Well...I know what my butt looks like now...
03-12-2010, 03:21 PM
#1
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Well...I know what my butt looks like now...
because it got handed to me at my first SCCA race (Roebling) in the new car! It's nice and cool to report when we win and do well...not so fun when we don't. Nevertheless, I wanted to report my experience in the new game of spec miata.
The car was excellent. Not far off of the setup it needs to be in order to run the top 5. Small to get in and out of though...gonna make some changes with the seat soon. I was more sore from one race than anytime before in the P car. So, let's say it was "less than comfy". It's fast (for a miata) and it's great to know that the only thing between me and the podium is me!
My best time in the race was 1:24.0. The top five guys ranged from 1:22.7 to 1.22.9. While being a little over a sec off top race pace seems small, it is pretty huge in spec miata. It was a national level race, so, although the field was small at 13, more than half the guys were top level competitors. Being that much off pace was a big disadvantage because I was a little faster than the guys in the back and slower than the guys in the front...so I found myself alone with no draft. You need draft/bumpdraft in this series to really click off some fast laps.
It was a totally clean race...not much rubbing. But, totally on the edge, all the time, never let up racing. Most of the big problems with bumping seems to occur in the rear of the pack in larger races. It is a great place to sharpen the racecraft and get faster in any car. It is also an excellent tool to teach car control.
Getting ready for Road Atlanta in 2 weeks...another national. Already 18+ signed up and will probably have 30+ when we race. I'm ready to take another stab at it. There will be even more top level competition, as Road Atlanta is a more popular track. It is tough and humbling, but exactly what I was looking for to further my skillset.
The car was excellent. Not far off of the setup it needs to be in order to run the top 5. Small to get in and out of though...gonna make some changes with the seat soon. I was more sore from one race than anytime before in the P car. So, let's say it was "less than comfy". It's fast (for a miata) and it's great to know that the only thing between me and the podium is me!
My best time in the race was 1:24.0. The top five guys ranged from 1:22.7 to 1.22.9. While being a little over a sec off top race pace seems small, it is pretty huge in spec miata. It was a national level race, so, although the field was small at 13, more than half the guys were top level competitors. Being that much off pace was a big disadvantage because I was a little faster than the guys in the back and slower than the guys in the front...so I found myself alone with no draft. You need draft/bumpdraft in this series to really click off some fast laps.
It was a totally clean race...not much rubbing. But, totally on the edge, all the time, never let up racing. Most of the big problems with bumping seems to occur in the rear of the pack in larger races. It is a great place to sharpen the racecraft and get faster in any car. It is also an excellent tool to teach car control.
Getting ready for Road Atlanta in 2 weeks...another national. Already 18+ signed up and will probably have 30+ when we race. I'm ready to take another stab at it. There will be even more top level competition, as Road Atlanta is a more popular track. It is tough and humbling, but exactly what I was looking for to further my skillset.
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03-12-2010, 04:03 PM
#2
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Glad you and the car did well. You'll catch up to those guys in no time. Your new car is totally differnt than the 996.
Hang in there and post some video if you get a chance.
Hang in there and post some video if you get a chance.
03-12-2010, 04:13 PM
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03-12-2010, 04:23 PM
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The worst day racing is better than the best day ... [fill in the blank].
I'm glad to read your post. I always wondered how all these races took place, and everyone seemed to finish on the podium (and nobody lists a race car in the classifieds as a "mid-pack finisher").
I'm glad to read your post. I always wondered how all these races took place, and everyone seemed to finish on the podium (and nobody lists a race car in the classifieds as a "mid-pack finisher").
03-12-2010, 05:28 PM
#6
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Good Times. Glad you had a good time.
Spec Miata is a tough class to go from a horsepower car to a momentum car. You will come up to speed quickly with it though. I did a 2 hour race by myself at Autobahn full course in a friends spec miata last year. I was pretty quick but about .7 secs off the fast guys pace. I could keep up with the fast guys mainly because I could consistently do the same lap times every lap. Come to find out the only reason I couldn't match the fast lap times was because of one small section on the track that I was taking too fast and scrubbing off speed through the turn following it. I thought I was doing it well because I could still take the next turn full throttle without lifting. It all came down to a scrub radius on the front tires.
When you come to Road Atlanta let me know if you need anything. I will be around that week so I can come help you with some data or coaching if needed.
Spec Miata is a tough class to go from a horsepower car to a momentum car. You will come up to speed quickly with it though. I did a 2 hour race by myself at Autobahn full course in a friends spec miata last year. I was pretty quick but about .7 secs off the fast guys pace. I could keep up with the fast guys mainly because I could consistently do the same lap times every lap. Come to find out the only reason I couldn't match the fast lap times was because of one small section on the track that I was taking too fast and scrubbing off speed through the turn following it. I thought I was doing it well because I could still take the next turn full throttle without lifting. It all came down to a scrub radius on the front tires.
