PCA Practice in June

For many years now, this event has been held on Fathers Day. This year, it was not. However, with a limited number of local events left before Nationals, this event was particularly crowded with SCCA drivers getting their cars ready for Nationals.

Based on our last outing, additional changes were needed to bring the car back in to balance. After consulting with the local experts, we came prepared to test. I like the way the car feels now. It's balanced, has lots of grip, is easy to drive and is mad fun.

This course was one that favored a car with power. There were a few turns that required slowing down quite a bit, including a pin turn. When we have a passenger, we usually run about 0.5 seconds slower. However on this course, we were running a little over a second slower with a passenger. Ouch.

On the return crossover, the turn was a decreasing radius left and each time I drove it, I kept thinking to myself that there's more there and each time I tried to go a little faster. On my third run in the first practice session, I tried going a little faster. It was a good idea, but not a workable one. It was just too fast and the car ended in a 4 wheel drift and me back on the throttle to stop the car from spinning. I think we scared the poor corner worker there too as the car was sliding straight towards him for a bit. Good fun, but not very fast.

I like the car the way it is now. The Bridgestone tires were howling away and we were all having fun. We were also running times that are on par with what the 'other' brand was running. Only 7 Porsches went faster (raw) and 1 Civic. Not too shabby. The car is getting to a good place now.