Goodbye 2010, Onward to 2011
I gave the 2.5 motor a final spin at the NASA NJMP Thunderbolt track on Halloween weekend. I just went for Saturday. The goal for the day was to just have some fun at the track. I was reasonably quick a couple weekends ago at the Delaware PCA DE but as we shall see, a DE is not a race. I headed to the track nice and early with the temps a frosty 38 degrees when I got there. My battery wasn't holding a charge so I had to jump start the racecar to get it out of the trailer, and for every session after that. We had about 5 or so who showed up in 944Cup, and a couple more in SuperCup so there was somebody to race with. Practice session I was surprisenly on top in class, probably because I had just been there. Qualifying I was 3rd I believe - I'm too lazy to look it up. By the afternoon, the temps were moderate and it was time to go racing. There was a split start with the slower cars like us, in the 2nd group. Got a good start, held my own for a bit. After a few laps the faster GTS cars from the first group started coming through the pack and lapping cars.
Here's where the weekend starting sucking for me. I didn't contest those cars, would give them the inside, wouldn't block them. But just because they were fast doesn't mean they were good drivers. Since my car was still way down on power, it dyno'd at a blistering 120 hp at the rear wheels before the event, and I was still running 2.7 sized weight - a 150 lb handicap, my only way to a good lap was making time thru the corners. If I lifted I was dead, there was no "go" when I pressed the go pedal. So anyhow, bombing down into turn 1 or 2, I'd courteously give the inside corner to the much faster cars. And courteously in return they should do the pass, tuck to the inside and let me be on my way. But lap after lap, they would dive in, not hold the line and drift out up against me pushing me wide, or making me lift to avoid hitting them. Dickheads!
After the 3rd time of being pushed off the track and onto the outside nasty rumble strips in turn 2, which really, really vibrate the car, my inside Wink mirror mount cracked and broke. And since I could not longer see shit it was time to call it a day. I came in, rolled into the trailer and turned off the motor. As I stepped out of the trailer, I noticed the track had gone full course yellow, with a pile up in turn 1. The pack circled the track for several laps and finished under yellow.
But I was happy, car in the trailer, no body work to do, got as much racing there was to get, it was a brilliant fall day, and I was home and munching on pizza and beer by 5pm. Time to build the 2.7L motor for 2011.
Here's where the weekend starting sucking for me. I didn't contest those cars, would give them the inside, wouldn't block them. But just because they were fast doesn't mean they were good drivers. Since my car was still way down on power, it dyno'd at a blistering 120 hp at the rear wheels before the event, and I was still running 2.7 sized weight - a 150 lb handicap, my only way to a good lap was making time thru the corners. If I lifted I was dead, there was no "go" when I pressed the go pedal. So anyhow, bombing down into turn 1 or 2, I'd courteously give the inside corner to the much faster cars. And courteously in return they should do the pass, tuck to the inside and let me be on my way. But lap after lap, they would dive in, not hold the line and drift out up against me pushing me wide, or making me lift to avoid hitting them. Dickheads!
After the 3rd time of being pushed off the track and onto the outside nasty rumble strips in turn 2, which really, really vibrate the car, my inside Wink mirror mount cracked and broke. And since I could not longer see shit it was time to call it a day. I came in, rolled into the trailer and turned off the motor. As I stepped out of the trailer, I noticed the track had gone full course yellow, with a pile up in turn 1. The pack circled the track for several laps and finished under yellow.
But I was happy, car in the trailer, no body work to do, got as much racing there was to get, it was a brilliant fall day, and I was home and munching on pizza and beer by 5pm. Time to build the 2.7L motor for 2011.
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