Rubbing at the Rock
06-18-2007, 05:49 PM
#1
Le Mans Master
Thread Starter
Rubbing at the Rock
Spending the weekend in the sun, smelling the heady aroma of race fuel fumes, shredding expensive tires, spending quality time with a family member and driving fast - how much better can Father's Day weekend be? NASA-SE provided the opportunity at Rockingham and we accepted the offer. Thanks to a failure in a component smaller than a dime the 99 Corvette FRC did not make the trip. Its trans/diff/rear suspension are on the garage floor awaiting installation of the new shift linkage (came in on Friday afternoon). That left us prepping the backup car, 02 ZO6, for the event. Lucky for us it is a pretty good backup. Even better it only took bleeding the brakes and swapping street tires for the best set of used TTA legal tires we have on hand to load it up and head to the track.
Since I had Friday off, and Jake is currently out of school, we were able to get an early start and even had time for a detour to look at a 1977 Nova. Did not buy the Nova, I am sure my wife is crushed by not having yet another car in the yard, but still made it to the track before 4 PM. Setup and registration went off without a problem. The paddock is pretty small at Rockingham but there were only about 100 cars at the event. Being early made sure we had a power hook up for our lights and fan in the trailer. Jake and I only had to provide two meals for ourselves - Saturday breakfast and Sunday dinner on the return home. The low country boil, lunch sandwiches and BBQ was truly excellent all weekend. Being plied with margaritas and Rolling Rock beer did not hurt too much in the evenings either. There was a catch though, all the instructors were jumping through hoops all weekend to support the drivers education programs.
The track action was fast and furious with the race groups, time trials and drivers education. Incidents were, in the end, limited to damage to equipment and egos. Red Flags in the race group is an awful lot like demolition derbies at a dirt track. Some basic truths were ops tested - a Miata can do a controlled stop faster than a Spec E30 can do a panic stop from race speeds and no two objects can occupy the same space at the same time. It was like a mixed covey of Spec E30s, Mustangs and Miatas were flushed as they dove for all available space. Unfortunately, some of the space was already occupied. No permanent damage appeared to have occurred. In the heat of the race watching the flag stations can be tough but it is a habit that is good to have! In another spectacular incident GTS5 (Rob), in his V8 RX7, displayed great judgement when his car broke loose coming out of T1. He put both feet in and spun up into the wall instead of getting T-boned in the drivers door by one or more of the ~26 cars coming at him at 100+ mph. The car is pretty toasted but Rob was walking and talking with no problems. He had a great attitude about the event - probably better than mine would have been. I think he mentioned returning the wheels since he had not paid for them yet...
Time Trial (TT) had good participation with several new track records set over the weekend. Jake set the new TTA track record at 1:06.9x (yes, that means he beat me, again) along with new ones in TTS and TTD I believe. TT also had some issues I chalk up to the overall experience levels of the participants. There were incidents of blocking, poor track manners and poor situational awareness. There was also many examples of excellent track manners (some by the same people) in TT. Some of the incidents could have been real bad. Going 4 wide on the oval was a bad plan and could have ended up with some really damaged cars. It was caused by a faster gridded car driving really slow on the first hot lap "since he was on new tires" - somebody needs to let him know sticker tires are fast tires. He did not point by or drop down to let people by. Patience ended first with the 4th car in line and cars 4, 2 and 3 all moved to pass him on the right on the banked turn. The basic truth of no two objects can occupy the same space at the same time almost applied here also. No contact was made but it was close. TT has a real mixed bag of car capabilities and experience levels. Good judgement really needs to be applied when out there. The opportunity for a spectacular wreck is very real in TT.
It was a small event but lots of good friends made it. It was nice to hang out with them some after the hectic days wound down. Jake and I both had great students and a great time. We had ZO6s, a Mustang, and a Super Stalker. Since we were TTing without much margin on tires or brakes for the weekend Jake only took one student out all weekend. That is a real downside for NASA weekends and students we have there. We are typically running solo in TT and trying to get the most out of the tires and brakes on the car for the weekend. We (Jake) corded two tires and mostly destroyed 4 more. We also consumed the last half of a unknown compound (XP10s or 12s we think) Carbotech front pad set. We also destroyed a case of water and drank more from other sources when we got the chance. It is hot out there - drink lots of water!
