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!

[SBD]

Yes, that was me. What a fun day. You did well too! Actually, got the gt3 by .002. And by the 2nd to last run group i caught the new 997. THat thing was soo fast in the straights. It would lose me by almost 100 yards on the front straight. Should have but on the secret weapons. 10x15 275 A6 hoosiers. If you look closely at the pic it has them on.
The 15's change the gearing to 2nd at apx 70 to 2nd at 62. I usually can drop a couple of seconds. Unfortunately, they are expensive to run and I have an event this sunday in OC that I was saving them for.

[stephen wilson]

How did you fit 285's up front without rubbing?

[SBD]

I have Pss9's and I use a 1/4 spacer's on all 4 tires. The spacers are more for the tires hitting the pss9's collars than anything else. Car is also lowered so there is negative camber of about 2 degrees on all tires. This helps the tire's angle in a bit under the fender. The 4 tires are all on 9 inch oem rear rims. They would probably rub on 9.5 or 10's in the front. At full lock they just barely touch the wheel well in the front. Also, 285 v710's have a short side wall (24.8) which is smaller diameter than most 285 tires. You might consider a 265 on a 9 as you probably will get about the same width of contact patch as the 285's are pretty restricted to stretch to their full width on the 9's.
For example, when you put an unmounted 285 next to mounted the unmounted is actually wider.
hope that helps

[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.

[Quickurt]

Originally Posted by 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.

My car is technically a Winklemann WDF2. At least that's what the Log book says! The space frame is very similar to the Paliser design, but all 4130 and 8" longer. The suspension geometry is pretty much custom, but 79 Van Dieman was very influential in my thinking. I have a bit more camber gain and slightly longer virtual swing arms, but it is still very "Van Dieman-ish." I was not at all happy with Fuel Safe on my last fuel cell replacement, I hope you have better luck with ATL.
Mike Rand and my ex-engine builder are very good friends and Mikey used to run out of the Southeast. I only ran against him one time, at the 25th Anniversary Festival at LRP and he was the same in the 81 Van Dieman. Gone.
I'm in the Amelia Island, FL area.
My car is available and one hell of a club ford. Mike Rand can vouch for it.

[stephen wilson]

Are you retiring from racing?

[Quickurt]

Originally Posted by stephen wilson

Are you retiring from racing?

Yeah. I'm pretty sure that would be a true statement, at least as far as open wheelers go. I was toying with going back and playing before I bought the box.
I'm gettin up there, almost 60, and the heat has become more and more unbearable. I have a plastic forming company and have two big ovens heating up sheets of plastic all day long. I don't run the machine anymore, but the shop is always hot, here in North Florida, even without the ovens on. Spending my free time out in the heat with multilayered clothing, gloves and a helmet just doesn't hold the fascination it used to. I've run with enough fast drivers to know I can run with anyone I'm willing, or able, to spend with.

[mikefocke]

at least the 986 versions. I've had 2 of them on each of my Boxsters.

The first set I found was actually convex in shape. The second set had two panels, the outboard one slanted more to cover the blind spot.

They mount by you just pulling the current mirror out of the socket where it mounts and then unclipping the heater cord, then clipping to the new mirror and pressing it in to the socket.

I wouldn't drive a Boxster without this blind spot coverage. And the nice thing about the Porsche asymmetric mirrors are they are completely stock looking and acting plus you get the wide angle coverage you need..

[chaudanova]

Originally Posted by mikefocke

at least the 986 versions. I've had 2 of them on each of my Boxsters.

The first set I found was actually convex in shape. The second set had two panels, the outboard one slanted more to cover the blind spot.

They mount by you just pulling the current mirror out of the socket where it mounts and then unclipping the heater cord, then clipping to the new mirror and pressing it in to the socket.

I wouldn't drive a Boxster without this blind spot coverage. And the nice thing about the Porsche asymmetric mirrors are they are completely stock looking and acting plus you get the wide angle coverage you need..

Mike, which set did you like better, between the set that was convex in shape, and the set that had two panels? Are both still offered?

Also, did you run the mirrors on both driver and passenger side? I've read that some people like them better on only the driver side and not so much for the passenger side. How do you feel about this?

Thanks in advance!

[ChefCarnivore]

Did you say that the outside mirrors can be removed just by pulling them out of a socket? My drivers side mirror vibrates too much so I was hoping to find out why.

[Porscheburn]

Originally Posted by wconley

The rear view mirror is the easy one to set up and I'll presume I don't have to say anything hear other than to center it for the lane behind you in your normal driving position. Look at the rear view mirror and take note of the last thing you can see at the very left and right sides.

I would add that the setup for the RVM should be done with your head at the angle (or no angle if you choose to move your eyes only) that you will be positioned when using the RVM. The same would be true for the pax and driver's side mirrors.

If you wear sunglasses, pick one set and make your adjustments with your choice of sunglasses properly seated on your head. Same with vision-adjusting glasses.

Since most people wear sunglasses (or should), picking the right pair for driving should be the first consideration. Not boating or aviation, a second set for these specific activities (different colors, reading adjustment glasses, etc).

Originally Posted by wconley

Where it really shows it's value is in an emergency situation when you can quickly scan your mirrors for a way around an accident while keeping your head and eyes pointed forward. You can scan with your eyes much quicker than you can ever turn your head.

Not only more quickly, but with practice, more accurately. Like an outfielder chasing down a fly ball, head still = locked in vision. Head movement disrupts the eye causing the inevitable momentary blurring. The momentum of the head forces the eye to move even ever so slightly in the socket.

I'm currently taking up a month course of driving and i feel glad to read this thread.I learn lot from your pointers and experience shared by different situations that i will possibly encounter in the future.