NASA Midwest @ Autobahn 4.5 hr Enduro - "Into The Night" - Start!

STRATEGY:
This would be a fuel-mileage race, without question. We had six cars start the E0 class, us, three American Iron-prepped S197 Mustangs, and two E46 BMW M3s. We were the entry with the lowest horsepower, so our strategy was to run full fuel-load stints, hoping for around 75 minutes each, plus a quick splash-and-go towards the end. We assumed that the night-time stints would be at a slower pace, with no lights at all (save pit lane) on the 3.56-mile 21-turn course, and based strictly on the horsepower and weight of the AI cars, we believed that we could run one less fuel stop than they did, worth around eight minutes, or two and a half to three laps. The question was whether their pace could put us more than three laps down. The BMWs were the wildcards, with unknown fuel consumption characteristics, unknown fuel-tank (or cell) capacity, and had the potential to simply bury us with those hyper-efficient I-6 engines. All we could do was run the best race we could, and let the chips fall.

THE RACE:
John, our crew chief, had an excellent strategy lined up for us. Dave (the owner) would take the first stint, to establish pace, and (hopefully) get us in a solid position on track for the first fuel stop and driver change. Then I would take over, running us through dusk and into the dark. Our last driver - Joe - who has a good amount of time in the car, would handle the anchor leg, and take it to the checker, if the car survived. As they say, plans NEVER survive contact with the enemy, and this was no different! After I came in from practice, Dave hopped in the car and got all belted in, while John handled the data and video setup for the stint. After a quick check of tire pressures and lug torque, the field was off for the formation lap and the race start.

Based on a random pit-stall layout, we wound up starting roughly P9 (out of 22 starters), right behind a Daytona Prototype, and right ahead of one of the AI Mustangs, an E0 BMW M3, then another AI Mustang.  What we wanted was to get up to pace as quickly as possible, find some spacing, and then just dial into a solid, consistent lap time that didn’t overly punish the tires and brakes, and make maximum use of the fuel onboard. That went out the window as well!

Right around 5pm, the green flag flew, and Dave dropped the hammer!  The race would run until 9:30pm!  I believe our fastest lap of the entire race was lap #5 while he was battling for early position. 
For another forty-five minutes, Dave just kept knocking off the laps, in the high mostly in the 2:48 range, flying by the Miatas, and getting run over by the DP and the Sports Racer, then 20 laps after the green flew, the car started to hiccough on left-hand corner-exits, and he knew the fuel load was about gone, so (as planned; since radio's weren't working) he signaled the crew by dropping the clutch and blipping the throttle three times on the pit straight.  We knew we had about 4min including the roll through the pits to be ready.  I was already suited up; just had to put on my helmet!  The sucky part; this was NOWHERE NEAR the 75-minute hoped-for fuel window; hell, it was less than an hour! We were uncertain exactly how much fuel the car would take after a fuel run, so we were planning on a 14 gallon stop, and praying not to over-fill and spill, and take a 5-minute penalty plus a second trip through the pits. Dave rolled into pit lane at a sedate 25mph and my stint was next!  More to come...

Racing this Friday - NASA @ Autobahn 4.5 hr Enduro!

It's hard to believe I haven't been racing since June!  There have been several opportunities out there but either pricing or scheduling have been the hiccups.  But this race has been on my radar for awhile and I've got a seat! 

The race is a 4.5hr NASA Enduro on the FULL course at Autobahn Country Club outside Chicago, IL.  It is scheduled to run from 5pm - 9:30pm and with sunset around 7:10pm, we'll definitely have some dark racing!  I actually had a line on about 3-4 different rides for this one, and was trying to work stints in multiple cars at one point! 
The car is my friend Dave's and the pics are below.  The Mustang was tested at the same exact track on Monday on old tires and came through just find in multiple 30min stints so we're feeling confident.  Starts are about 310whp @ 3300 lbs and the class will be E0.

We are planning on a 3-driver strategy and I believe I'm tagged for the middle stint which should start in the sunlight and end in the dark!   
Stint #2:  est 6:30 - 8pm but could change.  This will be my first ever time running in the dark, and first time since 2008 running the FULL course at Autobahn!  Dave has solicited some pitlane help for fuel stops and we've got multiple guys working on strategy.  We'd love to win, but the car will not be maxxed out for the E0 class - however with a good pit strategy and good racing, everyone has a chance!  We are working on multiple fuel mileage and tire wear strategies; plus some radio mis-match issues!

2012 year in review!

