Test and tune

[impalanut]

Now that we have put on the novice school and their first event after I am trying to put together an event for the more experienced drivers who want to work on their car set up. The purpose of this test n tune is for dialing in your car, there will be much cheaper ways to get seat time. For me it would be mostly tire testing, but some suspension testing as well. There will be NO instruction planned, although we always try to help each other out. I am looking at dates in February in Brooksville. This will be an event under the FAST insurance, but not a true FAST event. I am hoping for about ten cars. We do have to cover the cost of rental and insurance, and will probably have lunch. I anticipate the cost at $150 or so per car. I plan to have timing so you can get more than seat of the pants ideas of changes, and there will need to be some working although the course will be short with certain finite elements common to nationals type courses to allow adequate testing. Plan to bring whatever tools you may need, as well as alternative tires, springs, sway bars, or whatever else you think you need. I will have more info when I see the response, I will post the date as soon as I know but likely mid February.

[snookwheel]

Very interested Howard. Put me on the list.

Scott

[Loren]

A little pricey, but for a very limited entry test day, not bad. Color me interested.

"Hang on, I want to try something..."

[Miata GT]

That seems really expensive. The last test and tune I attended was for the Corvette club out at Brooksville. Beat your car all day for $40.

[Charles]

I am hoping for about ten cars. We do have to cover the cost of rental and insurance, and will probably have lunch. I anticipate the cost at $150 or so per car.

How about 15 cars for a slightly lower cost per person if there is enough interest.

Set up 2 short courses and probably still have room for a skidpad too, should be more than enough real estate to keep 15 cars busy. We also won't need 1/4 mile of runway for "parking" or a traditional "grid" that chews up space.

Anyone have a tire pyrometer they could bring to something like this?

Radar gun for a slalom drill might be interesting too.......

[Loren]

That seems really expensive. The last test and tune I attended was for the Corvette club out at Brooksville. Beat your car all day for $40.

This one is really more geared toward "tuning". Howard is hoping for around 10 drivers to step up so that each of them will be able to not just "line up for as many runs as they can get", but spend several minutes doing laps on the skidpad without interruption, do back to back laps on a course with nothing but a pause to check tire pressure and temperature, things like that. Howard is trying to prep his CRX so that he and his co-driver can get the most out of practicing the rest of this season, and then go kick ass at the Solo Nationals.

It's intended for the driver who needs to do some testing and tuning to improve their car, not for the driver looking for practice time to improve their skills.

As Howard said: "The purpose of this test n tune is for dialing in your car, there will be much cheaper ways to get seat time."

[Philippe]

When I read people were wondering how to use the second day of an event, I thought about some kind of practice session.
Now that I finally have my Evo, I need to learn how to control it...
But I thought maybe I wasn't the only one who would like some extra seat time for a reason or another!?
The school I attended was great, I learn the limits of my car. Now I would like to learn to make faster times. I understand that it'll come with experience by participating at many autocrosses, but I want to jump start my learning curve!
During a run, you can try a little of this in the slalom, a little of this in the curves,..., feel that a run was better or worse; you don't really know for sure what made the difference. I imagine a practice session where we would concentrate on being faster on one kind of obstacle at the time. For exemple, we would set up a slalom and time each of our passes. Try different lines, gears, tire pressures,... Set up some 90", 180",... whatever typical set ups of autocrosses.
In any case, if I'm allowed to participate (I need more practice than tuning...), you can count me in, even for $150.

[Alizarin]

[This should probably be moved to "Upcoming"]

[Native]

I'm interested, too, but will leave it at a big "maybe."

For insurance purposes, let's just refer to this as a "limited attendance special event autocross" or some such.

I have a laser infrared thermometer. Not a true tire pyrometer, but might be useful. I'll bring it if I come, or am willing to loan if wanted if I dont come.

[Charles]

I have a laser infrared thermometer. Not a true tire pyrometer, but might be useful. I'll bring it if I come, or am willing to loan if wanted if I dont come.

I have one of those too... not sure how accurate they are for tires.... if I can't find anything else i'd just use it

[impalanut]

I have a probe type pyrometer, the temp just beneath the surface is frequently more accurate since it is more stable and not affected as much by air temp in the few minutes it takes to stop and measure.

[Solar]

I'm very interested, the timing couldn't be better, I'm planning on a swaybar upgrade and shocks soon, just depends on what day in Febuary it falls on. My weekends are getting pretty busy that month.

[Native]

available Brooksville in Feb:

Sunday, 2/15
Saturday, 2/28

[impalanut]

I have to work 2/28 so it looks like 2/15 it is. When do we have to commit, and do we need all names in advance like we usually do?

[Native]

We have to commit, well, like, yesterday...B'ville likes prepayment 30 days in advance. 3 weeks should be ok for the insurance. B'ville needs the attendance list 10 days in advance.

Since the date is open as of now, I'm sure there's a little flexibility with the payment.

As soon as you say the word, I'll set the date with B'ville and get a check to them, and set up the insurance.

Are we using MAE, or will people be paying cash/check? If MAE, we can bug Jamie to set up a page - that would be best, IMHO.


edit: if it's too short notice, what about the first or second weekend in March?

[Jamie]

Setting up a page is just a couple minutes of work...no problem at all.

[impalanut]

Looks like we have 2 for sure and 3 maybes. People need to commit in the next day or two because once we commit we will have to cover the expenses. I estimated the $150. Obviously if only 2 people are going to do this the expense would be much more. We need at least 4 plus me for me to comfortably commit to this, that would leave enough cushion to give a few folks a little more time. I plan to have timing, we can discuss the actual set up, and try to have timing by segment as well.

[snookwheel]

Count me in the 'for sure' column for 2/15.

[Philippe]

I hope you can make this happen!

[Native]

I got email from the airport. Long story short, if we want 2/15, they want the money.

Impalanut, how about a hard deadline on this...say, Friday?

FWIW, count me out (this time, anyway).