Olitho

OK, here is the video from the Sunday race. I got some strong constructive critique from some on my Buttonwillow National driving, although none of it was as strong as my own critique, so I am interested to see what folks have to say about this one.

I think I drove great in this race. I was 4th on the grid. Mike Lewis was #1 in a GT-1 car, Mike Pettiford (T1) was next to him, and third on grid was Amedee Moran in his ST car. When the green came out Lewis was gone. I tried to hang with Pettiford and Moran, but lost a little ground. We all qualified ahead of three other GT-1 cars and a couple of GT-2 cars and as we approached turn 1, one of those 700 horsepower monsters pulled up next to me on the inside. I got stuck behind him on the whole first lap even though I was running faster than him. Every time we hit a short infield straight I would watch him gap me again. Ahead of him I could see Pettiford and Moran putting on more and more distance. I was thinking I needed to do something quick or I would be out of contention. Fortunately I got my chance at turn one at the beginning of lap 2. I braked late and jumped on the gas hard and early and came out of turn one with a ton of speed. He braked checked me, I am not sure if it was on purpose or if he was setting up for the next turn or what, but it got my attention as I had to take evasive action around his left. Before the brake check I was quickly trying to decide which side I was going to take him on... I just reacted when I saw the brake lights.

Once around him I pushed the car and the tires as hard as I thought I could while still leaving something in reserve for what I hoped would be an opportunity to battle for a pass into first place. I just kept driving the car very cleanly and with discipline and nailed all of the turns. In the process I set a new T1 track record at Miller Motorsports. I could see I was slowly reeling in Pettiford, but I knew time was not on my side as these races are short. I was told Pettiford does not make driving mistakes. I could see for myself in practice and qualifying that Pettiford is a good driver and that he does not make mistakes. I was also told Pettiford does not have bad luck in races, never breaks, etc., so I knew this would be a good battle.

Well, at about lap seven I was within striking distance and I was just starting to try and figure out how I was going to set-up a pass when a "first" happened. Pettiford loses it into one of the turns and goes spinning off of the track. I would have rather fought for a pass, but anything can happen in a race and I sure wasn't going to stop and wait for him. At that point I dropped way off of my pace. I figured why push so hard I just need to finish a couple of more laps to take the checkered. Plus, I was real worried about my car. A couple of laps before I caught Pettiford I could feel my power-steering failing. It was getting harder to steer and was particularly inconsistent on the right hand turns.

Pettiford does not give-up. He came back charging hard and he was making ground but I paced it out to be sure I would have just enough to get across the finish line ahead of him. And that I did. I think I probably only had three or four seconds on him at the finish.

It was a good race. No carnage and no break downs that I can recall. Like all my races, as a rookie I learned a lot this weekend. I now have 10 races under my belt and I have secured a spot for the championship race in Topeka. That was my whole plan starting in January. I have successfully executed on that plan. I am looking forward to that race in October!

Here is the race video: http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...46122003642177


Fastest regards,

Oli Thordarson

Solo2GS

Awesome driving and great video as always!

danswofford

What rear end gears can you run in T1?

Axelrod

What's the T1 lap record? Didn't watch the video (yet), is this the "full" 4.5 mile course?

Axelrod

Must be "STOCK"

Solo2GS

3.42 final ratio (factory stock)

T-1 GCR Rules
http://www.scca.com/_FileLibrary/File/Touring.pdf

4. Transmission/Final Drive
b. Final Drive
1. Unless otherwise so noted on the Vehicle’s Specification Line, the differential ratio shall be as delivered as standard equipment by the manufacturer.

2. All legitimately classified cars in Touring Class are permitted a limited-slip differential (Quaiffe, Torsen, etc.). Locked differentials are not allowed.

3. Final Drive lubricant may be substituted. Final Drive lubricant additives are unrestricted.

Zip Corvettes

Oli,
So I guess this is now a lap record and a first place finish?
Justin

Too Tall Bob

Good job, Oli.

It's great to see your progress and good luck when you get to the run-offs!

Ironically, that is the same exact turn that I spun the weekend before. It must be something about "Corvette's" and that corner, eh?

Third gear really gets a workout on that track, doesn't it?

Olitho

Yes, that is a first place and a lap record. I don't recall the thousandths, but the time is 3:13.xxx in the race. In qualifying I did a 3:11.xxx. I know I can do a qualifying time under 3:10 with a bit more practice on the track. I think I can even do under 3:10 in the race if temps and such are right... and if slow GT-1 cars stay out of my way on the "golden laps!"

I think the Quaife differential worked great at MMP. It is a strong differential and it really hooked up great, even when bouncing off of some of the curbing.

