First NASA SE Race at CMP 2/10-11

#81

Me thinks you are right.

#82

I am just now catching up on this thread since I posted my race report.
Damion, the big Costco pack of brats is on order with brother Jeff, and we’ll have buns for them this time.
Robert, don’t forget the deoderant and your in:laugh:
Foushee, get those wheels taken car of, I want to chase you around - and thanks for the great encouragement.
Jeff P. I owe you one for taking it easy on me.
Kelly, I hope I can make it harder for you pass me next time.
Laura, I really enjoyed dicing it up with you and the flame-spitting Mazda RX7.
Travis, I want some of what you’re drinking:woohoo:

Looks like we might have a second car with us in Atlanta, it will start out as a DE car for Jeff to keep working towards comp school and once we have a cage in it will be ready to race. See you all at Road Atlanta.

#83

kchildre wrote:

[quote]Here is in car video from the endurance race. Like I said earlier… each race I do I learn some more. It’s embarassing how much I am sawing at the wheel at the beginning of the race. I did have a pretty good save after the king around the 371/2 minute mark (hit a little too much of the bump).

Good times

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5929719884411178116[/quote]

I want to watch more of the video when I have time but one thing that the new drivers (and some experienced drivers) need to see is how Kelly did not try to immediately come back on the track, when he went off on the first lap.

This is huge.

Even at slower speeds, his car was very unstable when he did get back on.

I have seen several examples of guys trying to get back on too quickly, shooting across the track and right into a crowd, and taking out several other cars. If you do this in Spec E30, the penalty will be very severe.

Do it like Kelly and keep you car (and others) clean.

Carter

#84

I know what you’re saying Carter, and I am fortunate that my DE instructors in the Pacific NW really drilled into my head that you have to stay calm when you go off track and not rush to get back on. During the hour race I went 4 off 3 times (maybe 4?) and was pleased that I did not freek out and swerve back on, I just kept it straight, tried to feel what the car was doing, checked my mirrors and gradually pulled back on track.
During practice on Sunday I had Jim Pantas behind me and I went off at T8 on the first lap, and I knew he was there and watching me!:frowning: So I checked mirror again and thought he was about 50 or so yards behind me so I pulled back on (I was just hoping that was okay!). I talked with him about it later that day and he suggested that with anyone any closer than he was I should hold back from coming on track due to the dirt and gravel that I would pull with me. During the Sunday race I noticed as I went off at T3 that if I did not get back on track I could run into a problem with the creek, etc. and I DID NOT want to hit the brakes so it seemed getting back on track was the best route and I had room to do so. I felt bad about the junk I was bringing onto the track but it seemed the safest thing to do. Is that okay? Can some of you experienced folks give me some insight into your thought train as you go off track?

#85

Carter, I completely agree with you and would like to add Kelly did do a good job of monitoring race traffic before coming back into the groove. It should also be noted that he was very close to the starting grid so the rest of the pack was in very close proximity to him when his off track excursion at turn 4 took him off the track on the first lap. I had a similar off track excursion on turn one of the first lap during qualifying. Cold tires and a cold track are quick lessons.