Chump Car at PIR last weekend in the rain and dark
10-30-2012, 05:08 PM
#1
Chump Car at PIR last weekend in the rain and dark
I just finished my first weekend of Chump Car Enduro Racing. Holy Cow!
We were at Portland International Raceway in constant rain that alternated between drizzle to full rainstorm blasting.
The 12 hour enduro on Saturday started badly when 30mins in our first driver went sideways and an RX-7 smacked us in the right rear wheel, breaking the lower control arm and bending the strut. A local fabricator welded up the control arm and quick trip to the U-PUll It and we had a 200,000 mile blown out strut for our 1992 Nissan Altima. Back in the race 4 hours later!
Then 2 hours in and the transmission mount decided it didn't need all those bolts......a competitor loaned us a box of assorted bolts and we got it going again in 40 minutes.
My second stint took place at 7:00 PM, pitch dark, driving rain. OMG! Racing at night in the rain was one of the most stressful things I have ever done. It's like trying to pass two semi-trucks at night in the rain on the Interstate, but there are hairpin curves and gonzo racers! Visibilty is best described as driving by Braille.
Talk about Contact....yikes, there was lots of it. Unavoidable.
Then we started again the next day fresh with a second event, a 6 hour enduro, again in the rain but at least in daylight. This time our car didn't break down and we did pretty well, 23 of 57.
I walked around the paddock at the end of the second event to survey the damage. Every single car of the 60+ had some damage. There were at least 4 cars totaled, and many had significant damage on all 4 corners and both bumpers. The top 3 cars were all damaged, but obviuosly not enough to knock them out of the race. No one got hurt and no one rolled over.
The positives? Although I was pretty stressed out in my night rain session, I'm glad I did it. It wasn't "fun", but was one hell of an experience. Between the two events I got a ton of car control practice, I must have gone 90 degrees sideways in racing traffic at least 5 times and saved it from a spin, and on literally every lap there was some place where the rear end would be losing it and sliding quite a bit. I never hit anyone, and only one nit wit hit me in the rear bumper when I had a solid two car length lead on him going into turn 1 and he decided not to slow down and give me the line. It didn't spin me though.
I also learned a lot about finding the best grip on a wet track, which usually isn't the normal dry line. With 90 minute driving stints you have lots of time to experiment and learn.
I can't wait to do it again. Next July 4th Chump Car is going for the record of longest enduro race, 36 hours, at Spokane Raceway. The Guiness folks are coming over to certify it. Mountain Goat Racing will be there!
We were at Portland International Raceway in constant rain that alternated between drizzle to full rainstorm blasting.
The 12 hour enduro on Saturday started badly when 30mins in our first driver went sideways and an RX-7 smacked us in the right rear wheel, breaking the lower control arm and bending the strut. A local fabricator welded up the control arm and quick trip to the U-PUll It and we had a 200,000 mile blown out strut for our 1992 Nissan Altima. Back in the race 4 hours later!
Then 2 hours in and the transmission mount decided it didn't need all those bolts......a competitor loaned us a box of assorted bolts and we got it going again in 40 minutes.
My second stint took place at 7:00 PM, pitch dark, driving rain. OMG! Racing at night in the rain was one of the most stressful things I have ever done. It's like trying to pass two semi-trucks at night in the rain on the Interstate, but there are hairpin curves and gonzo racers! Visibilty is best described as driving by Braille.
Talk about Contact....yikes, there was lots of it. Unavoidable.
Then we started again the next day fresh with a second event, a 6 hour enduro, again in the rain but at least in daylight. This time our car didn't break down and we did pretty well, 23 of 57.
I walked around the paddock at the end of the second event to survey the damage. Every single car of the 60+ had some damage. There were at least 4 cars totaled, and many had significant damage on all 4 corners and both bumpers. The top 3 cars were all damaged, but obviuosly not enough to knock them out of the race. No one got hurt and no one rolled over.
The positives? Although I was pretty stressed out in my night rain session, I'm glad I did it. It wasn't "fun", but was one hell of an experience. Between the two events I got a ton of car control practice, I must have gone 90 degrees sideways in racing traffic at least 5 times and saved it from a spin, and on literally every lap there was some place where the rear end would be losing it and sliding quite a bit. I never hit anyone, and only one nit wit hit me in the rear bumper when I had a solid two car length lead on him going into turn 1 and he decided not to slow down and give me the line. It didn't spin me though.
I also learned a lot about finding the best grip on a wet track, which usually isn't the normal dry line. With 90 minute driving stints you have lots of time to experiment and learn.
I can't wait to do it again. Next July 4th Chump Car is going for the record of longest enduro race, 36 hours, at Spokane Raceway. The Guiness folks are coming over to certify it. Mountain Goat Racing will be there!
10-31-2012, 12:50 AM
#2
Melting Slicks
Member Since: Sep 2006
Location: Beaverton OR
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That was the most miserable racing that I never want to repeat in my life!!
We rebuilt our burnt up Charmaro in record time and it performed exactly like a car put together in record time.
Spent 6 hours in the pits on Saturday chasing engine overheating problems (replaced head gaskets, water pump and all sorts of tail chasing for what was probably just air trapped in the cooling system. 
