VIR July 18-20

[JPolen01]

Finish line is usually a day or two out from the event

[PDenbigh]

Here's a shot that Finishline got of my car. Was a great weekend!

[rherold9]

Niiiiceee!

[PDenbigh]

Three videos for you:

First, my dad went out for his first HPDE, and in his 1500-mile C7 Stingray. He did great and had an even better time. Super proud of him:
[youtube]eVDhnblqstc[/youtube]


I was there with some buddies, one of whom has a supercharged Mustang with tons of goodies. We decided to see how my car (with under half the HP) would do:
[youtube]VAD--vdGI6w[/youtube]

Last, we went Karting. We had 3 teams, all friends, and had a great time. I started for our team, ended up running in the rain. This is a montage of funny events, some you won't care about because you don't know the people. Channing and I battled for a bit toward beginning and again at the end:

[youtube]gQ_-uHXJMoc[/youtube]

[*insertusernamehere*]

Here's a shot that Finishline got of my car. Was a great weekend!

People have referred to this car in conversation with me maybe four times, and everytime I was just like, "an XR-wha? yeah yeah Oh yeah yeah totally sure yeah i know those". This is my first time ever seeing this car in my life. MM learned me summin today.

[Senor_Taylor]

TopGear USA had an episode on failed cult classics and Tanner Foust picked an XR4TI. It's a ford marketed as a "German" car. 2.something liter turbo in there or something.

And Pete, you were killing that mustang in the turns.


It feels weird referring to someone I've never met by name.

[PDenbigh]

Thanks guys!

It's a ford marketed as a "German" car.

Actually, it was a German car marketed as a Mercury. Ford brought it over from '85-'89 and put a 2.3 Turbo in it (like the SVO Mustang and Turbocoupe). Google the "Ford Sierra" and more specifically, the "Cosworth Sierra" and you'll see what I mean.

It feels weird referring to someone I've never met by name.

It's MM! We're all friends.

[Beej]

Man I had no idea karting in the wet would be that much different. Looks like a blast!

[BLINGMW]

Channing and I battled for a bit toward beginning and again at the end:

I was doing my best to get on the gopro, too bad I couldn't hold it, or resist pushing you through the esses

Man I had no idea karting in the wet would be that much different. Looks like a blast!

It barely started drizzling and I too was shocked at how quick grip went to zero. Karts were everywhere. Unfortunatly due to being cheap(?), the guys wouldn't print lap charts for us. But those ~30min worth of rain laps were hilarious, and only a few drivers figured out how to deal with it.

[*insertusernamehere*]

TopGear USA .

Has this version gotten better now? I haven't been back since season 1...

[JPolen01]

TopGear USA .

Has this version gotten better now? I haven't been back since season 1...

No

[Senor_Taylor]

Actually, it has. It's not as good as UK, but their chemistry is MUCH better. Watch some of the 3rd season. Watch the "College Cars" or "America's Toughest car" episode to see. The last few episodes are good too. Mammoth Mountain and Minnesota Ice Driving.

[SlimKlim]

Yeah it's much better than it used to be, don't listen to Mr. Grumpypants.

First thing you have to do is cut them some slack. They were trying to squeeze a similar format to the UK show into a 45 minute block, which is probably 42 minutes accounting for the "After the break" teasers. A smart move they made since the first season was to drop the "Big Star Little Car" or whatever segment and the studio segments and instead use the whole time for what would be the core "film" for one of the UK shows. You also have to remember that these guys haven't been working together for what, 15-20 years, so they just aren't going to have the same chemistry as the UK guys.

That being said I think Tanner and Rut can be pretty hilarious when they pick on each other, and it has a lot of the charms of the UK series, they just don't have the time to film them bickering over how to fix a broken car or all the shenanigans that make the UK show so funny. I do like that they aren't as old and stodgy and modification-adverse as the UK guys. The episodes where Rut had a Donk and that insanely fast stickshift minivan were awesome.

It's like Top Gear Methadone,not quite the same fix but it keeps you going until the good shit is out again.

[Sully]

If you go back and watch the first episodes of UK top gear, they were pretty rough as well.

