varkwso

Red mist at a racetrack is not at all uncommon and can end up with someone in tears (or the alpha male/female equivalent). Yellow mist is a relatively rare experience at racetracks but it was in full bloom at Roebling Road last weekend and, not surprisingly, it also can end up with someone in tears (even the alpha males/females). The SeatTime event on Friday and Saturday had dry sunny weather with just a slight overcast on Saturday with occasional "yellow outs" from the pollen drop. Due to compatible scheduled days off my long suffering spouse even agreed to come to the track and a Fairfield Inn was booked for two nights in honor of the event. The 88 Mustang was already loaded in the trailer, the F-250 was reattached (after an early morning hay run), vast quantities of fresh vegetables were washed/prepped/containerized (to be combined at the track with the equally large portions of marinated pork/chicken brought by ZO6Cool), the pre-departure checklist was finally completed and the first wave was ready to depart right after lunch on Thursday.

During the required HD Nightster refueling stop (small tank) in Millen, while executing the enroute stop checklist the normally routine "trailer hub touch" became hazardous and only dust/pollen on the hub prevented blisters on my fingers as they contacted the right rear hub. Somehow, the right rear wheel had come loose and "peened" the lug nuts in place. During the pre-departure walk around I had noticed an apparent small gap on the wheel but since the lugs were torqued when I checked them I passed it off as failing eyesight. As much as I would really like to blame someone else for this problem it cannot be done in good conscience. After breaking one stud trying to loosen/tighten the lugs, and phone consultation with my resident trailer mechanic on the status of spares (from two trailer axles already sacrificed to the track gods in earlier sorties), the decision was to stop often for water cool downs and safety checks enroute to Roebling. A trip normally taking a little better then 2 hours took almost 5 hours but everything needed for the track event made it (except the cannibalized trailer hub). In the end the trailer made it to the track, the Mustang was unloaded and with gentle persuasion the wheel came off. We easily made it to the hotel in time to meet up for dinner with TimZO6 and his lovely wife, Beerkat, and ZO6cool.

Friday and Saturday had a good turnout with cars split pretty evenly into three run groups. The cars ranged from old Japanese imports (it looked like a Fast and Furious casting call for a little while) to new Audi R8s with Corvettes being the dominant fast movers at the event with enough Miatas to keep the speeds down in the corners. Amazingly, ZO6cool ran a whole event without a major breakdown and only one minor runaway fuel pump issue. He was the star in some Mustang video from the track and it looks like he has mastered straight line speed. Beerkat ran the whole event on the paved surface and Patches obviously deserves the credit here. Todd was my student in his very nice 05 C6 (LGM coilovers, T1 bars and 440 rwhp). His mastery of the track came back fast and his car control skills quickly put us on getting into the throttle early and brake less instruction. That is not for the weak of heart in a 440 rwhp car with fresh Kumho street tires. An added bonus was all of his family making it to the event. Beerkat loaned me his C5Z to take Todd's daughter out on the track. She was pretty quiet on track and did not even squirm as I sorted out the "brake wiggle" in Beerkats car. On max effort braking the car tended to wander quite a bit. It may have been a combo of XP12 (aggressive pad) and NT01(street/track tire) but with easier modulation the car was very predictable. His daughter is quite the young lady and I hope all the boys around realize what it is her Dad does for a living before they do something silly. Mike logged more dry laps in the ST2 car (30 gallons of fuel) then ever before and with comfort came speed. Traffic management was a big part of a fast lap before the old A6s dropped off but in the end all of the laps were good experience. Traqmate is a wonderful tool once I figured out how not to erase the session data. TimZO6 used his laptop so it was possible to compare Mikes' laps to mine and for some reason his line looks vaguely familiar. The car ran consistent 1:18s/1:19s all day and I know I was overbraking for T1 and T5. The lap were the track was clear, the tires were adequate and the engine was in full song resulted in a Black Flag due to noise. I never wanted to ignore a flag more in my life since the car was pulling strong as I exited T5. Straight pipes on a C5Z are 104.3 db by the way when driven the way it should be. TimZO6 finally made to on track again in the "Firecracker Camaro" armed with 7 year old Kumhos and not surprisingly he ran out of grip, brakes and talent at T4 on the last advanced session of the event. No animal or Camaro was seriously harmed as he impacted the berm but it did kick up a the pollen (again).

Josh arrived on Friday to get just enough time on track to blow a coolant line in the 83 Supra (two hoses in two trips to Roebling) but he came off line quickly and got in the paddock without shutting down the track. Luckily, for me, it provided more time for him to install the scavenged trailer hub from the "spare pile" on the trailer. The repair went fast but it took Berit a couple hours on Saturday to locate 5 new lug nuts in Pooler. Friday night a low country boil was catered to Roebling to celebrate EvoCool's 40th birthday. The entertainment planned for the momentous occasion was cancelled since poles, lubricant and pollen are not compatible in an open air environment it seems. Apparently all the spanking happened on track it seemed but the birthday hug from Beerkat was notable. Jake rolled in early on Saturday morning in the GTO. Due to some no shows neither Jake or Josh had assigned students and functioned as free agents. They proceeded to run the wheels off the Supra (Josh got it down to 1:30.x) and the Mustang. The Mustang ran so well that Todd decided to swap me his 87 Mustang 5.0 Sedan for it. By the time the event was winding down on Saturday Team England had the Nightster, the Supra, the GTO and the Mustang (in the trailer) with the F-250. Any guesses on who left the track last towing the trailer? We all made it home safely but thanks to Panoz 8 for stopping when he saw me pulled over on the way home to check the hubs (and the liquid was to ensure stayed cool).

Work is keeping me from events at NCCAR, CMP, and Charlotte in April but will be at CMP for the May NASA event. If we can get the tanks swapped on the ST2 car we may even enter the enduro on Friday.

drivinhard

AU N EGL

Yellow mist is all over the south. Those Southern Yellow pine tree pollen has coated the whole south east.

thnkfast

Thanks again to everyone. It felt great to get back on the track again. It was great to see people I haven't seen in a while and meet some new people. You're some of the oldest people I know.........I mean most hospitable people I know . Seriuosly.....fast cars, good food and awsome people.......doesn't get much better than that.

Todd

Greywolfe

First time I did a one day only track day but it was worth it. Lots of uncrowded sessions and a good bunch of people. When I arrived Saturday morning I was wondering were all the cars and people were, lol.

Z06cool even gave me a ride in his C5, thanks! I got out of his car hopped in mine and then proceeded to spin out on my out lap at turn 2, lol.

05C6GAC

Had a Great time, we need to do it again soon!!!!

sperkins

If you're gonna go off at Roebling, you picked a pretty good spot.

Z06cool

Didn't I tell you not to try this on your tires when I was showing off my two-wheel wheelie....

beerkat

We will in May.

varkwso

First thing ZO6cool did when cleared solo was spin off at T1 at CMP

Z06cool

...and it was a spectacular one at that...

SouthernSon

Go for the gusto, friend!! I got to catch up to you guys soon. Of course, Jeff might have to work 2 days in a row that particular week I get down there.

varkwso

Two days in a week I can squeeze in. Two days in a row of work is asking an awful lot. Next you will be wanting me to work eight hours in one day.