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drgitlin
Jul 25, 2003
luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.
There's a Chumpcar and Lemons thread already going: http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3449174

I race in Chumpcar, you'll be able to follow our exploits at Axis of Oversteer and also Autoweek now. Recap of the first race of the season is here: http://blog.axisofoversteer.com/2012/05/great-american-meltdown-road-america.html

Next race is at Brainerd in a couple of weeks, can't wait.

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drgitlin
Jul 25, 2003
luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

SNiPER_Magnum posted:

I time my laps by how long it takes me to cross start/finish on my videos. I really need some kind of stand alone GPS unit.


Traqmate is a pretty good solution. The Traqdash gives you real-time feedback over a lap, like in a video game.

drgitlin
Jul 25, 2003
luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

SNiPER_Magnum posted:

I am sure that if I got a heads-up lap timer, my track days would end up much like my Forza sessions: stuffed in a wall.

How does the Traqmate sync stuff work? Do I have to use Traqmate software to get the overlays? Is there a way to get it to spit out the raw GPS data?

Yes, you need to use their software to get it out, but you get a copy and a license with the camera controller thingy. It's relatively intuitive but I do wish they'd make an OS X version. No, I don't think there's a way to get raw GPS data, but don't forget that the Traqmate can collect more than just GPS, you can also acquire data from the car.

drgitlin
Jul 25, 2003
luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

kill me now posted:

as Phone said poo poo Is Expensive.
It's a whole nother world having to maintain an additional non street legal car, have a truck and trailer to tow it, and deal with the consequences of "racing incidents". I would love to make the jump into proper racing, but my budgets tight enough as is.


Thought about Chumpcar? More than one driver means shared costs.

drgitlin
Jul 25, 2003
luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

SlapActionJackson posted:

I just retired this from dual duty:


Because I bough this as a track rat:


It came stripped and caged with all the right suspension upgrades already on it.

I took the porsche to the track for the first time a week ago and had to learn to drive all over again. It's got a radically different driving feel than my street M3. It was a whole bunch of track firsts in one: first time driving a rear-engine car, on track suspension, on DOT-R rubber, without ABS, in seats & harnesses, without power steering. After I got my 1st spin out of the way (on the 2nd hot lap, no less) I settled in and picked up the pace session by session as I got more confortable in the new car. By Sunday morning I was maintaining a quick enough pace that I actually got to actually pass someone - I'm in the advanced run group, so it takes a lot of hustle to keep up with those guys. Then I flat-spotted and corded a tire ending my weekend early.

New rubber is on the way, and the thrashing at the track revealed a few more maintenance items I need to take care of. Can't wait to get her back together so I can sign up for the next event.

That looks like it's awesome amounts of fun.

drgitlin
Jul 25, 2003
luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

nm posted:

If you live in any really large metro area or near a track, there's a good chance there's actually a shop that sells higher end racing helmets. I think that is the best way to go if you're going to drop a lot of money.

Yes, actually being able to try out different sizes means it's pretty hard to do it remotely.

drgitlin
Jul 25, 2003
luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

Phone posted:

For online helmet ordering, a string and the manufacturer's website is king. Measure your head in whatever dimensions the manufacturer lists on their sizing chart and choose the appropriate size for your noggin'.

If I'd done this I'd have bought a Medium, but when I tried a bunch on I ended up with a Extra Small for some reason! It was too easy to move the Medium on my head.

Then again, if it's not quite the right size you can always buy new pads that will make it fit better (although if you buy a Large and you need a Small you might be hosed with some makes as they'll use different size moulds (1 for XL-M, another for S-XS).

Plus motorsport shops are always fun to hang out at and shoot the poo poo with the people there.

drgitlin
Jul 25, 2003
luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

FatCow posted:

Trackmate seems better on the software/widespread usage side but it really isn't set up to be a dash replacement.

