July 2-4, 2010

Show-Me Showdown

We skipped the races last week in order to attend the World of Outlaws Sprint Car race at Lakeside Speedway. I promised my son months ago that we would go to this race - with all the rain outs at Sweet Springs this year - missing a weekend pretty much killed me in the points, but we enjoyed the races at Lakeside and having my 4 year old get to watch the "King" (Steve Kinser) win is priceless to me.

We took the car to practice night of the Showdown and put in five hotlap sessions. We really helped the engine, but the car is just not handling well at all. I decided to race on the Friday qualifier night.

Friday Qualifier for Show-Me Showdown

Hot Laps: 

Engine runs well - we're right with everyone. Car feels ok, but I still don't like what I am feeling in the handling.

Changes before the Heat:

Track is getting slick.

Tightened the car:
Changed RR tire to reduce stagger and dropped RR air pressure (6psi)
Moved top wing back.
Started with the shock compressions at: LR and RR set to #3 position I also added rebound to both rear shocks to hold the rear end down coming off the corner.   

Heat Race: (started 4th / finished 3rd) 

Started on outside second row - the engine starts running rough before the start and I have to restart the MoTeC to clean it up. We get a good start and move into 3rd, but the engine is starting to missfire. Car handles horrible (very unpredictable) and we limp home 3rd.

Changes before Feature: 

Starting 8th:

Reviewed the data logs and we had a system voltage problem that caused the MoTeC to go into safe mode and enrichen the fuel. I find a loose connection on the battery and once fixed - the engine runs fine with no MoTeC errors.

Track is sealed over (slick) and wide with a cushion pushed wide.

Tightened the car:
Changed right rear tire to a lesser grooved RD12 compound with a 5psi bleeder. Moved RR tire in to narrow the rear track width.
Set RR and LR shocks to #2 compression position to start the race and put more clicks into the rebound on both rear shocks.
Increased wing angle.   

Qualifier Feature: (started 8th, finished 7th) 

We have to finish in the top eight to qualify for Sunday's Main Event.

Started on the outside fourth row. The car makes big move on the first lap and I pull between the cars a row in front of me coming out of turn two. I get by two cars and another two by the 5th lap (we're 4th). Caution - I have to give one of the spots back and restart 5th. We hold on to 5th until a RED flag flies and we have to stop. On the restart, the car handles horrible and slides across the track - something happened (tires sealed over??). This is NOT the same car I was driving before the Red Flag! We struggle and finish with a HARD fought 7th place. We're in the Sunday Main event, but man, this car is just not consistent right now!

Show-Me Showdown A-Feature:
(started 14th, finished DNF)

I have to admit - we were not prepared for this! The racetrack took rubber which requires a completely different suspension setup and hard (real hard) tires to survive 40 laps. When a track takes rubber, it becomes hellishly abrasive and FAST! We're talking over TWO seconds faster lap times! Here we are with a slick track setup and soft tires. We're in trouble before the race even starts!

On the start, I make an nice move and pass five cars in the first lap. The car is handling perfect, but that is NOT a good thing on a rubber down track. In order to survive a rubber down track, you had better have the car setup extremely LOOSE at the beginning of the race. As the tires gain heat they will increase adhesion and the car will TIGHTEN up. If you start with a tight car - you are in trouble! The car will just keep getting tighter (severe Understeer) and burn the right front tire of it.

That is exactly what happened to us and by lap 5 we are falling back in the field. By lap 10 we are crashed and sitting in the pits with a lot of damage to the left side (engine area) of the car.

I hate rubber down tracks, but I especially hate that I was not prepared to it!

Wrap-up: 

We got crashed - but honestly it may have saved me some money. You see, if we would have run all 40 laps I would have destroyed three tires costing us around $400. It looks like the crash damage will cost around $200 to fix and I won $100 just starting the race. Always try to turn a negative into a positive!