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924RACR

I have to admit, looking out the window at the massive snowstorm right now, I can't believe I was racing yesterday! Can't believe we managed to sneak that one in...

Friday was all practice, I did not go on track, but I heard it was quite greasy in addition to being damp. The day was mostly showers, but we got one or two bouts of heavy rain. The most amusing was the Comp Licensing school, who had it start to truly come down in the middle of their practice race! They all learned plenty! As mentioned, Mark has his engine take a union break partway through the day, so he never really got to come play with us. We heard he's got a spare, so hope to see him at The Beav...

Saturday was drier, no real rain, just track and paddock drying out from Friday. It was quite cool, with a lot of wind making it really cold. Practice and Qual sessions went well enough, I believe - managed to get myself meatballed in practice due to a hanging exhaust. Minor enough. Then we got into the race, and everybody got into it! I'm trying to remember exactly how it all went down - didn't take video to refresh my memory - I remember seeing the 77 Yellow D962 spinning 2 or 3 times in front of me... then we finally got black-flagged around lap 8 or 10 when a Honda went over on his lid, ending the race. I didn't see that, so I don't know where he went over.

Sunday started colder, but with much less wind, so it was a little more tolerable, finally getting sunhalfway through the day almost to the point of making it nice. Certianly in contrast to previously in the weekend! Didn't go out for Practice, but that and Qualifying passed no major issues. Then the race. Oh, the race.

It was pretty wild, some very large packs of cars (I think we still had about 35 cars in the Small Bore run group) all running together and working hard for position! Very exciting, and I believe rather clean (hadn't heard of any problems). Then around lap 4 Sean Tillinghast (GTS3 BMW M3) had a hard impact into the wall driver's left going into Thunder Valley when the steering wheel came off in his hands (!), resulting in a black flag all and the grid lined up in the pits. Lead lap cars were brought around to the front while Sean was brought in and the incident was cleaned up, then the pace car led us back out. At the end of the lap we shot off again and were back green! For one, maybe two laps! Then, with 3 more cars off of the Keyhole, including one Spec Miata into the tires, we were once again black flagged into the pits. At this point, our time limit was up, and the race was called at 6 laps. Very unfortunate, but understandable, given the circumstances.

Fortunately, Sean was generally OK - bit of a sore foot from the impact (as it was hard on the brake pedal at the time), he'll be sore this morning, but otherwise I believe he was OK. Not sure what shape the car is in.

OK, that's the GTS recap. Now for the PUB Racing specifics. We were running the Pro course (without the chicane into the Keyhole, just like CART and ALMS run). This takes about 2 seconds, effectively, off of the lap times. However, we're otherwise still able to compare. We started off running a 1:54, crept down to a 1:53 by the end of the second race - and still getting faster; last lap was the best time, indicating I'm still learning the track. Most others recorded their best time on lap 2 or 3, indicating the tires (or driver) going off. If we'd had the full 12 laps, I might have dropped another second. Still, that would translate to a 1:55 on the Club course (with the chicane), an improvement of a full 3 seconds over WOR Games last year (last time at Mid-O, we turned a 1:5

. So, huge progress!

We also got to play quite a bit with the other cars, in spite of being the only GTS1 car - there were a lot of Spec Miatas out there, and we were playing with a few of the slower ones, and a Honda with motor but poor cornering technique.

Clearly a good portion of this was due to a better-running engine; replaced the control pressure regulator and injectors, it was pulling much better. Driver confidence was definitely not the factor - too many cobwebs there! Handling was also not a factor; the car was run in the same suspension setup, and was pushing quite a bit.

Now I hear that the rear Bilstein race shocks are in, so I will be picking those up (once the snowstorm subsides). This should mean that, before next race (Beaverun in May), we should have a whole new suspension under the car, will probably change front swaybar and/or spring rate, to get better bite of the front end, reduce that push. We also need new front brakes - they're finally worn out, after 3 years! We also have to take another look at the ignition; it was breaking up a bit over 5000RPM, slight misfire, and will need to resolve that. There is also, of course, the usual annual maintenance that needs to be done now (once it warms up) - fuel filter, belts, repack bearings, etc - all that stuff we blew off because it was too cold!

