Misc pics from June Events

(Right)  Here's a pic of the temporarily replaced lugnut from the last track event.  Man was that a huge PITA to try and locate a replacement.  It's got a new ARP extended stud back in there now.  

 And I'll be packing extra's from now on!

(Below) I also mounted a fire extinguisher in the car this June.  It was a requirement for the Redline event, but I plan to keep it in there for extra safety.  It's a 2.5lb bottle mounted at the front of the passenger seat.

(Below Right)  Instead of using AMB transponders to track times, Redline uses RFID tags like this one:

Videos - June 12-13 Events

June 12 - BlackHawk Farms Raceway - NASA TTA class.


June 13 - Autobahn CC - Redline Time Attack - Street AWD


June 13 - Autobahn CC - Redline Time Attack - My Rain Drifto Vid:


June 13 - Autobahn CC - Redline Time Attack -My spectator video of the Super Session.

June 13 - Redline Time Attack @ Autobahn

After a challenging but successful trackday with NASA @ BlackHawk Farms here I took 1st in class and set a class record, we were headed to Autobahn for the Redline event. 

The next day I switched to my street tires, got teched and was ready for Street AWD practice.  Because of the previous days issues, the car still had 93oct in the tank that needed used up before I could switch to 100 and up the boost.  My best practice lap was a 1:39.9 I think on pump gas. 

I filled up with 100oct, switched maps, turned the boost up to what ended up being 24psi and was ready enough.  For the first TA; I was gridded 8th of 15 in Street.  They did not tell us how they were dividing us up, I just got pointed at and said go - even though I wasn't even belted in!  I frantically got belted in and to the start/finish where I had to wait for everyone else in the first group to do the same! 

I ran a 138.3 which put me into first!  But only because I was the first car to complete a lap...haha.  The car was understeering badly in T2 and 'patience' and was running with 3/4 tank of fuel so I knew it had more time in it.  I made it through impound where they only looked at my tire wear rating went back to my paddock area.

I ran over to hear the times from the 2nd group in Street and it was a slugfest!  Cobb ran a 35 flat; Prof Awesome ran a 1:34.7 I think and Fortune Auto was right there with a 1:35.7.  Then all hell broke loose.
The cobb car caught fire somewhere on the back-straight, an S2000 blew a motor in the final turn - T14 - obviously spilling fluids on the track.  Coincidentally, T14 was the same spot last year at this same event where I nearly rear-ended another Evo because he was crossing the track from right to left in mid-turn about 30mph when I was coming in at 80+mph with no flags at all.  Anyways, they didn't black flag for either issue this year and things kept going.  The next car through the turn was a FWD civic that slid through the turn, narrowly missing the broken S2000 and stalled in the grass.  The next car was a black evo that again slid through the mess but pinballed off of both stalled/broken cars.  This finally brought out the black flag.  It was a mess and I was soooo happy I wasn't out in the 2nd group and potentially been involved.

So, while they cleaned up the 4 broken cars I went back to make setup changes for TA#2.  I turned the boost up a few psi as I'm tuned for it.  I made a few suspension changes, studied my traqmate data and was about to make some alignment changes when the rain set in.  The track never dried out and all the times stood.  I think with some luck I could have ran a 36-37 which would have had be challenging for 3rd perhaps, but that's how it goes sometimes.

I ended up 4th out of 9 in Street AWD.  I bettered my time time from last year by 3 full seconds but unfortunately just didn't have the horsepower to challenge the top guys.  If I had been at full tilt, my car puts down about 360whp @ 3250lbs, the top 2 cars I know put down 400whp (mustang dyno) and 525whp!  Even if I wasn't prepped fully for the series, it's still great to get out and run and compare your car and laptimes to some of the fastest cars in the country.  If only the Redline series made more than 1 stop within 16 hours of my house perhaps I'd build my car specifically for the series...

They did let Street go back out for TA#2 even though the track was wet, so I went out to try and set the fastest lap in the wet - 2:06! - and then had some Drifting fun.  Vids to come!

