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Had enough junk yard blow ups. A big pile of junk was hauled to the engine builders shop yesterday to be balanced, blue printed, port and polished, no no no I mean port matched, and then assembled into something that looks like an IT engine.
Maybe soon I'll be able to actually start a race.
Good move, glad you were able to swing it, cost wise. I just don't have any faith in junkyard engines. The Nissan six cylinder L series engines are VERY reliable mills (also heavier than a 5.0 Ford), and I still don't think I would ever again run a used engine unless it came from an appropriate source (not the salvage yard). That said, mine held up well even with over 150K on it and an unknown history, but it was getting pretty tired.
We'll see how long the new one lasts, but the power is way up. The RX-7's can't pull me anymore, and the 944's drop back three or four car lengths on each straight. Now if I can just figure out how those guys corner so fast I might have a chance - a chance of not getting lapped that is http://Forum.ImprovedTouring.com/it/smile.gif
In case you couldn't tell, I had a great time at La Junta last weekend. I improved my time just over two seconds/lap from Saturday's practice to Sunday's race.
Also, just in case you were wondering, a blown R/R tire on turn five (the wide open right just before the back straight) isn't a good way to finish a race. I can't believe how quickly my car spun when the tire let go. It was like someone threw a switch.
Next race for me is Pueblo in July. What's on your schedule?
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Ty Till
#16 ITS
Rocky Mountain Division
The next one is Memorial day weekend. He said he would try to have the engine done in time. I told him I would rather miss the race and have the engine done right. So now I will just try to wait and not call him every day to see how it is going.
BTW that is Sat regional Sun Nat/RR on the 1.8 mi course at TWS. Come on over.
The next one after that is 4 July weekend and is also a reg, nat/rr. June is an off month, June sprints, I think.
There is a guy here, Jeff Wirtz, who runs an 240 in ITS and is consistantly 3-4 seconds a lap faster than the second place car. I have no doubt that you can get more out your car than you are now.
Now that I have the engine situation resolved, I hope, I can start to put more time and effort into the rest of the car. There are some bugs to work out in the suspension. The back is stiff (Eibach springs and KYB shocks) and the front has the OEM parts still on it. The nose dives under braking and the rear unloads, locks the brakes, and want's to come around. I think if I get the front at least as stiff as the back this should resolve it's self. At least that is the way it seems in the few laps I have gotten in at speed.
Oh, I am selling off some of my toys to pay for it all.
Turn five, is that the one under the tree with the loose concrete at the apex and the canyon sized hole on the left at the exit point?
[This message has been edited by jhooten (edited May 06, 2004).]
ROFL: "with the loose concrete at the apex and the canyon sized hole on the left "
It's true, the track at La J isn't in the greatest shape. OTOH, except for turn seven onto the front straight, it's a hard track upon which to get into serious trouble. A guy may bang around a bit if he leaves the track, but almost anywhere you're likely to go off there isn't anything solid to hit. In that sense I think it's a great track for beginners; a guy can explore the limits without constantly worrying about smacking a wall.
On that (rough surface) subject, I have to agree it's pretty bumpy. 11 laps into my warm-up session on Saturday my car suddenly died between turns three and four. It turns out my coil wire had vibrated loose from the cap. A little racers tape over the top of the cap and we were good to go.
We have a DS/R/R/N scheduled at Pikes Peak for 28-31 May, but I thought that would be pushing my luck a little hard around the home front. My other half is fairly easy to get along with, and she knew I'm pretty competitive when she married me twenty-odd years ago, but I hate to push it. I think I'll just lay off and maybe rebuild my transmission and be ready to go in July. Do you guys run any double regionals in the winter? We are pretty much done here in October and Phoenix the obvious choice for winter racing from here if they are running at Firebird or AMP, but PIR doesn't look that fun to me, so if the stars line up just right I may make it down your way this winter. It's hard for me to talk myself into an out of the way tow for a single day race, but a double starts to look attractive.
