varkwso

They say confession is good for you, it is not that I avoid the truth or anything, but sometimes I feel you really need to ask the question before I tell you the truth. But since there were witnesses, and I know they will talk, I hope to beat them to the point. I have something like 30-40 days at Roebling Road on track and in all that time I have never left the track - until now. With perfect weather and a perfectly dry/clean track with just over 2 minutes (warm up lap and the distance from pit to Turn 1) into my first session of the first day I decided to put four off between turns 1 & 2. I can offer all kinds of excuses (I tried them all by the way, already) but the bottom line was I out drove the car. It is a pretty bad feeling to know at the turn in for Turn 2 to realize this is going to be ugly. Luckily, four 315/35-17 tires in a full drift kill a lot of speed before you hit the dirt there and I was able to ease back on the track without any trouble. Before lunch I also put two off at Turn 5. The corner workers, bless their hearts, were very understanding at lunch and wondered what my problem was since in all my time there they had never seem me off. Their kindness and understanding to a struggling driver can only be understood by those of us who have spent time in a corner station. This occurred with my blue ZO6 by the way. Friday night Jake showed up with the 99 Vette. Being Roebling, as those who have run there know, I wanted to use up "old tires" since it does wear down tires in a most impressive manner. So we started with the Sumitomos we mounted on the 94 Z28 a long time, and many track events, ago. They did OK for a while. Jake and I both got some real good sessions in with the tires. But Jake did lose it coming out of Turn 5 before lunch due to the rear tire having no grip - something I had noticed on the session just before - I seem to remember saying "Jake be careful with those rear tires having no grip". Then showing there is definitely some Scotch blood somewhere in my family tree I decided to mount up the wagon wheels and some really old run flat Pilot Sports that came with the 99 Corvette - just to see. I decided to take it out before I set Jake loose with them. With both of my students in front of me on the third lap I managed I truly spectacular double spin coming out of Turn 5. The tires were so hard they did not even leave black marks on the pavement. My student in the 2006 Carrera 4S almost had to pit out to get his composure he was laughing so hard from the view in his rear view mirror. Since I was in the car Jake was driving I could have pawned it off to many as he was the one who did it - but I took the heat. I also pitted out and took those dang tires off! The 99 tracked great with the Kumhos on with only 2 track days on them. I guess I feel better now since I confessed.

It was a glorious weekend for weather and track conditions. SeatTime, as always, put on a fantastic two day event. Track density was low on both days and some people ended up extending till Saturday to take advantage of the weather and low track density . David, in his 1999 Porsche, put on over 300 track miles in two days. Speaking of David, he got the "groove" at this event, and was tearing it up solo by Saturday morning. His progress from his first event at Barber last November to now has been incredible. His car is one of the best balanced and easy to drive 911's I have ever driven. It weighs in at a hair over 3000 pounds and handles like it weighs 500 pounds less. It easily out drove the 2006 Carrera 4S my other student had. Before the hate mail rolls in the Carrera 4S is a truly great car but on dry pavement it is not the weapon of choice (it weighed in at almost 3500 pounds) - but I will buy one if there is one available cheap....

Jake started his track career with SeatTime and now instructs for SeatTime. His student this weekend was an older gentleman in a Ford Focus from Hephzibah. They both had a good time - except maybe for the Turn 5 incident. He and I had some good track sessions running lead follow. His "feel" for a car is truly excellent. This was the first time I put him on track with near dead tires - it was an important lesson I believe.

Carnage was low at the event - a Porsche 911 race car left the track at Turn 1 at over 160 mph and the driver said he was still doing 90 when he went over the berm. The driver was fine and did not seem upset by the event. That happened on the first session of the first day - needless to say that put "Chuckles" , the track manager, in a even finer mood then normal. Otherwise it was offs with no contact on both days. A One Lap SRT-4 did detonate an engine - Chuckles must have put down a 100 bags of oil dry - even then it was still slippery at Turn 8 for a few sessions. It will need a new engine by the event next month.

It was the first event for my enclosed trailer. What a great item to add to the stable. Once I figure out tire storage it will be perfect. Jake, David and I all slept in it Friday night and it worked out great. Lights, fans and a sleeping surface above ground level was a new track experience. It pulls great but the open trailer definitely got better fuel mileage! It will be going to Sebring next weekend.

I had a chance to meet DocGTO in his modded 2004 GTO. The car is set up very well and was turning some fast lap times. It was nice to meet him. We also got to meet an awful lot of other new folks and catch up with many other track friends. The Honda One Lap Team was there in three Odyssey vans - the fastest one was turning in laps in the low 1:30s. It was hard to see the point bys from a van I might add. Lynn and Kate were there in the ITC prepped Fiesta. Which is an awful lot like taking a minibike to a Harley convention - but Lynn has always been a free spirit. I rode with Kate for one session - did not say a word by the way - I follow directions well. Jake and I took the Fiesta out for a few hot laps - I think my best time was a 1:47.3. You definitely get a good point by workout with the car. Managing all 75 of those horses really took it out of me.

I did get the steering column lock on the ZO6 about 2:30 on Saturday - luckily the wheels were straigh ahead at the time. I said bad, bad things about Chevrolet engineers, lawyers and anyone else involved with that jewel of technology. That SOB is coming off at the dealer this week for the disable fix. Backing the trailer to the car was an adventure - Jake did not understand that if he cannot see my mirrors I cannot see him.

As always I had a blast, hung out with friends both new and old plus learned a few things.