Plenty to keep us busy for a month...
_________________
Vaughan Scott
Webmeister
'79 924 #77 SCCA H Prod racecar
'82 931 Plat. Silver
#25 Hidari Firefly P2 sports prototype

924RACR · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2003 11:43 pm Post subject:

Almost forgot - there was another 924 there, a 924S I Stock PCA racecar of Thom Kroth. Unfortunately, he does not yet have a full cage in his car (only a rollbar), so was not able to join us. However I do believe he plans to put one in and so we do hope to see him later this season! I have pics of his car and plenty of others, will be posting them on the GTS webpage...
_________________
Vaughan Scott
Webmeister
'79 924 #77 SCCA H Prod racecar
'82 931 Plat. Silver
#25 Hidari Firefly P2 sports prototype

jjadczak · Joined: 03 Jan 2003 Posts: 346 Location: Accokeek, MD

Well that's very encouraging news about picking up 3 seconds! I bet you'll find more with more track time there. Where did you finish? you were out with NASA right? Did you find that you were able or not able to keep with the seasoned SM drivers? Were finding that their just a little bit quicker than us in the hands of the right driver, in the hands of greener drivers - boy do I have a field day with them! Any other mechanical issues? I'm sure that there wasn't a concern with overheating but how did the differential work or did you not have time to install? So it sounds like you would recommend the Pilots even though you really didn't use them this weekend. Report sounds great! I'll be sure to post our report from Summit Point for our first SCCA race when it takes place in a few weeks!

Jeremy

924RACR · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2003 3:53 am Post subject:

Yeah, I find the same; I can pick off the slow ones, but I'm nowhere near the fast guys on a big track. Just don't have the power yet. Yes, I was out w/ NASA, but the only one in the GTS1 class (there were plenty in GTS2 and 3, but no old slow cars other than me). So, first, but no-one else in my class, so it means nothing. I finished somewhere back there... will have to check the results, plenty of attrition.

No mechanical issues; wish I had more mechanical front grip. Overheated the F out of the engine while sitting on the grid during the first black flag, but I left it running since I wouldn't be able to restart it, and the temps and all came right back down once we started moving. No indication of a blown headgasket.

I did not have time to install the diff. Really coulda used it though!

See if you can get a heat cycle in those Pilots before you use them... put them on a street car first or something. If you don't you'll risk damaging or at least substantially impairing the longevity of them. Again, everyone's sworn up and down you need to heat them up good, like 5 or so good solid laps, then let them sit not on the car. I thought it was overnight, but the latest posts on IT.com show you want to let them sit for 48hrs before using them again. Have to plan ahead! That's what I did, bringing them to the track this weekend.
_________________
Vaughan Scott
Webmeister
'79 924 #77 SCCA H Prod racecar
'82 931 Plat. Silver
#25 Hidari Firefly P2 sports prototype

jjadczak · Joined: 03 Jan 2003 Posts: 346 Location: Accokeek, MD

I think were gonna get them already heat cycled from Tire Rack. It's seems easier to us to pull them straight out of the box and mount them at our shop. We also find overheating when they've done that to our sessions. Our car started to overheat badly this weekend when we had it on the dyno again. Temps dropped when I drove the car back to our shop. I checked out the new race series page. Were you planning on running the 6/22 races at Summit Point? Isn't that in conjunction with the NASA 944 Cup races that weekend? Would your series be on the track the same time as them or would you be moved to small bore group? If your going to make the trek to SP, We'll make every arrangement to go to that race that weekend instead of the double regional at Pocono the same weekend. We really want you to test our car - if you want to. Isn't the weekend format a race on sat. then another race on Sun? Could my father and I both race the same car on the same weekend? He would do one round, I would do another?

924RACR · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2003 10:01 am Post subject:

No, sorry, I'm not planning on making the trek down there. Not in the budget anymore - I gotta getta rock for my lady! Getting merried in Oct!

Best chance to meet up is sometime at Beaverun - you can see the schedule on the GTS page. You can also now see pics from this past weekend. Still have to capture video, should be soon. I need someone to come run in GTS1 with me!

http://www.924.org/GTSChallenge/

Man was it ever an exhausting weekend! I'm so looking forward to relaxing for another couple of weeks. Of course, I now should have nearly all my suspension parts for the new suspension (race Bilsteins, rear sphericals, and front swaybar), in addition to plenty of maintenance items, so I'd better not slack too long, or I can expect to fall behind already!

_________________
Vaughan Scott
Webmeister
'79 924 #77 SCCA H Prod racecar
'82 931 Plat. Silver
#25 Hidari Firefly P2 sports prototype

924RACR · Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2003 10:47 pm Post subject:

Got a couple of videos and pics uploaded now; videos are on my webpage, pics are on the GTS website:
http://www.924.org/GTSChallenge/
_________________
Vaughan Scott
Webmeister
'79 924 #77 SCCA H Prod racecar
'82 931 Plat. Silver
#25 Hidari Firefly P2 sports prototype

jjadczak · Joined: 03 Jan 2003 Posts: 346 Location: Accokeek, MD

I'm having fun this season cause next year I'm gonna need one of those rock thangs too but next year! I think, if I could somehow get out of work, I might take you up on your offer to run with you at Beaver Run in September. If I don't run with you, I'll at least come out and crew for you. Deal?

924RACR · Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2003 9:37 am Post subject:

Oh, yeah, abso-freakin-lutely! Happy to have you there!
_________________
Vaughan Scott
Webmeister
'79 924 #77 SCCA H Prod racecar
'82 931 Plat. Silver
#25 Hidari Firefly P2 sports prototype