June 12 - NASA @ BlackHawk Farms

Sat morning I setup the car, got a practice session in, got a rain session in then went to mount up new Hoosiers. At about 11am I discovered a stripped front wheel stud. With my extra ARP extended studs at home... I seeked out all the other Evo's at the track along with calling parts stores in both IL and Wisconsin for parts - notta. I was able to locate 2 stock length studs in Wisconsin and thought I could make one work, so I sent my finance' on a parts run. While she was out, I sourced an old stock stud off a 2G Eclipse. I dismantled everything (sweating profusely) and although the old stud didn't fit tightly at all, I figured I could make it work with some luck and pressure.

Missing only 1 session, I got in the car to hit the 4th session and it felt like the brakes were stuck on. So I hopped out and tore back into it finding that I had put the spacer on the wrong side of the caliper bolt (spacer for front air cooling ducts). So while apart, I switched out the old stud (which simply fell out w/o force) for a new shiny one and tightened everything down. With only 1 session left and my only official laps in a slight rain I was sitting in 3rd of 3 cars in class.

I lined up about 15min early for the last session of the day (anxious). My warmup lap I hammered the throttle and popped an intercooler hose clamp that I had borrowed from a friend thinking it would be a better clamp - but no dice. Knowing the session is just 15min long I feverishly limped into the pits and switched back in a hose clamp and prayed I could get just 1 clean lap in. Turns out I had time for 2! With fresh R6's I got last November and no time to heatcycle then I drove about 7/10's and took 1st place and the track record with my first hot lap! My 2nd lap was about the same but with some traffic so I backed off looking for space to get another run at a good one - but the checkered was out and the day was done.
Crazy! Afterwards I checked my tire temps and I had 44/45 in the fronts so I was waaay off. All-in-all I suppose the end result was what I had planned. Tons of peole had brake issues as this track is torture on them - no problems for me with my setup! I did get to test a new tire/rim combination that I might use later in the year or in 2011 when I upclass so that was beneficial. Although I didn't even run as fast as I did last year here in a lower class. I didn't get to run my 100octane tune and I was about 130lbs over minimum weight. So, I left a LOT of time out on the track. But, nothing was broke, the car was running great (thanks to my AMS Performance tune and AMSOIL fluids), and I had another event on Sunday to head to!

2 Tracks in 2 Days Complete!

Crazy weekend so I'll try to be brief. The plan was to run Sat 6/12 with NASA @ BlackHawk Farms then drive the 2.5 hrs to run with Redline Time Attack @ Autobahn on Sun 6/13. Short story; it was accomplished but not without some issues! I'll go into more detail later but here's the highlights of the weekend:

Saturday:  I finished 1st of 3 in class and set a new TTA track record
Sunday:  I finished 4th of 8 in Street AWD.  We only got 1 timed session because of the rain, so no chance to make adjustments - and I had a ton of them ready to rock.  Sometimes that's how it goes!

New Seat Installed!

Installed a Sparco Circuit seat this week.  I've been wanting a new seat that held by legs down better - and with the Redline Time Attack rules requiring 2 front seats for Street class - it was a good excuse to pick one up.  I figured it was a good idea to get one with some extra head protection as well, and this model fit well. 

Install is now complete.  The bottom cushion it comes with has got to be 3" thick so I ditched that real quick!  I like to sit low!  I will probably seek a custom mount later to get this thing as low as possible.  

New goodies from AMS Performance installed!

Thanks to quick shipping from Chicago, last night I was able to install an AMS FMIC & LICP combination for this weekends events.  I think the quality of this FMIC is what really sold me on AMS Performance.  This should really help out intake temps and airflow, especially when running my 100octane tune.  

Above is a mid-install pic.  Below is my helper with the smaller stock fmic to the left.

 

Deciding June 12-13 Track Plans...

   June 13th I am planning on competing in the only stop the Redline Time Attack series makes within 15 hours of me - Autobahn Country Club in Joliet, IL.  I will be there to defend my 2nd place finish from the 2009 event in Street AWD.  Once again, I'll guarantee that I will be down more than 100hp to several competitors so I'll have to use my usual strategy of driving the sh1t outta the car!

   Saturday June 12th, the RTA series is holding a practice day at Autobahn.  I will be there unless there is a good showing of TT cars at the NASA Midwest event to be held at BlackHawk Farms in South Beloit, IL.  Hopefully TT will fill up (awaiting updated entry list now) and I can hit 2 tracks in 2 days!