Solo Season Opener: Let the STR Battle Begin

Shockingly I forgot my camera this weekend, and sadly too, it was quite the weekend.

(You have to rely on this video on Kevin driving the course in his STi swapped wagon.)

Saturday was the SCCA Solo school, I was instructing this year, and jumping from car to car, person to person, I learned a lot about what I was doing as a driver based on what I was trying to tell these people. As the day went on and the student's lines improved I started playing the role of the bad instructor. As the students gave into my repeated pleas to not shuffle steer and keep their hands at the nine and three positions on the wheel I realized they'd learn more by making mistakes.

By the afternoon my only comment was repeated shouting of, "Go faster! Spin the tires! Let me hear the tires squealing! Drive faster than you feel comfortable!" I wanted people to learn this was a place to cut loose, you don't need to drive like your grandmother is in the car. If we see you sliding sideways we aren't going to be angry, we're going to be clapping and ecstatic, so make us proud.

A few of the students progressed quite a bit over the course of the day. By the afternoon, full course, session, I was able to take a few students for rides. It was a lot of fun to have a kid driving a Civic laughing in the passenger seat as he learns how much fun rear wheel drive can be; or my favorite experience of the day was a fairly competent Corvette driver repeatedly yelling, "holy shit, holy shit!" as I maneuvered my little Miata though the cones. I'll take their shouts as confirmation the new Advans are doing their job.

Sunday brought the first official event. To my surprise complaints were made about my car. Technically I'm breaking the rules, but my car is actually fairly under built for the STR class, so to have another driver complain that I had an aftermarket steering wheel, that will not help in a performance manner in any way, was quite the shock. Cooler heads prevailed and a vote among the other drivers of my class allowed me to compete with my illegal setup. Auto racing is still a gentlemen's sport I guess.

As the day went on I was leading the pack in my class and fairly high up the over all results. My foolish morals and views of auto racing as a gentleman's sport made me share one of my secrets of tire pressure with a competitor in a far superior S2000. He instantly took .9 seconds off his time to pass me, and on the last run of the day a new NC Miata was able to squeak by as well. This season promises to be exciting. I'll make sure to have more photos and fewer words for the next season update. Our friend Josh, who helped with my motorcycle adventure was also close on our heels with solid driving.

Here are the raw results, look at the close times for the STR class. http://www.renoscca.org/results/solo/2012/2012Round01Raw.html

1 - Bart Miller, '06 S2000 - 58.583

2 - Tim McMaster (NC) Miata - 58.793

3 - Derek Anderson '90 1.6 Miata - 58.869

Season opener.

The first time the car has been turned loose this year. The first time testing many modifications, the first time with truly sticky tires, the first time in the faster Blue "advanced" run group. What a day it was. I was feeling a little sick and just couldn't get into the rhythm of things. The car also had a few mechanical problems that prevented me from participating in all run groups. But in doing so it did reaffirm a belief I've long held.

Don't force things. If they're supposed to happen they will. When things start stacking up and you find yourself having to rush, cut corners, or not proceed with the normal amount of caution then there is probably trouble on the horizon.

My Miata, PJ's S2000, Bart's S2000

I decided Bart's car needed some more masking tape so people knew who was following them.

 BEE! AY! ARR! TEE!

Bart's tape needed constant adjusting and replacement. It was flying off the car down the main straight.

A beautiful Nevada day.

Battered and bruised, our cars make their way home.

The longest the S2000 was behind me all day.

Love it or hate it. Just call it the Bartmobile.

When tires are hot, and sticky and decide to grab the fender, bad things happen. Take note hellaflush kids.

PJ gives me an official Chinaroll fender service. What a sweet heart.

Track Ready.

I know I haven't finished up where I left off with the brake upgrades. The last week has been a little crazy with work and such. And up until yesterday I didn't plan on going to this Friday's season opener track day. Now that a track day is in the line up all the little projects I'd been meaning to get to got put into fast forward.
-Lower temp thermostat
-Oil change with heavier weight oil
-Finish up some one the yet to be seen changes to the braking setup.

(excuse the blur, it's late and I'm tired.)

General maintenance to make sure that everything is buttoned up and ready to roll tomorrow. It's been over a week since I drove the car, with the weather getting nicer, and my want to save money, and hopefully a little of the environment I've been riding the bike every day. Switching back to the Miata is odd, its probably the first time the car has felt fast, I don't remember the spacing of the gears, and it rides so much lower than my little Honda commuter bike. It's time to remember how to do all this before I hit the track Saturday. Last stop before that is a family friend's local shop for new transmission and differential fluid. Its hard to believe I've put 25 thousand miles on my car since this time last year, but I have.

The most important thing is I'm joining my friend Bart, and instead of spending the day instructing, PJ. They're both bringing their S2000's out for the day. Its sad to think that it may be one of the last track days I have with them both.

We know a place where no planes go.

One of my favorite parts of Nevada is that if you head to the desert, take a road that appears rarely travelled you'll come across signs like these, a place where you're not wanted.

Signs, military, large aerospace corporations, security cameras, and mystery. This site was supposedly a Saturn rocket test site and was used as far back as the Gemini project. Bob and I were nearly overcome by our curiosity to hop the gate and have a look.

Bil Baldwin

I don't make a point of going out of my way to disagree, or be difficult, but most of the time when I see an individual being hyped up, especially by a group with the name of "Beard Life," I don't expect much. The whole idol worship, fifteen minutes of fame thing has never caught me. Charlie Sheen cheetah blood references? Chuck Norris jokes? All seemingly stupid for the sake of others knowing what you're talking about.

This guy is the genuine article though, my skepticism was replaced with admiration as I watched and realized he wasn't a wannabe badass, a beard fanboy, or any other nonsense. Just a fan of motorsports, and dedicated to what he's doing.

Two shots from Bart

I've always liked Bart's style of photography, so I was excited to have him take some photos of my car, and now I respect the effort he puts into his work, even if its a goofy little shoot with a friend on a Sunday night.

http://www.wix.com/2423photos/2423
http://www.flickr.com/photos/renocafe/

Brakes pt:1

In the middle of last summer, in the desert outside of Fernley, I experienced my first PDX event in the Miata. Towards the end of the 20 minute sessions my brakes were getting noticeably hot.

Something had to be done. The idea of upgrading the brakes grew out of control until it was a complete system rethink.

Part 1 is a Trackspeed duct kit to get some fresh air in where the mesh wheels weren't. The well designed pieces also provide a heat shield for the lower ball joint and tie rod ends.

More to follow, and I have to give credit and thanks to my friend Bob, an excellent wrench turner and all around good time for sacrificing his Saturday to help me.