Survived my first race

[Darren]

We were nose to nose side by side, I would bet money my transponder is installed further forward

[fasthonda]

bobt993 wrote:

Darren wrote:

BTW Todd -- I led lap 19

Todd, he has a point. Give him one of your trophies. ( your most likely using them as coasters anyways).

lol! actually, i prefer to use them as jack stand plates when at VIR, in the sand!!!

and yes, you probably do have yours farther foward; i have mine pretty far back in the engine bay, behind a huge metal crossbrace, so that if the worst happens, my transponder will survive!

that was a GOOD race, darren!

todd

[Darren]

I made a critical mistake I think.   Two red Miatas in front of me moved right after T10.  I was in second in PTE at the time.  They tracked out then moved right, the lead car was blocking I guess.  The follow Miata was only looking foward and when they moved right I passed left.  They both came back left and ran me literally off the track.  I'm still trying to get video of this.....

[ninjabones]

So, how many days does it take for your head to clear, to stop replaying the race in your head, and to become able to function at work again?????

[fasthonda]

ninjabones wrote:

So, how many days does it take for your head to clear, to stop replaying the race in your head, and to become able to function at work again?????

in the early days, typically that happened right before the next race!

[bobt993]

 A week or so, including a moderate level of depression from the adrenaline high.  Seriously.  Do some sort of physical exercise to work down the ladder:  High output run or bike ride.  Or go race next weekend. 

[bobt993]

BTW, 

This topic should be moved to "Club Racing".  Where the only current subject posted is for an advanced DE at VIR.  :?

[Darren]

Here's a video from Todd and my PTE race.  This is from the car that finished second place.  I pass him going through 9, then Todd and I get to the main straight and catch a couple of Miatas.  Todd dives right, I dove left and passed them on the dirt  

The next lap 2 Miatas are battling it out totally oblivious that we're passing them, and one of them runs me off the track left and I lose a spot. I was flat on the floor 4-wheeling through the dirt.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6Qfvcxjh...r_embedded

[steveh]

Great stuff.  Here's a question that may steer this thread back to a more "DE" oriented theme.  Todd, Darren and the other SER are all front-drivers, and all very fast around the track.  I've never driven an FWD car on track, but they seem to be plenty quick (there were also a couple of H4 Hondas in one of the races, that seemed to do very well).

Are there significant differences in line, throttle application, car rotation in turns, brake bias, trail braking etc. between the FWD's and RWD's, or do they drive and handle pretty much the same? 

[Darren]

steveh wrote:

Great stuff. Here's a question that may steer this thread back to a more "DE" oriented theme. Todd, Darren and the other SER are all front-drivers, and all very fast around the track. I've never driven an FWD car on track, but they seem to be plenty quick (there were also a couple of H4 Hondas in one of the races, that seemed to do very well).

Are there significant differences in line, throttle application, car rotation in turns, brake bias, trail braking etc. between the FWD's and RWD's, or do they drive and handle pretty much the same?

There are some differences, but pretty much the same thing.

When the back end starts stepping out on a FWD car you just mash the gas and the front wheels will pull you out of the spin. It also transfers more weight aft which helps the rear traction. There is a video from a pro race a few weeks ago where a FWD car is sideways and the driver recovers!

A lot of people will say (erroneously) that when a FWD car starts to spin there isn't anything you can do. It's just not true and if the car is set up well they are very easy to control.

I also mash the gas if I go off track (in a race) which I'd never do in a RWD car. It's a delicate balance though As long as the back wheels aren't going faster than the front you won't spin