Hot Marques 1/6/10

[Clarkie]

Anyone going?

Not been on track since last August so thought I'd get some practice in before TT2010

[David]

Yes, I'm booked. First trackday post accident so I'll be hoping to comfirm the car is back to it's old self.

Let the weather be GOOOD

[Modena Scotland]

I shall be there

[eoinmac]

Weather forecast is ..... RAIN ! !

[Modena Scotland]

If it rains, I will take the CR. If dry, I need to test the frog's coilovers settings.

[weemark]

Im going to head up and see if they let me on, my wee clio isnt worth 15k but fingers crossed they let me on !!

[David]

Well I was a bit apprehensive about this one - maybe the iffy weather, the new wheels and tyres, or just the post crash blues. But it was a great evening despite some of the worst driving I've seen on a HM evening. . Slashed my PB and was comfortably in the 58s - lap after lap. Full report and video when I've got some time.

Mass - What happened to you? I was hoping to see the Frog .

[Modena Scotland]

Dave, I've left the house in the frog but my two local shell stations didn't have any v-max which must be used in the Rx7 due to its mapping.

As the next nearest shell station was too far so I had no alternative but to return home, by which time it was too late to take out the CR. So I decided to skip the TD.

Sounds like you had fun.

What problems with the driving standard?

[David]

What problems with the driving standard?

My first session was spent behind several 'straight line heroes' and there was a definite race mentality among some. Fortunately duffus sorted out one, and a few words from KH staff/black flags improved things later. to KH staff

[David]

Full Report.

I left the house with it raining so it was screen on and full weather kit but strapped the aero screen on the back just in case. I arrived at 5.30 and signed on but luck was on my side and I got invited straight into the pit garages. I used the 15 minutes before the brief to fit the Aero as it was drying out quite quickly - things were going my way . . . . .

I had spent a lot of time after the accident sorting out the geometry but was still nervous that something may not be right and it was my first time out on the 13 inch wheels so I was a bit on edge.

The first session was quite strange with the car feeling a lot looser than I remembered but, as I got heat in to the tyres, it came good and just got better and better. The traffic was bunched up and it seemed pointless to continue so I came in to check tyre pressures and then straight out for some more practice.

By the third session it was clear that everything was beginning to gel and, with new tyres, I knew this was my best chance to improve my PB - so it was time to focus. I could hear Jason saying ' your turning in too early at the hairpin' and Mass, 'you're too late getting the power on at Clarks'. To be honest, it all seemed too easy. Twelve laps, all under a minute - that's 11 more that I've done in two previous years! The best lap was 58.59 seconds.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8xQWW8IfUs

Clearly there has been a step change in performance of 2 seconds or more – roller barrels, 13 inch wheels, new tyres, or better geometry? Who knows, but I suspect that all play their part – maybe the wheels and tyres the biggest part.




Black = Yesterday
Orange = last year

Better braking and earlier on the power/better traction are the most noticeable things in the data.

[weemark]

A 58 second lap is very impressive . I noticed in your videos that you dont run wide onto the kerbs much, do you find them slippy with the car being so light?
p.s i hope i didnt get in your way ! haha

[scoobyc]

must be great to be able to analyse your laps with something like those graphs and see the benefits of all your efforts, wish i lived nearer knockhill at times

[David]

A 58 second lap is very impressive . I noticed in your videos that you dont run wide onto the kerbs much, do you find them slippy with the car being so light?
p.s i hope i didnt get in your way ! haha

I'm just amazed how quick your car is - what have you done to it?

I started the evening keeping off the kerbs as it had just dried up. But it is mainly just down to me getting it wrong. I tend to feel for the limit and if I am not going fast enough I use less track. It just show there's more in there.

[weemark]

Thats sounds a better way to judge it than what i use, mine being if im on the grass im going too quick haha.

The clio has Gaz gold track coilovers, whiteline rear anti-roll bar, polybushed all round, brembo carbon max discs with carbone lorraine sintered pads, ported and polished inlet manifold, 4-1 manifold 3" decated exhaust and stripped out to probably about 850/900kg. I just purchased a set of full slick michelins so i will see how they go on the trackscotland night