Richard Lang

Carl,

Good Luck and have fun.....

To win is great ......... To do it is worth all...

SharkSkin

Give 'em hell, Carl!

Here's a little something to get you revved up for the event:


Climb Dance

danglerb

Congratulations Carl, make sure to keep plenty of oxygen boost for the driver, normal activities at 9,000 feet can be incredibly fatiguing.

Air pressure at 9,000 feet is about 10.5 psi and drops to about 8.5 at 14,000 vs 14.5 at sea level. Dunno if this means you could safely run +4 psi of boost than normal.

This talks about the o2 related to people. http://www.skyrunner.com/story/pikespeako2.htm

Bill Ball

Too bad they paved the road.

danglerb

I wish there was a race track like a testing track, mixed pavement types, wet and dry, really give the car a workout. Faster is a lot easier to sell to the general public.

littleball_s4

Hey, Carl.

I deeply envy you, what a great project!

I've seen the course a couple of time in TV. My company build winning rally cars for the our national rally championship (and a couple WRC, too).

If I had to sum all we've learnt in just one word it would be:

TIRES.

Sure you'll need higher and softer car, longest susp. travel possible, real racing dampers (they're far more important in gravel than in circuit), well-designed bump stops, complete underbody protection, plenty of HP with adjustable traction control, hydraulic hadbrake but, at the end of the day, you'll find all the neccessary info about these topics in books/publications/forums.

But racing tires change every year, and the best 2002 gravel tire from Michelin for your application could perfectly be 0.2s/km slower than a good 2007's (Try to get 0.2s out of an engine in a twisty section. You'll probably need 150hp more). Moreover, choosing the right tire for the application is not easy (there are dozens of Michelin gravel tires), but it could be even more important.

Testing (tires and reliability) is the key. I've witnessed 100's of times a good driver in a good car get a bad result because of very stupidly cheap newbie things like a non adequate windshield wiper for the mud or an insuficient stock of rims to get ready for stage condition changes. No matter how many miles and experience you have racing, every time you change the scenario, the way to go is testing, testing, testing. (I think I've seen a video somewhere in which a driver was using left hand on the wheel and right hand protecting his eyes from the sun. Not quite the proper way to drive a race car full of expensive goodies because of lacking the proper helmet)

Is it a limited range from which you have to choose the rubber? Do you know what top teams will use? Will you be able to test in advance (perhaps at a different location)?

Send me a PM if you feel like it, and I'll help you if I can.

In any case, good luck!

(And do think of a few good spots in the cage to fit cameras!)

Black Sea RD

Hi Carl,

As I ready my car for Mark A. to drive at the PCA Sebring 48 Hour event in a couple of weeks, I can't imagine taking something like this on. There have been a few good articles about this event on Porsches that have been run up the course, the last being I believe a 996 GT2. The very best to you on the preparation and build up of the car. I personally can only imagine the myriad of details you will have to worry about.

This is also how the 928 can start to be accepted by the general population as a viable platform for racing events, by people seeing these cars in different race venues. Thanks for putting a 928 at Pikes Peak!

Good luck,
Constantine

ibkevin

That's awesome Carl! All the best to you!

I've been to a couple of PP hill climb's and have to agree with Keith, get a good feel for drifting because Ron is correct, it's a long way down the side of that thing! Perfect place for four wheel drive and I think having the ability to increase boost on the fly would come in handy.

I recommend being able to run a mile and a half in a decent time and getting to the Springs area early in the week to help getting acclimated to the altitude.

As mentioned by so many, this is excellent exposure for the 928, maybe a real "eyecatching" paint scheme to ratchet it up a little?

July is typically the month I visit family out there and if that holds true this year, I'll be more than happy to lend a hand!

AO

WOW! I've been flying to Europe (Germany) and now have time to read this thread. What a super experience. I'm sure you'll do well - may even turn a few heads. Can't wait to see it!

Jim bailey - 928 International

Good point Kevin about getting CARL in shape for the event ! Near the top of the mountain is no place to be feeling tired and low on oxygen. For the level of concentration required for the 12-15 minute run I think you really would have to be in good shape to do well. Not only will the engine be running out of oxygen so will Carl... At least with the blower Carl can turn up the boost for the engine

Carl Fausett

Thanks to all for your enthusiastic support.

YES, the conversation of tires is key. This is not an off-road event like the Baja or even World-Rally racing, so 30" of suspension travel is not needed or desired (thank goodness).

Pike's peak is incredibly well groomed. However, the top half is made up from crushed granite and of course is a loose surface. It cuts tires up like nuts.

Then there is the aspect of weather - there have been several "Race to the Clouds" that have had snowstorms and blizzards at the top end, while dry at the bottom. Try selecting tires for THAT.

And then money... I just wonder how many mounted and balanced tire/wheel combos I can afford to have with me... the big boys change tires after every day of practice. Unser would run such a soft compound down on the bottom on the tarmac (not time to warm up your tires!) that by the top they were cut up and shot. Imagine a set of 4 tires worn out after 12 miles! That's what he did.

So... I obviously cannot out-spend the big boys, I'll have to pick a different angle. Like durability, consistency, dependability. I have seen this race run by the 3rd fastest car before when the first two DNF. Some thing like that.

Hell, it'll be a rush just to finish!

Carl Fausett

Good one, Jim. I'm hitting the eliptical trainer every-other-day now (its friggen cold outside) and cut my consumption of beer to no more than 1 per day, if that. That's especially hard because I homebrew. I brewed two 6-gallon batches Sunday while watching the NFL playoffs.

Besides - what's the point of shaving all these pounds on my 928 only to plop my beergut into the driver's seat? I figures weight saving can start with me.

I started at 222 pounds about 2 weeks ago. I'm at 218 now. My target by race day is 190 lbs.

I wish I had the John Venninger composition (skinny bastard ) but my genetics just aren't there for that. And I can't bicycle and dirt bike like Mark A to stay in shape until the weather turns.

But, we're given' it hell and we'll see what we get.

Andre Hedrick

Seriously guys, do we want to make a road trip this summer ?
I can see the news coverage, 928's converge on the peak to support their driver.

What do you think?

928drvr86.5

I think it's a great idea!

animal8526

I'm in for the roadtrip if I can afford it by then.