What we've learned on the track

[Quickurt]

Are those great explanations why they call you "insite?" Well done, I really wish we had a clapping hands emoticon.
As far as the rain goes, let me explain something. I LOVED to race. I LIVED to race.
As a matter of fact, the line in LeMans where Steve McQueen says "Racing is living, everything else is just waiting" was the motto I lived by.
UNLESS IT WAS RAINING!
1- I was paying ALL the bills
2- I was not being paid to race
3- racing in the rain was NOT fun
4- racing in the rain magnified ANY mistake by about 1 million
5- racing in the rain was NOT fun
Did I mention racing in the rain was NOT fun?
There is one steadfast rule of driving. If it is raining, SLOW DOWN and pay twice as much attention to other drivers as you normally do.

[Frodo]

Back in the mid-1970's I was drivng from Virginia (where I was going to school) down to Florida with a couple of friends. We were in a 1973 Vega, what I was driving in those days. (Fortunately, although it wasn't a very exciting car, I did manage to get one of the ones that never had the mechanical problems that many of them did.)

Anyway, we were on 95 South zippin' along at a pretty good pace. Don't even remember what state we were in, though I suspect it was one of the Carolinas. Then it started to rain. Pretty darn hard. Stupidly, I didn't slow down at all, at least initially. I had no probems personally, but before long I saw another Vega, headed northbound, that I'm pretty sure was the same model and year as the one we were in. I suspect he too failed to adjust his driving technique with the sudden change of weather, probably moving at a similar speed to us.

What caught my attention was the fact that he was doing a 360 (actually probably more like a 720, or possibly worse) in the (fortunately quite wide) grass-covered median area between the highways. It was a sight I'll never forget---they were shooting up a rooster tail of mud and grass that we could see from a quarter mile away. Fortuanately for them, the car came to a stop without colliding with anything more formidable than soaked turf. I could actually see the driver after coming to a stop as we drove by; his eyes seemed as big as saucers and I'm pretty sure his fingernails were embedded into the steering wheel.

I slowed down considerably, and still do when it rains. I absolutely cannot imagine racing in rainy conditions. To me, it borders on insanity. (But maybe that's just me. )

[insite]

Originally Posted by Frodo

I absolutely cannot imagine racing in rainy conditions. To me, it borders on insanity. (But maybe that's just me. )

i've only driven on track in the rain a couple of times, and it is a BLAST! scary at first, for sure, but it is AMAZING how fast you can go if you plot the right line. my first couple of laps are always 'recon' laps to figure out where the water is pooling and where the roughest track surface appears to be. since the friction coefficient between the road and tires decreases in the rain, your grip has to come from the 'mechanical keying' effect where the rubber deforms and 'keys' to the roughness of the road.

once a good line is determined, slowly bring up the pace. the worst thing for me is to have the car break away unexpectedly while in the wet. to avoid this, i've found it best to slide the car IMMEDIATELY on corner entry. horrifying at first for sure. once you're 'in the zone', it's possible to get exceptional lap times only maybe ten percent lower than dry!

granted i've never tried this wheel to wheel; THAT would be insane.

[Frodo]

Yeah, I could see that could be kind of cool on a track with no other vehicles and few stationary obstacles to collide with. That's certainly a good environment to learn what you and your ride's limitations are, rain or shine.

[stephen wilson]

I prefer dry racing, but have actually enjoyed racing in the wet. You can explore the limit at much lower speeds. Having said that, I do not enjoy it when the visibility gets bad, I also race a Formula Ford. What's really scary is getting caught on slicks when it's damp or just starting to rain Though I wan a race at Pocono this year under just those conditions. I had to force myself to keep the throttle down while trying to keep the back end in line around the NASCAR turn 1. At one point there was water running across the track, you had to straighten the car mid-corner, "skate" across, then resume cornering.
Steve

[SBD]

Like any competitive sport I've learned it's best to do get good instruction FIRST. Join local pca, do car control clinics and autox's, they are great track prep. I've learned to be very comfortable with the car at 10 tenths. And when I do go past it, I feel comfortable reeling it in.
seat time, seat time, seat time. Its a visual sport, ride with a lot of different people and other cars too. Once you get your skills, then share them with others and instruct. Not the first to say -Keep looking way ahead, on turns brake early-slow in fast out, and late apex, late apex.

What else- oh yeah car set-up. I have learned how an alignment can effect the handling, what spring rates effect is on understeer and oversteer, camber settings, air pressures. and what different tires do or affect all the above.

Learned to experiment and try something different. For example on my 986 I run 285's 710's on all 4 9in wheels.
I dropped 3 seconds (track) from my prior 245 285 setup. I have learned that even the base boxster with only basic suspension mods and r tires can be one of the fastest cars out there on the track or autox.

number one thing I have learned after driving lots of cars on the track.
THe MID ENGINE 986 rock.

so much more to learn too!
its a blast-get out there and let the 986 out of captivity.


enjoy - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiuz7gn6UpQ

[Topless]

SBD,
Were you the guy out at Streets of Willow last weekend with a Base 2001 Boxster sporting 285 V710's all around?? Whew! Screamin' times. Fastest car in Stock class. Outran everyone but 1 GT3, 1 993TT, and the new 997s with trick tranny. Even bagged a Lambo. Nice!

[Quickurt]

Originally Posted by stephen wilson

I prefer dry racing, but have actually enjoyed racing in the wet. You can explore the limit at much lower speeds. Having said that, I do not enjoy it when the visibility gets bad, I also race a Formula Ford. What's really scary is getting caught on slicks when it's damp or just starting to rain Though I wan a race at Pocono this year under just those conditions. I had to force myself to keep the throttle down while trying to keep the back end in line around the NASCAR turn 1. At one point there was water running across the track, you had to straighten the car mid-corner, "skate" across, then resume cornering.
Steve

Have you run at the new New Jersey Motorsports Park yet? My biggest customer is a vintage Ford (door cars) racer and went up for the first event. He said the owners should have hired Mike Rand like they did for the renovations at VIR. He said you really have to watch the stupid gator teeth on the outside of the exits. If you go onto them they throw you off the track.

[stephen wilson]

Yes, I've run the Lightning track once. Unfortunately, I missed the Thunderbolt race, and the final Lighning race due to a failed fuel cell. ATL won't have the replacement ready for several weeks yet, since it's custom. No off-the-shelf unit would fit my '78 Van Dieman. Are you from the New England area like Rand? He's untouchable a LRP! I managed to keep things tidy and not run afoul of the gator teeth, Though I did manage a high speed off on the right hand turn 6 (7?). It's tricky, with a crest at the apex, falling away towards the exit edge.

[Surfncpa]

http://********************************accessories.com/browseproducts/details/90/90/986-boxster/986-boxster-exterior/aspheric-mirror-set.html

These the ones, Mike?

[mikefocke]

Originally Posted by Surfncpa

http://********************************accessories.com/browseproducts/details/90/90/986-boxster/986-boxster-exterior/aspheric-mirror-set.html

These the ones, Mike?

See the white line in the picture about 2/3 of the way out the mirror. That is where the mirror angles. These are my second set.

To install you angle your existing mirrors so you can get your fingers in behind and just pull your existing mirrors off of the knob they attach to inside the housing at its center, the painted housing stays put. Warning, the old mirrors might break...one of mine did...plastic gets brittle with age and they have been sitting out there for years. When the old mirror and its backing are in your hand you unplug the heater wires. Now take the new one, plug in the heater wires and press the backing fingers on the new mirror around the attachment knob and you are done and ready to do the next one. No tools IIRC...it has been 5 years.