That being said, Idk if I'll watch the show because I hate adam? I think that's his name. He has no place on the show whatsoever. The other two are alright except sometimes tanner can be a douche. My only real memorable example was the truck test (something you would never see on UK so that's a good move) but tanner ruined the ford's chance at winning the hill climb by just flooring it the whole time. I'm sure Jeremy would do something similar but I feel you get a little more info from those guys than you do from tanner and that douche comedian. I may come back because I've seen every top gear UK episode like 20 times and we either can't get the cars they test over here or can't afford them but I'd be much more willing to give it another try if they get rid of Adam

[D_Eclipse9916]

VIR July was busy for me. I just started a new job that week, so unfortunately I did not get down to VIR till lattttttttttte Friday night. The car was mostly ready, but I was waiting for adapters brackets to come in for my brake kit and they did not come. Therefore I knew I had to watch my pads as they were getting very near zilch.
I had signed up to do just racing, but for an extra $85 you could "supersize" and go Time Trialing as well. In addition to my announcing duties, Laura asked if I could do a checkride for an HPDE 3 guy, as well as instruct for Hyperdrives. Oy, busy weekend.

2 Major changes to the car were made between LimeRock 2 weeks ago and this weekend.
1. Hood Vent
2. Switching to direct-wire transponder

The hood vent is a fully functioning piece and has dramatically increased my front aero stick. It did more for front end aero than my canards did. Now I arguably have too much front aero (or just need more rear).
For the first time through south-bend, the lowest speed through there recorded at 100.7MPH (brake zone) hock: Through the apex I am doing 102-105mph. Also through the uphill esses, the car is stuck, it does not even push out on the last upper right. Time to switch to higher horsepower/higher weight.

Switching to direct-wire should have been done a long time ago. Functioned perfectly and never had to touch it.

I wake up saturday to find my car VANDALIZED!!!



I went out for TT and tried to cook it too quickly. (I wanted to get one fast run and win so I could get ready for the race). So one warmup lap, and then "go for it". I came up on Jake in Southbend. I tried to be nice and give Jake plenty of room, and when I glanced in my rearview mirror to make sure I didnt upset his lap; I missed my turn in and took a ride in the grass and thus spun. Crap, okay I will do it another session.

I pulled the car in and was swapping over to my race tires (and a quick car checkover), and noticed this:


Half the pad crumbled. I threw in a replacement for just that pad. I always keep a spare set of "used" pads specifically for the purpose of having to replace a pad in case failure/crumble/use. The next day another rear pad would crumble, and I would have to replace that one too. I guess the end of the life these pads just don't deal with the heat that well. Better than many pads I use that would crumble at 50%.

Go through the race and win the race, and focus back on TT. Trevor Parmer in TTB set a fast lap of 2:10.XXX. I normally run in GTS2 trim mid-2:06s-2:08s, and in TTB trim I am another 20-30rwhp up from GTS2. I pull the restrictor plate that isn't needed in TTB and go out. Within 2 laps I got what I wanted, which was a 2:06.2 even with traffic. Setting a new TTB record



Great day to win TTB and GTS2



Sunday I go back out and just go out for the first session for 3 laps. I would improve (the track saturday afternoon was greasy/hot) and quickly threw down a 2:05.7. Resetting the record that I had just set the previous day. I am watching the pads like a Hawk and "squeak" by in the race with diminishing pads with a win.

[Kaan]

VIR July was busy for me. But I am the king of baddassary. I'm fast, I win, game over.

Fixed it for you! should make it easier on you later. just cut and copy.

Grats! I always love reading the recaps now that I'm not around.

Edit: oh yeah, keep sprinkling in the driving pics too

[ScottyB]

Fixed it for you! should make it easier on you later. just cut and copy.

:lol:

seriously. "I showed up, which made everyone unhappy, because i went out and destroyed their hopes and dreams with my alien driving skills"

keep laying the smack down! sucks about the pads, but you were prepared which is all that matters. that's very interesting about the hood vent, i didn't realize that had as much to do with the downforce as airflow over the body. i guess its all about taking advantage of pressure differentials.

[D_Eclipse9916]

Funny you mention that. Not only was my experience positive, but I think affirmed this past weekend. I took my LS1/M3 on track at Jefferson and the hood kept popping open (caught by safety lock). When in the paddock, to get it to pop I would have to at least put 40-50lbs of lifting force.

So I know even at only 100mph there is at least 40-50lbs acting upwards on a stock hood. I imagine much more at 120-130mph. now to go clean out the stock hood latch and regrease it so it stops popping at 90-100mph.