Turbos.
Haven't done a report for a while, i've been waiting for videos but its taking so long i thought i'd crack on. We were at Donington at the weekend, the home of our first ever race a few years back in the original NSX. Despite the 'developments' to turn it into an F1 circuit, other than the chicane it looked exactly the same as before!
The weekend was somewhat stunted. Normally we have a couple of practice sessions, then qualifying, and then the race the next day. However, to make the round cheaper, the organisers cut off practice and it would be simply qualifying and then the race all in one day! Not so good for a two driver team, where we had to split the half hour qualifying session...
As we saw it coming, we booked a test day a couple of weeks back and were pleased with our progress: a second quicker than pole the last time Lotus Cup was at the circuit (albeit with the slightly different chicane). Time to consult my notes!
My dad went first for qualifying, and managed to beach it after two laps. Fortunately, they were operating what's known as 'live snatch' (rescue trucks etc. are allowed on circuit whilst cars are going round) so he managed to get back to the pits, but unfortunately had to concede his go. The pressure was on me then to deliver on our promising test results.
Within a lap, i realised why my dad had spun. The different weather conditions caused the brake balance to be wrong, it was locking up the rears at every opportunity, making corner entry very interesting! I adjusted the bias and got some better laps in, but it still felt messy. However, i looked at the pit board and saw 'P1'. I presumed this meant in class.
Because of a fellow k-series runner blowing up their engine with a fire to match, the session was yellow flagged and so that was my opportunity gone. But to my surprise the team were celebrating in the pits when i got there, it was actually P1 overall, pipping an experienced racer in a 2-11 by mere thousandths! A small margin, but winnings winning and all that
Because of the qualifying result, i got the honours to start the hour long race. I thought i'd be nervous, but i guess i was so pumped up i didn't think about it too much. I talked with the team about how best to do the rolling start, and we decided i would simply progressively accelerate up to the lights, as if i bluffed a start, the higher torque of the supercharged 2-11s might get the better of me if i mis-judged it.
After a nervy lap behind the safety car, our strategy worked, and i just managed to hold off a (turbocharged) Europa steaming up my inside before the first corner.
For the first few laps the 2-11 was up my chuff. I'm used to chasing, not being defensive!
After about 10 minutes though, i put in a really good lap (in fact beating my pole lap) and suddenly pulled out a couple of seconds. I could finally settle and get into my groove a bit.
The chasing pack also held themselves up whilst jostling for position.
But just as i started to feel it was all too easy, up popped the safety card board! I was furious, i shouted to the team boss over the intercom about the f**king production Elise who was in the barriers. My lead, which was around 10 seconds, was swiftly back to 0. I had it all to do again.
As the safety car finally went in, the pit window opened. I pressed on, whilst the 2nd placed 2-11 pitted. However, after a couple of laps i noticed the water temp going up to an unusual 89 degrees. It kept doing it every lap, so i went on the radio and explained the issue (yep, head gasket...) I was told to short-shift before 7000rpm, which added a second to my lap time. The pack closed in.
When the temperatures crept up further, i came in for the driver switch. The team manically threw buckets of water over the rad. All i could do was hope everything was ok.
The short-shifting had damaged us, as dad came out of the pits in 4th. It was devastating to see as i knew my dad couldn't push with car in the state it was in. Another safety car shortly after though was a blessing in disguise, closing the gap and giving the engine a break. But now the temperature was approaching 100 degrees, it was a case of surviving the last 20 minutes.
After a nervous time watching the lap screen and in-car video, my dad finished the race, coming home in 3rd. One guy ahead of us had received a drive through for doing too-short a pit stop, getting us the final position on the podium. If there was one more lap, my dad would have been overtaken or the car would have blown up! Understandably though, my dad was dismayed that he couldn't actually race, rather than seeing the bright side of things!
For one of our best finishing positions of the season, we looked pretty disappointed on the 3rd step! I really wanted the clean sweep of pole, fastest lap and an outright win.
Amazing to think this damn engine lasted a whole weekend a couple of years back that included a 6 hour race, with no problems.
