Aug 10, a Sunny day in Venice

[Loren]

Okay, maybe most of it was less than sunny.

But, it was a pretty great event, anyway! It was so miserably hot in the morning that the rain was almost welcome. The course worked out pretty well, and was fun even in the rain. Interesting mix of asphalt, concrete, painted concrete, and old rough asphalt. Made for some bizarre changes in the level of available grip, especially in the wet.

Results are up!

[CaptainSquirts]

Rain gods have spoken


Interesting site, and the different road surfaces. Was like a low grip surface at the starting straight, then a medium grip on the painted concrete, and then a high grip on the rough concrete surface. Could seriously carry some good speed on the slalom and the turn around. Also I've learned that my brakes and abs do nothing if there is a lot of water on the straight away. Didn't feel abs doing anything when the straightaway had a lot of standing water. Is it just because lack of grip due to the water? I need to look into that to make sense of it. Also props to Aaron for the shelter during lunch.

For the first run group, the 1st run was the best bet for your quickest time since it was dry. Run 2 it poured for a little bit but didnt last long. Run 4 and 5 became the next best conditions, some of the lines became a little dry but still slippery.

Here's my quickest run, which was run #5, 34.938.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQIROqKcD-U

p.s I welcome all the AWD comments, especially from the Mayor .

[Native]

Well that went about as well as could be expected: new site, lots of rain, and we were on-schedule all day! Everyone who worked in the wet gets major kudos. And of course, thank you to everyone who pitched in one way or another. Gotta love teamwork!

Bill's suspension tuning continues to be impressive. Even if I didn't fully utilize it. I left a lot out there, in terms of my driving. Not my best day. One run I gave away by hitting cones in a straight. Four of 'em, yeah, that's right - 4. F-O-U-R. Another run I blew by botching an upshift. In a car with an automatic transmission. It continued after the event. On the way out as I pulled up to the gate (Loren was behind me), which was closed and locked, I stopped and was getting ready to get out and go open the gate. Then I see Loren go by on my right side, through the open side of the gate. Look ahead? Not this guy...

[mymomswagon]

I'm one of the lucky ones that had dry pavement. Liked my runs but my times are hard to judge given the rain handicap.

I agree the surface changes were interesting. Car felt loose even though the back was softer (a tuning mistake on my end, I had planned on making it firmer but forgot to set it up before our runs).

Pure speculation but I wonder if driving back on the return road was bringing some sand back on course?

[AScoda]

p.s I welcome all the AWD comments, especially from the Mayor .

How about running the wrong class comments?

[AScoda]

I'm gonna also challenge your assessment of 'medium grip' on the wet painted asphalt.

[CaptainSquirts]

p.s I welcome all the AWD comments, especially from the Mayor .

How about running the wrong class comments?

I'm just preparing you for the next open season .

[AScoda]

There's this thing called a calendar. It says next season hasn't started yet.
Rest assured, when you are allowed to run in M2 NEXT SEASON, I will be concerned every time it rains.

[CaptainSquirts]

I will be concerned every time it rains.

If you look at the last two lakeland results, you should also be concerned for rain and shine as well.

[AScoda]

You mean the one with my 2 year old bald tires that you got me by .1 sec. and the one that was entirely meaningless to me as I was just scrubbing in brand new slick tires, that you also only got me by 1/10th of a second? Those 2?

Solid point, since we only run 2 events a year.

[CaptainSquirts]

Yes, those 2. Gotta take it where I can

[Loren]

Pure speculation but I wonder if driving back on the return road was bringing some sand back on course?

Oh, there's no question that it did. But, there's no way we could have run that particular course without using that road as a return.

[Native]

Found: 2 fancy-schmancy tire pressure gauges.
If one is yours claim it. Else it'll be a door prize at the awards picnic. Srsly.

[SlowMiataDrew]

I like this new site, it really poses itself for some interesting courses. I REALLY wish it hadn't rained as much as it did, I don't mind the rain when its JUST raining but I could have done without getting completely soaked. Course workers during run group 1 and 2, I feel for you.

On a side note, can someone explain why I was penalized on my 6th run? I understand my last two runs weren't during my run group but that is not something I had a say in. Just curious for future reference.

[CaptainSquirts]

On a side note, can someone explain why I was penalized on my 6th run? I understand my last two runs weren't during my run group but that is not something I had a say in. Just curious for future reference.

"I understand my last two runs weren't during my run group" Thats why . You do have a say, you tell grid/timing that you only had 5 runs.

[SlowMiataDrew]

You do have a say, you tell grid/timing that you only had 5 runs.

I'm not sure I follow... They were aware that I only had 5 runs, if they weren't they wouldn't have let me run at all, right?

[twistedwankel]

p.s I welcome all the AWD comments, especially from the Mayor .

Well. I haven't watched very many of your old races but you were always jerky as a light switch. This time you were very smooth and utilized actual steering and braking in a straight line. If you stay this smooth in the dry you will be much faster and your tires will last twice as long. Oh. And I figured out why you don't like to change tires. The acorn lugs remind you of little weenies.

[CaptainSquirts]

You do have a say, you tell grid/timing that you only had 5 runs.

I'm not sure I follow... They were aware that I only had 5 runs, if they weren't they wouldn't have let me run at all, right?

If (im assuming it was grid) told you you cannot run your 6th/7th run, I wouldve told them to pound sand and spoke to timing/Loren/Steve/Drew, literally anyone with common sense .

Ok, lets say you legitlly couldn't finish your runs in the 2nd run group and you had to take your remaining two runs in the 3rd run group. You literally waited till the 6th/7th run when it course was the most dry. If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then you knew damn well what your objective was.

I <3 u Andrew .

[SlowMiataDrew]

If (im assuming it was grid) told you you cannot run your 6th/7th run, I wouldve told them to pound sand and spoke to timing/Loren/Steve/Drew, literally anyone with common sense .

Ok, lets say you legitlly couldn't finish your runs in the 2nd run group and you had to take your remaining two runs in the 3rd run group. You literally waited till the 6th/7th run when it course was the most dry. If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then you knew damn well what your objective was.

I <3 u Andrew .

To my defense, I was instructing on the first 3 runs of the third run group. Not my work assignment but no one was available and the novice asked for an instructor.

I <3 u Andrew .

No hard feelings, I just wanted to be sure of my understanding. From my point of view it was more of a weather delay, not an intentional act of gaining an advantage.

[Loren]

On a side note, can someone explain why I was penalized on my 6th run? I understand my last two runs weren't during my run group but that is not something I had a say in. Just curious for future reference.

I added a single cone to each of your last two runs. The DNF on your 6th run, I'd assume, was an actual DNF. I mean, the time was 47 seconds... ya think maybe you might have gone off-course?

And if it's wrong... get your damned car numbers right so that timing doesn't have to guess who's driving.