It most certainly is! http://traqmate.com/traqdash/

We're using one this season after using the basic Traqmate last year and it's brilliant. Shift lights, revs, speed, and the most useful bit of all, the real-time lap feedback at the bottom of the screen, so you know if you're on a hot one or if you've lost time at that point on the circuit compared to your best overall lap. Probably less important for track days because you're not supposed to be timing, but in a race it's dynamite.

drgitlin
Jul 25, 2003
luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.
The Golf didn't have all of those as OEM so we've got those as proper dials in the center of the dash. Still, the live lap time feedback and the Traqmate/GoPro integration really are very very good. But I guess whatever works for you works for you.

drgitlin
Jul 25, 2003
luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.
As a driver I'm not sure I'd feel that confident getting in a car if the sidewall looked like that tbh.

drgitlin
Jul 25, 2003
luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.
Or drop in a GT3 Mezger engine ;)

drgitlin
Jul 25, 2003
luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.
Apologies for the shameless self-publicism but this thread seems to get much more traffic than the ChumpCar/LeMons thread. I wrote up our Brainerd experience for Autoweek: http://www.autoweek.com/article/20120712/summerlove/120719948

eriddy posted:

I just want to say that driving fast and well and on track is hard as gently caress - not just technically, but physically. I just got back from a long track event at Summit Point Raceway in west va and I was physically exhausted at the end of it. I now know why F1 drivers spend so much time at the gym.

Yeah, no kidding. The seat we have in the Golf bashed me about quite a bit over the course of the weekend too. But I get the same happy tired feeling I used to get after going surfing (badly).

drgitlin fucked around with this message at 23:42 on Jul 12, 2012

drgitlin
Jul 25, 2003
luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.
Question about shoes: does anyone know if Puma Futurecats are wider than Sparco's boots? I've started finding my Sparcos quite uncomfortable after about an hour in the car, the left foot isn't wide enough, I think.

drgitlin
Jul 25, 2003
luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.
Don't ever let anyone tell you 24 hour racing isn't hard. We started 21st, made it up to 2nd by hour 7, stayed there for a few hours, but then the rain stopped and the car started having issues, and broke just as the rain returned. If the car hadn't decided to hate us I think we'd have been in with a great shot at third place, instead we retired after 16 hours. Racing is cruel.

drgitlin
Jul 25, 2003
luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

kimbo305 posted:

Who says that?

Sorry, I'm still sleep deprived.

drgitlin
Jul 25, 2003
luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

ColdPie posted:

Well poo poo, that was an amazing day. Up at 4, 2 hours of driving, and finally on the track at 10. This was my first time having an instructor, and it really made a huge difference for me. I'm not yet good enough at heel-toeing to try it on the track, and I'm so used to revmatching on the street that it took an embarrassing amount of time to figure out how to slip the clutch on downshifts. My instructor allowed me to go solo after 3 sessions, and the 2 solo sessions I did went well. There was another guy in the beginner group who was driving a GT40. That thing was a blast to get passed by. There was a sixth session that day, but I was getting tired and decided I would rather skip it.

I experienced understeer for the first time, as I apexed too early and too hot into a 90 degree turn. I was going relatively slow, but that really hammered home how easy it is to cause an accident. If you're coming into a turn at full speed and screw up the apex, that means something is going to have to give.

So my big priority for next time (next year) is heel-toe shifting, because my shifts are still super awkward. I will also need to work on throttle control, as I was always flat-out out of corners, and the traction control was kicking in very often.



I wonder if your instructor was one of my team-mates? Guy called Aaron?

drgitlin
Jul 25, 2003
luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.
Well done!

drgitlin
Jul 25, 2003
luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.


We ran Heartland Park in Kansas this weekend for the regional Chumpionship. Really fun track, although it's murder on tyres - we took a new one down to the metal in less than three hours.


Came in just as this one was causing a nasty vibration above 80 mph.


The tally for the weekend. They weren't all new, but most of them were.

Saturday was 7 hours and 77 min on the 2.5 mile layout, then the race was stopped and on Sunday we restarted (double wide, something Chumpcar doesn't usually do) and ran 6 hours and 66 min on the 2.3 mile layout (which is a much more fun version).

We'd have finished 7th but some twats in an Escort wagon ran into one of my team mates on Sunday morning and we lost 20 or 25 minutes in the pits replacing a control arm. Over the next six hours we clawed back a number of spots and the last hour was a nerve-wracking battle for 10th with the same Escort who hit us. We let Alex off the leash when the gap got below 10 seconds, they closed it up and then he drove the wheels of the Golf, setting and then beating (and then beating) our best laptime for that track configuration.



