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Since you are sharing a car you should agree upfront what you are personally liable for in case of: 1) causing damage by hitting someone else 2) someone else hitting YOU 3) a general mechanical breakdown and 4) you breaking the engine or transmission. It's also good to agree which level of body damage is "benign" and would not have to be paid for. This is all best agreed up front.
Also: Familiarize yourself with the rules for the racing event in terms of safety, car preparation, classification, passing, contact, flags, pit-tops, incidents, etc...
Have fun. It will be a blast and after a few laps it will all come together. It is a bit of "amateur hour" so keep an eye on flag stations.
Just hope the car lasts!
I was expecting more of the : "don't do it.. , i have no idea what this racing thing is, but it sounds stupid and this is your father speaking and I know better" style (thanks Nuvolari ;-D )... luckily, more experienced voices prevailed.
You asked for advice and many have chimed in with valuable input. Some gave specific information to how to to tackle the event while others (like myself) offered the broader picture consideration which is equally valuable. Seeing as you value experience I can tell you that I have been racing for over 25 years all over North America and overseas. For a period of my life I lived in Europe, earned my primary income from racing, and was lucky enough to be a paid racing driver. In addition I have been involved in high performance driver education for many years working directly with all the major luxury and exotic vehicle manufacturers. Over the years I have won multiple championships and competed in and won many endurance races including 24 and 25 hour races. Regrettably I have had friends killed in races and have seen my share of avoidable incidents and tragedies. Not for a moment do I wish to boast myself or belittle the value of the contribution of others on this thread. My advice was offered respectfully and as a product of some well earned grey hairs.
If you choose to take part in this event I cannot stress enough the value in proper safety equipment and ensuring you fit well in the car. Be drinking all the time until you pass clear urine (a simple way of knowing you are hydrated). Lastly brain fade has a way of sneaking in during longer runs so it is important to mentally check yourself and asses when you are going off and get out of the car. As a rookie you are not likely to affect the position of the car by coming in out of sequence but you can save yourself and the team serious problems by staying out when you are not sharp. In the end it is all about getting race laps in so you are better off to have as much quality time in the car as possible.
One other tidbit for you: It sounds obvious, but every car will have multiple drivers so you may come across the same car over the weekend and it will have wildly different speeds and behavior. Just because you learn to play well with that car once and build up some level of trust, doesn't mean that that same car will play the same way next time you meet. These type of events really are a lot of fun and most of the people out there are very like minded, we all have to go to work on Monday.
Thank you Nuvolari, I was kidding as I know your background is extensive.
As far as the car lasting, we are wrenching on it 2x/week redoing everything from engine mounts to suspension in preparation for the race.. and there is a focus on bringing the car back for the next driver. The team has done multiple races with this car, so they know what to expect. I'm paying a deposit to cover repairs and damage, and I believe the series rules are very strict on no-contact based on what I've read and the participants I've spoken with. From what I'm hearing from the team, it's a very cooperative, vs competitive series.. at least that's the ethos. Low budget entry-level racing where everyone has to go back to work on Mondays. We seem to be a mid-pack team, so I'm sure we'll have some clear understanding beforehand of what is expected from each driver.. no Leeroy Jenkins type heroics needed nor accepted.
Good info on brain-fade and hydration.. I practice good hydration for climbing excursions so familiar with that, and i am quite fit, but I do get tired easily at night so I need to be careful with that piece.. kind of a wimp in that area, need my beauty sleep.
Thank you Nuvolari, I was kidding as I know your background is extensive.
Good info on brain-fade and hydration.. I practice good hydration for climbing excursions so familiar with that, and i am quite fit, but I do get tired easily at night so I need to be careful with that piece.. kind of a wimp in that area, need my beauty sleep.
I typically get tasked with at least two night stints for 24hr races.....Protip: dump an obscene amount of ice in the cool suit and turn it on for very short bursts periodically (only 15 secs or so) to "shock" you back. If I miss an apex or a pass or generally feel not 100%, it snaps me right back.
Thought I'd provide a quick mid-race update.. despite being one of the slowest cars in the field, risky whiskey Miata is third overall after 80 laps.. that's craaaaaaazy!!!!!!!
