The Dickbutt is retired for the winter. With only a 3 event season she held up pretty well. I have a lot of plans I hope I can get to (and afford) over the winter.
Summit Main Nov7-8… HPDE 1 and 2
Cabell can fill you in on HPDE 1… but in group 2 I spent Saturdays first session shaking off some rust. It was cold, the motor liked it and the tires did not. My instructor asked me in my first session why I was in group 2… I told him it was only my 3rd event back from a long absence… while bombing around he suggested I go to group 3.
About that time I reeled in a first gen MR2 it had some issues… somewhere between 1 and 2 he puffed a big cloud of smoke, covered my windshield in oil, and had me practicing for a US Drift event. I stayed on the pavement, came around, and had the guy black flagged. After the session I was walking by and they had lost cylinder 3.
After my second session with the instructor, giving me some off line drills and goals for the day… I was solo. Ryan sorta has some video of me flying off track in turn 10. Overheated street tires (which I felt and didn’t really register) didn’t help the cause but I probably should have used a little more brake lol. The rest of the day was good to go.
Sunday my instructor jumps back in the car. He tells me he watched me in the carousel and I’m giving up time. “I’m going to give you new gears to be in and stay quiet… you tell me how it goes.” So I started using 2nd in turn one and turn 5… I don’t breath off after turn 6 to make the adjustment for 7, I’m supposed to shift to 3rd and carry 3rd through 9. It all seems to work out pretty well, I’m pick up speed and climbing turn 9 much faster…. So half way through the session he tells me to heal toe into 1 (like I have been doing for turn 3) and heal toe 5… but all while trail braking. I spent the day alone in the car working on my footwork… I’m at about 50% successful doing this at threshold… lots of practice in my future
My last session of the day I goofed off with a street tire E36 M3 in group 2. He would catch me under braking in 1 and 5… I’d leave him well behind at 3 and the carousel. It was pretty fun. I found myself being better off with someone behind me or someone in front of me. I guess I needed some motivation.
Future issues: (AKA $$$$)
1. My off in turn 10 made me realize I need to get some equipment in the car
2. While I carry speed about as well as I can, I need tires… the street tires are also pretty shot
3. The use of 2nd gear as exposed the weakness of my 3rd gear synchros … there might be a need for a transmission “soon.”
4. The brand new HP+ pads did pretty well for the weekend but they are basically done. Both instructors were surprised how deep the HP+ and 460 TW tires would allow the car to go into the brake zones…. But upgrades need to be made for my sanity.
5. Cabell and I burned 41 gallons of fuel … and the engine clicked 240k miles on Sunday somewhere around Turn 10. In 50 degree weather the engine oil was still hitting 265 degrees… I “might” want a cooler.
6. The rear of the car is fine… but this winter I need to give the front suspension an overhaul… but I almost might have a wheel bearing going out in the rear lol
My instructor told me to go to group 3
For now I’ll take that is group 2 with instructor at VIR and group 2 solo at Summit… when I get the equipment I’ll check ride up.