The track was really cold, and while still struggling with the Megans, I had my first off ever that launched the Mini and blew a tire upon impact. I couldn't manage better than 1min 10sec, a horrid time for me. The off was going hard into the lefthander. I crossed the rumble strip sideways and thought the car might roll. I did manage to hit the apex in the process, I demoed the apex cone

I committed a huge mistake after the spin; I saw all sorts of smoke and steam coming from under and around the car so I got out Well, the classroom session wasn't as bad as it could have been since I also dumped about 3 yards of soil and grass on an already cold track smack in the middle of the left hander. So there I was, running from my car, then checking it out, while distracting other folks thru are area covered in debris. I was told, "unless you see flames, do not get out of the car." A fellow in the classroom thanked me for the huge glob of mud that slammed into his helmut - he was driving a Radical. I wanted to go dig a hole and hide.

The car was twitchy and in general nasty to be in. The Down hill was curiously fine at 90mph, but thru the entire turn one, two and three area, I was constantly fighting to keep this thing from snapping around again and I don't know why; the front spring rates are now 150# heavier which required a little more rear bar. Who knows...I backed off the rear bar to full soft and the backend was still spooky. Guess it wasn't my day.

First run was on street tires - the spin lap, which honestly felt better in the cold than the RA1s - these just felt spooky all day.

This setup has never been good and I, and Greg, know why. Perhaps the gain in travel up front now highlights a lack of travel in the rear...maybe I'm now riding the rear bumpstops??? I will blame this one on the car since I've had much much better times. This is the last track day for the Mini, I canceled my Thursday event.

Michael

 

I bet with a few more days of practice at LRP, I could pull a 1:10 in my Cooper.

Bummer to hear that your last track outing in the MINI didn't go well. At least nothing got damaged, right?

 

Damaged ego, nothing else but a broken bead - thankfully! I'm renting a spec racer next time. It's a known entity...if I perform well my confidence will come back. The Mini is horrid at this point.

 

Sorry Michael. Yes, Meb did offer to me that I could possibly share his Mini this day, but in knowing what the setup was, I declined. I knew it would be scary to say the least, and just no fun to say the rest.

Meb won't say it, but I will, ... sorry, but these Megans are garbage and the mods from Megan to correct the mistakes are just plain dangerous. I cringe for all who are using these things.

Oh well, I'm just glad you are safe Michael. I know what spinning in that left hander is like. It's actually one of the most spun corners on the track I think, so don't feel bad in the least. Never wait for flames to confirm you are on fire. You did the right thing.

 

I think what alarmed everyone was after leaving the car and feeling sort of safe to go back in, I just doubled checked everything from the outside - while folks were whistling by at speed. So, a tough call, but yea, I would rather be safe - un-burned - and take the ball busting - and it was all friendly.

I'll leave the 335 alone...but I've been hearing it's having big overheating problems on the track...and just shuts off. In a PM to snid I described how much fun that would be while heading thru the down hill; the engine shuts off in the middle of the apex with no power anything to correct for an abrupt shut-down...hmmmm. A spec racer is looking better every day.

What happened with the CRX Greg?

 

What is the 335 ? Beemer? Me wants one !!!

I spun and almost crashed this year at the Autobahn CC in Chicago ... Engine shut down while spinning (My fault, I lifted), wouldn't start right away as I was on the edge of the track ...SCARY stuff .... I lost about 15-20 seconds in the time event !!!

At Mid-Ohio, I went sideways after a Focus SVT silled his radiator onto the 130mph back straight, on the driving line ... This time I gunned it and recovered, having 2 wheels off during recovery, felt a lot better recovering ... Instructors said it was my fault ... I said maybe ? Then i found out about the radiator fluid on the track !!!

 

Radiator fluid + tires at speed = stained underwear. Exaclty what happened Saturday, but thankfully I pulled into the pits after my mis-hap - a black flag will do that . A Corvette blew a big line going into big bend and into the down hill and the wreckage consumed six cars - two were battle damaged and the other four managed to spin and come to a stop in the green stuff. Dunno how, there ain't a lot of room there.

I'm setting next year up as a spec racer rent-a-year. but either way, this is just a silly expensive hobby.