[apk919]

Early weather: 43 degrees, damp, but no rain as of 5:45 am.

No rain is forecast until later tonight...

 

[apk919]

Big Willow definitely is big... as in go big or go home. I've still got some wood to chop.

Great seeing Eddie, Greg, and a couple of Esprits!

Eddie and I mixing it up on the track...

 

[apk919]

More Lotus action...

 

[lapthis]

Andy,
It was fun seeing you and Eddie too! I wish I could have had more time to do some sessions down on the big track. Turns out the last session I did I found that maybe I don't have the best suspension settings on my car just yet and that maybe it needs some serious corner balancing.......I found all that out at about 110mph!!!

Greg

P.S. Did your sister ask any more about Alex? :bow:

 

[apk919]

Andy,
It was fun seeing you and Eddie too! I wish I could have had more time to do some sessions down on the big track. Turns out the last session I did I found that maybe I don't have the best suspension settings on my car just yet and that maybe it needs some serious corner balancing.......I found all that out at about 110mph!!!

Greg

anic:

P.S. Did your sister ask any more about Alex? :bow:

LOL! I sent her a cellphone pic and she identified him immediately. I owe her a phone call. For those of you who may be confused... Alex Van Halen was there kicking some serious butt... :coolnana:

 

[kaz]

awesome pics...how did u guys do on times?

 

[apk919]

awesome pics...how did u guys do on times?

I took photos of the timesheets... haven't downloaded them yet. It was cold, windy, with occasional showers, so conditions weren't ideal (excuses, excuses ). I think my best time was in the 1:43's, but I wasn't anywhere near proper speed through turns 8 & 9...

 

[Jack]

Andy,

Great photos. Glad you and Eddie had fun.

Your baby can break 1:40 no problem .... you just need some more seat time at Big Willow. The best LCS-TT time for Big Willow in 2008 was a 1:33.8. Last Tuesday, the 2Eleven had no problem turning 1:32.2. It's off to Buttonwillow this coming Tuesday... now that's a fun track. :up:

 

[apk919]

Andy,

Great photos. Glad you and Eddie had fun.

Your baby can break 1:40 no problem .... you just need some more seat time at Big Willow. The best LCS-TT time for Big Willow in 2008 was a 1:33.8. Last Tuesday, the 2Eleven had no problem turning 1:32.2. It's off to Buttonwillow this coming Tuesday... now that's a fun track. :up:

Thanks Jack, and great photo of the 2-11! :drool:

Big Willow is exactly the kind of track I need to work on... it's weird, in turn 2 I have no problem pushing the car to the limit, but I need to work on flat sweepers (i.e. 8 & 9).

 

[plastique999]

Great meeting up with you guys...Andy is like my track buddy - see him at all the events now.
Greg, sorry I missed you - I had to bail early cuz my left rear was completely corded. By the time I got home, I was through the cords and the middle of the tire was blistering -eek--eek-

I agree...this track is about balls!

My second time out here and I couldn't even break 1:40 - no balls...

My "valid" racing excuses:

1. It drizzled only in my session, so couldn't push it.
2. Suspension not set up properly
3. Rear tires were bald - I was sliding on T2 and T8 - no good.

OR I could get some instruction and more seat time!

 

[apk919]

How Not To Take Turn 1 At Big Willow

Watch the nice, smoky 360 performed by the car in front of me (it's better if you watch in high quality):

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/GDXv1SELhOc&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/GDXv1SELhOc&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

 

[apk919]

I'm toying with a neat little gadget for real time G display... but it also logs Gs during the session. The G circle includes about 12 laps... note the higher lateral loadings in left turns (also note that the plot is slightly skewed... I must have bumped the gadget a bit while pressing the buttons). Also, the only forward acceleration of note happened while leaving pit lane in first gear

 

[kaz]

ha great video Andy, better that turn than the last one lol -

Here's Craig at Jack's bday showing me around in the STi. He's looking for a lead follow car to haul stuff around and wanted to check out my car. These laps are in his words "5/10's" and somewhere there's a high 1:37 in that session...brakes were giving out. Like always I can't tell when he is on or off the brakes into gas - smoooooooth

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/zhYic86QJfA&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/zhYic86QJfA&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

 

[kaz]

repost, but here's Craig driving with a little more gusto in Frank's Elise when he had the supercharger - I was hoping his car was ready for Jack's day, would surely have beaten the Lotus record at the track with Craig driving it again. I think he does like 1:27? 26? in this session...

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZJb0I74x3Rs&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZJb0I74x3Rs&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

 

[Jack]

repost, but here's Craig driving with a little more gusto in Frank's Elise when he had the supercharger - I was hoping his car was ready for Jack's day, would surely have beaten the Lotus record at the track with Craig driving it again. I think he does like 1:27? 26? in this session...

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZJb0I74x3Rs&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZJb0I74x3Rs&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

Peter,

Craig would much prefer driving your car or a stock Lotus ... he has told me on numerous occasions that the handling and balance were way off on Frank's and more power would only make it worse. The power, which was great, overwhelmed the chassis/suspension. Craig isn't a 'handsy" driver unless he needs to be to keep the car on the track -- that video is the opposite of the typical Stanton-smooth driving style.

BTW, Craig turned a 1:30.04 in Carl's normally aspirated Elise at Big Willow -- 160 rwhp vs 320 rwhp.

 

[gmendoza]

Nice meeting you guys yesterday. It was my second time on a/this track and I'm still a boy on it. The rain during my session didn't help with the stress either. The best I did was a 1.49.0; the car felt great though, no where near it's limit.

Eddie, even though you may not have broken 1.40, the laps I saw were very close to the 1.40. Although you were sliding through EVERY corner!!


Andy, your car looked great too and very smooth from what I saw. I just noticed you're from SD. That's a long drive!!!!

 

[apk919]

repost, but here's Craig driving with a little more gusto in Frank's Elise when he had the supercharger - I was hoping his car was ready for Jack's day, would surely have beaten the Lotus record at the track with Craig driving it again. I think he does like 1:27? 26? in this session...

I remember seeing that before, but it has much more impact on me now that I've actually driven the track. He is seriously <b>on</b> it!

 

[kaz]

BTW, Craig turned a 1:30.04 in Carl's normally aspirated Elise at Big Willow

!! I forgot about that...Carl's Elise was hooked up when he had it

 

[apk919]

Nice meeting you guys yesterday. It was my second time on a/this track and I'm still a boy on it. The rain during my session didn't help with the stress either. The best I did was a 1.49.0; the car felt great though, no where near it's limit.

Eddie, even though you may not have broken 1.40, the laps I saw were very close to the 1.40. Although you were sliding through EVERY corner!!


Andy, your car looked great too and very smooth from what I saw. I just noticed you're from SD. That's a long drive!!!!

Great meeting you too! And a beautiful Esprit as well. Not only is it a long drive, it was mostly in the rain in both directions.

 

[kaz]

Eddie, even though you may not have broken 1.40, the laps I saw were very close to the 1.40. Although you were sliding through EVERY corner!!

OMG you have no idea how bad his car is pushing right now. I drove some laps the day before at Streets, you would turn the wheel and nothing would happen...except instant screeching and the car going straight

Eddie when you get your new tires and loosen up the front a little don't forget your car won't push as bad so they won't act like automatic brakes when you turn the wheel! Just don't end up ass backwards in a ditch somewhere lol