1st Race Report
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From: Santa Rosa, CA
1st Race Report
It's a bit of a long story, but I think it's best told this way ... I've had the Turtle for about 1.5 years and have done many DE days learning to drive better. I've been considering my options for starting to race for the past few months.
I ended up participating in my first race this weekend, and what a weekend it was. It was a bit different from the start as it was planned as a Friday/Saturday DE weekend at Thunderhill and turned into something else entirely.
Friday morning started as always but got a little sidetracked right away as a Corvette blew it's engine after 1.5 laps (yes, that pun was intended). Red flag to get the fire crew out, and then black flag to end the session. In the second session another GM car died and oiled the track after 3 laps, so another black flag and early termination. This was starting to get frustrating!
Since the red/open passing group was getting deprived of track time, we were then allowed to run down with the point-by group. This was fine by me as there was a guy with an M3 roadster that was running in that group and he and I usually have fun going out together. Well, we did have fun and John Hua (Mooty) also joined us in his M3, so we had a grand session of catch-me-if-you-can. The roadster dropped out after this session (because he was working the event) but the open group's session was immediately after, so Mooty and I pulled right back into the hot pit and went out again. We had another great session (even though I couldn't pass the bum - he couldn't leave me, but I couldn't catch him either). And, while Arnaud (AW) passed me in his cup car, he didn't lap me. I was happy.
After having that much fun in the prior double session, John and I went out to do it again at the next opportunity. This session went well until I was just about to enter the braking zone on the back straight. While having just passed 100 mph, I heard a sharp pop (like a pistol shot) and knew that one of my tires had blown. I managed to brake in a straight line and went straight off before turn 14 (onto the connector road). I was surprised how smoothly I could get off with a dead tire.
Thinking that this incident would be my main problem for the weekend, I proceeded to swap the MPSCs for the RA-1s on the extra set of wheels. Unfortunately, in the heat (about 105) and the haste to get the swap done quickly, I managed to damage the threads on one of my rear wheel studs. Fortunately, the studs are extra long and I could use that prime Porsche fix-it tool (a hack saw) to remove the two damaged turns and have a functional stud. The track was closing just as I was sawing so I departed for the day reasonably confident that "tomorrow would go better."
So tomorrow came. I got to the track a bit early to finish the tire change and was very pleased that it was a non-event - the lug nut went on smoothly and I was ready to go. The first session went well and just after it I was assigned a student at the last minute as an instructor didn't show. The day started to get pretty hectic. Go out with the student (his 2nd time at a track), then take him out in my session to show him the line and what I was talking about in some of the corners he was having trouble with, then go back out with the student for his second session (while thinking, "Hey, this instructing stuff really cuts down on the time for socializing and car prep").
After the second run instructing, the role was reversed to an extent. I had requested a check-out to be allowed to race with ARC (a laid back Nor Cal group that I though would be a great way to start racing). Well, I did my check-out run and the chief instructor said I would be allowed to race - and by the way, they were doing an exhibition race after lunch, did I want to join? Well, I thought why not? My wife wasn't with me this weekend to worry about it, there were only 17 others participating, I'd be the designated HWFM Racing back-marker gridding at #18. So I agreed.
My first Race! In the end (or should I say, at the start), I had one guy gridded behind me. He was driving a prepared 993, but I had been able to pass him pretty easily over the last 1.5 days, so I wasn't too worried. My goals in the race were to not do anything stupid, have fun and pass at least one person. I thought this was a reasonable goal as at least two of the cars gridded in front of me were people I had been able to pass the previous day. I was a bit concerned as earlier I was trounced by the guy in the M3 roadster. I just couldn't keep up to him and wondered if the tires were making that big a difference.
All other thoughts evaporated into the 105 degree heat as the race got started. We got through turn 1 without incident and were pretty sorted out by turn 2. By lap 3 we had our own little race going in the back. Me chasing but frustrated by not being able to catch a silver M3 that I had handled easily the previous day and defending the 993 who was able to stay with me today. On lap 5 (of a 10 lap race) I was still defending my position and trying in vain to get past the M3 as we entered the esses. I exited cleanly having just shifted up to 3rd normally and was starting down the back straight when disaster struck. With a load ka-boom, my engine said good bye. I immediately turned off the ignition, got over to the off-line side of the track and looked for a stopping point. I considered the grass, but decided against it as hot, dry grass and hot oil were likely to result in a fire. About half-way down the straight was an emergency entrance and I pulled off there.
