20-Montana, Frylock track day weekend of doom.

[Ham Sammich]

We went to this Porsche club "drivers education" track day weekend to run our junk.

 

not to bad, bit of rain on Saturday.  pretty much rained out on Sunday.  Frylock still ran their car in the rain on Sunday to test the defroster idea they had... it sucked. 

 

For a change, our Chump car worked AND FRYLOCK (#39) UP ON JACKSTANDS!!!! HA!!!!! I had to take pictures to verify the agony of defeat!

 

 

My son took this opportunity to redo his front end at the track.  This CRX is no joke. Stop on a dime, corner like a slot car and pass sad Porsche owners regularly.    Look closely in the background.  Our backup "soon to be" Chump car... and it still runs!!!!!!

 

 

 

the CRX in action. Smoking the tar out of an s2000. 

>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dY4ri_i5eCA

[Ham Sammich]

The back-up car is a dead-on duplicate of the first car.  But still on stock suspension here. Should save us a lot of time and money with matching spare "everything".  Thought we'd get this one ironed out and THEN, start putting a cage in it, knocking out the glass, etc.  So far, ran great.  Handles AWFUL.  Which is a small "tip of the hat" to the original car for handling so good.  I spun this car on Saturday on the back straight in a high speed chicane,  in 4th.  Likely around 98-105mph.  I dipped a tire off like I would in the regular car and BAM, was like I gave it a bit of the old "Scandinavian flick". Shot 90 degrees to the racing surface, I left it pinned and we shot down the straight away, until it finally caught and rotated the car about 270 degrees the opposite way. then caught and changed direction again, and I kind of lost track until we came to a stop in a pile of cones, smoke, and low self esteem... THAT SUCKED.  Thankfully I never left the track surface, it was soft dirt.  Makes me cringe thinking about it.  According to the guy in charge, about 400+ feet of marks on the track.  lesson learned about stock suspension.  Same car does NOT mean same performance.  I felt like an donkey.  But was a good lesson.  Guy needs that once in a while.

 

At the end of the day, we drove all 3 cars into the trailer under their own power!!!!!  That was a first. I could get used to that. 

 

I even paid $500 for the car... how chumpy is that!  Looks good in the pics, but full of dents and what smells like cat pee.  Drivers window was out of the car for almost a year, ruined the interior, dash, carpets (all the stuff we don't care about anyway).  pretty stanky in there.  But good for our purposes.

[Ham Sammich]

Also...

 

Frylock put a passenger seat in his car so we could check each other out (so to speak).  I don't know how they make that car last.  We're doing laps in a manner that I would call "qualifying" not endurance racing.  I have no idea how they make anything last more than 20 minutes.  It was an eye opener. I kept saying, "no way you're in a chump race going this hard lap after lap".  He said that's normal pace for them.  I may have to push our car harder if that's "average".  Because I'm not even CLOSE to pushing that hard (although we're not as fast... so... who's to say).  He's still accelerating past the cone I'm braking on.  I let him take a few laps in the backup car, at what he said was 70% (I'm gonna call it 90-95%)  3-4 laps later, we're rolling through the runoff area of a corner at 60mph with the brake pedal on the floor.  Wiped out the brakes in essentially 3 laps.  I've since nicknamed him "Hagar" because that dude can't drive 55 either....  ~~~

[Ron_e]

A little prep for Spokane?  Hopefully you have the same luck there too for run time.

[Ogren-Engineering]

Congrats on them still running.

[Ham Sammich]

Thanks guys.  You know I'm doomed now.... always run great BEFORE we leave. 

[Guest posnova]

How far from home-base was this "track" day?

[Ham Sammich]

It's our closest opportunity, about 180-200 miles.

[Team Infiniti]

Also...

 

Frylock put a passenger seat in his car so we could check each other out (so to speak).  I don't know how they make that car last.  We're doing laps in a manner that I would call "qualifying" not endurance racing.  I have no idea how they make anything last more than 20 minutes.  It was an eye opener. I kept saying, "no way you're in a chump race going this hard lap after lap".  He said that's normal pace for them.  I may have to push our car harder if that's "average".  Because I'm not even CLOSE to pushing that hard (although we're not as fast... so... who's to say).  He's still accelerating past the cone I'm braking on.  I let him take a few laps in the backup car, at what he said was 70% (I'm gonna call it 90-95%)  3-4 laps later, we're rolling through the runoff area of a corner at 60mph with the brake pedal on the floor.  Wiped out the brakes in essentially 3 laps.  I've since nicknamed him "Hagar" because that dude can't drive 55 either....  ~~~

Congrats

and

Yes this is how the #19 is driven in attempt to keep up with the Joneses, whatever breaks comes back with a cooler attached next time.

[Andrew D Johnson]

Those are some cool looking Hondas. Glad to hear your cars are still running. 

[Ham Sammich]

Congrats

and

Yes this is how the #19 is driven in attempt to keep up with the Joneses, whatever breaks comes back with a cooler attached next time.

 

If that's the case, I've been babying our car.  There is no way I'd drive our junk as hard as Frylock is pushing their car. AND, he's getting walked and losing car lengths, which really sucks, given the heroics involved in driving the car at 95-99% all day.  You guys saw the video how he's busting donkey gaining in the corners (which ive seen from INSIDE THE CAR now). and to get walked like that is incredibly disappointing.