It's our worst placing of the year (not counting a couple of DNFs) but it was probably the most fun we've had all year and even though we weren't higher up we were the fastest FWD car. Realistically the best we'd probably have finished would have been 7th, maybe 6th, but if it wasn't for the contact we'd have beaten every non-BMW and 3/4s of the propeller brigade too.

Road America is up in four weeks, really looking forward to going back to a track where I don't have to spend the first hour of my stint learning where it goes. Entry was capped at 75 so it's going to be hectic.

drgitlin fucked around with this message at 02:33 on Sep 26, 2012

drgitlin
Jul 25, 2003
luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

Congratulations! And that trophy is awesome.

drgitlin
Jul 25, 2003
luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

NitroSpazzz posted:

What will you be driving at Road America this weekend? I'm headed there with the NorthLoop Motorsports guys and will be in the Grey and Orange E30, pretty sure I'm first driver in Saturday and likely Sunday.

We race the #88 Golf - you'll know if I'm in the car because the rest of the team have white helmets and I have an extrawesome paintjob on mine.

We also have three sets of brand spanking new Star Specs according to Facebook:



Look forward to racing with you this weekend - with Tubby not in attendance maybe some of us have a chance at the win!

drgitlin fucked around with this message at 17:36 on Oct 17, 2012

drgitlin
Jul 25, 2003
luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.
It was good meeting you too!

Saturday should have been 7th but the alternator died with two laps to go so we lost a place. Sunday was looking good for a while, we were 2nd for while, although realistically 5th would have been the highest the car might have finished, but the bolts holding the clutch in place (I think) ate themselves so we lost just under 2 hours replacing that. Then with 30 min to the flag it died again, turned out to be a loose wire. I think we only finished 40th or 38th, but we did beat Barry and the #99 who won on Saturday ;)

It's been a great season, and I'm amazingly proud at how the entire team has gelled and what we've accomplished. What a hobby to have!

Here's a video of the cars passing the pits during warm-up yesterday:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=?yHTS-NhgD24

drgitlin
Jul 25, 2003
luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.
Hmm. Here's the direct link: http://youtu.be/yHTS-NhgD24

drgitlin
Jul 25, 2003
luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.
Did you see the flames that shot out the back of the Biohazard MR2 on downshifts? Their venturi was actually functional.

drgitlin
Jul 25, 2003
luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

the spyder posted:

Figured this is the best place to ask: I need a new helmet. What are you running and why do you like it?

HJC AR-10. It wasn't expensive because it was a closeout SA2005, but I've been pretty happy with it. How much do you want to spend? Everyone is raving about Stilos these days, especially for endurance racing because you can get integrated drinks tubes and headphones/mics, but you have to pay for the privilege.

drgitlin
Jul 25, 2003
luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

User Error posted:

Chumpcar uses the fair market value of the car, not what you paid for it. They have a pre-approved list of cars. For anything that isn't on the list you just have to find 10 Craigslist ads for similar cars with an average price of $500 or less. They do allow you to replace anything with OEM equivalent new stuff. Brakes you can spend up to 2X the OEM price, but I've never heard of anyone getting busted for expensive brakes. I guess they might ding you if you show up with 6 pot Brembos.

Scroll down to the bottom of the rules: http://chumpcar.com/downloads/chumpcar-rules.pdf Anything on that list can be entered as long as it has no performance upgrades, regardless of the actual condition or cost.

I race an e36, I think we got 2 penalty laps last summer for some poly subframe bushings. Our total cost at our first (And so far only) race ended up at around $750/driver not including the build. We used my old daily driver and did the cage ourselves, I think we have around 2k into the car not including the initial purchase years ago. It helps that our team is 2 mechanics, an engineer, and a computer programmer.

before:


During:


Racing:


crap:


We've repaired the crash damage and will be at Road America in April. Join us!

See you there!

Ip for new teams thinking about E36s, the changed the AIV on them now so that they're a $500 car stock, and you're basically not allowed to do anything to thm beyond putting in a cage and other safety mods. No lightening, no fancy springs, no fancy motors.

drgitlin
Jul 25, 2003
luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

Blooot posted:

Got it. I was more speaking to the "if you need a tow vehicle, why not scca?" argument.

My brother came and ran with us at the last race, and that was his take away too. He likes running his vintage race 240Z as he finds racing a cool/nice car very satisfying.

