multi21

Wow, I feel a little like Boston DMD aka Paulo with this thread, but I'll be running my first enduro in a few months and want to pick the minds of RLers.

If a sprint race is 100%, would an enduro be 80-90% with a variation on

1. Not getting too tired before the end of the race.
2. Varying your lap times when you feel the tires losing grip because they are too hot and needed to back it down a bit

What should I expect? Do you hit a wall (figuratively) when it comes to heat and hydration?

Greg Smith

How long is this enduro?

LDadrenaline

Just run your race. If you find yourself pushing too hard or putting wheels off the track then you are over-driving. Nothing really special to do. Just stay consistent and don't beat up your ****.

Sean F

an enduro is a sprint race for 90 minutes...you drive flat out

Cool suit and drink bottle are your friends

uscarrera

I think it is always good to have a plan, when to pit, what to do during pit stop, practice those plans before u run the enduro. I usually go ***** out at the start and for maybe the first four or five laps to get a good track position then I settle in to be smooth and consistent. It is amazing to me how many cars have an off or retire for mechanical or other reasons. It is an old race saying but very accurate " To finish first you first must finish" especially in enduros.
Have fun.
Rich

multi21

Thanks. This is the kind of info I was looking for. So your plan is to find a spot on the track and run alone (hopefully up front) and then ease off a bit to save the car to the end.

This particular enduro is 65 min. long

Streak

I run enduros fast, real fast

jakermc

That's a PCA 'enduro'. Other venues run longer races and are what I would call real enduros - they require pit stops, driver changes, etc.. The approach is very different in these races.

Just a few thoughts for the longer races:

1) Get yourself in shape. Strive to feel fresh the entire time you are driving, don't just survive your shift(s). Better physical fitness will allow for better concentration, letting you hit your marks lap after lap. Hydration begins about 3-4 days before the race, pump yourself full of fluids early, not just on race day.

2) Make sure the ergonomics work for all drivers, and test this over some extended driving sessions. This cost my team an overall win in a 6 hr race this season when I had back spasms and could not take one of my shifts. We traced the problem back to a seat adjustment we made to accomodate my co-driver that seemed OK to me during a brief test but over an extended drive messed up my back. Emergency fill in driver never drove the car before and had an off, blowing a 3 lap lead. Had to settle for a class win. Won't make this mistake again.

3) Know your fuel mileage and plan your pit schedule accordingly. Then have a contingency in case things change (full course caution, driver fatigue, etc.).

4) Plan each pit stop ahead of time. Know when tires will be changed. Know the role of each crew member. Practice ahead of time, including the diver change. Refueling is the botteneck in most pit stops (assuming stock fuel systems), do whatever the rules permit to speed this up.

5) Use a radio to communicate with your pit.

6) It's not a sprint race, find and enduro pace that may be 1-2 seconds slower. Mechanical sympothy matters in a long race and will have a big effect on your tires. Knowing you can revert back to sprint pace if you need it is a good thing, not so good if the car or tires are used up when you need to call on them. Short shifting will not only help the engine but help fuel mileage. If you can avoid a pit stop that is far more important than the 1-2 seconds you gave up on pace. Was it Alain Prost who said the obective of a race is to win at the slowest pace possible?

MJSpeed

65 minutes is a sprint race, drive it as such.

aj986s

With a 65 minute enduro, I'm guessing you won't need or require a pitstop.

As mentioned, make yourself as comfortable as possible in the car. Cool suit if temps call for sweating. A drink bottle system is very helpful to stay hydrated.

65 minutes isn't that bad. Just pace yourself and try to stay on track and pamper the car to make it last. Make sure all race prep is done to insure the car, too, can go the distance. Enough gas, topped off oil, etc.

A clock in the car can also be helpful, so you'll know exactly where you are during the timed session; helpful for maintaining your sanity. If a pit stop is required, a second stopwatch in the car is also very useful. Most PCA pitstops have a 5 minute minimum. Start the timer when you cross the pit entry line. And then manage your pit departure to get you as close to 5 minutes at the pit exit line.

If doing a pitstop, practice getting in and out of the car. May be more challenging to work the belts with a helmet on; if so make sure your helper knows how to work the belts, too.

Just stay calm, and don't let your emotions make you do something dumbass. A clock in the car is also helpful to guage when you might pick up your pace during the last part of the session; say 15-30 minutes or so.

Also, an in-car lap timer is very helpful to give you feedback on your pace.

It'll be fun!

Chris M.

I'm not saying you should go "flat out" the entire race, but being out there by yourself is boring. You might as well be at a DE. It is much more fun, and the time passes more quickly, if you are actively engaged in either trying to pass someone or trying to defend.

38D

If you race in a competitive class, its a 90 minute sprint race. I did my fastest lap at the '08 Lime Rock enduro on 2nd to last lap. Clench and go.

Gary R.

I'm with Sean and Colin, 65 minutes there is only one strategy, run ***** to the wall 100% of the time.. 90 minutes is the same, beyond that I have no experience..

todinlaw

I drove my first enduro about a month ago. It was 90 min and I did not need a driver change. I found my self running as hard as a sprint and found that the guys I was trying to pass were running as hard as a sprint. it was ***** out. every lap. it really was not any different. I agree once you get beyond 90 min I think you have to apply the smooth, consistent approach. but 65 min is a sprint. just grip it and rip it as in golf.

multi21

Good Info guys. I'm also considering a 4 hr. enduro later in the year. Thinking 1 other driver. Correct thinking?

My biggest concern is the car making it to the end. I think once you get into a groove, it's not a big deal.