swapped out the leaking RF caliper with another that I had (always bring extras) and did a quick bleed of the brakes. The odd thing was that besides being a bit low of brake fluid, there really wasn't any air bubbles or darker fluid that came out of the system.

Session #1. Having no time in TT from the previous day, I gridded in the rear and clawed my way through the traffic to find a descent lap while trying to be nice. I ended up with a respectable 1:34x, similar to what I was running in the race the previous day - on the same setup which were used 245 R6's.

Session #2. I bolted up my better 255 A6's that were leftover from 2011 and laid down a personal best 1:31.9, running just 3 quick laps. Everything felt great including the brakes and things seemed to be back to normal overall although the car was rotating more that usual with the more aggressive ACD map from ACD-Tuning. This took some getting used to as I pushed the limits w/o aero. The car would 'skate' some on entry and require me to 'catch' the rear from coming around sometime. It wasn't difficult or anything, to me it was fun, I just had to stay tuned into the situation and how the car felt. This was also the first weekend I was pushing the car really hard since the new cage install and obviously the weight balance has been shifted around a bit.
By this time it was lunch, so I popped out the front brakepads to check for wear assuming I'd need to drop in a new set. But, they did not look any worse so I left them in.

Session #3. I was lined up behind another Evo - Jeremy's Black beast - and we turned some good fun, nearly identical laps all right around the 1:32x range until he had an OFF and we both came in. Yes I've got vid, and yes I'll share later just to try and embarrass him! Overall, no better.

Session #4. I stayed out and ran 6 hard laps; which coincidentally was all the further I got in the race! These turned out to be my best laps as I was pushing the car pretty hard - a bit too hard probably for the tires - through some of the tighter turns. I had multiple laps in the 1:31x range.

At the end of the day, we ended up 2nd out of 5 cars in class; besting 2 TTS Evo's with front/rear aero and set a personal best of 1:31.666. Keep in mind we were actually running in legal TTA form (but in TTS for competition) and this would have set a new TTA lap record with that time. Huge thanks to Buschur Racing, AMSOIL and ACD-Tuning for their 2012 support.

The video below is from S4; enjoy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lb9H0XIBM4

 

Thanks for the write-up and a big congrats! You defenitaly kno how to wheel that car around.

I'm okay with you posting video. I did have a heck of a time keeping the car on track that day. . Excuse #1, After taking my brake pads off yesterday i think i should have probably checked them a bit closer on sunday. I always take a look at the outside to see were they are, but my car seems to eat the inside pads alot quicker. And i had about 1mm and about 60% surface area left on my right front.

 

Thanks! I tried to reel you in in some corners or down the straight but couldn't get a distinct advantage anywhere. You guys and your damn aero get out of the corners quicker; that's for sure.

That's why I checked mine at noon! I started with like 1/8" on the day - and amazingly they lasted. Already pulled them and there's still enough for another session if I wanted it - but I don't. They're out now though, waiting for a new set.

Btw, if you noticed the dual black-marks directly through my line in T1/T2 at the 3:15 mark - that's what Hoops leaves behind... I think I've got a better angle with them darker from an earlier session.

 

Is this whatchur talkin 'bout?

 

Nate,

Do you thing that the ACD-Tuning helped you take off that half second to beat your personal best time?

 

There's no doubt your tunes work Matt, I have evidence after even 1 event but not enough to "prove it." We'll make it worth your while for sure

 

Ya'll see any legal TTS stickers on there.....

 

I meant to ask you- How'd everything go? Once again, sorry about the mix up on the mapping- stupid me.

I'm sure you can tell the difference between mine and 'the others'. Let me know if there's anything I can do for you.

 

Yes, exactly. Crazy huh.

There's more in this vid. This is spliced from Sessions #2 and #3. Jarrod stars in the end of this one...

http://youtu.be/eJMrX_kboWA

 

Nope. That pic was from Sat I think - after I put the new windshield banner and ST2 stickers on.

With the Hoosier contingency, finishing 1/3 in TTA vs 2/5 in TTS makes zero difference this year. Only difference in TTA I would have re-broken the track record whereas TTS as least I had a chance to win a tire.
Here's the Sunday results if you care: http://www.nasamidwest.com/docs/2012...April_day2.pdf


I do think it helped, yes. Watching my vid, I see some really sloppy lines in a few corners that really irks me. I think some weekends if I pulled my video and watched it, it'd be more fruitful than just glancing at my traqmate plots like I do.
With the data I have looked it, I'm seeing a bit more HP with the Buschur tune, and a bit more lateral G's that's I'd equate to the ACD-Tuning map update. This was the same tire setup as I was running last year in TTA - with 3/4 tires being leftovers from 2011 that spent the winter in my basement. So I'm saying these aren't be any means scrubs or optimal with regards to setting laptimes.

 

I was right behind Jarrod when he left those marks. LOL

I think you meant to say that it was me in the end of the video. I was just using the whole track. I swear there might have been mm of tire/tarmac contact with 2 wheels still.

That video show's nicely where i was giving it up. My braking was just not up to par against you.

 

I will share my traqmate data from my best lap of the weekend if you will share yours? I'd love to run them together and see what we can come up with for that track.

 

PM sent (email address).