Tales of Woe and Happiness from the ALMS Weekend
09-07-05, 11:25 AM
#1
Rotary Freak
Thread Starter
Tales of Woe and Happiness from the ALMS Weekend
A further update from Mosport. First, thanks to all of you who dropped by and said hi during the weekend. I enjoy meeting all of you and sorry if I was a bit short at times as I was as busy as a 1 armed paperhanger, being very short of crew. Secondly my contact from CASC who was supposed to bring all of the tickets for the Sept. 16/ 17th weekend, didn't show so I will drop the tickets over at Scarboro Mazda so contact Al later this week if you wan't tickets. You can also download the tickets for free off of the CASC.ON website.
Anyways, back to the story. First let me say that at times I really, really like racing. This weekend, on a scale of 1 - 10 , was about a 7. It started good, sunk to the toilet then ended surprisingly well.
The tow up Thursday evening went very well. Showed up about 7:30, dropped off the car and took a walk through the pit are with my son. Met a number of people I haven't seen in years, left me with a nice warm feeling. Racing people are like a large extended family. You can meet with someone you haven't seen in 3 years and you act like you are old cousins. This is one of the best things about racing.
Had to miss Friday morning practice as I had to take my dog into the vet, as well as work, I hate it when real life gets in the way.
Friday evening qualifying, was not great. Pulled out of the pits and had 220 degrees oil temps before turn 5. Going up the back straight the oil temps shot up to 240 and the car barely would pull 160 kmh going into Turn 8. Lifted, tried short shifting for a lap to reduce engine loads but temps didn't drop. I came into the pits and shut the car down. I asked Al to open the Accusump to add more oil to the sump in the hope that more oil will act as a larger heat sump. It didn't help at all. Ran part throttle for a couple of more laps, then shut it down. Qualified in 29th spot with a 1:47, dead last again.
Brainstormed a bit and decided to simplify the car. Pulled all of the external oiling systems off of the car and put the stock oil filter on the car. For those that care it was a Fram Synthetic Media Filter, an excellent product for about $13.00.
As I was driving back from the track Friday, I called a friend out west to brainstorm the issue. He laughed and said to check the timing. He said it was seriously retarded. This could cause high oil temps and no power.
Got back to the track, Saturday about noon. Pulled the CAS out turned the engine back to TDC and re-installed the CAS. Fired up the car and instantly it sounded better. Put the timing light onto the car and WTF???? the marks were strobbing at about 30 degrees BTDC. Tried adjusting the CAS and the engine would stall. Pulled out the CAS and replaced it about 4 times. Each time with the same result, the timing marks were well off of what the engine wanted in timing. Getting close to the race so decided to leave the timing where it was and cross my fingers.
Out on the pace lap the car had more grunt and the temps were okay. WHOOO HOOO, I might be able to make a mark in the race. Came to the green flag, Mike Thornley in his ex-WC Intagra and I ran down on the pack going into Turn 1. Got stacked up behind Cliff Daley going into 2. Tried a run around the outside of 2 but I didn't have the grunt to pull it off. Decided to fall into line. First time up Andretti Back Straight the car was still sluggish. Max speed going into 8 was only 175 KMH, down about 25 kmh from last weekend. The timing was still off. Decided to put my head down and "giv' er the boot". Took me 3 laps to get by Cliff as he has a turbo 5 valve Audi engine. Took a deep breath coming out of 3. Pulled a draft, faked Cliff to the inside, he moved in, swung the car to the outside of 4, passed him around the outside with no lift. Out braked him going into Turn 5. Touched the brakes a bit harder than usual between 5A and 5B. This messed up Cliff enough that I got a good run on him up the back straight. He couldn't catch me before 8. Passed Ian Houston around the outside of 8 on the same lap. Instantly lowered my lap times from the 1:44's to the 1:41's.
Tried to get my head down even more and catch up to the guys ahead. Started pulling consistent low 1:40's. Realized I was Pushing too hard when I dropped the tires off the track on the outside of 1 at 160 kmh. Moved off line to let the leaders go through on the exit of 2 and slid almost into the wall as there was no grip reserve left.
As I was bouncing merrily along waiting to get control back enough to pull back onto the track I decided to cool it a bit until the end of the race. The car was not going to go any faster (you could have put Mad Max Papis in and he wouldn't have gone any faster, maybe spun better).
Ran it out to the end and was stunned to find out that with a fastest lap of 1:40.382 (done twice 10 laps apart) I finished 13th, after starting 29th and 7th in Touring, after starting 24th. Don't feel to bad about the result.
Again thanks for the support and yes my car is very quiet, almost like a street car. I like it that way as I have very little hearing left after racing for 15 years.
Anyways, back to the story. First let me say that at times I really, really like racing. This weekend, on a scale of 1 - 10 , was about a 7. It started good, sunk to the toilet then ended surprisingly well.
The tow up Thursday evening went very well. Showed up about 7:30, dropped off the car and took a walk through the pit are with my son. Met a number of people I haven't seen in years, left me with a nice warm feeling. Racing people are like a large extended family. You can meet with someone you haven't seen in 3 years and you act like you are old cousins. This is one of the best things about racing.
Had to miss Friday morning practice as I had to take my dog into the vet, as well as work, I hate it when real life gets in the way.
