December 2011 - Post-Event thread

[Jeremy]

54.5 + 1, 1.4 secs slower than the front wheel drive cars on street tires in my heat. 6 seconds slower than Howard. wtf.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27BVhCjxTXI" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Had some fogging on the lens because I had the open housing on the gopro when it started raining and didn't get all the moisture out before switching to the closed housing.

[Loren]

Jeremy, aside from the fact that it was probably wet enough that some grooves in the tires would have helped, you were trying to drive your typical "race tire" line. Most of the fast street tire guys know not to try that, especially in the rain. If you'd have loosened your entry on some of those turns and allowed more track-out on some of the exits (particularly the turn-around) instead of trying to stay "tight", you'd have probably been faster. At least in the wet.

You're used to having grip AND acceleration... the rain took both of those things away from you, which means you needed to rely on momentum!

[Jeremy]

Sorry, I only have one speed and line. It's like an on and off switch. I've never heard of anyone changing an autocross line due to rain, just drive slower.

This was my driest run and I was expecting to have one more run on even dryer conditions but it started raining again. Every run was like an experiment to see how much faster I could go.

Runs 1,2,3 were a waste of time, run 4 and 5 were drying, and run 6 was a waste of time.

[Loren]

I've never heard of anyone changing an autocross line due to rain, just drive slower.

Maybe autocrossers just don't talk about it much, but track drivers definitely know their "wet line" from their "dry line".

I foresee your competition doing rain dances in the future.

[twistedwankel]

Some runs were "wiper" runs. Some runs were "intermittent" wiper runs. Some runs were "dry". Depends on one's luck vs rain.

All runs were challenging. Some turned off the computer and won or lost in the spirit of the sport.

I for one turned off the computer in the spirit of the sport. I got my butt handed to me on the last run:) I totally salute the Joes squared who beat me. They drove smoother thus faster than I did. They reign in the rain. I get high in the dry.

Not a good day for race rubber!!

[Dave]

Some runs were "wiper" runs. Some runs were "intermittent" wiper runs. Some runs were "dry". Depends on one's luck vs rain.

All runs were challenging. Some turned off the computer and won or lost in the spirit of the sport.

I for one turned off the computer in the spirit of the sport. I got my butt handed to me on the last run:) I totally salute the Joes squared who beat me. They drove smoother thus faster than I did. They reign in the rain. I get high in the dry.

Not a good day for race rubber!!

Doug, you're full of surprises. We all just recently found out how much true knowledge and experience you have in autocrossing; now, your poetry and writing sklills are peeking through!

[AScoda]

I never tried going right there, but didn't feel that left was slow at all. Left entry seemed easier to me and the exit was a non-issue. Doesn't seem like I'd have been able to carry as much throttle through the section leading into it if I tried to get over to the right side.

Which way did Drew take it?

I honestly don't remember.

I took my FTD sticker and giddily ran away with my ill-gotten gains.
I have since wiped from my brain the details of the day so I can fondly remember the one time that the janky old Mustang clobbered them all. (insert maniacal laughter)

-Off to perfect my rain making rituals.

[garage west]

Some runs were "wiper" runs. Some runs were "intermittent" wiper runs. Some runs were "dry". Depends on one's luck vs rain.

All runs were challenging. Some turned off the computer and won or lost in the spirit of the sport.

I for one turned off the computer in the spirit of the sport. I got my butt handed to me on the last run:) I totally salute the Joes squared who beat me. They drove smoother thus faster than I did. They reign in the rain. I get high in the dry.

Not a good day for race rubber!!

Doug, you're full of surprises. We all just recently found out how much true knowledge and experience you have in autocrossing; now, your poetry and writing sklills are peeking through!

+1

[nc4me]

Pictures are up ---> HERE

Holy crap, pics of my car! Thanks for making them affordable Greg. I know too many photographers that over charge for their pix! Hmm, the rear end is still squatting too much. DAMN, I wonder if they can adjust my alignment without charging me an arm and a leg again.

I think the squat is from acceleration. If you look at your front and rear fenders they aren't really coming down toward the tires to much, so I think you're going fairly straight in that shot. Also your front wheels don't seem to be turned to much. The car looks normal.

[garage west]

Pictures are up ---> HERE

Holy crap, pics of my car! Thanks for making them affordable Greg. I know too many photographers that over charge for their pix! Hmm, the rear end is still squatting too much. DAMN, I wonder if they can adjust my alignment without charging me an arm and a leg again.

I think the squat is from acceleration. If you look at your front and rear fenders they aren't really coming down toward the tires to much, so I think you're going fairly straight in that shot. Also your front wheels don't seem to be turned to much. The car looks normal.

Plus 'vettes telegraph changes in attitude more than shorter cars, probably due to the long overhangs. Watch Tim at SPC and you can totally see his car dive, squat and roll, extra-exaggerated from running the whole thing in 1st gear. Reduced squat would probably = more oversteer. I doubt that would be any *FAST*er.

[Loren]

I'm with John & Chris. Unless there's something I don't know about Corvette alignments, "squat" is not related to an alignment parameter. If you want less of it, you need stiffer springs or firmer shocks.

But, squat is much like body roll. It's not a problem in and of itself unless it is so excessive as to be distracting. In a heavy car with a lot of power, it's actually a GOOD thing. It's a side effect of the weight transfer onto the rear tires that allows you to ACCELERATE harder. Woohoo!

[shakedown067]

Oh she's suppose to squat, but the rear of the car is now lower than the front of the car, which is a big nono for these cars. Might partially explain some of my rear grip issues (sure some of it is my right foot). If I get some proper tires next year, they would stick out about another inch (square shoulders vs my rounded ones) and by these pictures, the course workers would be picking up rear fender splinters all over the track. LOL. Raising it up 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch should help quite a bit, but now it'll screw with my newly increased rear camber.