)
When we finally got on track around 3:00 pm, it was miserable as the car was loose without the rain. Add to that the night driving in rain with insufficient lighting compounded with other cars blinding you from behind with all manner of high intensity lights and it was just stupid.
We only have two drivers and neither of us was excited about getting into the car.
Saturday started okay until I got t- boned by the Frankenstein Taurus right in the driver door. That was a massive hit that really rung my bell ( My back still hurts.) I made it back to the pits with major sheet metal damage and had to sit in the penalty box because the other douche driver hits me. ( I don't understand that rule...)
When I returned to the track the car was not handling properly. Every time I came on or off the throttle, the back end would step out. The same happened when shifting gears as the clutch was released. My partner took over for about a half hour until the car locked up and stopped moving. We got towed in and discovered that the cast iron axle housing was broken where it meets the differential. That ended the rest of our day.
I hope I NEVER race in conditions like that again!!
We rebuilt our burnt up Charmaro in record time and it performed exactly like a car put together in record time.
Spent 6 hours in the pits on Saturday chasing engine overheating problems (replaced head gaskets, water pump and all sorts of tail chasing for what was probably just air trapped in the cooling system. )When we finally got on track around 3:00 pm, it was miserable as the car was loose without the rain. Add to that the night driving in rain with insufficient lighting compounded with other cars blinding you from behind with all manner of high intensity lights and it was just stupid.
We only have two drivers and neither of us was excited about getting into the car.
Saturday started okay until I got t- boned by the Frankenstein Taurus right in the driver door. That was a massive hit that really rung my bell ( My back still hurts.) I made it back to the pits with major sheet metal damage and had to sit in the penalty box because the other douche driver hits me. ( I don't understand that rule...)
When I returned to the track the car was not handling properly. Every time I came on or off the throttle, the back end would step out. The same happened when shifting gears as the clutch was released. My partner took over for about a half hour until the car locked up and stopped moving. We got towed in and discovered that the cast iron axle housing was broken where it meets the differential. That ended the rest of our day.
I hope I NEVER race in conditions like that again!!
10-31-2012, 06:13 PM
#3
Drifting
The top 3 cars were all damaged, but obviously not enough to knock them out of the race.
We were int he #94 Protege and got 3rd both days. We arrived with a car that had seen a few inadvertent contacts form prior races You might arrive as a virgin but you wont leave that way. Was a lot of fun. 3 wide in the corners is quite a challenge This translate directly opposite from what Todd feels. If you do well, its great but if not it is very frustrating. They were pitted next to us and it was sad to see them spend so much time getting it to run after the disaster they had suffered earlier in the month
We were int he #94 Protege and got 3rd both days. We arrived with a car that had seen a few inadvertent contacts form prior races You might arrive as a virgin but you wont leave that way. Was a lot of fun. 3 wide in the corners is quite a challenge This translate directly opposite from what Todd feels. If you do well, its great but if not it is very frustrating. They were pitted next to us and it was sad to see them spend so much time getting it to run after the disaster they had suffered earlier in the month
11-01-2012, 01:33 AM
#4
Congrats on 3RD x 2!
It's very impressive you kept your car running and not seriously damaged to be able to get 3rd in both events. Congratulations!
Your Protege was amazing. Was that the Partridge Family car or am I confusing it with another? I remember it passing me and thinking how can that thing be so fast!
Your Protege was amazing. Was that the Partridge Family car or am I confusing it with another? I remember it passing me and thinking how can that thing be so fast!
11-01-2012, 01:48 AM
#5
Drifting
It's very impressive you kept your car running and not seriously damaged to be able to get 3rd in both events. Congratulations!
Your Protege was amazing. Was that the Partridge Family car or am I confusing it with another? I remember it passing me and thinking how can that thing be so fast!
Your Protege was amazing. Was that the Partridge Family car or am I confusing it with another? I remember it passing me and thinking how can that thing be so fast!
11-01-2012, 06:51 PM
#6
Great stories. I'm considering buying the wonderbread '85 MR2, it is already set up. I'm worried about not meeting the $500 AIV.
How strict is classing? It seems like most cars are way more than $500 AIV. The fast cars seem to be crazy fast. A MR2 with a camary V6. A C4 with an LT1. How do these cars get past tech?
How strict is classing? It seems like most cars are way more than $500 AIV. The fast cars seem to be crazy fast. A MR2 with a camary V6. A C4 with an LT1. How do these cars get past tech?
11-01-2012, 07:43 PM
#7
Great stories. I'm considering buying the wonderbread '85 MR2, it is already set up. I'm worried about not meeting the $500 AIV.
How strict is classing? It seems like most cars are way more than $500 AIV. The fast cars seem to be crazy fast. A MR2 with a camary V6. A C4 with an LT1. How do these cars get past tech?
How strict is classing? It seems like most cars are way more than $500 AIV. The fast cars seem to be crazy fast. A MR2 with a camary V6. A C4 with an LT1. How do these cars get past tech?
11-03-2012, 11:07 PM
#8
Burning Brakes
I noticed 1 more Noth West event this year and 3 next year. I am pretty sure I can scare up a couple street stocks or mini stocks, There is a Pro 4 car or 2 out there. Move a little weight around, square up the cross weight.... Hmmm you guys might cost me some money!
Last edited by Crepitus; 11-03-2012 at 11:10 PM.