• Serj
  • Serj
  • Lemons Staff Stalker
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  • From: Cincinnati, OH
  • Registered: 2009-05-02
  • Posts: 1,601

Re: Detroit Irony drivers less terrible than most!

Steve-O; I think you're better at it than you may realize. MR2s are weak in the engine department traditionally so utilizing the light weight of the car and it's ...well, supposed handling advantages is generally the way to put down good numbers. One thing to realize though is give the mirrors a quick look before setting your line through the turn. It's saved my bacon a number of times im sure. Traditionally it's been my personal experience that it's the driver who's passing's responsibility to ensure a clean pass and that they're seen by the other driver. If you're not in their peripheral view just assume they don't see you, even with mirrors being a rule. Like Spinnetti's saying contact's been made everyone's fault at these races so there's more incentive to be kind.

As far as putting down fast times, I was actually the slow guy on my team this turn around because i was first man out on a new/untested brake compound we went with, so i kept my braking zones long and smooth and easy for most of my stint. As the day wore on the times got faster as every pit we'd check the pads. When my old man got into the seat he beat the ever-loving piss out of the car and it kept dealing with it just fine. he put down a 1:54 on tires with a 400 treadwear, lol. We probably could have finished top 10 but another caliper failure cost us 40minutes to change'em out. not bad considering last time it happened it took 2 hours, lol.

Now if only Goodridge would help me find some damn braided steel lines that would actually fit our car...

  • From: Frisco, Texas
  • Registered: 2009-05-02
  • Posts: 1,430

Re: Detroit Irony drivers less terrible than most!

Serj wrote:

he put down a 1:54 on tires with a 400 treadwear

Thats frikken amazing.... Given the advantages of the Neon, clearly we are way off the pace!

"Don't mess with Lexas!" LS400. We survived another one! See website link for build details.
Maker of the "unofficial Lemons fish!" - If you ask nice, I'll likely give you one at the track.

Spinnetti's Website

  • Marc
  • Lemons Staff Stalker
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  • From: Fort Wayne, IN
  • Registered: 2009-10-06
  • Posts: 1,378

Re: Detroit Irony drivers less terrible than most!

yeah, we were running 300 treadwear and 1:54 was our best time in a car that should be able to put power down much better than a Neon (an MR2). I'm impressed with the driving skills!

  • FJ40Jim
  • FJ40Jim
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  • From: Lancaster OH
  • Registered: 2009-05-02
  • Posts: 1,657

Re: Detroit Irony drivers less terrible than most!

Serj wrote:

When my old man got into the seat he beat the ever-loving piss out of the car and it kept dealing with it just fine. he put down a 1:54 on tires with a 400 treadwear, lol.

Holy carp, we thought we were doing good turning 1:52 on 200 tires w/ excellent 4wheel discs. 

Does your old man wanna drive a VW?

Now if only Goodridge would help me find some damn braided steel lines that would actually fit our car...

You can roll your own.  Earl's has the line & fittings and it is easy to put together, once you get the hang of it.

Supplies can be had from Fluidsystemsengineering.com in MI,
or
http://www.anplumbing.com/ in CA.

They have some short videos of how to cut & assemble braided hose & fitting:
http://www.anplumbing.com/tech.html

Jim C.
If God meant for us to race, we'd all have baggy Nomex skin.
08TMS.09NL.10GM, SP, NL.11SP, NL.12SP, VIR, NL.13GM, NJ.14NJ, VIR, WGI.15AB.16GM.17NCM.18GM.19...
  • Matt88
  • Rookie Driver
  • Offline
  • From: Ypsilanti, MI
  • Registered: 2009-10-05
  • Posts: 10

Re: Detroit Irony drivers less terrible than most!

Marc wrote:

yeah, we were running 300 treadwear and 1:54 was our best time in a car that should be able to put power down much better than a Neon (an MR2). I'm impressed with the driving skills!

We had treadwear 300 Toyo Proxes 4s on our Scirocco. Stock rear drum brakes and stock front brakes with decent Hawk Pads.

Those tires really need to be shaved before use, though.  They wear real bad with the amount of understeer a FWD VW exhibits.  The left front in particular...

But I did manage to knock out a 1:51.9 laptime Sunday.  1900 lb car with 115hp motor.  Well, at least that engine was rated that high when originally equipped in a 1994-5 Golf/Jetta... Considering the terrible Mk1 exhaust system we were using, I wouldn't be surprised if it were more like 105 hp.  We had to of been the quietest car on track, though (that is when we weren't being penalized for poor driving).

  • Stevo
  • Ripened Lemon
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  • From: Indianapolis
  • Registered: 2009-05-26
  • Posts: 102

Re: Detroit Irony drivers less terrible than most!

