Flying Finn

Yep, frogs is not a typo, read on and you'll know what I mean.

I though I’d write little weekend report from last weekend’s DE at Sebring (only did Sunday).

There aren’t lots of turtles around here (I was the only one) but hopefully there will be more in the future.
For now, it’s me who is representing the HWFMR, and I must say feel proud doing so!

I think there were two other “quest members” when at Saturday evening me & my buddy Chris spotted two frogs on our hotel balcony. They were those suction cup finger ones (really don’t know what their real name is) and were jumping on the wall! That was until one of them “missed the apex” and jumped too far and dropped to the ground (we were on 4th floor)!!

I felt that was in true HWFMR fashion and got kick out of it! (I think he was ok after the jump btw). Other frog stayed with us and actually started to sleep on the window frame while we were chatting on the balcony (that's how you know your stories are truly boring) keeping our neighbors awake.
Isn’t that required from HWFMR members always prior to track days?

Otherwise there was lot of people and as usual, it was pleasure Sunday in that way also! Only not so great thing was seeing Terry’s (C4 Guy from 964 board) car’s alternator shaft snapped, all the fan blades broken etc. so he couldn’t drive at all. I hope he gets it fixed soon.

Sebring as a track was, as usual, great fun! Although this time it was even more fun than last time (this was only my second time there) since the car felt good, although loose which (I hope) explains why the day was so “hairy”… Anyway, here's little story:

Plenty of cars at track although not as much as Saturday when people said there were 141 cars attending! Good thing Sebring is such a long track (3.7 miles) so traffic is not big problem.
Weather was nice, quite warm but not as hot as it could be and we only got about three drops during last session so it was all good.

So, now for the driving itself, like I said, it was little “hairy” at times but I think taking some weight off and more from the rear has resulted better handling but now the car was turning so well, and especially in high speed that I had to really hold on and "dance" with it some times. So, here’s how some of them went:

1st session: Otherwise quite calm (little slides when accelerating etc. doesn’t count here), one nice "little" sideways braking on the turn 15 was exiting! This is a double apex with speed of ~110 mph so it was, well, at least little "exiting"... ;-) I have to admit even I got scared a bit.
But I was able to keep it together and ended up looking like a pro (yeah right...) so everything was fine.

2nd: This time, I went off to the grass...
1st turn, I came in maybe little too fast (I remember those comment about turning in too late so I was trying to turn earlier & go faster), car went quickly little bit sideways, I probably could've made the turn (again, yesh right...) but decided to play safe, straightened the slide and took it straight to the grass, there slowed down, get it back going where it should, returned back to track and most importantly, missed the wall! ;-)

3rd: Had great "battle" with 964 race car... We were just going as fast as we could!
I don’t know if I can even say 10/10, but for me, it felt I was just about there, always on the edge, car little sideways here and there, back and forth, just trying to hold on, that other guy missed his braking points little (I did too) etc...
I was just a tad faster than he even though he pulled on me on straights (back straight he was able to pull away about 3-4 car lengths) after we’ve battled for a few laps and when I got stuck behind slower car but then managed to close the gap again and started showing my nose all the time he had to point me by after which point I think we both were quite exhausted & exited!
After the session he came to our pits and we had a laugh when we were "bench raced" the session again, with good excuses of course!

Oh, and this is all in tape so I'll hopefully have Terry one day digitizing all the good bits and make little video clip of it, I checked it quickly yesterday evening and I think it should make nice video, when he does, I’ll post it as I did before, I hope some of you pros can take a look at it again and give me some “pointers” again and I think it should be (at least somewhat) exiting clip to watch.

My best lap time (during the “battle”) was 2.34.1 so it was big improvement from last time (I had 2.39) and I was quite happy with it!

Special thanks to Greg & others who gave me pointers based on my last video (BTW Greg: I took the turn 16 as you suggested and it was better that way!)

Yours,

BrokeAss

Photos of the CARnage can be found here

can't wait to get my hands on that video! Maybe you should come up one night this week, I'll invite Dan and some of the other SoFla track rats over to rag on your driving!

