Event 8..very close!

mmarshall · Aug 13, 2012

Event 8 was a tough one. I had 1 dry run which was my best and then the rain came. 3 wet runs one semi dry and 1 more dry run. By run 6 it was down to the wire with Bill running well and me hitting cones on my fast runs. On run 6 bill put up a really good time which really put the pressure on me as he now had the winning time. I went out and ran as fast and wide as I could and just passed Bill by .07 seconds. Way too close for comfort!

Kudos to Bill for putting the pressure on!

Here is a video of run 5 semi-wet. It is amazing how much grip there is on slicks on a damp surface. On this run I hit the rev limiter so top speed was right at 70 mph. Also on this run I had the honor of Bob Hassett riding shotgun. Thanks for coming out Bob. He left with a big smile on his face.

Skip to the 1:00 mark as my video editor is having problems.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5C1ZrNf5MbQ&list=UUd16s9zwPBUCB8EpK7OAzJA&index=1&feature=plcp

Tim M · Aug 13, 2012

Nice clean lap. Looked like a faster track than what they normally set up.

Mike's Competition · Aug 13, 2012

We really got the short end on the track conditions, the drizzle seemed to start with the third heat, and the first run looked like it was going to be the only decent one.
I was pretty upset by the fourth run, it looked like I was going to be holding up the rear. Somebody gave me a "Oh, you've never driven on Hoosiers on a wet surface before, chuckle-chuckle" comment. And after missing the last couple slalom cones on my first run, I lost confidence in the car that usually runs more competitively on a wet surface, than dry.

The drizzle tapered a little and the pavement drained a little by the fifth run, and I got a good pass in. Second place by .1 seconds.
The pavement was almost dry for the sixth run, and I knocked my time down by 1.3 seconds, first place for a couple minutes, and Mike knocked his time down by 1.1 seconds. At the time, we thought he got me by .05, but that isn't noticeably different from .07.
The only class decided by a closer finish was the PAX class, with the indexed times.

The comment about the speed is interesting. Is that 70 MPH in second or third? I don't think I shifted out of second, at least not consciously. And I did not bounce off the rev limiter. According to the old road test articles, my terminal speed in second gear is 57 MPH at 7,700 RPM. The only way to get nearly identical times with such a difference in top speed, would be if I was maintaining a higher average speed, while Mike was spending more time maneuvering turns slower and then shooting through the straight sections like a bullet. All the more reason to ride along with each other at the next event.

mmarshall · Aug 13, 2012

Thanks Tim. It actually was fairly tight except at the end. There are many places that I could go faster. I am getting good at the point and shoot areas, but still losing time on the more technical sections. The brakes now are fantastic. Even when wet I could just hammer the brakes and the car stopped quickly and in control. I locked a wheel a couple of times but the car didn't do anything ugly.

When the track was damp I really had to modulate the throttle as the rears spun very easily.

Bill here are my speeds in all 5 gears: 40,70,100,136,200. I have though about trying to start in 2nd to see if it helps matters. You have no choice but to drive a momentum line but I have to switch back and forth between 70 mph bursts followed by carrying speed around the corners. I am not doing so well at carrying speed. I am also losing alot of time through the slaloms due to my oversteer issues. I will get it sorted out someday.