Now we have to get ready for VIR Full Course for 4 days in two weeks followed by two days of TT at CMP a week or so later. At least the GRM event is off the calender in July. I am going to be scrambling to get some tires and front pads for those events since we are planning a two car campaign. The "competition" at VIR is going to be stiff with lots of good drivers there. It will be hard to justify eating up new tires at "training" events. I have 4 used 315s mounted, 4 used 275s mounted and 2 used 295s mounted on the track tire side of the house. I am probably only a few sessions away from cord on most of them. I do have a pretty good set of street tires mounted (1 day at Roebling with Josh driving). Surely there is a reasonable place to get tires mounted in Danville? As long as we have enough tire and brakes to be faster than TimZO6 we are satisfied.
Since I had Friday off, and Jake is currently out of school, we were able to get an early start and even had time for a detour to look at a 1977 Nova. Did not buy the Nova, I am sure my wife is crushed by not having yet another car in the yard, but still made it to the track before 4 PM. Setup and registration went off without a problem. The paddock is pretty small at Rockingham but there were only about 100 cars at the event. Being early made sure we had a power hook up for our lights and fan in the trailer. Jake and I only had to provide two meals for ourselves - Saturday breakfast and Sunday dinner on the return home. The low country boil, lunch sandwiches and BBQ was truly excellent all weekend. Being plied with margaritas and Rolling Rock beer did not hurt too much in the evenings either. There was a catch though, all the instructors were jumping through hoops all weekend to support the drivers education programs.
The track action was fast and furious with the race groups, time trials and drivers education. Incidents were, in the end, limited to damage to equipment and egos. Red Flags in the race group is an awful lot like demolition derbies at a dirt track. Some basic truths were ops tested - a Miata can do a controlled stop faster than a Spec E30 can do a panic stop from race speeds and no two objects can occupy the same space at the same time. It was like a mixed covey of Spec E30s, Mustangs and Miatas were flushed as they dove for all available space. Unfortunately, some of the space was already occupied. No permanent damage appeared to have occurred. In the heat of the race watching the flag stations can be tough but it is a habit that is good to have! In another spectacular incident GTS5 (Rob), in his V8 RX7, displayed great judgement when his car broke loose coming out of T1. He put both feet in and spun up into the wall instead of getting T-boned in the drivers door by one or more of the ~26 cars coming at him at 100+ mph. The car is pretty toasted but Rob was walking and talking with no problems. He had a great attitude about the event - probably better than mine would have been. I think he mentioned returning the wheels since he had not paid for them yet...
Time Trial (TT) had good participation with several new track records set over the weekend. Jake set the new TTA track record at 1:06.9x (yes, that means he beat me, again) along with new ones in TTS and TTD I believe. TT also had some issues I chalk up to the overall experience levels of the participants. There were incidents of blocking, poor track manners and poor situational awareness. There was also many examples of excellent track manners (some by the same people) in TT. Some of the incidents could have been real bad. Going 4 wide on the oval was a bad plan and could have ended up with some really damaged cars. It was caused by a faster gridded car driving really slow on the first hot lap "since he was on new tires" - somebody needs to let him know sticker tires are fast tires. He did not point by or drop down to let people by. Patience ended first with the 4th car in line and cars 4, 2 and 3 all moved to pass him on the right on the banked turn. The basic truth of no two objects can occupy the same space at the same time almost applied here also. No contact was made but it was close. TT has a real mixed bag of car capabilities and experience levels. Good judgement really needs to be applied when out there. The opportunity for a spectacular wreck is very real in TT.
It was a small event but lots of good friends made it. It was nice to hang out with them some after the hectic days wound down. Jake and I both had great students and a great time. We had ZO6s, a Mustang, and a Super Stalker. Since we were TTing without much margin on tires or brakes for the weekend Jake only took one student out all weekend. That is a real downside for NASA weekends and students we have there. We are typically running solo in TT and trying to get the most out of the tires and brakes on the car for the weekend. We (Jake) corded two tires and mostly destroyed 4 more. We also consumed the last half of a unknown compound (XP10s or 12s we think) Carbotech front pad set. We also destroyed a case of water and drank more from other sources when we got the chance. It is hot out there - drink lots of water!