It sounds like you're on the right track with your suspension. Locking the rears is sure isn't the quick way around the track. You may need to screw with you brake bias also, after you get your front suspension sorted out.
Gotta get to work,
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Ty Till
#16 ITS
Rocky Mountain Division
The Post run-off schedule for this year, subject to change of course, is:
Oct 30/31 R/R
Nov 20/21 R/6 hour enduro. This is an out standing weekend every year.
Dec 10/11 DS/R This shows to be on a Fri/Sat with nothing on sunday. Have to check on it.
The 2005 schedule is still blank on the web site so I don't have the dates. In jan there is usually another DS/R and Feb a R/R. It is kind of terrible being able to race year round. http://Forum.ImprovedTouring.com/it/smile.gif
"It is kind of terrible being able to race year round."
Yeah, it's tough isn't it. I just wish I had the wallet to support it.
In October we were planning to hit Arizona at AMP, an outstanding course, but the owner is crossways with the county over noise and I don't know if he'll be open or not. If not SoPac may move the race to Phoenix International, which isn't all that exciting a track. Where is your October race held? Is there a web site with a track map?
I can't get all tht excited about driving at PIR, maybe your race would be a better choice.
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Ty Till
#16 ITS
Rocky Mountain Division
October is at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth.
Never have run there. It seems to be a popular track.
[This message has been edited by jhooten (edited May 10, 2004).]
October is at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth.
Never have run there. It seems to be a popular track.
Get on 20 and head east. It shouldn't be that much farther of a drive than Phoenix
[quote] but PIR doesn't look that fun to me [quote]
Have you run PIR? It is actually a lot of fun, better than Firebird I think. The track was reconfigured in the last year to be wider in the dogleg. This makes turn 9 faster, which means more speed on the oval and pretty much changed the way you drive the rest of the track as well. They also took the bump out of the track in Nascar 4 when the tunnel went in. My car is a lot more stable going through there now.
And yes, I have hit the wall at turn one. Come on down to PHX in December.
Phoenix-PIR (not to be confused with Portland-PIR) is about 100 times better than La Junta! The track is pretty challenging -- especially finding a good car setup to balance the high-speed turn 1, with the slow T6 & T9.
I am only going back to LaJunta if I get a rule waiver to allow a source of additional O2 for both me and the car. Hell the 20 pounds of sunblock I had on added at least 2 seconds a lap to my time. I must admit LaJunta is a fun track IF you like 90 degree turns and no elevation change.
You high altitude guys come on down here and find out what horsepower really is.
Horsepower? We don't need no stinkin' horsepower.
Maybe oxygen injection is the way to go. Oh, wait, that's not IT legal. http://Forum.ImprovedTouring.com/it/smile.gif
"Have you run PIR?" and "...about 100 times better than La Junta!"
No, I haven't, and please take my comments in context. La J isn't a great track upon which to go racing, and it's in bad shape, but it is a good place for beginners. The runoff areas are mostly clear, except for turn seven, and the fields are smaller than you find at Second Creek or Pueblo, so a guy can concentrate on learning in a lower pressure enviroment. No slam on PIR intended.
While I'm talking to you guys, so to speak, does anyone know what the status is with AMP? If we're out of there forever will the November double be moved to Firebird or PIR?
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Ty Till
#16 ITS
Rocky Mountain Division
[quote]status is with AMP?[quote]
I haven't heard anything lately, but my personal opinion is that road racing at AMP may be dead. I'm pretty sure SCCA is looking at other options for November. PIR may not be available because of the Nascar race. The track is usually off limits for 2 weeks before and 1 or 2 weeks after. I expect we will have something firmed up before long.
OK, thanks pgipson. I guess I missed my chance at AMP last November whan my car was down. Bummer.
If you hear of anything being firmed up on the November double could you let us know by posting it here on this forum?
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Ty Till
#16 ITS
Rocky Mountain Division
I'll update here when the AZ Region schedule is announced.
Paul