Cool suit is a divine experience by the way.. fits time using one and wishing we could have this for motorcycle racing.. I think I enjoy car racing a lot more though... less of a deathwish.
Drove my first stint and next one starts at 1am... night time driving will be a new experience. Wanted to immortalize this track placement as it's not likely to last.
Oh.. and we were racing against tanner foust until his engine blew.. haha!.. now I can say I passed tanner foust on track.
Edit.. will post pics from pc... phone app not allowing me to post!
Thought I'd provide a quick mid-race update.. despite being one of the slowest cars in the field, risky whiskey Miata is third overall after 80 laps.. that's craaaaaaazy!!!!!!!
Cool suit is a divine experience by the way.. fits time using one and wishing we could have this for motorcycle racing.. I think I enjoy car racing a lot more though... less of a deathwish.
Drove my first stint and next one starts at 1am... night time driving will be a new experience. Wanted to immortalize this track placement as it's not likely to last.
Oh.. and we were racing against tanner foust until his engine blew.. haha!.. now I can say I passed tanner foust on track.
Edit.. will post pics from pc... phone app not allowing me to post!
Calexio, MORE POSTS PLEASE! Wake and give us an update on your progress!
Ok.. nuts that this app won't let me post pics.. but what can I say.. somehow, as slow as we were in our little momentum machine Miata.. we won!!!!!!!
Less time spent in the pits than anyone, no repairs except for an alternator switch, and some very consistent lap averages in the low 2:20's during day, and low 2:30's during the pitch black night.. put us ahead of 33 competitors with faster cars. Epic experience.. as the guest driver I took the night shift so never really got to enjoy some truly fast times, but while the team was sleeping I chugged off two 2-Hour sessions with the help of coffee in my drink bottle. Amazed that I used the cool suit even in 40 degree night time desert weather.
I know this is a Porsche forum but I have to mention that a Miata with a 1.6L engine, but updated brakes absolutely murders other cars under breaking. Maybe I can be accused of dive-bombing... but I call it "block-passing".. there were times when I was still accelerating when other larger more powerful cars were already braking. Would pass sometimes 2-3 cars in a corner, and still have a decent enough line that with some delicate threshold braking, and throttle patience on trackout.. I could then hold most of the following straight with a row of cars trying to get passed. This yo-yo happened over and Over, and it was tough not having the power to be able to hold the advantage I would gain under braking on some straights.. but that's racing I guess.
One by one cars went into pits for pads, or broken parts.. we just kept at it. 4 drivers rotating.. 2 hour stints, ABCD... then ABAB-CDCD rotation.. I did the qualifying, rolling start, and then most of the night from 9pm-3am. Fun fun stuff...
Problem is now I'm hooked.. and I need a real race car... not like a pretty Gt3 for track days.. I want a stripped out machine to really go wheel to wheel.. that feeling of testing the grip.. slowly releasing into apex with rear squirming, then powering out.. while others are next to you aggressively doing the same thing.. FAAAAK... I want more.
Oh... and nighttime driving is MENTAL!!!!!! reference points become tiny little bits of nothing which appear mere seconds before you need to see them. Pure faith and memory... I just started counting the time between each apex... and after awhile I could have done it eyes closed.. 1-2-3-4... apex left... 1-2-3... crest... power.. 1-2-3-4-5-6, dip in pavement decrease radius right... it was like mental rally notes which formed. There was so much dust from cars putting a wheel of track, that sometimes you just had to power through knowing where the road would go purely from memory. Craziness.. adrenaline still pumping despite not having slept in 2 days. Love this stuff.
Oh yea, and tanner Foust's car was out after not more than 30 minutes with some gasket issue which they didn't have parts to repair.. haha!
497 laps, 1500 Miles... 2 alternators, 3 sets of tires, $200 of fuel.. lots of coffee, lots of dust in the face.. big headlights to light up the night.. and one 1st place trophy.
there was also some shenanigans
1st place.. after 1500 miles and almost 500 laps! 24 hour endurance racing is another animal!
fogged up helmet shield when it had to be kept down for refueling stops.
team bed in the garage for powernaps
these guys changed out an engine before going back out
01-17-2018, 08:46 AM