Everyone I race with also has a "nice" sports car that they track (which maybe satisfies this side of things), but we all save the wheel-to-wheel stuff for our M1 CRX, which IMO is actually one of the cooler Lemons cars. It at least looks like a race car (from 50 feet) and not some random themed POS. I'd say DJ Commie is probably proud of his Dai, it is as well put together as many club racers.

Edit: One other thing Lemons is missing is the amassing of trick parts thing that higher spec racing opens up. If shopping's your thing (not counting junk yards and CL), then Lemons doesn't satisfy.

There are plenty of Chumpcars in our region that don't look like pieces of poo poo or parade floats.

drgitlin
Jul 25, 2003
luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

parid posted:

These guys ship really quick, not sure if they are door knocking close to you though. http://www.ioportracing.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=NS&Category_Code=UAA

Sears point has a shop at the track, might be a bit of a drive.

I hear firefighters also roll with nomex socks. Its a long shot but might be worth a couple of calls.

Not sure firefighters socks would have SFI tags though, and tech almost certainly wouldn't pass them if they didn't (at least, they wouldn't in the central region).

drgitlin
Jul 25, 2003
luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.
Are you Brock?

drgitlin
Jul 25, 2003
luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.
Really? Must just be my G-Forces.

Speaking of nomex underwear, does anyone have any thing good or bad to say about alpinestars or oakley? Considering a new undershirt as my G-Force one is OK but lets face it the other brands let you look a bit more stylin' in the paddock when you're walking around with your suit belted around your waist (and anyone who says that swaggering around the paddock looking cool isn't at least a factor in wanting to go racing is probably lying).

Back to the sock thing, if they haven't got tags, then they're probably not FIA or SFI rated, based on the offerings on this page: http://www.ogracing.com/driver?cat=88

And looking at the Chumpcar rules, they don't say anything about allowing nomex-but-not-rated socks:

"3.11.2.1. Fire-retardant FIA- or SFI-rated socks, racing gloves and shoes are also required with all
single and/or multi-layer suits."

http://www.chumpcar.com/downloads/chumpcar-rules.pdf

drgitlin fucked around with this message at 15:41 on Apr 18, 2013

drgitlin
Jul 25, 2003
luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.
I have a pair of Oakleys I use when racing and yeah, they're flimsy as gently caress.

drgitlin
Jul 25, 2003
luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

kimbo305 posted:

How much is 5oz of weight? I'm thinking of buying a new full face helmet, and going by this list:
http://www.racinghelmetguide.com/auto-helmet-weights.html
I could get a $350 carbon fiber helmet or a $300 fiberglass HJC.
I could also get a Pyrotect that's only 3oz heavier, but people seem to think HJCs are well made.

I wear headgear for kickboxing, and a few ounces is very noticeable but only because headgear is typically less than a pound.

And anyone know how much the bottom of the barrel Bell helmet weighs?:
http://www.saferacer.com/bell-sport-mag-sa2010-auto-racing-helmet

I like my fiberglass HJC; the pads are easily removable so you can take them out to dry or swap them which is handy.

drgitlin
Jul 25, 2003
luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

parid posted:

Balaclavas can make a huge difference. It will have a large effect on your helmet fit. When I started racing with one, I had to move up an entire helmet size to last 2 hours. Think of it adding half a size to your head. Some of the cheaper ones have seems in bad places. Check the fit, try to find one that isn't bulky in the wrong places.

Here is one of my drivers with a forehead dent from a cheaper balaclava worn for 2 hours in a snug helmet (but a perfect fit without balaclava):



If you like thicker socks, crow has some nice ones.

This 100%. If you're doing Chumpcar I'd suggest getting two balaclavas, because if you're doing multiple stints in a day there isn't time to dry one and you'll really appreciate not having to put a damp bala on before a late night stint when you're already tired. Also, as parid says, make sure when you're wearing it that there aren't bulky seams. A 90 minute stint at Iowa with a crease in my balaclava resulted in this dent:



More to the point, it was really distracting in the car - I started getting a headache after about 30 min and between that and my cool suit not being plugged in it was a pretty miserable stint. Iowa isn't the most interesting or challenging course, either, so there seemed to be a lot more time to focus on the fact that it felt like someone was pushing a nail into my head.

drgitlin
Jul 25, 2003
luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

G-Mach posted:

Often he points out at the horrible lines/bad braking that the wheel to wheel guys take. My friend is a big believer that a person should start off doing Autox and then work up from there. You can put a lot of what you learn in AutoX and apply it to big tracks. I think I'm much better prepared with three years of Autox under my belt, then if I just jumped into lapping days. From what I've seen and heard a lot of the wheel to wheel guys haven't done a lot of AutoX and/or look down on it which I think is a mistake.