Our next race is at Brands Hatch, where i came 3rd just a few weeks back. Hopefully we'll get out our revenge!
The weekend was somewhat stunted. Normally we have a couple of practice sessions, then qualifying, and then the race the next day. However, to make the round cheaper, the organisers cut off practice and it would be simply qualifying and then the race all in one day! Not so good for a two driver team, where we had to split the half hour qualifying session...
As we saw it coming, we booked a test day a couple of weeks back and were pleased with our progress: a second quicker than pole the last time Lotus Cup was at the circuit (albeit with the slightly different chicane). Time to consult my notes!
My dad went first for qualifying, and managed to beach it after two laps. Fortunately, they were operating what's known as 'live snatch' (rescue trucks etc. are allowed on circuit whilst cars are going round) so he managed to get back to the pits, but unfortunately had to concede his go. The pressure was on me then to deliver on our promising test results.
Within a lap, i realised why my dad had spun. The different weather conditions caused the brake balance to be wrong, it was locking up the rears at every opportunity, making corner entry very interesting! I adjusted the bias and got some better laps in, but it still felt messy. However, i looked at the pit board and saw 'P1'. I presumed this meant in class.
Because of a fellow k-series runner blowing up their engine with a fire to match, the session was yellow flagged and so that was my opportunity gone. But to my surprise the team were celebrating in the pits when i got there, it was actually P1 overall, pipping an experienced racer in a 2-11 by mere thousandths! A small margin, but winnings winning and all that
Because of the qualifying result, i got the honours to start the hour long race. I thought i'd be nervous, but i guess i was so pumped up i didn't think about it too much. I talked with the team about how best to do the rolling start, and we decided i would simply progressively accelerate up to the lights, as if i bluffed a start, the higher torque of the supercharged 2-11s might get the better of me if i mis-judged it.
After a nervy lap behind the safety car, our strategy worked, and i just managed to hold off a (turbocharged) Europa steaming up my inside before the first corner.
For the first few laps the 2-11 was up my chuff. I'm used to chasing, not being defensive!
After about 10 minutes though, i put in a really good lap (in fact beating my pole lap) and suddenly pulled out a couple of seconds. I could finally settle and get into my groove a bit.
The chasing pack also held themselves up whilst jostling for position.
But just as i started to feel it was all too easy, up popped the safety card board! I was furious, i shouted to the team boss over the intercom about the f**king production Elise who was in the barriers. My lead, which was around 10 seconds, was swiftly back to 0. I had it all to do again.
As the safety car finally went in, the pit window opened. I pressed on, whilst the 2nd placed 2-11 pitted. However, after a couple of laps i noticed the water temp going up to an unusual 89 degrees. It kept doing it every lap, so i went on the radio and explained the issue (yep, head gasket...) I was told to short-shift before 7000rpm, which added a second to my lap time. The pack closed in.
When the temperatures crept up further, i came in for the driver switch. The team manically threw buckets of water over the rad. All i could do was hope everything was ok.
The short-shifting had damaged us, as dad came out of the pits in 4th. It was devastating to see as i knew my dad couldn't push with car in the state it was in. Another safety car shortly after though was a blessing in disguise, closing the gap and giving the engine a break. But now the temperature was approaching 100 degrees, it was a case of surviving the last 20 minutes.
After a nervous time watching the lap screen and in-car video, my dad finished the race, coming home in 3rd. One guy ahead of us had received a drive through for doing too-short a pit stop, getting us the final position on the podium. If there was one more lap, my dad would have been overtaken or the car would have blown up! Understandably though, my dad was dismayed that he couldn't actually race, rather than seeing the bright side of things!
For one of our best finishing positions of the season, we looked pretty disappointed on the 3rd step! I really wanted the clean sweep of pole, fastest lap and an outright win.
Amazing to think this damn engine lasted a whole weekend a couple of years back that included a 6 hour race, with no problems.
Our next race is at Brands Hatch, where i came 3rd just a few weeks back. Hopefully we'll get out our revenge!
