|
Vezna31
|
 |
« on: October 10, 2007, 12:37:25 AM » |
|
Buttonwillow was Leadfoot's first track day. I was especially nervous because not only had I never been on the track before, but I had to instruct a novice who had never been on the track before either. It wound up turning out to be quite easy to learn. Although a high speed circuit, it wasn't very technical. I had total blast that day, one of my best driving days I've ever had with the exception of my 1 spin off in turn 1 with Jen in the car. The S felt great that day with a Euro-spec wheel alignment to the point that Jen had to keep her eyes closed because she could "feel" me going faster and faster. What a rush! Here's the play-by-play: http://www.pca-ggr.org/pdf/bw-counterclockwise.pdfFeel free to comment. |
|
|
|
« Last Edit: November 02, 2007, 10:48:52 PM by Vezna31 »
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Satisaii
|
|
« Reply #1 on: October 26, 2007, 06:15:25 PM » |
|
I am going there on the 3rd of November. We are going to do configuration #26, which includes Star Mazda, but ditches Lost Hills. This means 1 long ass straight going into Riverside.
I think the car is ready, unlike the last time I went there. I have new fuel management, new injectors, better IC mount, cold air intake, new hoses, new SC idler pulley (it failed last time out), new SC pulleys, removed power steering, new coilovers, (found a blown one), new end links, new rear sway, new wheels, and new Nitto race tires. And maybe some other things I have forgotten about in the last 6 months.
The bad news is that I am going with Speedventures.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Vezna31
|
|
« Reply #2 on: October 26, 2007, 11:10:48 PM » |
|
I am going there on the 3rd of November. We are going to do configuration #26, which includes Star Mazda, but ditches Lost Hills. This means 1 long ass straight going into Riverside.
I think the car is ready, unlike the last time I went there. I have new fuel management, new injectors, better IC mount, cold air intake, new hoses, new SC idler pulley (it failed last time out), new SC pulleys, removed power steering, new coilovers, (found a blown one), new end links, new rear sway, new wheels, and new Nitto race tires. And maybe some other things I have forgotten about in the last 6 months.
The bad news is that I am going with Speedventures.
Why did you remove the power steering??  |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Satisaii
|
|
« Reply #3 on: October 26, 2007, 11:56:25 PM » |
|
The steering feel in a Miata is improved by the removal of the power steering.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Vezna31
|
|
« Reply #4 on: October 27, 2007, 12:13:42 AM » |
|
The steering feel in a Miata is improved by the removal of the power steering.
Oh...after reading all your "SC" things, I thought you were talking about the S2000. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Satisaii
|
|
« Reply #5 on: October 27, 2007, 02:06:44 AM » |
|
In the S2000, it would not make sense to me to pull the power steering.
The older, pump driven system in the Miata has three drawbacks.
It takes ~3 hp to drive the pump.
It weighs about 10 lbs.
It messes with the steering feel.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
monkeymaker
Guest
|
|
« Reply #6 on: October 27, 2007, 03:56:22 PM » |
|
It messes with the steering feel.
This is a huge drawback. When the old Miatas are powered by armstrong steering, you get far better feedback through the wheel, allowing you to sense the limit better as well as make fine corrections to your line and countersteer a split second sooner. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Satisaii
|
|
« Reply #7 on: October 27, 2007, 04:54:30 PM » |
|
I did my homework before doing this. I don't know if it applies to early model cars, but it seemed to be the way to go for people who track their cars. I never read a comment about not doing it, just on the way to do it.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
monkeymaker
Guest
|
|
« Reply #8 on: October 27, 2007, 06:15:10 PM » |
|
What year is your Miata, John?
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Satisaii
|
|
« Reply #9 on: October 27, 2007, 06:31:21 PM » |
|
It is a 99
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
monkeymaker
Guest
|
|
« Reply #10 on: October 27, 2007, 06:37:41 PM » |
|
Yeah I wouldn't exactly call a 99 an "early" Miata either. Maybe it's best to rip out the power steering on all of 'em?!
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Satisaii
|
|
« Reply #11 on: October 27, 2007, 06:51:56 PM » |
|
I am beat. I spent the whole day installing the Tein Flex, and then adjusting the ride height, trying to hit 12" all around. Think: jack the car up, pull wheel, remover lower shock mount, adjust, reassemble, drive, and then measure. Repeat about 5 times per wheel.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Vezna31
|
|
« Reply #12 on: November 02, 2007, 10:50:28 PM » |
|
If I wasn't doing a bunch of maintenance on my car tomorrow, I would have met you up there to hang out for the day.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Satisaii
|
|
« Reply #13 on: November 06, 2007, 08:11:31 PM » |
|
Here was my take on the track day...
I liked some of the organization. They had colored envelopes ready to hand out when you handed in your registration, but with only one person working the desk it went a bit slow.
I requested the low-intermediate group since I had never really tracked this car before. The first time out, I did a couple of laps, but was running super rich. I pulled it in, made some adjustments and went back out. I still was off the meter rich. So the first session I completed 3 laps.
I continued working on the car and finally got the fueling down such that the meter was actually reading before the next run. Good enough to run without messing something up. I went out and ran at the tail end of a long line of cars, but everyone played by the rules and either passed or gave point byes. I did not mind being last, since this was the first semi-fast laps in the car. I was content to truck around and learn the car.
The traffic seemed to spread out, I managed some fast laps, and then discovered that some of these people out there did not have a clue about how to drive. Speedventures needs to screen the groupings better. Some of these folks were surely in the beginner group and had been pushed to intermediate due to having completed a track day. One guy was not pointing by, but backing off somewhat expecting people to pass. This broke down into confusion and people doing unsafe things to pass many cars on a single straight. That was a bit wild for a moment. I have a GPS timer and ran a 2:28 lap that session.
The third session I started at the back. They were putting what seemed like 35-40 cars on the track at one time. No wonder it felt a bit crowded at times. I hung back and got a couple of fast laps in before getting mired down in traffic. I ran another 2:28, and ended that session early because of the traffic. I heard what sounded like a brake dragging after that session.
The fourth session I was by myself (my brother-in-law rode with me earlier) and I pushed it a bit harder into the turns. The car handled very well with a neutral feel. I don't think I ever even came close to the limits as I never got the rear end to rotate. It felt fast, but I was still tentative and only ran a 2:28. In perspective, a guy in a spec Miata was turning 2:15's. I need to work on my confidence in the car. By the end of this session the noise was bad enough for me to call it a day.
It was not a bad day for the car. I now have another list of items to fix. I increased the fueling capacity to the point of where I need to have more boost to lean the car out. That will be fun. I need to work on the brakes, replace the bushings, and a few other minor details before I take it out again. I am thinking sometime early next year.
I have some new data logging toys that I will bring with me on the Sears Point trip.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Vezna31
|
|
« Reply #14 on: November 06, 2007, 08:18:26 PM » |
|
Speedventures is known for packing their run groups. They are more money oriented than other orgs. Even though Doug is a dickhead, Trackmasters is more about a positive experience with quality track time. NASA cuts off DE sessions for the race groups, so they aren't DE friendly either. That's why Perry and I modeled our days from Trackmasters.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
