Endurance Headlights... We want to experience night racing with daytime conditions!

[RSTPerformance]

The Devil in the Dark will be our first "night" experience and we are wondering what lights other teams add/use?

Also, does anyone purchase "light pods" for the hood? I am considering buying or making one (what I have found seems expensive).

Thanks for the advice!

Raymond Blethen
RST Performance Racing
#50 Mazda RX8

[Knestis]

Pablo I had a traditional rally pod with 4 1000w Hellas.



It pretty much set the standard at the first VIR 13 we did. It also cost us something 5+ mph at the end of each straight.

Pablo II had killer Xenon bits, also from Hella, that integrated HID bulbs into European headlight housings, plus HID spots...



Actually two on each side once we were done.



They were killer, used less electricity, and worked great. They were also hella expensive when they got squished (see the photo above, after I had a Miata juke right in front of me coming out of Oak Tree, running 20mph off the pace and trying to run away from other cars.

K

[Greg Amy]

It also cost us something 5+ mph at the end of each straight.

Yeah, but, it EASILY made up the difference in lap time just with improved driver confidence. Let's not forget I typically set my fastest times of the whole event with those things...at night.

- GA

[Ed Funk]

13-14 years ago we ran three auxiliary PIAA lights on a fabricated bracket. The whole thing could be mounted in about 20 seconds, didn't restrict opening the hood....worked well. The center was a pencil beam aimed straight ahead, the outside ones were fogs aimed out a bit and down a bit to help see the apex. Can't remember the wattage, but they were big rectangular things (4x8 inches?). The quad headlights were all replaced with high output euro type high beams that also shed some candle power on the subject. Prolly had more HP going to the alternator than the wheels! One of our drivers also set his best times at night....but he said it was because he couldn't see the scary stuff!

Stephen, if you want to borrow that mount and PIAAs, I can probably find where it is stored...could bring to the meeting next week, unless Stephanie has had the baby or you're on "baby watch".

[Ed Funk]

Huh! Thunderbolt after dark?!?!! Hell, there are apexes there that I can't find at high noon on a cloudless August day! GOOD LUCK!

[Flyinglizard]

You need one good straight ahead light . But more ,you need to see the apexes.
I run my right turn apex lights @ around 35degrees. My LS apex light is set to see the fastest left turn apex.
http://www.ogren-engineering.com/racing.html
Michael has a pic of the Chumps @ Sebring. Note the turn lights. These cars all have run 6-10 night races. And have it figured out pretty well.
The Probe with no lights is Bill Rileys car. Yeah,Bill Riley and his shop guys, come to kick our asses.