I guarantee you I got more seat time (and therefore more time to learn what I should and shouldn't do) in my first Chumpcar race at Road America than I would have from an entire season of Autocross. And lets face it, it's through practice (and that means seat time) that we improve.

Also, as c355n4 points out, you can't always take the perfect line. You have to learn how to work with traffic, how to drive defensively, how to save the car for your teammates, even things like how to sit in the car and how you interact with the car, that you won't learn in a single lap on your own around a course marked with cones.

I'd imagine Autocross is a quite good starting point for something like hillclimbing though, where you also only have a single run and you have to be on it and perfect from the green flag.

drgitlin
Jul 25, 2003
luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.
The windscreen wipers are a great touch! I did the same when I lost a wheel at Brainerd: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VzOYnd6Cws :D

drgitlin
Jul 25, 2003
luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.
Decided to drive very slowly back to the pits because I didn't want to bring out a safety car so they could tow me back. The scariest part of the whole thing was getting to turn 3 a bit too hot on three wheels and realizing I had no brakes! We came back from that to finish 4th the next day so it wasn't all bad. That said, it took me about 20 minutes on the Sunday before I trusted the car enough to get back on the pace.

I didn't actually see the wheel when it happened, although I do remember seeing part of the brake rotor. Later found the rotor on the track and it had scorched a mark onto the tarmac which sadly is gone now they repaved the place.

drgitlin
Jul 25, 2003
luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

kimbo305 posted:

Can you name them? I wonder where he got an NHMS sticker:


Either at the pro shop at the track, or here: http://www.trackdecals.com/

drgitlin
Jul 25, 2003
luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.

Blooot posted:

This. It was brutal, and I'm glad we decided to drop the $$ on a cool shirt system which was loving amazing. We ran the test day and our newly rebuilt trans didn't want to stay in 4th, so I improvised an external Velco detent system. This held up for most of day one, but at the end of Saturday 4th was simply gone.

We ran as high as 4th place after hour 1 with me in the car, but after a couple of bobbles (see below) and driver changes we finished day one in 28th. With the failing trans we felt we didn't have much hope for Sunday. To our surprise and due to much attrition we ended up clawing our way up to 15th, with the transmission degrading and having to hold it in 3rd and 5th gear for much of the day (one hand racing).

Amazingly the car didn't have a single heat related issue aside from slipping into limp mode due to excessive intake air temps at the end of my first stint. Coolant temp read 190F the whole time. And this is a stock cooling system with a ZC motor that makes a good deal more power than the 200k mile D16A6 it replaced. The car feels more and more bagged each time we race it, and it's probably due for wheel bearings and some bushings, but this thing kicks rear end. Seven Lemons events with no race ending mechanicals, and a pair of top 15 finishes in the last two races. If we could stretch out our stints longer we could be in contention.

This was my first time at Buttonwillow and it was a fun circuit, but aside from the better than average track food, it was a pretty bad place to have to be for a weekend. I'm spoiled by Norcal tracks. Still managed to have a good time. It was nice finally meeting Aventari, and I felt bad every time his 5er was broken in the pits.

Good timing caught my teammate losing it into the silt at the start of the front straight:









Don't they black flag you in Lemons for doing that?

drgitlin
Jul 25, 2003
luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.
After the Simonsen accident at Le Mans I think I'm OK with VIR's oak tree not being there anymore.

drgitlin
Jul 25, 2003
luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.
That's TWS! Joey runs a great a track.

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drgitlin
Jul 25, 2003
luv 2 get custom titles from a forum that goes into revolt when its told to stop using a bad word.
So, there's a new grassroots endurance racing series! http://www.worldracingleague.org/

Three classes, based on power to weight ratios. No stupid AIVs, no themes, no cost restrictions. Current schedule has races in TX, MN, CO, with more to come. Cars that are legal in Chump and Lemons should be elligible, as are things that currently aren't AIVable in Chump.

Looks like the 12h at Brainerd will be JAB's first race of 2014!

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