2012 started with a 1000 mile roundtrip to Buschur Racing in Ohio in lots of snow and ice.  Out of that trip we yeilded up updated setup, tune and a new primary sponsor.  Shortly thereafter we headed on a near 1400 mile round-trip for my first ever trip to Road Atlanta with help from my Dad as a co-pilot.  Then the car was further gutted and turned over to Izzy's in STL for a proper 6pt cage.  After some teething issues which forced me to rent a car to complete COMP school in April I had my w2w license! 

The next few events were spent feeling out the dynamics of the #929Evo over the course of a 25-35min sprint race; in a single word:  HEAT!  Several upgrades over the rest of the year were made to handle the heat both inside and outside of the car. 

2012 yielded my first podiums & trophies from both Sprint races and Endurance Racing.  The latter courtesy of a GP Racing Products rented E3 Miata where I turned nearly 70 laps at Putnam.  We also set our first PTA track record. 

Some major changes on the personal side of life kicked off in April and really changed the scope of the year.  These somewhat played into my decision to officially put up the #929Evo for sale.  With the fall approaching and some aggressive pricing I was able to find a new home for the car in early September.  After that I wrapped up the year with 1 additional rental in a Chumpcar.

2012 yielded a total of 13 days on track.  10 days in the #929Evo and 3 days in rentals.  In all I competed in 6 different classes (TTA, TTS, ST2, PTA, E0, Chumpcar) in 3 different cars.

Electrical Issues - Fixed @ Boostin Performance!

After spending more time after Gateway with my brand new voltage meter - in the cover of my dry garage and not in the rain - I had found that the alternator was in fact still putting out a charge.  So I'm very happy we didn't try to hash & hack in a new alternator overnight at the track at Gateway.  With some more searching and following lines, I unwrapped the protective coating around the main fuse assembly just off of the battery that my cagebuilder updated during the cage build process.  Low and behold I found an obvious issue with the fuse!  I was both frustrated and optimistic at the same time, as the car ran perfectly as always at Road Atlanta earlier in March prior to the cage build at Izzy's.

I shared these findings about the fuse with some friends and we all agreed this could be the only issue, or just 1 of the issues.  Either way it needed changed out as well as a belt in the car that was showing some wear.  So I scheduled some time Friday April 20th prior to my Autobahn event at Boostin Performance in Addison, IL which is about 1hr N or the Autobahn track.  It was going to be a busy day, but Devin & Kristin did their best to accomodate me with a late pickup that I would need after running the Enduro from 3-7:30pm.

I dropped the car off at Boostin Performance around 1pm and further explained my issues and what I had determined to this point with the instructions to 'fix what was needed'.  lol.  I was then off to Autobahn for the Enduro where I'd be splitting a 3hr event in a Porsche 944.  Even before the Enduro started at 4:30pm I had an email from Boostin Performance that my car was fixed and it was indeed just the fuse.  I exchanged my thoughts on verifying the battery load for 10+ minutes etc and everything had already been tested so it was ready for pickup!  On top of that they were able to fix my sliced wire on my Oil Temp gauge under the car!

So after our Enduro 944 suffered an early retirement from the race on Friday evening, I headed back to Boostin Performance to pick up the Evo and bring it back to the track.  Around 8pm I had the Evo back at the track and unloaded.  Then some food, and the hotel for the night... 

NASA Enduro #1 - April @ Autobahn

Race #1 of the NASA MW/GL Enduro Series kicks off today at 4:30pm.  It will be a 3hr Enduro on the full 3.56 mile track at Autobahn Country Club outside Joliet, IL.  This Enduro will kick off the NASA weekend at Joliet with the normal Sat/Sun festivities of HPDE, TT and w2w sprint races following.

Myself, being a newly licensed NASA racer, am now eligible to drive and compete in the Enduro series.  And wasting no time, I've partnered up with Michael of Michael Palmer Racing to co-drive his 1988 Porsche 944 in the very challenging E3 class.  The E3 class is nearly always the fullest, with other 944's and lots of Miata's participating just to name a few. 

This Spec944 is a brand new build, yet to even turn it's first lap.  Add to that the fact I've never personally driven a 944, this will be my first ever w2w race, this will be my first ever Enduro, this will be the longest I've never spent/driven in a racecar and I've yet to meet either the car or Michael!  So there is a host of challenges and items that need to fall into place - but that's what planning is for!  Also, for a bit more of a challenge, the forecast calls for 60% chance of rain that will hopefully clear in the afternoon.

The race starts at 4:30pm, with my scheduled stint from 6 - 7:30pm when we take the checker'd.  Wish us luck; we might need it!