NASA - Putnam Park - TTA Track Record!

Headed to Putnam Park this weekend for a NASA MW/GL crossover event that has been sold out for a few weeks.  After a very long week at work, I got to the track about 8am (ET) local. I knew that I had to install that new exhaust clamp that I have overnighted - and that was finished w/o drama - all good. The forecast was about 50% chance of showers throughout the day but it was holding off to this point.  So, I had about 40 minutes till our 1st session, and decided to change tires and put on the Hoosiers.

Went out for the practice session, ran a 1:18.0 cautiously. I had to break in new brake seals, pads & rotors! The car pulled right a few times under braking, the wheel vibrated hard a few times, but I just kept driving through it. In the end, I had corded the LF tire. Not the first time... and Putnam is horribly hard on the RF.

With only 45min till the next session, and my 2nd set of rims still waiting to have new tread mounted up, I decided to take a chance and rotate that corded tire to the RR and try to get just 1-2 laps in the next session. Knowing the rain was on the horizon at any time and there might not be another dry session as we had a 3hr break, I took a chance. It paid off..

I fired a 1:16.7 and eeked out a new track record! Ran just 2 laps that session. The RR came through ok. But the tire I rotated to the LF.... it corded. Now I had corded 2 tires in 2 sessions; both in the LF (Driver's front). I definitely need more camber for this track! The car just isn't setup for this track; as we're concentrating on Mid Ohio for Nationals.

Anyways.... 3 hr break - and the rain held off! I mounted up the new Forgelines (see pic), went out for just 2 laps to try and not punish the new tread too much. Fired a 1:15.7 bettering my previous track record by a full second and setting the 2nd fastest time in TT out of 41 cars trailing only the highly modified Subaru of TurnInConcepts. I was done for the day (to save the tires). No matter... it rained the rest of the day.

NASA - Mid Ohio - TTA Track Record!

Sunday it was wet; again, as it rained overnight. I skipped S1. In S2 I put down a 1:39.4 and slotted into 2nd as the Corvette in front of me broke the track record! S3 I had planned on being my last of the day as I had a solid 7.5hrs home but I had issues. Basically I was late to grid because I was waiting to switch in the wing mounts (remember I'm sharing them so we keep frantically switching them from Mark's ITR onto my car and vice-versa). I only got 1 hotlap in as I had a 2 lap penalty and had to work through the slower traffic and play nice; no improvement.

I stayed for S4 - and ran a 1:37.6 re-breaking the Club Course track record! The time held up and I got my first record of 2011 at Mid-Ohio. Vid Below.

I've got to thank AMS Performance for fixing some boost leaks and retuning the car. It's running even smoother than before and hitting 143mph on the backstraight. I beat on the car to the tune of 210 miles this weekend with no issues. Also to Aaron @ Winning Formula for the alignment and setup on the new suspension - and also for taking some tire temps for me Sat. The car feels great; but we have a laundry list of potential tweaks already!

Overall; Mid Ohio is a lot of fun. It's super technical and it's faster - a dangerously fun combination. Blind corners, off-camber turns - and combinations of each! Plus a huge backstraight, and if you're running the Pro Course I'm assuming an equally huge frontstraight. I unfortunately had 2 car-buddies find the wall this weekend and they have some repair work!

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NASA - Mid Ohio - 1st in TTA!

After 7.5 hrs and 466 miles (over 2 days) I pulled into Mid Ohio very early Friday morning. I ran the testday mostly in the rain; we were running the Club Course all weekend. My best lap of 2:10 in the rain and a 1:55 in the last session when the track was a bit drier. Knowing the class leading times would be nearly 20 seconds faster over the weekend...

Saturday morning at Mid Ohio was foggy and a bit cold - but worlds better than the Friday testday that was full of rain and 48 degrees for a high.  In S2 I had a 1:42 on my first hot lap just as things were warming up. But on lap #2 I went wide into T8 and spun it. Fortunatley I stayed on track and nothing was damaged. With NASA you lose your times if you spin or go offtrack, so I had no official time at this point.

We had a decent break over lunch and we decided to change the AoA on the ARP wing I was running. Here's where things went wrong... Not sure if it was hosed before or during our adjustment attempt but we had the adjustable rod screw break off inside the nut. We tried drilling it, pounding a hammer into it, pounding a screw into it, using vicegrips to turn the hammer/screwdriver - nothing. It was hosed. I did have a close neighbor (Mark; aka Brad) with a sweet ITR and the same wing! He agreed to let me borrow the supports when our schedules worked out. So we had a plan! But first was S3 and I had no time to switch the mounts so I figured I'd do some 'testing' as to running wingless! Let's just say the car was a bit loose! Braking down the backstraight from 140+ was very loose and any corner entry was loose. So I adopted the brake - get back on the gas - then turn in - method and pulled a 1:43.

S4 & S5 I was able to switch in the borrowed mounts and run with the wing! simply used whatever angle Mark had which was a lower flatter angle and what I was planning on switching mine to anyway. And the track was pretty much dried out except for a few key spots (namely T1 under the bridge). I mounted up the stickered Hoosiers and tossed down a 1:39.9 and climbed into 2nd; sandwiched between 2 Corvettes. I reset the tire pressures for S5 and put down a 1:38.8 taking 1st for the day and just .4 off the track record.

Sunday results to come...

Teched and Ready for 2011 NASA Season!

Talked things over with my pit crew (the wife and sometimes the puppy) and the advice was to put the rains back on the car in preparation for the Mid-Ohio forecast this coming weekend. At the time it was showing mid 50's and 30% chance of rain on Friday. Knowing I HATE to change tires in the rain; the advice was to show up on the rains/streets.

So I made the change, tightened things down and loaded the car on the trailor this weekend. I then made the trip to my get my Annual tech inspection for NASA. Doing it early keeps me out of the long long lines at the track - and being an Annual it means I'll be free from tech the rest of the year!

So I again hit my new goal of having the car on the trailor the weekend BEFORE the event. Awesome feeling to not be rushed. Here's a pic of it stuffed in the garage. 

The 2011 NASA season starts this weekend at Mid-Ohio!  This will be my first ever trip there.

Sticker & Decal Update!

First of all, I want to say a huge 'Thx' to my buddy Randy for providing a majority of the official numbers and class stickers I run. He does excellent work. 

This winter I decided to remove everything on the car, thoroughly clean and re-apply. I know I'm going with a slightly different font, probably arrange things differently and a few other changes. I haven't fully decided yet, just getting the process started as it's finally pushing into the 40-50's these days!
 

I'll definitely be putting the signature '929' numbering back on.  I'll have my NASA class designation and a few required contingency stickers.  Beyond that; not really sure.  I'd like to add something a bit unique but I'm not sure what yet...

 

Here's some in-process pics -->