Friday evening qualifying, was not great. Pulled out of the pits and had 220 degrees oil temps before turn 5. Going up the back straight the oil temps shot up to 240 and the car barely would pull 160 kmh going into Turn 8. Lifted, tried short shifting for a lap to reduce engine loads but temps didn't drop. I came into the pits and shut the car down. I asked Al to open the Accusump to add more oil to the sump in the hope that more oil will act as a larger heat sump. It didn't help at all. Ran part throttle for a couple of more laps, then shut it down. Qualified in 29th spot with a 1:47, dead last again.
Brainstormed a bit and decided to simplify the car. Pulled all of the external oiling systems off of the car and put the stock oil filter on the car. For those that care it was a Fram Synthetic Media Filter, an excellent product for about $13.00.
As I was driving back from the track Friday, I called a friend out west to brainstorm the issue. He laughed and said to check the timing. He said it was seriously retarded. This could cause high oil temps and no power.
Got back to the track, Saturday about noon. Pulled the CAS out turned the engine back to TDC and re-installed the CAS. Fired up the car and instantly it sounded better. Put the timing light onto the car and WTF???? the marks were strobbing at about 30 degrees BTDC. Tried adjusting the CAS and the engine would stall. Pulled out the CAS and replaced it about 4 times. Each time with the same result, the timing marks were well off of what the engine wanted in timing. Getting close to the race so decided to leave the timing where it was and cross my fingers.
Out on the pace lap the car had more grunt and the temps were okay. WHOOO HOOO, I might be able to make a mark in the race. Came to the green flag, Mike Thornley in his ex-WC Intagra and I ran down on the pack going into Turn 1. Got stacked up behind Cliff Daley going into 2. Tried a run around the outside of 2 but I didn't have the grunt to pull it off. Decided to fall into line. First time up Andretti Back Straight the car was still sluggish. Max speed going into 8 was only 175 KMH, down about 25 kmh from last weekend. The timing was still off. Decided to put my head down and "giv' er the boot". Took me 3 laps to get by Cliff as he has a turbo 5 valve Audi engine. Took a deep breath coming out of 3. Pulled a draft, faked Cliff to the inside, he moved in, swung the car to the outside of 4, passed him around the outside with no lift. Out braked him going into Turn 5. Touched the brakes a bit harder than usual between 5A and 5B. This messed up Cliff enough that I got a good run on him up the back straight. He couldn't catch me before 8. Passed Ian Houston around the outside of 8 on the same lap. Instantly lowered my lap times from the 1:44's to the 1:41's.
Tried to get my head down even more and catch up to the guys ahead. Started pulling consistent low 1:40's. Realized I was Pushing too hard when I dropped the tires off the track on the outside of 1 at 160 kmh. Moved off line to let the leaders go through on the exit of 2 and slid almost into the wall as there was no grip reserve left.
As I was bouncing merrily along waiting to get control back enough to pull back onto the track I decided to cool it a bit until the end of the race. The car was not going to go any faster (you could have put Mad Max Papis in and he wouldn't have gone any faster, maybe spun better).
Ran it out to the end and was stunned to find out that with a fastest lap of 1:40.382 (done twice 10 laps apart) I finished 13th, after starting 29th and 7th in Touring, after starting 24th. Don't feel to bad about the result.
Again thanks for the support and yes my car is very quiet, almost like a street car. I like it that way as I have very little hearing left after racing for 15 years.
09-07-05, 02:59 PM
#2
I Like Beer
Join Date: Aug 2001
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Thanks for the narrative.
Always nice to hear about racing....something I always think about but never get the chance to actually do.
You're like the one-legged guy at the butt kickin' convention...
Always nice to hear about racing....something I always think about but never get the chance to actually do.
Originally Posted by 23Racer
I was as busy as a 1 armed paperhanger
11-10-05, 06:43 PM
#3
Canadian, eh?
Join Date: Oct 2005
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That is totally cool... I was at the track that weekend on the top of the hill on the outside of the track in turn 3 and was cheering for you. I was wondering why your car was so quiet but at the same time I thought it was quite the sleeper. heh. Anyways I've been at the ALMS weekend for the past 6 years and lovin it. Really want to start racing myself in the T class of the Ontario Touring Car Championship, just don't really have the funds yet. I'd love to help you out for the experience though if you need it.
Darren
Darren
11-11-05, 08:23 AM
#7
Rotary Freak
Thread Starter
Actually, I think I may own the unofficial and self proclaimed tow vehicle lap record at Mosport. It was during a lapping day in early November in 2001. The event organizer didn't know if the track was free of frost, in the morning. I went out and drove around the track in my new 2002 Ford Explorer. On my second lap I ran the thing pretty hard, I slowed to almost a stop in the gully going up to Turn 5 to check for frost. After running 1 more lap I came into the pits and a couple of the guys were laughing. I went over to ask them why and they said that on my second lap I ran a 2:14 and change, even with the slow down.
I really started laughing after I realized that I was only running about 25 seconds a lap slower than my old race Suzuki, in my Explorer, on All Season tires with the heater and radio going.
I really started laughing after I realized that I was only running about 25 seconds a lap slower than my old race Suzuki, in my Explorer, on All Season tires with the heater and radio going.
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