Olitho

Thanks TTB,

Yes, third gear does get worked a lot, especially a lot in the higher RPM range. I couple of turns I lugged a bit in third gear, but second gear just did not quite work either as it would buzz out way to fast as I started to lay the power back down. I only used fourth in three places on the track and one of those is the front straight. I can imagine on a cooler day and with a little more work on the exit of the last turn I might start bouncing off of the rev limiter at the end of the front straight next time I go there.

AMERICANMUSL

Oli, that was a very Rahaul performance for you...I've never seen you with smoother lines! In the begining you were especially focused. BTW, I don't think that ST or GT1 car was holding you up on accident...that looked deiberate to me! Pettiford was getting greasy at the end or at least his car was not as setup as yours...think the Quaif helped? At the very end of the run in the straights, IMO, I believe he saw you were going deeper with more control and figured that was where you'd pass him...looks like he tried to keep speed with you as a defense, was off line and slid as a result...at the very end no less! Put your egos in check boys and girls, Sparky's on fire!!!

Simply awesome...look forward to runing with you!

Ed

Too Tall Bob

Oli,
You're right about 2nd gear...it's just about useless at that track, even though you *could* go down to it in a couple of the turns, but you'd be right back into 3rd immediately, so it's a wash as to whether it is better to just stay in third.

Regarding going into T2 when that GT1 car nailed the brakes in front of you: That turn is usually taken just about flat out with just a *slight* touch of the brakes at turn-in, and the proper line is all the way over to the left (where you were at), so with him getting hard on the brakes, and the fact that he was in the middle of the track and not even close to the left side of the track, I'd also have to agree that he might have been setting a *screen* for his buddy in front of him.

You did well having so little time on that track... 4.5 miles and about 28 turns is alot to remember, especially when so much of the track looks the same.

Did you notice that all of the exit-point curbing is grooved and very bumpy/slippery compared to the smooth curbing at the apex? Makes for a little bit more concentration when hitting your exit-points, eh?

sleeper02Z06

First, nice job Oli. You should feel very fortunate to have a couple of National wins under your belt this early, I've been at it in NEDiv for 12 races and haven't grabbed that spot. 2nd is my best, along with a Pole position. Tough stuff I tell ya.

Second, to everyone else watching and commenting on the video. What I saw is typical of class to class racing. Sometimes traffic happens, sometimes cars hold one another up, sometimes guys in classes want to race other guys in other classes for whatever reason. This I have learned is the nature of the game. Let's not however accuse someone of "blocking", especially to help another driver. In all honesty, I have never seen this happen at the club level ( blocking to help another driver ), at least not purposefully, there is simply not enough at stake. What I have seen and what I see in the video is likely a simple lack of situational awareness. It could have been a developing problem with the car, who knows. Hell I've been the one that didn't see the car in my mirror steamrolling up on me, it happens. What I try to do is not comment until the story is known, since I wasn't there. What others who don't race should do is enjoy the video. Oli got by him, nuff said.

Joe

PA Z06

Great job Oli, Congrats

Olitho

TTB, yeah, that curbing on the outside will rattle your teeth out if you run on it too much. Fortunately I did not hit it too much the whole weekend. It really is superbly designed to make it undesireable to run too wide. The curbing on the inside is nice, too. I can climb up on it on the inside if I want to/need to, but the plastic poles keep the AWD cars from clipping the corners and throwing crap out onto the track.

Joe, thanks for the good words. The only reason I have two wins in my region is because unfortunately, out west here the competition is much less intense than out your way. I may have two wins, but I think you are getting the better experience.


Fastest regards,

Oli

Olitho

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, I had been having that problem during races where the clutch sticks. It would be exacerbated if I held it in to long as in a missed shifted. The hotter the car got the worse it would get. Bleeding the clutch through the OCC installed clutch bleed line did not help anymore.

I had John at Orange County Corvette install a tranny they rebuilt to exacting specifications and had him put in a new clutch and pressure plate. It was amazing how well it worked. I did not have a single missed shift in two days of practice and two days of qualifying/racing. The car shifted perfectly and the clutch was always there for me.

I could not be happier with the race prep work John has been doing on my car. He came off of another road race team prior to coming into OCC and the performance shows. He is under strict orders to prep my car and first make sure it can finish a race. He inspects the car very well and has spotted little cracks and things I never would have seen. A case in point is my clutch pressure plate. He spotted hairline fractures where those plates normally begin to break. If he had not spotted that I doubt my car would have finished the weekend. After that he and I work together on the secrets of making #22 fast in the alignment department, etc. for each race.

I stopped by OCC yesterday to visit John. I gave him a gift card and my checkered flag the SCCA gives race winners. He deserved them both.


Fastest regards,

Oli