May 30, 2009

First night on new race car: 

Decided to use my base setup from my previous Canaday Chassis.
Some specifics: 

1.  2" blocks in Rear -- +2 turns in Right Rear.
2.  2" blocks in Front.
3.  SuperShox double adjustable rear shocks (25psi).
4.  SuperShox 2R/2C on both fronts (25psi).
5.  9-1/2" rear stagger.
6.  14ft B&T Wing.
7.  14" wide RR Wheel.
8.  Honda 600RR engine (13 tooth counter, 45 tooth rear sprocket).

I am using a MoTec M4 Engine Control System with Advanced Tuning (data logging and O2 metering) turned on.

Hot Laps: 

The car ran OK -- driver is rusty! The chassis was neutral in and off the turns, but tight at mid turn.  Engine ran decent, but not what I was expecting - just doesn't JUMP off the corner like it should.

Changes before the Heat:

Track is narrow with a slick bottom and ROUGH cushion.

Tightened the car by dropping RR air pressure (6psi) and increased wing angle.
Started with the RR shock set to #3 position.   

Heat Race: (started seventh and finished seventh) 

Talk about a LOADED heat race - Engine was OK, but nothing to brag about. The leaders pulled out a straightaway and we kind of held our own from there. I drove like a driver who has not driven for awhile (many mistakes). My biggest problem is the rear brakes are not all there! They are so bad, I started smelling my right front brake around lap 6! I must have too much front bias.

Changes before Feature: 

Starting 23rd:

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

Tightened the car:
Changed to a 12" wide right rear wheel (more sidebite) with 5psi and moved the wheel in 3/4".
Set RR shock to #2 position to start the race.
Increased top wing angle by another notch.
Changed brake bias to remove some front brake.

The MoTec data log from the heat race show a little lean condition - I add 3% to the entire fuel map (TRIM +3%).

Feature: (started 23th, finished 9th) 

The car handles well on the bottom at the beginning of the race, but the engine still will not pull off the corner when I have to get off the throttle and back on and the rear brakes are still not right.  I move up steadily until I start smelling my right front brake again on lap 8. Luckily, I have an electric shutoff valve for the right front brake and I shut it off to cool it down. Since only having a left front brake will loosen the car, I move the wing back to compensate.

In the middle of the race we had a FAST car - one of the fastest on the track! I turned the brake back on and moved up quickly - then overheated the brake again (shut it off again). The car works well in the middle (right in the black), but not having the rear brake is killing me! I then find an awsome groove that exits the corner lower than any other car on the track, but the engine is hesitant off the corner.

I have a blast racing side by side with Chad Shields for about five laps and finally get the best of him. Just before the final caution, I was running 8th and got under the 6th and 7th place cars (pinned 'em behind a lap car), but again, the engine failed me and they got back by off the corner along with the 8th place car.

Wrap-up: 

Not a bad way to start the year considering the new car / engine / MoTec setup. We have tons of potential with this car, but a few things on the data logs are concerning me. We are trying some different throttlebodies (not Honda) and I am seeing a strange lean condition (REAL LEAN) whenever I back off the throttle quickly. I will consult with Mike Gigot of Scorptec and hopefully we can figure it out. Chassis wise, I am EXSTATIC!!! This thing handled awesome in the feature considering the underpowered engine and the brake problems.

I believe the rear brakes never properly bedded and are now glazed - I'll resurface the pads and rotor for next week. The SuperShox are awesome! This car gets so much side and forward bite - MAN, I need an engine that will PULL like a tractor off the corner! Hopefully, we'll get it figured out. I felt I drove much better in the feature and the reflexes are still there!