varkwso

The drought breaking weather patterns are starting to really have an effect NASA-SE track events. After several years without any real wet track days we have let the “wet tire” inventory expire. Friday night and Saturday at CMP was wet, really wet, but at least there were no tornadoes close by. The lightning show was pretty impressive though. The first session was going great until I hit the brake zone for turn 1 on the first hot lap. Being the eternal optimist I was running Avon Rs up front and Kumho Rs out back (my deadly Avokum combo, normally). Optimism really does not slow a car down very well and neither did those tires with the two small grooves for tread. I never left the track and I hit all my marks (sideways counts doesn’t it?) but the time was slow. Not being totally unprepared I pried Josh away from the NASA trailer to swap on Sumitomo tires up front and BFG KDWs on the back. This is another speed secret combo “Sumbeef” that works much better when the Sumitomos are not three years old with only “light” track use. I was 16 seconds slower in the Sumbeef session than the Avokum session – not saying much for my skills. About the time I was using the power of prayer to make T14, once again, I had a check engine light putting the black FRC down for the weekend it turns out. The car kept throwing a lean fuel trim code the ace pit team available to me could not clear. Post track analysis indicates a bad O2 sensor wire. At the end of the day Michael’s conversion from his old CRX to a C5Z, that he drove very well, beat me silly on Saturday. But we are happy the car did not loose an engine (the spouse would not take it well) or hit anything hard.

Sunday was cloudy but no rain was falling. The downside there was no sun or wind to dry the track making the first session pretty darn slippery. Kim offered me the use of his C5Z for the day and I could not refuse such an offer, after all I would not want to offend him. After getting it sideways in the kink on the NT01s (not a rain tire by the way) I managed to get some decent times as the track dried out. I had a great time running with Toby in his Mercedes. Dennis with his “what class today” M3, decided to run TTA on Sunday with some sticker Hoosiers looking for TTA track record. Unfortunately for him he did not get a new track record, but he did lay down a decent time, and best time in the class on Sunday, for the conditions. TT overall went very well all weekend with a few check rides, a few offs and no bent cars. It does seem to me though that Everette and ROAR racing thinks there is a competition for spins and offs in TT. Rob with ROAR took the style points but Everette had the edge in volume.

I did ride with Kim to give him some pointers since Khoi in his VW was putting down some pretty good lap times. After one session, where Kim only spun once at T11 by the way, Kim was laying it on the VW for the rest of the day. The only down side was only seeing Sylvia as I left the track since she was stuck at the gate all weekend. As always it was great weekend and I had a great time getting wet with my friends.

Z06cool

Good write up Jeff. Had fun putting the beat down on a few folks in the daily driver. Rain was a great equilizer on Saturday. Good street tires and some courage goes a long way. Funny part is I almost made it through the whole weekend on 1 tank of gas... Ran out during the last session and had to pull in early.

varkwso

After putting $380 in the tanks of 3 vehicles over the space of 4 days I do not want to hear about a whole track weekend, pretty much, on 1 tank of gas....

beerkat

I ran about 40 gallons through my car and about 30 in my truck. Khoi you should change you name to VWgtiCool. You did a great job of staying ahead and out of sight of me all weekend.

varkwso

Khoi can just as easily go by IWASCool....


I owe you some gas $$:o

Z06cool

More appropriately.... iHADmoney before I started this hobby and coincidently started hanging around you. I'm glad my wife doesn't see the connection yet. But I think she's just waiting and collecting data right now....

Z06cool

Kim, I gave the little rubber band engine all she had but could not get closer than within sight of you for the last couple sessions. Glad that Jeff was able to help you. All he did for me was just call me names and told me to "grow some"...

varkwso

I think we had a "failure to communicate" issue ...Kim learned some listening skills somewhere along the the line - and grew a set somewhere along the way also ....we have high hopes for you !

beerkat

Let's all play nice now. We had a great time even with all the rain Saturday. Sunday was just that much better because of it. I spent most of Friday and all of Saturday just trying to be smooth and stay on track. The NT01 work some what on a damp track but forget it on a wet track in the rain. If it wasn't for the activity handling I would have looked like a top. .

Jeff we're good.

Khoi you NEED to come to RRR in May I do not think that you can survive the track withdrawal

Z06cool

What's the fun in that?

What...I got other hobbies. First I got...errmmm well maybe not that. Then, well I also have this thing I do with laundry lint....

beerkat

I do not think that picking lint out of your belly button counts as a hobby.

varkwso

Man you beat me to it

Kanmer

You guys come to the Mustang (read gelding) event at the end of May at CMP...I'll bring beer. Yeah, you too Khoi.

Bob

Z06cool

I don't know about that... It's actually more difficult to get a good piece of belly lint than it was to get a point-by from some people at the track....



Nothing but luv for ya man!

beerkat

My arm stayed wet all day from sticking out for point bys.

Your car did great in the wet and dry. Now just bring it down to Roebling in May. Or if you want you can do a "Jeff" and just drive my car.

Thanks for the picture.

Z06cool

Yes, Jeff's "Arrive and Drive" program is very appealing... No prob on the picture, I got plenty more at different parts of the track at different times....

varkwso

And I offered it to you also....

Z06cool

Roebling with NASA is full.. At least you won't have some pesky little gnat at your heels and you can concentrate on staying on track..

varkwso

get on the wait list for NASA- SeatTime can use your skills instructing all the NOPI chicks that will show up...

Z06cool

Now you're talking Although I'm not sure which lines I'll be concentrating on..