When you come to Road Atlanta let me know if you need anything. I will be around that week so I can come help you with some data or coaching if needed.
03-12-2010, 05:42 PM
#7
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because it got handed to me at my first SCCA race (Roebling) in the new car! It's nice and cool to report when we win and do well...not so fun when we don't. Nevertheless, I wanted to report my experience in the new game of spec miata.
The car was excellent. Not far off of the setup it needs to be in order to run the top 5. Small to get in and out of though...gonna make some changes with the seat soon. I was more sore from one race than anytime before in the P car. So, let's say it was "less than comfy". It's fast (for a miata) and it's great to know that the only thing between me and the podium is me!
My best time in the race was 1:24.0. The top five guys ranged from 1:22.7 to 1.22.9. While being a little over a sec off top race pace seems small, it is pretty huge in spec miata. It was a national level race, so, although the field was small at 13, more than half the guys were top level competitors. Being that much off pace was a big disadvantage because I was a little faster than the guys in the back and slower than the guys in the front...so I found myself alone with no draft. You need draft/bumpdraft in this series to really click off some fast laps.
It was a totally clean race...not much rubbing. But, totally on the edge, all the time, never let up racing. Most of the big problems with bumping seems to occur in the rear of the pack in larger races. It is a great place to sharpen the racecraft and get faster in any car. It is also an excellent tool to teach car control.
Getting ready for Road Atlanta in 2 weeks...another national. Already 18+ signed up and will probably have 30+ when we race. I'm ready to take another stab at it. There will be even more top level competition, as Road Atlanta is a more popular track. It is tough and humbling, but exactly what I was looking for to further my skillset.
The car was excellent. Not far off of the setup it needs to be in order to run the top 5. Small to get in and out of though...gonna make some changes with the seat soon. I was more sore from one race than anytime before in the P car. So, let's say it was "less than comfy". It's fast (for a miata) and it's great to know that the only thing between me and the podium is me!
My best time in the race was 1:24.0. The top five guys ranged from 1:22.7 to 1.22.9. While being a little over a sec off top race pace seems small, it is pretty huge in spec miata. It was a national level race, so, although the field was small at 13, more than half the guys were top level competitors. Being that much off pace was a big disadvantage because I was a little faster than the guys in the back and slower than the guys in the front...so I found myself alone with no draft. You need draft/bumpdraft in this series to really click off some fast laps.
It was a totally clean race...not much rubbing. But, totally on the edge, all the time, never let up racing. Most of the big problems with bumping seems to occur in the rear of the pack in larger races. It is a great place to sharpen the racecraft and get faster in any car. It is also an excellent tool to teach car control.
Getting ready for Road Atlanta in 2 weeks...another national. Already 18+ signed up and will probably have 30+ when we race. I'm ready to take another stab at it. There will be even more top level competition, as Road Atlanta is a more popular track. It is tough and humbling, but exactly what I was looking for to further my skillset.
Congratulations! Tough & humbling is sometimes a bitter pill, but it is the only way to get better. I recently sought & received blunt, honest feedback from an experienced friend because I knew I was way below my potential at a track he knows a lot better than I do. I knew of 2 areas where I was giving up huge time, and figured if there were 2, there were likely more. He started to apologize, since he thought he would hurt my feelings by confirming my suspicions. I had to tell him that I needed bluntness--it was the only way I would get better. And it really, really helped.
So I admire your humility & honesty!
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03-12-2010, 06:17 PM
#8
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Well don't get discouraged, and don't be suprised if your improvement comes slowly,
When you make the shift from a big power car to a carefully matched low hp spec series you will have a real appreciation for what it means to get the last little bit out of a chassis. The guys running at the front are using every bit of skill and years of knowlege in type to run there, and it can be humbling to come out of a car always running at or near the front of the fast pack, only to be running in the middle or back of the "slow" guys...seat time...the only cure....
When you make the shift from a big power car to a carefully matched low hp spec series you will have a real appreciation for what it means to get the last little bit out of a chassis. The guys running at the front are using every bit of skill and years of knowlege in type to run there, and it can be humbling to come out of a car always running at or near the front of the fast pack, only to be running in the middle or back of the "slow" guys...seat time...the only cure....
03-14-2010, 05:02 PM
#9
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The worst day racing is better than the best day ... [fill in the blank].
I'm glad to read your post. I always wondered how all these races took place, and everyone seemed to finish on the podium (and nobody lists a race car in the classifieds as a "mid-pack finisher").