Serj wrote:

Steve-O; I think you're better at it than you may realize. MR2s are weak in the engine department traditionally so utilizing the light weight of the car and it's ...well, supposed handling advantages is generally the way to put down good numbers. One thing to realize though is give the mirrors a quick look before setting your line through the turn. It's saved my bacon a number of times im sure. Traditionally it's been my personal experience that it's the driver who's passing's responsibility to ensure a clean pass and that they're seen by the other driver. If you're not in their peripheral view just assume they don't see you, even with mirrors being a rule. Like Spinnetti's saying contact's been made everyone's fault at these races so there's more incentive to be kind.

Yah, We have one of the big Wink mirrors, but it doesn't give as complete a picture as I would like.  I plan to add some smaller convex mirrors on the sides.  Of course you still have to look at them to gain any benefit.

  • From: Gilbertsville, PA
  • Registered: 2009-12-22
  • Posts: 3,251

Re: Detroit Irony drivers less terrible than most!

Maybe having to beat the crap out of the car to get good lap times because of your 400 treadwear tires helped cause caliper failure?

Just a thought

Serj wrote:

Steve-O; I think you're better at it than you may realize. MR2s are weak in the engine department traditionally so utilizing the light weight of the car and it's ...well, supposed handling advantages is generally the way to put down good numbers. One thing to realize though is give the mirrors a quick look before setting your line through the turn. It's saved my bacon a number of times im sure. Traditionally it's been my personal experience that it's the driver who's passing's responsibility to ensure a clean pass and that they're seen by the other driver. If you're not in their peripheral view just assume they don't see you, even with mirrors being a rule. Like Spinnetti's saying contact's been made everyone's fault at these races so there's more incentive to be kind.

As far as putting down fast times, I was actually the slow guy on my team this turn around because i was first man out on a new/untested brake compound we went with, so i kept my braking zones long and smooth and easy for most of my stint. As the day wore on the times got faster as every pit we'd check the pads. When my old man got into the seat he beat the ever-loving piss out of the car and it kept dealing with it just fine. he put down a 1:54 on tires with a 400 treadwear, lol. We probably could have finished top 10 but another caliper failure cost us 40minutes to change'em out. not bad considering last time it happened it took 2 hours, lol.

Now if only Goodridge would help me find some damn braided steel lines that would actually fit our car...

Silent But Deadly Racing-  Ricky Bobby's Laughing Clown Malt Liquor Thunderbird , Datsun 510, 87 Mustang (The Race Team Formerly Known as Prince), 72 Pinto Squire waggy, Parnelli Jones 67 Galaxie, Turbo Coupe Surf wagon.(The Surfin Bird), Squatting Dogs In Tracksuits,  Space Pants!  Roy Fuckin Kent and The tribute to a tribute to a tribute THUNDERBIRD/ SUNDAHBADOH!
  • Serj
  • Serj
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  • From: Cincinnati, OH
  • Registered: 2009-05-02
  • Posts: 1,601

Re: Detroit Irony drivers less terrible than most!

Sir Thomas Crapper wrote:

Maybe having to beat the crap out of the car to get good lap times because of your 400 treadwear tires helped cause caliper failure?

Just a thought

You'd actually be off on that one. we simply miscalculated our pad life on sunday, went metal on metal (almost typed mental on metal haha) and that superheated the calipers causing them to seize.

Just sayin' smile

  • From: Golden, CO
  • Registered: 2009-05-02
  • Posts: 968

Re: Detroit Irony drivers less terrible than most!

Mental On Metal sounds like a K-Tel collection of 80's hair bands.  12 head-bangin' hits by the original artists!

1978 AMC Pacer - The Blue Flag Special
BFE GP '12 - IOE
BFE GP '13 - Co-Organizer's Choice w/ Speed Holes Wrenching
  • From: Gilbertsville, PA
  • Registered: 2009-12-22
  • Posts: 3,251

Re: Detroit Irony drivers less terrible than most!

Serj wrote:
Sir Thomas Crapper wrote:

Maybe having to beat the crap out of the car to get good lap times because of your 400 treadwear tires helped cause caliper failure?

Just a thought

You'd actually be off on that one. we simply miscalculated our pad life on sunday, went metal on metal (almost typed mental on metal haha) and that superheated the calipers causing them to seize.

Just sayin' smile

Gotcha

Silent But Deadly Racing-  Ricky Bobby's Laughing Clown Malt Liquor Thunderbird , Datsun 510, 87 Mustang (The Race Team Formerly Known as Prince), 72 Pinto Squire waggy, Parnelli Jones 67 Galaxie, Turbo Coupe Surf wagon.(The Surfin Bird), Squatting Dogs In Tracksuits,  Space Pants!  Roy Fuckin Kent and The tribute to a tribute to a tribute THUNDERBIRD/ SUNDAHBADOH!