Now we have to get ready for VIR Full Course for 4 days in two weeks followed by two days of TT at CMP a week or so later. At least the GRM event is off the calender in July. I am going to be scrambling to get some tires and front pads for those events since we are planning a two car campaign. The "competition" at VIR is going to be stiff with lots of good drivers there. It will be hard to justify eating up new tires at "training" events. I have 4 used 315s mounted, 4 used 275s mounted and 2 used 295s mounted on the track tire side of the house. I am probably only a few sessions away from cord on most of them. I do have a pretty good set of street tires mounted (1 day at Roebling with Josh driving). Surely there is a reasonable place to get tires mounted in Danville? As long as we have enough tire and brakes to be faster than TimZO6 we are satisfied.
06-18-2007, 06:00 PM
#2
Safety Car
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Jeff, sounds like you had a nice weekend with your son. I can only hope the one on it's way is a boy, or that one of my girls will get the bug. Hell maybe that would be the best thing for me having my Daughters around me at the track. 
Anyway, how many cars in both TTA and TTS. I am in A now but may mod up to S but don't want to run alone in class or just 1 other. I know overall TT participation has been scattered at best and certainly varies from event to event.
Anyway, how many cars in both TTA and TTS. I am in A now but may mod up to S but don't want to run alone in class or just 1 other. I know overall TT participation has been scattered at best and certainly varies from event to event.
06-18-2007, 06:14 PM
#3
Le Mans Master
Thread Starter
Jeff, sounds like you had a nice weekend with your son. I can only hope the one on it's way is a boy, or that one of my girls will get the bug. Hell maybe that would be the best thing for me having my Daughters around me at the track.
Anyway, how many cars in both TTA and TTS. I am in A now but may mod up to S but don't want to run alone in class or just 1 other. I know overall TT participation has been scattered at best and certainly varies from event to event.
Anyway, how many cars in both TTA and TTS. I am in A now but may mod up to S but don't want to run alone in class or just 1 other. I know overall TT participation has been scattered at best and certainly varies from event to event.
TTA and TTS is a hit or miss thing. TTB last year was the same way. I have had as many as 10 cars in my class and as few as "us". Then all we do is run against each other in our car
. The TT fields at the tracks here in the SE go from 15 - 43 cars this last year. The more popular tracks have more entries. Overall, I think NASA TT is picking up in popularity and participation. It is about as close to wheel to wheel as you can get with a "street" car.TTS is a tough crowd down here. I do my best to stay out of it since my cars would get trounced without lots of mods...
06-19-2007, 06:46 AM
#5
Race Director
77...............4 door right
Nice write up
Nice write up
06-19-2007, 07:08 AM
#6
Le Mans Master
Thread Starter
Sounds great - there is plenty of space on the TTA podium behind Jake
Originally Posted by AT&NB
77...............4 door right
.....
.....
06-19-2007, 08:46 AM
#7
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No podiums here. And I'll likely never see your son up there either because I'm the guy in the grass, with his head down, tears streaming, kicking the dirt.
I'm so slow that even if it were just him and I in TTA I still wouldn't finish 2nd.
On a side note at some base on the East coast back in the very early 90's, I had an old late 70's Nova as a squad car. Damn cheap a** military.
I'm so slow that even if it were just him and I in TTA I still wouldn't finish 2nd.
On a side note at some base on the East coast back in the very early 90's, I had an old late 70's Nova as a squad car. Damn cheap a** military.
06-19-2007, 02:31 PM
#9
Le Mans Master
Thread Starter
06-19-2007, 02:37 PM
#10
Le Mans Master
Yep, that's him. I talked to him yesterday and he said he might try to get a front clip put back on it before Road Atlanta, or maybe CMP next month, and get back out there with us. He said he wasn't hurt, only the car.