1. 13 Track days on a set of hand me down RS03 Hoosiers is pushing the envelope. I learned about slip angles and torque management though. I also learned the traction differences between patches and the base pavement. Good news is they are corded now and the accountant will let me trash them.

2. Getting a "few laps" on unknown history old tires is stupid unless they are parade laps.

3. You can never have to much track time.

4. Air conditioning is in the future for the trailer for summer overnights

5. Oil temps are not a problem if you cannot get traction

6. I am going to buy a lot of tires soon.....

7. Fiestas can be cool......

Z06 Silver Bullet

So what times did you turn?

varkwso

My best was in the low 1:20s in both cars.

trumper Z06

Sounds like you had yourself a time down there, Jeff !!!

All that happened in.... ONE WEEKEND !!!

Good "warm-Up" for Sebring... now go down there and...

Terrorize those Mustangs !!!

Falcon

Jeffro, is this what it looked like?

Git along little doggie!

Holy chit! This car ain't going to stay! Damn, that Z06 leading me on!

Glad you came out unschathed!

varkwso

It looked a lot like that!

varkwso

I do not know who will terrize who!

the blur

rather than reading through a complete novel, why don't you make it easy for us and tell us what tires went wrong, how old they were, and the conditions.

My victor racers are 3 seasons old, and they did stick like glue. But I havn't ran them this season yet, so your making me nervous

Allthrottleandsomebottle

Hey Jeff,
Part of the issue I DEALT with at CMP last year in my 97'............the rears were 6 years old and mostly hard..........I knew it would be fun.
Julie was on near new rubber though, I wouldn't have had it any other way.
At least ya didn't hurt anything.
Did ya make a nice dust cloud

varkwso

As I was once told a 5 year old tire makes for a good swing...

I put my oldest rubber on front on a C5 - makes it a little more predictable....

Julie's car did drive great!

I only pushed it where I knew it was safe from everything except ridicule.




Check out Evelyn Wood for reading assistance, or not....but let me sum up

Sumitomos (GS sizes) - ~18 months old with 25-30 track days plus lots of street miles.

Hoosier RS03 (315/35/17) - bought used from Cass last Oct - tracked at Barber, VIR, CMP, Road Atlanta and Roebling since then - over 13 days (SO5s are out now) since I had them.

Hoosier RS03 (315/35/17) - bought used from Cass last Oct unmounted (he got them from Phoneix). I have 4 track days at Road Atlanta and Roebling on them now. They are not totally dead but they are up there in heat cycles

Pilot Sports - thread bare and worthless.

Kumho Ecsta in ZO6 sizes - three track days and new in Nov

Hope this helps. Three year old tires are going to be aged and degraded. I drive them till they cord but I write novels and do way too many track days to run as fresh a tire as I would like to

tcmc5

Well, I'm glad it turned out OK aside from the embarrassment we all feel when we have an off. I'd have felt bad if you'd bent something on those Hoosiers you got from me.
I hate spending the money, but I'm going to buy new tires from now on so I get better performance and know how many cycles they've got on 'em. Tires that don't stick are just too damn frustrating and it's hard to really know what you're getting when you buy scrubs - at least that's been my experience. Besides, if I'm going to stand any chance in the NASA TT's, I'm going to need all the grip I can get.
You going to the NASA Roebling event next month, Jeff?

varkwso

Cass,

Nothing was hurt - not even my huge ego...

I have been tickled to death with the stuff I got from you - wish I had bought more of it when I had the chance. I have certainly gotten the good out of those tires from you - my reluctance to throw them away is the real problem. I know what you mean by scrubs - I like the price but the unknown factor sure gets old. I do not get the thrill of good stick very often - so I sure appreciate it when I have it.

Jody is not coming to Roebling so all of us bottom feeders have a chance! I will be there May 19-21 (SeatTime and NASA) and 27-28 with Chin.

Glad to see you back in the fray!

jeff

Cbntmn

sounds like a great weekend. Roebling is a fun track. I as there about a month ago with MTI racing and had a blast.

About lap times, when you say "low 1:20's" do you mean like 1:22 or 1:20.25? Im asking because i turned 1:22's last time at Roebling and wonder where I will fit in at the May 19th event with Seattime.

tcmc5

Yeah, without the Falcon there, maybe I won't feel like so much of a pidgeon after being off-track for seven months. I hope you don't mind if I tail you a bit to help with my line. I've been to Roebling twice but have broken both times so my experience there is limited. Hopefully, I'll have better luck this time.
Thanks for mentioning Seattime. I wasn't planning on it, but maybe I'll come down and run Friday, too. That'd be the smart thing if I want to have a prayer in the TT. Do you stay at the Red Roof?

Z06 Silver Bullet

1:20 and under in a fairly stock Z06 will be hard depending on the heat. By end of may it could be 75 and nice or 90 degrees and slick as hell.

I will be there to hopefully make up for Jody's loss. I am curious to see how I run since before mods on street tires I was running 1:21's in 98 degree temps last August.

Am hoping for 1:18's this time.

varkwso

I stay at the Red Roof when I do not sleep at the track. Be happy to help you with your line there. Hope you can stay fixed!

Make it on Friday if you can - almost no traffic and hours of track time.


CBNTM if you can run consistent 1:22s you will be running in/near the front at SeatTime in the solo or advanced solo group - depending on what race cars/prepped cars show up. My best there is a 1:21.x in my basically ZO6 with semi grippy R compounds. There are many who can kick my tail.

varkwso

I think with good Rs, decent weather and adequate intestinal fortitude a 1:18 is probable in a basically well tuned stock ZO6....flat foot from mid turn 6 to Turn 1 should do it...