Car stopped on the track... fuel pump issues?
 

My car stopped suddenly on the track after a tight uphill left corner. I was sure I had blown the engine, but it turns out it was just the fuel pump.

I have a FEED fuel baffle, which for a time seemed to have fixed my fuel starvation problems, but later they seemed to reoccur.

When I pulled my fuel tank, I found the filter sock was on the bottom of the baffle. Maybe it fell off, causing starvation problems during corners, leading to the pump stopping for a time? I also found that the fuel level sender plug had come undone when I removed the tank, but I don't think this would have caused the pump to stop.

Everyone I talked to strongly suggested that I should replace the pump (it's a SARD pump, which is like $280) as a precaution, but after reinstalling the sock filter and the pump I haven't had any issues.

Any ideas/opinions?

why would this be? did it come loose?

maybe, its not really normal for this to happen, so you might investigate why, and maybe try and figure out how to make it not happen again.

yet, if it fell apart once, why would it not do it again?

Definitely investigate why the pump sock came off. I've also dealt with fuel starve MANY times on track, but never had it completely stop the car so that seems odd. Since you noted the fuel level sender stopped working, did you just accidently run it completely out of gas?

Unless they've changed over the last 10 or so years, the Sard is just a rebranded Denso 280 litre pump.

We had one years ago that might have starved momentarily on the circuit. Subsequently when the pump was cold, it performed normally, but after a few laps, the car was burping and farting and carrying on when significant percentage throttle was applied, lots of plug and lead changes on a hot engine later at an interstate track, admitted defeat and trooped off on the 7hr drive home.

I'd follow the advice given. Personally I'd change to a different pump as well.

I think the strainer was missing the little retaining ring that holds it on, so I put a drilled a hole and put a hitch clip on it.

It may have been on a little loose to begin with.

I still had most of a tank of gas.