Greg Fishman

Good deal Finn. That is a great lap time for sure. When are you doing your first race?

Mike in Chi

Finn

"When are you doing your first race?"

Careful. That's the devil in Greg disguise saying that.

2:34 ! Way to hustle it. Can't wait til February. Thanks for the entertaining report. Big laugh out of missing the apex on the fourth floor. And I look forward to the video as well.

BrokeAss

Those are INCREDIBLE times! Especially considering you've basically got a stock motor, and no brake upgrades other than good pads. Your investment in the PSS-9 suspension and fine tuning has really paid off.

By way of comparison, while in the Radical I looked down at the hot lap timer twice and noticed lap times of 2:44 and 2:46. Granted we were in traffic, but those laps times of yours are outstanding and I think you should be expelled from HWFMR for gross violations of the code of conduct. Besting a RACECARS time in a street vehicle is just unacceptable in HWFMR!

Flying Finn

Terry,

I'd like to stop by but I'm too busy at work (we have visitors from Italy).
I'm recording the tape at the moment, I'll try and send it to you tomorrow so that you can watch it with Dan & others.

Thanks for the compliment, it felt fast so I was glad to see times were pretty good also! And yes, the suspension is working well, I'm very happy with it (for now...).

There's no way I got dumped from HWFM because of speed, look at these other guys here, they're waaay off the "chart" and should go long before I have to worry!

Greg,

I'd do it in a minute but vallet is a problem here...
At one point I was thinking of selling my car and buying 911 or 944 race car but can't do it, I just can't sell my car now (I don't want to). I'm thinking of attending race school (renting a car with my friend) at some point and getting an licence, then hoping maybe someone would be so desperate and ask me for co-drive in enduro one day.
Otherwise I just have to wait until I can get a race car (would really want 911 but I think 944 or 914 (would do vintage) is in my future, hopefully sooner than later but unfortunately not in too near future I think (we're in a process of finding our first house (here in US) so it's no. 1 priority for a while (at least I'll get an garage!).

Mike,

I know, that devil is too obvious but I don't mind actually, I think I've already sold my soul to the devil!
I can't wait 'til the February either, I just hope I'm not in Europe or something like that at that time (my luck is just way too "good" some times...)

Kristoffer

When Petu says is was a 964 race car he means it. Full race cage, suspension, slicks etc.. The car races competitively with PBOC!! I think it is amazing that with PSS9's etc.. & a few hundred pounds of weight reduction he can run with a race car!! Not to mention beat my times by :10-:12 I would say it was an amazing site except after the first lap & a half I had a clear track because they were long gone

Terry I'm with you, I too bid for his removal from HWFMR!!

Now if I get my PSS9's I'll have BIG shoes to fill Just when you think your fast some foreigner has to come over & ruin it for everyone

I did post a clip of me chasing down a Z06 (tell Chris I'm sorry for posting it) on my site. But I can't wait to see Petu's!!

Flying Finn

Great Video Kristoffer! And good choise of music too!
I looks like you weren't so happy with Porsche's straigh line speed compared to Z06's?

Thanks for the compliments (I'll pay you the beer next time) but I'm not fast, it's just that I'm so poor I need always to get most for my money, doing more laps per session is one way of doing it.

Kristoffer

FF:

I wasn't complaining about the Z06, I was upset that no matter what I did I couldn't get more exit speed on that corner!! I saw that when I was making the video & knew thats what everyone would think!!

Flying Finn

OK,

I took totally different line what you (& everyone else did).

Greg suggested (thanks again Greg!) based on seeing my previous Sebring video that I should try closer line and not to go so much outside before turning in.
I don't think the exit speed is better (maybe worse) but overall time spent in those corners there is less and gain is bigger than loss of speed on straight.
Didn't really check it yet between tighter & more outside line yet but I'll check what's the difference (if any) from turn 15 to 17. Tight line felt felt better & faster though. You'll see it when I have the clip.

My car is pretty stiff so those bumps outside are not that good, and makes it harder, maybe with your suspension it wouldn't make any dirrence and the outside line is better but worth of trying.