Once stopped and off the track I, uncoupled my hoses for the cool suit, checked that my fire suppression system was activated (it was), and unbuckled in case I needed a quick exit (the rear was smoking). I cracked the door and looked back down the track to see an impenetrable monster oil cloud. I then heard the squeal of tires as one of the leaders discovered the oil on the track and spun. One car did come through before the cloud started to dissipate to reveal the fastest Porsche sideways at the start of the straight. He quickly got it together and was off without further incident. The race was quickly black flagged.
When the course was cleared the tow truck came out to examine me and the track. The best was off without adding more oil to the track was to back down the entrance ramp. As I was backing down the clean-up crew was bemoaning all the oil and asked "it's not synthetic is it?" I had to give them the bad news it was (it's harder to clean it up).
Packing up, finding a substitute instructor for my student (my head was no longer in the right place), and loading the car were a bit of a drag, but "stuff" happens. I did have a pretty good weekend (with the exception of a pretty dramatic and disappointing end). Now I get to decide how to spend yet more money on getting my turtle back into operation.
I hope your events go better than this one, but hope you found my story mildly entertaining...
I ended up participating in my first race this weekend, and what a weekend it was. It was a bit different from the start as it was planned as a Friday/Saturday DE weekend at Thunderhill and turned into something else entirely.
Friday morning started as always but got a little sidetracked right away as a Corvette blew it's engine after 1.5 laps (yes, that pun was intended). Red flag to get the fire crew out, and then black flag to end the session. In the second session another GM car died and oiled the track after 3 laps, so another black flag and early termination. This was starting to get frustrating!
Since the red/open passing group was getting deprived of track time, we were then allowed to run down with the point-by group. This was fine by me as there was a guy with an M3 roadster that was running in that group and he and I usually have fun going out together. Well, we did have fun and John Hua (Mooty) also joined us in his M3, so we had a grand session of catch-me-if-you-can. The roadster dropped out after this session (because he was working the event) but the open group's session was immediately after, so Mooty and I pulled right back into the hot pit and went out again. We had another great session (even though I couldn't pass the bum - he couldn't leave me, but I couldn't catch him either). And, while Arnaud (AW) passed me in his cup car, he didn't lap me. I was happy.
After having that much fun in the prior double session, John and I went out to do it again at the next opportunity. This session went well until I was just about to enter the braking zone on the back straight. While having just passed 100 mph, I heard a sharp pop (like a pistol shot) and knew that one of my tires had blown. I managed to brake in a straight line and went straight off before turn 14 (onto the connector road). I was surprised how smoothly I could get off with a dead tire.
Thinking that this incident would be my main problem for the weekend, I proceeded to swap the MPSCs for the RA-1s on the extra set of wheels. Unfortunately, in the heat (about 105) and the haste to get the swap done quickly, I managed to damage the threads on one of my rear wheel studs. Fortunately, the studs are extra long and I could use that prime Porsche fix-it tool (a hack saw) to remove the two damaged turns and have a functional stud. The track was closing just as I was sawing so I departed for the day reasonably confident that "tomorrow would go better."
So tomorrow came. I got to the track a bit early to finish the tire change and was very pleased that it was a non-event - the lug nut went on smoothly and I was ready to go. The first session went well and just after it I was assigned a student at the last minute as an instructor didn't show. The day started to get pretty hectic. Go out with the student (his 2nd time at a track), then take him out in my session to show him the line and what I was talking about in some of the corners he was having trouble with, then go back out with the student for his second session (while thinking, "Hey, this instructing stuff really cuts down on the time for socializing and car prep").
After the second run instructing, the role was reversed to an extent. I had requested a check-out to be allowed to race with ARC (a laid back Nor Cal group that I though would be a great way to start racing). Well, I did my check-out run and the chief instructor said I would be allowed to race - and by the way, they were doing an exhibition race after lunch, did I want to join? Well, I thought why not? My wife wasn't with me this weekend to worry about it, there were only 17 others participating, I'd be the designated HWFM Racing back-marker gridding at #18. So I agreed.
My first Race! In the end (or should I say, at the start), I had one guy gridded behind me. He was driving a prepared 993, but I had been able to pass him pretty easily over the last 1.5 days, so I wasn't too worried. My goals in the race were to not do anything stupid, have fun and pass at least one person. I thought this was a reasonable goal as at least two of the cars gridded in front of me were people I had been able to pass the previous day. I was a bit concerned as earlier I was trounced by the guy in the M3 roadster. I just couldn't keep up to him and wondered if the tires were making that big a difference.
