StArrow68

Just back from 3 days at Buttonwillow and don't remember all the times but at least on Sunday my 2.08.9 was just about 8 sec's better than the 2.16.8 I posted exactly one year ago. The car is now running Kuhmo MX's instead of GY Supercars, I don't think that is much difference, maybe even slower. Still stock engine with after market exhaust. The major difference is the work I had done just before the event, align and corner weight with lowering on stock bolts, no cutting. I'm guessing that most of the 8 sec's is due to set up, even if I did pick up a cue or two from riding with fluxen on Sat, so I don't think you can overstate the value of set up. Something to consider when you are worried about what tires to run.

Now I just have to see what it does to the Sears Point best I ran over a year ago of 2.03's. Find out this weekend.

Randy

0Randy@DRM

A good setup is very important in a race track condition. It can be the difference from doing ok, to really feeling good. If you car had stock camber and now has some negitive camber that could be huge in track times. Congrats on the new lap times!

Randy

Lancer033

one other thing to consider is the skill of the driver. With over a year of additional driving under your belt, you have probably improved a great deal too. Not to say the setup didn't help, but 8 seconds seems like a lot for setup alone unless your car was way out of wack last year.

StArrow68

The camber was moved from neg .5 to neg 1.0 so that was a big deal along with the lowering, I think. Then I've been on track for about 2.5 years so the last year is getting better but the big gains were probably before that, but having a better set up probably allows some of the improvement to come through. Boy, did it feel good compared to other recent events. Always surprising when you are in a stock engine coupe and either passing Z06's or just off the lap times of higher HP cars with R-compound or race rubber. Then again the laps with fluxen were 10 sec's or so faster and what a good driver can do with T-1 is amazing.
Randy

joemoia

Randy,

IMO, A SIGNIFICANT portion of your reduced lap time was due to YOU. I was 3 secs. faster at WSIR on Kumhos vs. GY SCs, and it was all due to experience and greater ability. After a track alignment I picked up another 1.5 secs, but to be honest, I don't know if that was due to the alignment or my increased confidence in the set up.

It also helped that you had some incentive, running down that gray coupe with the PMUM sticker ......next time you're going out first and I'll run you down!

HalM

I don't think you are giving yourself enough credit...I never could get a full 8 seconds attributed to setup alone at BW...Lord willing I'll be racing the AI car there this weekend 13 CW....

StArrow68

Thanks for the positive comments, we'll see this weekend. The rest of the story is that I towed to BW last year when I did that other time (2.16.8). I also towed to Reno-Fernley earlier this summer as well and both times I used the suspension for the straps, I'm thinking that is not good (never again). Brandon Kraus out of Castro Valley noted that the right rear was 'way off' before he did his set up. The question is, since I've never had the rear end done before, was it the first tow, the second, the combination or the accumulation of tracking. I've never had a big off, at most a few two wheel drive outs. I'm thinking the set up in this case let the car do what it's capable of which it wasn't doing for part of the past year.

Next weekend I'm at Sears Point and the 2.03 I did goes back before the first tow, it should be a good comparison.

Randy

Joe, any time you want to follow, just let me know , just have to take my own advice and concentrate on the line!

emf

It's not uncommon for me to knock a 1/2 degree out simply by hitting the candy-stripe on a regular basis . . . unfortunately, the only reliable way to keep camber/caster on the car, is with camber plates.

I've seen a good alignment shave off a few seconds, but much of the benefits come from the driver long-term. There are other benefits from a good alignment -- better traction, turn-in, tracking at speed, tire wear, etc -- but there's only so much that it will help w/o a good driver.

DREGSZ

Hey Randy.

If this is your third year driving on the track, I would give most of the credit to driver improvement, probably 4-5 secs.
Good luck at Sears.
Are you coming up to my NASA event at T Hill Nov 10th?
Thanks
Evan

davidfarmer

I can partially agree with this thread. A good BASELINE setup (alignement and quick corner weight) can make a huge difference, but the minor tweeks often make miniscule improbements.

In my racing, I've found that the only way to get that extra tenth (or hundredth) for a qualifying session/race, is usually to pull it out of my "Ars", NOT my toolbox!




****I was going to edit this post, but I think I've invented a new word.

Improbements! Sounds like fun!

96CollectorSport

I always pick up a ton of speed after riding with a friend or shadow lapping, it just gets the confidence up quicker than working on your own.
Set-up is important but you already have to be hussle'n to get then most out of it.
Improved set-up - 2-3 seconds
Pulling head out of ones "Ars" - priceless

joemoia

Sounds like something Waltrip or McReynolds would say to 'splain about NASCAR

StArrow68

Thanks again for the inputs and looking forward to this weekend at Sears Point, 3 days.

Evan,
Don't think I'll make that date since I already signed up for Nov 14/15 at SP and then the following weekend at TH. The wife is already being very indulgent with two weekends two months in a row.
Randy