01-29-2014, 02:26 PM
April Summit 2012:
After the incident at VIR, I replaced the left front fender and the left door. She was now clean again. Alignment, checking over everything, and it all looked good. I then left the car ready for Summit a week to go. As I attempt to start her up Friday night to go to Summit, she will not idle. Okay.. I try revving her out, but she stumbles and pops. Great, just a week ago she runs fine, now breaks up. That night I pull apart the Intake manifold 2 seperate times, replace the MAF, pull out spark plug # 1 and 2, clean out the ICV, anything. Doesn't fix the problem. By now it is 11PM. I don't have time. I struggle her onto the trailer and head for the track.
Saturday morning I procede to pull the intake manifold again, desperate to fix anything that may be the problem. It isn't throwing any codes, ugh! I miss practice, then qualifying. Everyone is coming over with ideas, we are plugging in different sensors, playing with stuff. About 8 minutes before qualifying we decide to pull every spark plug. #1 fine, 2-3-4-5, all fine. We get to number 6....what the hell, spark plug tip is flattened, grounding out the entire plug. I rush to my toolbox for spare plugs. 6 minutes before race goes out. My friends helping me scream at me to get dressed and jump in the car. I hear "5 minutes on grid!", I get my racing shoes on, zip up my suit, grab my helmet and hans and jump into the car. "3 minutes on grid!". I get into the car looking up at the open hood with a flurry of hands under the hood. Trying to replace all 6 plugs and put the coils back on. "1 minute on grid!" I am strapped in, still watching a flurry of hands under the hood. I look over at grid.
My hood still up, car hasnt even started. I see the grid rolling out just as the hood slams shut. I fire the engine...hmm sounds good! I practice my best patience rolling through the paddock while cars are rolling on track. Luckily, I know the MM guys on grid!! I dont even get the harassment, nor the check of wristbands, just a "GO GO GO GO" to swing into grid and catch the tail end of the race group leaving. I knew I was in trouble with only a 25 minute race.
I hussled and moved, but was a bit flustered by the whole shebang. I ended up moving my way up through the field, and just "couldnt" get around the 2nd place gentleman. I would have infinite amounts of speed out of the corners, and then he would pull back by me. (turns out he was cheating ~20rwhp over and was DQed the next race). Unfortunately battling with him going so slow didnt let me catch up to 1st. 3rd it would be being stuck behind this gentleman.
Using all the track:
![[Image: IMG_4368.JPG]](http://www.catesracing.com/flp/nasa/2012events/2012_04_sp/ab_r/IMG_4368.JPG)
![[Image: IMG_4369.JPG]](http://www.catesracing.com/flp/nasa/2012events/2012_04_sp/ab_r/IMG_4369.JPG)
![[Image: IMG_4371.JPG]](http://www.catesracing.com/flp/nasa/2012events/2012_04_sp/ab_r/IMG_4371.JPG)
Getting by Khoury:
![[Image: IMG_4028.JPG]](http://www.catesracing.com/flp/nasa/2012events/2012_04_sp/ab_r/IMG_4028.JPG)
Then it was on for the race on Sunday. Wanting to get back in the game, I felt ready. Turns out the spark plug was the wrong one, and was a tad longer so it got smushed....funny since the car ran fine for most the season....
I had a relatively easygoing sunday race, and just cruised. Awesome side effect? I went for the fast lap on my last lap of the race and broke the class record again with a 1:21.596
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="https://vimeo.com/41328380">https://vimeo.com/41328380</a><!-- m -->
After the incident at VIR, I replaced the left front fender and the left door. She was now clean again. Alignment, checking over everything, and it all looked good. I then left the car ready for Summit a week to go. As I attempt to start her up Friday night to go to Summit, she will not idle. Okay.. I try revving her out, but she stumbles and pops. Great, just a week ago she runs fine, now breaks up. That night I pull apart the Intake manifold 2 seperate times, replace the MAF, pull out spark plug # 1 and 2, clean out the ICV, anything. Doesn't fix the problem. By now it is 11PM. I don't have time. I struggle her onto the trailer and head for the track.
Saturday morning I procede to pull the intake manifold again, desperate to fix anything that may be the problem. It isn't throwing any codes, ugh! I miss practice, then qualifying. Everyone is coming over with ideas, we are plugging in different sensors, playing with stuff. About 8 minutes before qualifying we decide to pull every spark plug. #1 fine, 2-3-4-5, all fine. We get to number 6....what the hell, spark plug tip is flattened, grounding out the entire plug. I rush to my toolbox for spare plugs. 6 minutes before race goes out. My friends helping me scream at me to get dressed and jump in the car. I hear "5 minutes on grid!", I get my racing shoes on, zip up my suit, grab my helmet and hans and jump into the car. "3 minutes on grid!". I get into the car looking up at the open hood with a flurry of hands under the hood. Trying to replace all 6 plugs and put the coils back on. "1 minute on grid!" I am strapped in, still watching a flurry of hands under the hood. I look over at grid.
My hood still up, car hasnt even started. I see the grid rolling out just as the hood slams shut. I fire the engine...hmm sounds good! I practice my best patience rolling through the paddock while cars are rolling on track. Luckily, I know the MM guys on grid!! I dont even get the harassment, nor the check of wristbands, just a "GO GO GO GO" to swing into grid and catch the tail end of the race group leaving. I knew I was in trouble with only a 25 minute race.
I hussled and moved, but was a bit flustered by the whole shebang. I ended up moving my way up through the field, and just "couldnt" get around the 2nd place gentleman. I would have infinite amounts of speed out of the corners, and then he would pull back by me. (turns out he was cheating ~20rwhp over and was DQed the next race). Unfortunately battling with him going so slow didnt let me catch up to 1st. 3rd it would be being stuck behind this gentleman.
Using all the track:
Getting by Khoury:
Then it was on for the race on Sunday. Wanting to get back in the game, I felt ready. Turns out the spark plug was the wrong one, and was a tad longer so it got smushed....funny since the car ran fine for most the season....
I had a relatively easygoing sunday race, and just cruised. Awesome side effect? I went for the fast lap on my last lap of the race and broke the class record again with a 1:21.596
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="https://vimeo.com/41328380">https://vimeo.com/41328380</a><!-- m -->
2020 Ford Raptor
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1986.5 Porsche 928S
2009 Z06
1986.5 Porsche 928S