[Andrew D Johnson]

If that's the case, I've been babying our car.  There is no way I'd drive our junk as hard as Frylock is pushing their car. AND, he's getting walked and losing car lengths, which really sucks, given the heroics involved in driving the car at 95-99% all day.  You guys saw the video how he's busting donkey gaining in the corners (which ive seen from INSIDE THE CAR now). and to get walked like that is incredibly disappointing.

 

Tis the life of a Honda. Although we switched from D series to B series this year (88 Integra up to a 94 Integra), and I do like the B18B engine much better than the Twin Can D16 (ZC). 

 

Don't expect your Honda to run with the BMW crowd. Unless you like disappointment. 

[Ham Sammich]

B18b is a solid engine for the buck. I've had a few in various cars.

 

It's all about power to weight and the mechanical advantages related to your gearing.  I don't know that we can conceivably ever "hang", even if you let your mind wander a bit.

[Andrew D Johnson]

Can you post a picture of back of frylocks car? 

[Frylock]

why?

[Ham Sammich]

no

 

Be a team player, maybe he just wants to see your sexy donkey!!!!

 

 

maybe to expose you for having that 400 gallon "run all day" fuel cell?!

[Andrew D Johnson]

why?

 

I have been generating rear lift at high speed, and see part of what looks like a really nice wing. I would like to see it, if that's OK.

[Frylock]

not sure if I have any? check our fb page

[Ham Sammich]

Frylocks wing is a piece of galvanized raingutter he stole from Home Depot.

[Frylock]

[Undecided]

Congrats on the successful test day. Unless you go cheaty in a Honde you need to run 10/10ths to be near the podium these days. The speed creep has crept past Hondas at most tracks we run.

Andrew we took our cheaty donkey wing off our car, it is a $50 aiv hit. We are going to replace it with a yard sale snow board and aluminum angle, should be around $20 and probably have more down force.

[Socket monkey]

Also...

 

Frylock put a passenger seat in his car so we could check each other out (so to speak).  I don't know how they make that car last.  We're doing laps in a manner that I would call "qualifying" not endurance racing.  I have no idea how they make anything last more than 20 minutes.  It was an eye opener. I kept saying, "no way you're in a chump race going this hard lap after lap".  He said that's normal pace for them.  I may have to push our car harder if that's "average".  Because I'm not even CLOSE to pushing that hard (although we're not as fast... so... who's to say).  He's still accelerating past the cone I'm braking on.  I let him take a few laps in the backup car, at what he said was 70% (I'm gonna call it 90-95%)  3-4 laps later, we're rolling through the runoff area of a corner at 60mph with the brake pedal on the floor.  Wiped out the brakes in essentially 3 laps.  I've since nicknamed him "Hagar" because that dude can't drive 55 either....  ~~~

So, welcome to road racing. Why aren't you guys running 100%. You built a race car to do it then it should handle it no problem. To do this you must be comitted to knowing the limits of all dynamics of yourself and your car and the track. Learning things like braking points and max speed and traction limits while in the apex of corners is essential to putting down good lap times. Memorize every aspect of the track you are racing. Horsepower isn't everything, but it helps when you need it on the straights. Our car can hang with most cars in the corners no problem. If we only could find that extra 30-40 HP then it would make it more interesting. I would worry less about putting goodies on the car. Make the car reliable. Keeping the car on the track pumping out laps is our main focus when we race.  It will pay off to give your team seat time. Practice is hard to get, so any test and tunes in your area, jump on it.  Take care. Good luck!

 

Frylocks brother.....

 

Chimpzilla

[Craig]

Maybe it's different with a car with more fragile parts---my experience is with a Mustang, not a FWD car---but the only allowance we make for longevity of the car is our shift point.  The suspension etc. will stand up to abuse for a whole race, so we abuse them.

[Ham Sammich]

So, welcome to road racing. Why aren't you guys running 100%. You built a race car to do it then it should handle it no problem.

 

Different strategy, in it for the long race.  Also seems like 1/2 our crew are middle of the road amateur drivers. I'm gonna bet most teams are that way.  It's got to be easy to drive or somebody is gonna get in trouble.  Edgey and 100% is a recipe (to me) for disaster with the least talented among us.  I don't need a nervous driver putting our junk off the track, and wrecking the car or ruining a $1500 worth of rims and tires.   I feel, better to roll consistently, and easy to drive, at 75-80%.  That 80% probably feels like 120% for some that have been in the car.

 

I'm comfortable within my limits, not everybody is.  I don't get the "red haze", I don't need a trophy anymore to tell me how awesome I am.  I'm pretty awesome.    Not everybody is that way.  the glimpses of "hope" that we have had, the car has been high up the rankings before it failed.  I'm comfortable we're on the right track.  just working out the Gremlins of an obscure swap.  Brakes are good, handling is outstanding, I like the way it handles.  Very confidence inspiring.

 

We'll get it. I just need to have it happen soon, or nobody is gonna come play on my team to watch us sit in the pits all day.  ...lol... 

[Socket monkey]

Having a race car.....you have to treat it as if it could get balled up at any moment and walk away from it and start over if necessary. You will never be competitive if you are babying the car. Especially a Chumpcar. Circuit racers race balls out and don't think twice about it. Your team will become more confident the longer they spend in the car. Are you suggesting to your team that they only run at only 80%? Its racing. You race to win. Its not Chumpcar lapping days. Or Chumpcar test and tune. It would be a waste to not consider being competitive IMO. Its not about one person being awsome either. The whole team is considered in every aspect of our team concept. One or two good drivers won't cut it. The whole team has to be awsome, and we are pretty awsome!!