Jan. 22nd has been added to the 2005 Super Lap schedule. Another day of "time attack" on the short track! Erik808, bgrpph and DaKineMINI will be there for sure - anyone else?

There is also a SCCA Track Day on the following day (Jan. 23rd). I think I saw minihune's name on the list, and bgrpph said he was going for sure. I also signed up. Who else is up for some track time? Come out and see our erik808 running SOLO1 (#7).

 

Great being fellow SCCA Track Marshalls with you today and Friday, DaKineMINI!! [Great being alongside both you and bgrpph on Friday!!] We sure had lotsa fun... Yes, see you two on the 22nd and then on the 23rd

 

Geez, guys. GOT PICS?

 

You mean for the J&N event? erik808 has vid clips of Michael Galati tearing up the track! One from the inside during a hot run too!

 

My pleasure!! Coming right at you, DakineMINI...

http://erik808.com/Video_clips/video02.mpg

http://erik808.com/Video_clips/video03.mpg

 

When you folks flew by the sweeper (where I was flagging) for video03.mpg, I saw you in the passenger seat and you looked like a combination of :smile: (all in one).

I timed (unofficial with my watch) Michael Galati in the S4 (with 3 passengers) doing 1:02~1:03 during the hot lap (long track) while he was chasing Doc Bundy (I think he was driving at the time) in the Elise (with 1 passenger) doing 1:01.

How about the dark blue Ferrari (I think it was a Modena) chasing the Elise (driven by Doc Bundy) through the sweeper and spinning out during the "follow the instructor" sessions! The other black Modena almost ran into him!!!! Did you see how close the wheel imprints (he left in the gravel) were to the tire barrier just past the apex?!!!!!!

erik808 - thanks for turning me on to the J&N event and especially the track events!

 

Thanks Erik.

Since you guys were flagging, which driver had the best lines? I know last year that Jim Minneker was within an inch or two of his line EVERYTIME. Other reports this year was that Galati was all over the track.

 

Sorry,
Kohu and I both work on 1/22 but we are hoping to make it out the next day.

 

On Friday, in the earlier groups, Jim was very CLEAN (like a machine). I think Doc was pretty consistent with every group on Friday and Sunday - at least in the sweeper where I was.

During the hotlaps, I'd say that Doc was the cleanest too (unless he was passing someone on the inside).

What do you think Erik? You worked everyday so you got to see different sections.

I was looking up to the off-camber and I have to say that again Doc was consistent there too; however, to be fair, he was in an Elise and it seemed you couldn't screw up in that car. The Corvette and Maserati was going nuts through the off-camber - almost like drifting at times!

 

On Friday during the hot laps the Audi (with Michael Galati I believe) was definitely all over the track into and out of the chicane and in off camber- The Elise had same line throughout and was also doing 1.01. Man i want one of those.

 

Even though the video 3 download was 45 MB, it's worth a look.
Michael wasn't wearing a helmet? What's up with that?

I timed his Audi doing about 1:05 per lap in the video. His tires were not happy when cornering.

Hey bgrpph, add the GIAC and larger fuel injectors to your MCS and you could pass that Audi with your SSR comps and Avon Tech R tires.
You don't need no Elise to have fun.

 

No helmets were worn at all!

When erik808 went for the ride it was after ALL of the customers were done and it just started raining again - track was black but not soaked.

 

Pleasure, DaKineMINI

They were all great!! My favorite was Michael Galati. Barnone. His car control skills are world class (that goes without saying). It was not a race so I'd say that entertainment value accounted for a lot. He entertained through the roof [Sidebar: Jim was ill on Saturday. He probably was less than 100% on Sunday though he looked incredible in the 'Vette to me.]

I know... what risks everyone (myself included) took...

 

P.S. Riding alongside my fellow SCCA Track Marshalls/friends, **** A. and Robert B., made the experience all the more memorable

 

Oh man, what a day (01/22/05)! Good showing of MINIs too (bgrpph, erik808, eastsidemini, and me).

bgrpph was notified that he was the TIme Attack Champion for Limited Front Wheel Drive category for 2004 - congrats bgrpph!

 

Props to bgrpph!

Other cars are shaking in their "boots" at the thought of your MINI fast approaching in their rear view mirrors.
It's like a recurring "nightmare".

I hate to see your EB/EB MCS with larger fuel injectors and GIAC software.


DaKineMINI,
Which tires did you use for superlap???

 

Had a two week old Ferrari yesterday that Troy (SCCA-regular Red Accord Coupe) was giving a lesson to. Every time he came in the coating on his new car's exhaust was smoking.

bgrpph hit his fastest time yet but unfortunately chunked one of his Avons. I too hit my fastest time to date (only two events) but not only chunked my right front Hoosier but I corded it too (I was goofing with pressures and mistaking thought I was getting better times at around 46psi when I should been around 50psi). Actually lots of folks were chunking their Rs yesterday. BTW, track condition seemed worst than ever yesterday with big pieces of the road littering thge course (not potholes but probably from the edges) - course workers had to broom away after each run.

Another thing, for those doing SCCA lapping today, it rained hard in Kapolei this morning. Right now it's clear but cloudy.

 

Hey, what a nice day today yeah? :smile: No rain or puddles.....but it was HOT while we waited, and waited, and waited to start. I was concerned with bug bites and concentrated on the repellant and forgot about sunblock so I ended-up looking like this >>> . Awesome turnout today! Three MINIs in each group for a total of six (not including erik808 who ran Solo1). No wrecks, nothing broken, so all-in-all an awesome day - just a little heat stroke.

 

Heat stroke! Drink lots of fluids. We should borrow a tent from JCW04.
More likely you got heat fatigue. 5 hours of waiting does add up.

No wrecks? Great.
Nothing broken? Well not really.

Kohu and I were using Michelin Pilot sport cups in 205/50-15 for the fronts and Kumho Victoracer 205/50-15 for the rears. I have autocross alignment and he has stock MC alignment.

Both right front Pilot sport cups (brand new) got eaten up by the track (not driver error ) with lots of wear on the outer edge and some chunking on the inner middle strip of tread about .75" wide. Left fronts did great. Tire temps were up to about 160 degrees and if anything tire pressure was a little high (we started at about 35 psi). I think I would go with a lower pressure next time.

The autocross alignment (-2.3 degrees in the front) helped reduce the wear so my tire didn't look quite as bad but both had the same sort of wear pattern. I was taking the course faster so that didn't seem to make much difference. I recorded a total of 28 miles for the day.

Moral of the story, the HRP track eats tires of all types for snacks (driving fast or faster, with suspension upgrades/alignment or just stock settings). The Pilot sport cup is supposed to be a very good track tire. Next time I'll be getting Toyo Proxes RA-1 (cheaper even with $132 for shipping).

 

Ouch. Now I don't feel so bad with the chunking I got after two SuperLaps. Surprised you didn't metion the chunking at the track - sorry to hear about it man. Almost everyone who had R tires at SuperLap got some form of chunking or worst! Consensus is turn 1 eats Rs for snacks!

 

bgrpph and eastsidemini at the 01/22/05 SuperLap

 

erik808 and DaKineMINI at 01/22/05 SuperLap