Yeehaw, I Passed Corey today at Thunderhill!
12-03-2000, 08:41 PM
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Yeah, good thing that thing didn't blow in one of the fast corners!
This NASA event was swamped with traffic, it was an open track format (passing anywhere, enter and leave the track pretty much at your leisure), which meant large differentials in car speeds on the track. It wasn't until late in the day when I got close to the full open lap. Even my best lap of the day came with major lifting entering the front straight due to a pile of slow cars.
Coming off a lap of 2:10.26 (shoulda been under 2:10 if it weren't for that above mentioned lift), I saw lots of open track ahead, and starting going for another good lap time. Braking into turn 6, I heard and felt a klunk, then I released the brakes and started my normal turn in, but the car wouldn't turn. Weird. Slowed way down, waaaaay off line in the marbles, and gradually got the car turned. I started accelerating slowly out of 6, and the front right wheel was flopping all over the place. I decided to pull off and park on the outside of 7. It took quite a while until some course workers came to my rescue (meanwhile, Sharon was probably panicking since she hadn't seen her car come back around the track, plus I was parked completely out of sight of the paddock), meanwhile Bill checked and found that the tire was totally flat. The tow truck finally came, and the car was hoisted up and towed back in. I can't imagine what Sharon was thinking when she saw the yellow beast being dragged by the tow truck into the pits.
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/AudiWorldPics/2000/BlownHoosier4.jpg">
Anyway, all is fine, but that did take away Sharon's chance to go out on track one more time. :-(
Also, I was taking it a little easy in 1 and 8 all day, just cause I was getting used to the slightly different setup on the car. Even with going a little conservative thru 1 and 8, I'm sure I could have done a 2:08 pretty easily with no passenger and no traffic. When I get used to the setup, I think 2:07's are pretty realistic. Fun fun!!
Coming off a lap of 2:10.26 (shoulda been under 2:10 if it weren't for that above mentioned lift), I saw lots of open track ahead, and starting going for another good lap time. Braking into turn 6, I heard and felt a klunk, then I released the brakes and started my normal turn in, but the car wouldn't turn. Weird. Slowed way down, waaaaay off line in the marbles, and gradually got the car turned. I started accelerating slowly out of 6, and the front right wheel was flopping all over the place. I decided to pull off and park on the outside of 7. It took quite a while until some course workers came to my rescue (meanwhile, Sharon was probably panicking since she hadn't seen her car come back around the track, plus I was parked completely out of sight of the paddock), meanwhile Bill checked and found that the tire was totally flat. The tow truck finally came, and the car was hoisted up and towed back in. I can't imagine what Sharon was thinking when she saw the yellow beast being dragged by the tow truck into the pits.
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/AudiWorldPics/2000/BlownHoosier4.jpg">
Anyway, all is fine, but that did take away Sharon's chance to go out on track one more time. :-(
Also, I was taking it a little easy in 1 and 8 all day, just cause I was getting used to the slightly different setup on the car. Even with going a little conservative thru 1 and 8, I'm sure I could have done a 2:08 pretty easily with no passenger and no traffic. When I get used to the setup, I think 2:07's are pretty realistic. Fun fun!!
12-04-2000, 06:11 AM
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Only a couple hundred...
These tires were brand new when we did the Sears Point QCUSA event just a few weeks ago. And, it rained and was foggy a lot so Sharon drove her car for perhaps a cumulative full day (instead of two). We were sharing her car yesterday, but giving the car ample rest between sessions. I was pretty surprised, because there was a good amount of tread left.
About the wheels...they have a long line of users. Including yourself. :-) Hey, they clear the 6-pots.
About the wheels...they have a long line of users. Including yourself. :-) Hey, they clear the 6-pots.
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12-04-2000, 06:15 AM
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Well, it had a bunch of tread when I went out.
I was only out for about 15min when it went. And I had really only driven hard for 3 or 4 laps in a row (lots of other traffic was slowing me down). Even after the tire blew, the tire still looked like it had plenty of tread, the shoulder on the inside edge (the seam between tread and sidewall) just gave up!
This tire was on the right front of the car, and it happened just after a reasonably fast off-camber right hand corner. I'm sure that part of the tire was getting pretty warm thru that corner, but enough to blow? Hmmm...
This tire was on the right front of the car, and it happened just after a reasonably fast off-camber right hand corner. I'm sure that part of the tire was getting pretty warm thru that corner, but enough to blow? Hmmm...
12-04-2000, 08:53 AM
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Ha Ha! just could'nt wait to post eh Morgan!
Here it is monday morning for me, and damn I'm exhausted. What a day at the track!
Even though it's the second track event I've ever been to, it is actually more like my 1st!
I've never driven so fast for so long in my whole life!
ex: 30 min session, 8.8mpg, 73 mph avg speed (1st session)
I'm beat :-)
Even though it's the second track event I've ever been to, it is actually more like my 1st!
I've never driven so fast for so long in my whole life!
ex: 30 min session, 8.8mpg, 73 mph avg speed (1st session)
I'm beat :-)
12-04-2000, 08:56 AM
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I wondered what happened...
I was out in the same session, and after the initial shock of seeing you off, couldn't figure out how it could happen there. Glad to hear it wasn't serious.
I was hampered by one or more cars (gotta get those 'N' cars in their own group!) almost every lap, but did manage several 2:10s (best 2:10.03) with passengers. When I was in the car by myself, I couldn't get a full clean lap, except for one 2:10.38 in the morning, when the track was still cold.
The traffic got a little better as the day wore on - I should have taken the passengers in the earlier sessons, and run myself in the later ones. ;^)
On the bright side, there were plenty of passing opportunities. ;^) And, I have to say, some of the 'N-folk' did point me by in turns (thank you, thank you).
-jerry
I was hampered by one or more cars (gotta get those 'N' cars in their own group!) almost every lap, but did manage several 2:10s (best 2:10.03) with passengers. When I was in the car by myself, I couldn't get a full clean lap, except for one 2:10.38 in the morning, when the track was still cold.
The traffic got a little better as the day wore on - I should have taken the passengers in the earlier sessons, and run myself in the later ones. ;^)
On the bright side, there were plenty of passing opportunities. ;^) And, I have to say, some of the 'N-folk' did point me by in turns (thank you, thank you).
-jerry