All other thoughts evaporated into the 105 degree heat as the race got started. We got through turn 1 without incident and were pretty sorted out by turn 2. By lap 3 we had our own little race going in the back. Me chasing but frustrated by not being able to catch a silver M3 that I had handled easily the previous day and defending the 993 who was able to stay with me today. On lap 5 (of a 10 lap race) I was still defending my position and trying in vain to get past the M3 as we entered the esses. I exited cleanly having just shifted up to 3rd normally and was starting down the back straight when disaster struck. With a load ka-boom, my engine said good bye. I immediately turned off the ignition, got over to the off-line side of the track and looked for a stopping point. I considered the grass, but decided against it as hot, dry grass and hot oil were likely to result in a fire. About half-way down the straight was an emergency entrance and I pulled off there.
Once stopped and off the track I, uncoupled my hoses for the cool suit, checked that my fire suppression system was activated (it was), and unbuckled in case I needed a quick exit (the rear was smoking). I cracked the door and looked back down the track to see an impenetrable monster oil cloud. I then heard the squeal of tires as one of the leaders discovered the oil on the track and spun. One car did come through before the cloud started to dissipate to reveal the fastest Porsche sideways at the start of the straight. He quickly got it together and was off without further incident. The race was quickly black flagged.
When the course was cleared the tow truck came out to examine me and the track. The best was off without adding more oil to the track was to back down the entrance ramp. As I was backing down the clean-up crew was bemoaning all the oil and asked "it's not synthetic is it?" I had to give them the bad news it was (it's harder to clean it up).
Packing up, finding a substitute instructor for my student (my head was no longer in the right place), and loading the car were a bit of a drag, but "stuff" happens. I did have a pretty good weekend (with the exception of a pretty dramatic and disappointing end). Now I get to decide how to spend yet more money on getting my turtle back into operation.
I hope your events go better than this one, but hope you found my story mildly entertaining...
Jarhead
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From: Alexandria, VA
Man, that's too bad, Tom. All the stuff prior to your unhappy ending sounded like fun, but I'll bet it's hard to look back at the weekend with much of a postive memory. Hope everything comes back together, and I'm glad you weren't injured at all!
Brian
Brian
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Hey Tom, sorry to hear - sounds like you were having a great time, though.
Which oil line broke? Was it the tire rubbing the line in the right rear fender? Or something worse - a broken rod that made a hole in your engine? Share your findings, please...
Again, sorry to hear. I guess that seals your no-show at Laguna, too.
Which oil line broke? Was it the tire rubbing the line in the right rear fender? Or something worse - a broken rod that made a hole in your engine? Share your findings, please...
Again, sorry to hear. I guess that seals your no-show at Laguna, too.
Racer
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 263
Likes: 1
From: North Charleston, SC
Tom - The ending sure sucks on that story. What otherwise should have been a great weekend ended in disaster. Sorry to hear about your misfortune at the track. However, glad to hear that you are OK.
Dave
89 C4
Dave
89 C4
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 163
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From: Sacramento, CA
Pity!! I've read a few of your posts over the months and had looked forward to meeting you at the track soon but my car never seems to get done. Our cars are somewhat similar so I was planning on tapping in on your experience.
BTW, I've had similar problems with the heat at Thunderhill in a modded 02 Audi TT. I blew a K04 turbo in that car. Then on another +100 day I had a Victoraceer blow - I thought it odd until I realized that the tremendous heat being generated by heavy braking. I've come to the conclusion that it's best to avoid the extreme heat.
Say hi to John and his friend w/ the white GT3 (forgot his name). I met him last year also at T'hill. John looked and looked and looked at my car that day. Turned out he knew my car as he thought about buying it a couple of years before I did.
Hope the turtle's surgery goes well and has a speedy recovery.
BTW, I've had similar problems with the heat at Thunderhill in a modded 02 Audi TT. I blew a K04 turbo in that car. Then on another +100 day I had a Victoraceer blow - I thought it odd until I realized that the tremendous heat being generated by heavy braking. I've come to the conclusion that it's best to avoid the extreme heat.
Say hi to John and his friend w/ the white GT3 (forgot his name). I met him last year also at T'hill. John looked and looked and looked at my car that day. Turned out he knew my car as he thought about buying it a couple of years before I did.
Hope the turtle's surgery goes well and has a speedy recovery.
