Fun fun weekend. This is my last full weekend before I start classes again and with a Saturday class this semester, I won't be able to attend too many practice events. We took full advantage of this weekend and it has turned out to be THE best weekend since I have started racing back in 99.
Jason and I had a good time during the practice, but we were unable to match the fastest ST times. We had been running the quiet, low maintenance setup, but the course kept us at the top of the RPM range where this setup is not optimal. I was not satisfied with the level of grip the car had. After consulting with Jason, we made a few small tweaks and grip improved in some key sections. Now, we are within .5 seconds of the fastest ST cars during practice.
Part of my practice day is spent over with the kids on the kids track. Both my kids have come out to play with their go karts. Neelu is out and about having fun, but Bijan makes one lap and decides to park it. I'm very disappointed but leave the decision to him and I don't force the issue.
Sunday
After discussion with Jason, we change our approach to race day. With Neelu running in FJB (on Bridgestone tires as well), I'm pre-occupied making sure that she is registered and all ready for her first ever SCCA race. Jason puts the car in grid as I take care of registration and other administrative matters.
Finally, it's time. Jason takes his first run and gets a rerun. This shuffles the run order for us compared to the other drivers. I'm now running with first drivers instead. It's kind of interesting as I get to watch 2nd drivers and listen to the announcer as Seb gets rerun after rerun. I think that should be Seb's new middle name - Seb Rerun Rios.
I take my first run and remembering what the course was like during practice, I try to go flat in one of the sections and it doesn't work. I take a DNF - oops. This proved to be valuable information for my second run. I make the best of it and come back with a 1st place run of 75.2.
Jason and I strategize on how we should approach his last run. It works like a charm. He puts in an absolutely fantastic run and takes a second off his previous best, moving him up into 3rd place. Jeff has made his third run and did not move ahead of me. Jon is on old tires and not able to catch me either. That leaves rerun Seb on his 8th run to try and pass me. I was wondering how fast I would be able to go in some of the turns and decide to go for it and see how much speed can be had and DNF - again. It was a very useful exercise and I figure out where some speed can be had and where I can't get more speed.
At the end of the day, Seb comes in with a smoking 74.88, but it turns out that he had hit a cone right at the start, handing the win to me.
Videos from the weekends fastest runs:
With the racing out of the way, I'm off to get Neelu ready for her first race. I'm figuring out the process as we go. I've never gone through this process either. It's very exciting and so cool to see her actually lining up to take her runs. With each run, she takes more time off and steadily improves. She likes the adult course more than the kid course and wants to come race more often.
Now Bijan has spent most of the weekend playing video games instead of driving his go kart. I'm not sure what happened because I didn't say anything to him, but he comes to me and tells me that he wants to go kart again after lunch. Of course I say yes.
He goes out and promptly gets lost. I take him out for the course walk that he has been trying to avoid doing. After the course walk, he knows where to go and no longer gets lost. Now he is able to run for time. He starts out slow and gradually gets faster. He's loving it and at the end of the day, is taking time off in big chunks and wants to come out again too.
This is by far the most winningest weekend I've ever had, seeing Jason show great speed, watching my daughter run her first SCCA event and my son wanting to come back for me. Can't beat that! Oh yeah, we got to watch lots of Porsches spinning out on the adjacent runway.
No comments:
Post a Comment