FF at a Pro Solo - Tips and Tricks
Hey Everyone,
Next weekend will be my first Pro Solo in a FF. Any tips or tricks? How do you manage the launches to avoid breakage? How do you manage engine heat etc. I know some of you have had some success as this. What are your thoughts?
We will be at Mineral Wells in Texas. It should be warm but not hot, the surface is asphalt.
Thanks!
Doug Wille
Re: FF at a Pro Solo - Tips and Tricks
George - Why deep stage? I shallow stage, leave on the last yellow and still red light if slight bog. FYI CM 60 ft times tend to be 1.8 or so.
Good luck to all you guys. I'll be at the NJ and DC and maybe Blytheville Pros.
Dick
multiple batteries might be good?
Sounds like having several batteries for the week-end to change out might be a good idea?
If a VW can ever be competitive, it sounds like cooling will be a major issue with them, since most do not use fans.
VW drivers may have to rethink their gearing setup if these types of events are going to become more popular.
Has anyone seen any VW's at events this year yet??? I am collecting email addresses as I try to organize the Anhydrous group in C mod.
Mineral Wells Trip Report
Hey All,
A brief trip report. I tried everyones tips and tricks. They all worked, we had an awesome time and I managed a 4th place trophy in the combined R1/R2.
The car was flawless with handling that went from strength to strength as I drove it better. More on that later. Suffice it to say that Peter did a stunning job making this car turn, stop, and go.
Cooling - Temps were in the 70's both days with a stiff breeze (10-15 mph). The sun was out the whole time. Courses were 37 seconds long with a mix of 2nd and third gear elements. I made sure to prewarm the car before going to grid. The car really like to be warmed up to 190 degrees of water temp and then shut down to "heat soak" a bit before you go out and drop the hammer. I hit the first start of each session at 170 degrees water temp. I shut it after each finish and coasted to the scanner position. My son and wife pushed me (thanks Michael and Jackie) to the burnout box. then I fired it up and drove the rest of the way. For the final pair of runs in each session I would leave the line at 197-204 degrees water temp. Just after the finish lights it would be 195 degrees. So cooling was fine. On a 100 degree day it might be a different story. Oil temps rose the whole time, with the highest I saw being 175 (from memory I am too lazy to get my notes). I worried for no reason (as usual).
Launching - I took the Evo Holeshot school. It was great and I got the procedures down quickly but I had real trouble launching the car. Jackie said "let me try". She hopped in and on her first launch hit a .58x light with a 1.9x 60 foot time. Then she did it again. Clearly the car had no issues with launching.:tire: The trick was to bring the motor to 2700 rpm, at the third yellow slip the clutch just a hair while squeezing the gas pedal down. Ease and squeeze. It worked every time. I got better and better at the lights ending the event with a series of .5xx times and generally managed 2.0 60 foot times. It just worked like a champ. Nice.
On the second day starting line traction went up and this made my 60 foot times drop to 2.2's. I suspect this is because I was getting less wheelspin and hence slower acceleration. It was a small thing, but something to think about for next time.
As an aside, I ran against an assortment of cars that I never saw or heard once we lined up. The exception was Tommy Saunders BM Dragon. You can HEAR that car leave. It sounds like the Texas chain saw massacre coming just for you! Tommy is a local hero so it was a real treat to line up with him. The little Swift would hold its own off the lights until the first corner at which point a I would ease up to turn and he would fly by in my peripheral vision like a yellow missile. It was epic and made launching the car incredible fun for me.
Staging - As noted above, you simply must have someone stage you. The start at Mineral Wells was on a pretty good hill so the car would roll out of the lights. Even if it was flat I would want someone to roll me in and chock the car. Hats off to my son Michael. At 15 years old he is wise and calm in ways I will never be. He stepped in and staged/chocked me consistently every time. He also did all the little things I need (yes I am a needy driver:D) like handing me my helmet when I strapped in with out grabbing it. Not too much longer and he will get to run the car with us. I can't wait.
Charging - The battery easily ran a session and frankly would have done a whole day with no issue. Still, after each session I fired up the Honda (inverter - not Fit) and charged the battery.
Tires - Mineral Wells is a bit of cheese grater, but the Hoosiers held up well. They were slick on first runs, but great by run two and never overheated. I would start with pressures a bit below normal cold pressure and end with perfect pressures for the last two runs. Depending on how many cars they send with you there isn't always time to adjust pressures between runs.
Driving - As always my wife is my best driving coach. At this event I had the rare pleasure of advice from Tommy and Rachel Saunders and Stuart Lumpkin. The three of them are a gold mine of information and I am very lucky to have them around.
Thanks also to Peter Calhoun for always being there for advice and answers when I shoot him emails. For service after the sale Peter has no Rival (ha! I couldn't resist). Thanks to Jim Justice for talking with me about engine temps.
Time to go unload and clean off the car. To quote Scca equipment honcho Clancy Schmidt "There is dust on the tail. Peter didn't allow dust".;)
Hope to see some of you in Lincoln or Blytheville.
Doug
P.S. - Yikes not so brief!