I'm glad to read your post. I always wondered how all these races took place, and everyone seemed to finish on the podium (and nobody lists a race car in the classifieds as a "mid-pack finisher").
Good Times. Glad you had a good time.
Spec Miata is a tough class to go from a horsepower car to a momentum car. You will come up to speed quickly with it though. I did a 2 hour race by myself at Autobahn full course in a friends spec miata last year. I was pretty quick but about .7 secs off the fast guys pace. I could keep up with the fast guys mainly because I could consistently do the same lap times every lap. Come to find out the only reason I couldn't match the fast lap times was because of one small section on the track that I was taking too fast and scrubbing off speed through the turn following it. I thought I was doing it well because I could still take the next turn full throttle without lifting. It all came down to a scrub radius on the front tires.
When you come to Road Atlanta let me know if you need anything. I will be around that week so I can come help you with some data or coaching if needed.
Spec Miata is a tough class to go from a horsepower car to a momentum car. You will come up to speed quickly with it though. I did a 2 hour race by myself at Autobahn full course in a friends spec miata last year. I was pretty quick but about .7 secs off the fast guys pace. I could keep up with the fast guys mainly because I could consistently do the same lap times every lap. Come to find out the only reason I couldn't match the fast lap times was because of one small section on the track that I was taking too fast and scrubbing off speed through the turn following it. I thought I was doing it well because I could still take the next turn full throttle without lifting. It all came down to a scrub radius on the front tires.
When you come to Road Atlanta let me know if you need anything. I will be around that week so I can come help you with some data or coaching if needed.
Congratulations! Tough & humbling is sometimes a bitter pill, but it is the only way to get better. I recently sought & received blunt, honest feedback from an experienced friend because I knew I was way below my potential at a track he knows a lot better than I do. I knew of 2 areas where I was giving up huge time, and figured if there were 2, there were likely more. He started to apologize, since he thought he would hurt my feelings by confirming my suspicions. I had to tell him that I needed bluntness--it was the only way I would get better. And it really, really helped.
So I admire your humility & honesty!
Professional Racing and Driving Coach
So I admire your humility & honesty!
Professional Racing and Driving Coach
Well don't get discouraged, and don't be suprised if your improvement comes slowly,
When you make the shift from a big power car to a carefully matched low hp spec series you will have a real appreciation for what it means to get the last little bit out of a chassis. The guys running at the front are using every bit of skill and years of knowlege in type to run there, and it can be humbling to come out of a car always running at or near the front of the fast pack, only to be running in the middle or back of the "slow" guys...seat time...the only cure....
When you make the shift from a big power car to a carefully matched low hp spec series you will have a real appreciation for what it means to get the last little bit out of a chassis. The guys running at the front are using every bit of skill and years of knowlege in type to run there, and it can be humbling to come out of a car always running at or near the front of the fast pack, only to be running in the middle or back of the "slow" guys...seat time...the only cure....
03-14-2010, 05:25 PM
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You did great! Yeah, the front running cars are extremely well prepped...When the difference between cars is so small, every detail counts. And of course there's always the "extra" prepped cars that you won't beat no matter how well you drive....
It is a great series especially when the field is large and everyone has someone to run with.
It is a great series especially when the field is large and everyone has someone to run with.
03-15-2010, 11:47 AM
#11
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You did great! Yeah, the front running cars are extremely well prepped...When the difference between cars is so small, every detail counts. And of course there's always the "extra" prepped cars that you won't beat no matter how well you drive....
It is a great series especially when the field is large and everyone has someone to run with.
It is a great series especially when the field is large and everyone has someone to run with.
03-15-2010, 12:01 PM
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Another honest man! Too funny! Wished I would have started 20 years ago myself. But, hey, it's NEVER too late to get good at this sport...look at Randy Pobst. Not young by any stretch but on top of his game. A huge inspiration to me. Keep trying! When you are in our shoes, we can only go up from here!
03-15-2010, 01:15 PM
#14
Three Wheelin'
Glad you enjoyed your first race. I find SM racing addicting and humbling as well. Some of my PCA guys can't take the "humbling" part... but if you can swallow the pill a bit you'll definitely progress.
Wait until Atlanta, should be a massive field! Try to pace those Pombo brothers....
Wait until Atlanta, should be a massive field! Try to pace those Pombo brothers....
03-15-2010, 01:22 PM
#15
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Glad you enjoyed your first race. I find SM racing addicting and humbling as well. Some of my PCA guys can't take the "humbling" part... but if you can swallow the pill a bit you'll definitely progress.
Wait until Atlanta, should be a massive field! Try to pace those Pombo brothers....
Wait until Atlanta, should be a massive field! Try to pace those Pombo brothers....