So to bring some closure to the first outing for the car at Carolina Motorsports Park with NASA-SE this past weekend. Here is an update:

- Passed Comp School
- Won TTA on Saturday and Sunday (2 Hoosiers)
- Completed my first PTA race
- the two TTs and the one W2W race count towards my qualifications for Nationals

The only issue I had all weekend long was Limp Mode once. Morris was chasing me pretty hard in the early stages of the Mock Race. Going back to gas in T5, I noticed I had zero power. A quick glance down at the dash showed a space shuttle amount of lights and indications. The DIC gave me a “Reduced Power” message and I knew I was in Limp Mode. A quick glance back in the mirror showed that Morris was about to plow over me, so I pulled to the right and coasted around T6 and T7. Coming out of T7 at about 50mph, I shut off the car and refired it. Still in limp mode as a Megabusa passed me on the left. I shut it off again, started counting to five, let an instructor in a CMC car go by, and refired it. AHHH, all lights gone except the Check Engine light. Turned off traction control, put it in 2nd gear, and nailed it as a very mad pack of comp school candidates and instructors were bearing down on me. I rounded T8, wound out 3rd and the instructor in the CMC car pulled over to let me get even with him. I didn’t let off, hit fourth and pushed past him going into the Kink. I stayed in it hard until I passed the Megabusa and then set my sights on Morris. I had zero chance of catching him until they threw the Double Yellow to bunch us back up. After a lap to stack us up, it was Morris, me, the Megabusa, the instructor in the CMC car and then the rest of the field. Coming to the S/F, they threw the Green Flag but still had out the double yellow. Morris and I got on it but were both unsure of what to do since we still saw the yellow flags. The flagger removed the yellow and the CMC car blasted by ALL of us. He timed it perfectly. Lesson Learned: the green takes precedence in that situation. Morris and I battled pretty hard that lap following the CMC car until Morris got loose coming through T13. I got next to him on the inside and took him coming into T14. Somewhere over the next lap I got by the CMC car and went on to take the Checkered Flag a couple laps later. I can absolutely say that Morris and I battled harder in the Mock Race that we did in the real Thunder Race later in the day.

As for the Limp Mode, I am certain that I must have held it against the rev limiter in 3rd gear for too long between T3 and T4. I had something similar happen coming out of Hogpen at VIR last Fall. Or at least I am hoping that is what happened.

To live up to my screen name of Breakin’ Traction, I don’t want to disappoint any fanboys and not post a picture of my normal tail out driving style. LOL. This is T14 on the last lap coming to the Checkered Flag of the Thunder Race on Sunday.

 

I don't see any smoke

 

Yeah... no mad tyte dorifto style points for you.

 

I really laughed out loud on that!

Now my coworkers are wondering what's wrong with me.

 

Looks like you guys had a lot of fun! I need to get my car done and do comp school soon before you all move to ST2!!

 

I tried to give the 8 people standing on the bank a smoke show, but there is only so much you can do on corded tires, 40* temps and the wind blowing at Mach 1.

 

I would be confused on that one too... I'm trying to think of a situation where that would happen, but I've never seen it. I've seen them hold up double yellows and then take them down quickly to throw the green flag, but never have them both up at the same time. That would be conflicting directions wouldn't it?

 

Yellow would take precedence. Especially with the new no quarter yellow flag pass rules.

 

Yeah... that's what I was thinking. I wouldn't dare pass anyone under double yellows no matter what other flag was held with them.

 

Car to educate/elaborate?

 

Jeff,

All of us asked Randy to clarify what this meant and why it happened. He asked the guy that is the Race Directory (thin guy, really nice) and the Race Director said that the green flag took precedence. His statement was that the Green Flag was in front of the double yellow flag and that the Starter was holding the flag behind the Green in case he had to wave off the re-Start.


-Kevin

 

Pass under yellow -- DQ'ed for that race and you do not get to race in the next scheduled race.

Pass under yellow again -- Done for the year


This applies to everyone. For DE'ers, you are done for the day but get to come back the second day. Do it again and you are done for the year.

 

I am stunned, I thought you were programmed for "more throttle" for any situation.

 

Once again I do not concur with the flagging they use but it is their punchbowl. I cannot pass looking at a yellow. I will just punt them off later.

 

Pretty sure that's NASA-wide too.

 

Crash into a safety vehicle under yellow while at nationals....license suspended for a year.

 

At a minimum.

 

if I ever crashed into a safety vehicle I think I'd probably go find another hobby

 

Threaten to take away my ability to race and I can be easily reprogrammed.

 

true story.