onefastviking

Agreed, Cresson is more slick in the rain, but I won't say worse because I love driving in wet and on ice. But my name is Viking and my heritage is Swedish so.......

As for TORC, the TORC guys I know are ex-SM and MX5 racers and also MSRC members and regulars up there, they don't frequent RL tho.
I believe they still keep their trucks up near Crandon (Wisconsin) but they might have some down here on occasion for promotional events.
Let me know when you are ready and I will see what I can do.

sierralima

I love sliding around in the wet...but can't say I'm very good at it. Our #1 SMART goal this weekend is stay on the track...measured by the amount of mud present inside the car.

The WRL race at TWS in the rain was very gentlemanly - it made me laugh because on the track it looked like we were racing in slow motion. I think a lot of that was people were driving someone else's car, and they are more strict w/ the no contact policy. I have never seen gentlemanly behavior in a spec Miata race.

So first time this direction this track...unfamiliar track...new to racing...very slippery...little rain racing experience...still learning limits of the car...in a race full of maniacs known to punt slow newbs...what could go wrong?

I think this is a bad idea...but a bunch of people are telling me it is a good idea. I'm getting my parachute ready for when they tell me to go jump off a cliff.

And yes...I'll definitely follow up w/ you on the TORC, Viking, thanks again...I'm excited thinking about it.

onefastviking

LOL,
The people telling you it's a good idea just want to watch at your expense ! But Miatas are cheap so be careful and have fun.
Oh, and make sure your cameras are turned on front AND rear !

sierralima

Lol! Spec Miata does make for some entertaining video. As they say, if you can't be a good example at least be a terrible lesson...or something like that.

Friday was highly entertaining in miserable weather. I went off track 9 times. I asked the guy I was working with if I should dial it back, he said no.

If I get a chance I'll make a video of my in car antics. At one point I went through Rattlesnake and I don't think the car was ever pointed in the right direction. I was bouncing off the curbing like a pinball. The steering wheel would spin madly and the cord for the push to talk radio kept getting wrapped around the steering column and eventually pulled out of the dash.

Fortunately the ground there is firm and most folks were able to drive back on w/o a tow.

So overall good clean fun.

surlynkid

....and you only ended up with a tiny love tap on the front fender from another rookie going two abreast through rattlesnake. car is broken in now.

TXE36

I don't know why, but the first time I read that I saw "car is broken now".

I spent last weekend getting the rear wheel bearing installed and breaking my homemade tools. The wheel bearing went well, the ball joints, not so much. Had to crack open the wallet and buy the right tool. At least with two E36s, I can use it twice.

-Mike

onefastviking

FYI, I have a real hyd press and all the correct ballpoint removal tools, if you have the suspension carrier off the car just bring it over here, I'll help out a fellow PCA instructor, even if he is driving the wrong car.


Btw, I read it as broken also. Funny how the mind can trick you.

onefastviking

I'm pretty sure I know that SM, if it's the one I am thinking then it's been broken in before. Fenders are cheap, no worries there.

TXE36

It's all good. The track has made me lust over a classic air cooled 911, but I have house payments to worry about as well. At least I'm not in a chick car like a Miata (jabs SL in the side ).

I'll probably take you up on getting an alignment done once I find all the worn joints. Inner lowers were done. Fixed those and the outer lowers needed attention, might as well do the outer uppers. I'm fairly sure the inner uppers are okay. It was a good time for me to go through the rear end. Many of the parts I'm changing are likely original and due given the car's mileage. Need to give the front end the same treatment and once the slop is rung out then get it lined up for a baseline.

Looking back, I've had it a year and I've driven the **** out of it in addition to bouncing over a few curbs and spinning it more times than it has been spun than Dave likely did in the last 5-7 years. Ms. Manners needed a little bit of TLC.

What is also cool is I finally got the XJR running again, so the wife is driving that. I've parked the truck and been driving my '99 E36 M3 to work with normal seats/belts and that car is a real fun commuter car. I forgot just how nice a stockish E36 M3 is for doing "normal" things with a car like driving to work, getting groceries, and buying tools from Harbor Freight. Oh, and it has a radio/MP3 player and functioning AC.

Hopefully we can arrange some right seat time for you with me in April. Should have a new track camera as well as my GoPro has, quoting Darth Vader, "failed me for the last time".

-Mike

tahoelife

Okay I have finally made the step from Time trial to PCA club racing and am running a SPB. This past weekend was my first of two rookie weekends and was made fun and challenging by pouring rain and 40-50 mph winds. So the effort to insure a "clean" weekend was intense. I did so successfully and had a stellar time.

With that said in the last sprint race as I gained more confidence in the car and my ability to run door to door I made a pass in a very tight blind corner that became a question of if I had left enough room for the other driver. It was determined by the National Steward I had indeed left "just enough" room this was determined from the corner workers and video. (sadly my go pro failed me so I have just ordered new cameras) but the car I passed and the car behind both had video.

My question is in PCA while allowing enough room what is the guide line if you are nose to nose at braking and you have the inside line can you take them a bit deeper so they cant get a better drive out of it? In motocross we where taught to take the guy "high" in the corner to slow them down a bit. (I know PCA no banging bars lol) all the guys I will be racing in my region have become friends and are the ones who encouraged me to build a SPB I want to race clean and keep the paddock friendly but once helmet goes on we are racing which is the point so what can I do to insure clean passes leaving room yet "make the pass stick"

Thank you

TXE36

Not a racer, but PCA instructor and I hang out with a bunch of racers. I've also attended the rookie club racer meetings and I've always thought "just enough room" was the standard. One could even surmise that if you leave more room than that you aren't maxing out your racecraft. Curious what others with better cred than I think.

With me, the bloom is off the rose wrt the GoPro. I'm hoping the Xiaomi Yi camera works out. At less than $100 a steal compared to the GoPro.

-Mike

onefastviking

I was just playing on the P-car thing. And as for Miatas........ I own too many of them to say anything bad about them I love them.

I was scheduled to be at TWS in April but now it looks like I will be headed to Road Atlanta instead. Although it's not finalized yet.

Veloce Raptor

I think that you need to behave even while passing passing as if two wide is ok for that corner. Because that's the way it has to be.

Yes you can brake and go deep into the corner as long as you give them room in all parts of the corner: entry apex and track out. Yes this hinders their exit but also yours...but you control the actual apex if you're inside so advantage yours,
Usually...

tahoelife

Thank you VR after reviewing his video more I think I took him to deep in the corner to allow him enough room to track I will have to rethink how to make that corner work for two cars all the way through. I will say I was ahead at turn in and left him plenty of room at entry to apex but pinched him off during exit i think.

winders

Which corner?