Race Update
(and money!)
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Joined: Sep 2002
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From: On a street corner
Guys I do think some of you are over-estimating the
. This isn't F1, yes we do take great care in the care but only as much as they do, one of the guys who is a regular contender at the front was next to us in the garage and his role in the club is assist and guide new members so we know what is going on and he assists with set-up.
So where is the difference in speed coming from as Jo's car is putting more power out at the wheels on the same dyno...
1) track knowledge - this is invaluable as Jo hasn't been to a lot of the circuits before, some of them she might get to one track or test day before, the front runners have been racing for years there
2) comfort zone - Jo is in a new series with a new format to the day with new regulations and new people etc etc. Again this isn't the case for the front runners
3) race craft - Jo is not used to such a large pack being around her. This is a mixture of confidence and learning tactics.
Down get me wrong - I am very proud of her and she did exactly what we were looking to do - bring the car and her home in one piece after her first race weekend. And she did better than that and was putting in good times. The above isn't an excuse fest, the other guys were quicker, but it is an achievable difference and we'll work towards Jo getting there. I just don't want people thinking that all the cars are finely tuned / set-up racing diamonds. They're all a bit $hit to be honest
finely tuned at the front
So where is the difference in speed coming from as Jo's car is putting more power out at the wheels on the same dyno...
1) track knowledge - this is invaluable as Jo hasn't been to a lot of the circuits before, some of them she might get to one track or test day before, the front runners have been racing for years there
2) comfort zone - Jo is in a new series with a new format to the day with new regulations and new people etc etc. Again this isn't the case for the front runners
3) race craft - Jo is not used to such a large pack being around her. This is a mixture of confidence and learning tactics.
Down get me wrong - I am very proud of her and she did exactly what we were looking to do - bring the car and her home in one piece after her first race weekend. And she did better than that and was putting in good times. The above isn't an excuse fest, the other guys were quicker, but it is an achievable difference and we'll work towards Jo getting there. I just don't want people thinking that all the cars are finely tuned / set-up racing diamonds. They're all a bit $hit to be honest
Thread Starter
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 11,493
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From: Surrey
Of course it's fun 
and yes that's the point It's just MORE fun when you win
I think Kelk meant we take care of the car, as much as those at the front of the pack (not as much as F1 )
In terms of tuning, there is scope but not much:
Performance - our engines are race sealed, we have a choice of two exhausts, and the inlet manifold/exhuast manifold are fixed, we have a choice of two radiators and a class minimum weight limit. We don't run iwndscreen but have a choice of two aeroscreens, and we don't run front/rear lights. In terms of power, we recently rolling roaded 3 cars and found variations from mid 120bhp's to nearly 137bhp - just natural differences between cars - and when we weigh about 600kg's it can make a difference. I think my car is fairly strong.
Setup - a bit more scope - we have a choice of 3 (or none) anti-roll bar at the front, and we have an adjustable rear anti-roll bar. Our springs/dampers are fixed, our tyres are fixed (A048R-M's 3 sets per season for qualy + race), brake pads and bias are free but i think discs are fixed. We have a minimum ground clearance but the rake is free. We can adjust toe/camber/caster as well.
I don't think setup has a huge amount to do with it (some when you are talking front of the pack perhaps), mostly it is driver skill which I'm working on
Like Chris said - a lot of it was familiarity with the track and being with a big pack of cars.
I had a great race on Sunday - but let's face it, who wants to be towards the back
and yes that's the point It's just MORE fun when you win I think Kelk meant we take care of the car, as much as those at the front of the pack (not as much as F1 )
In terms of tuning, there is scope but not much:
Performance - our engines are race sealed, we have a choice of two exhausts, and the inlet manifold/exhuast manifold are fixed, we have a choice of two radiators and a class minimum weight limit. We don't run iwndscreen but have a choice of two aeroscreens, and we don't run front/rear lights. In terms of power, we recently rolling roaded 3 cars and found variations from mid 120bhp's to nearly 137bhp - just natural differences between cars - and when we weigh about 600kg's it can make a difference. I think my car is fairly strong.
Setup - a bit more scope - we have a choice of 3 (or none) anti-roll bar at the front, and we have an adjustable rear anti-roll bar. Our springs/dampers are fixed, our tyres are fixed (A048R-M's 3 sets per season for qualy + race), brake pads and bias are free but i think discs are fixed. We have a minimum ground clearance but the rake is free. We can adjust toe/camber/caster as well.
I don't think setup has a huge amount to do with it (some when you are talking front of the pack perhaps), mostly it is driver skill which I'm working on
Like Chris said - a lot of it was familiarity with the track and being with a big pack of cars.I had a great race on Sunday - but let's face it, who wants to be towards the back
Member
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 33,838
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From: Sunshine Coast - England UK
Fair play for having the balls (or the flange ) to do something we all want to!
Must be massively more fun than a track day.
Do you find you can't sleep the night before? I often wonder how F1 drivers sleep!
) to do something we all want to!Must be massively more fun than a track day.
Do you find you can't sleep the night before? I often wonder how F1 drivers sleep!
Thread Starter
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 11,493
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From: Surrey
Yeah, which is the point of the series - there is no team support allowed, and the idea is to make all the cars as similar as you possibly can, to keep costs down (relatively) and make it all down to the driver
Hehe thanks MB - no, can't sleep, and can't eat on race day! This weekend I think the adrenaline had just run out after 3 days and I was exhausted! Funny thing is I can often close my eyes while sitting in the pit lane waiting to go out, but not the night before!
Hehe thanks MB - no, can't sleep, and can't eat on race day! This weekend I think the adrenaline had just run out after 3 days and I was exhausted! Funny thing is I can often close my eyes while sitting in the pit lane waiting to go out, but not the night before!
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Joined: Aug 2001
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From: North Yorks
Finally you experience the best sort of racing - a big grid of closely matched cars.
It's always daunting at first, so many cars around you - at least you were at Silverstone for your first one - plenty of space for you all, by the end of the season Silverstone will seem very boring, trust me.
There is a lot to be gained from setup in such a closely controlled series, geometry settings can make huge differences to grip levels, but to get them set for each circuit you need to test there a few times before each race - which takes money and more commitment than most people are willing to give, or race a few seasons and tweak settings - which takes time. Either way, your testing times will tell you what works at each circuit, and circuit knowledge counts for a lot before you think too much about changing geometry settings.
Mallory is one of my favourite circuits to race a 7 on. It's narrow and on the circuit diagram looks simple, but in reality there is a lot of technical content for such a short circuit.
There's a load of time to be had through the Esses and it's a great place to overtake if you've been slipstreaming down the Stebbe straight - practice your entry and don't turn in too early, trying to carry as much speed through as you can - it's quite daunting (barriers are quite close) which means most people brake and turn in too early here. In my last Locost race I was punted off at Gerards on my first lap and rejoined dead last - I made up one place a lap at the Esses, overtaking every single time through.
If it's wet the Devils Elbow can be iffy - whatever you do don't be caught lifting or changing gear at turn in (the brow of the hill) or you'll spin (and the pit wall approaches quickly). If necessary short shift out of the hairpin so you're not caught at the limiter too soon in the corner. The apex is next to the tannoy speaker, it's blind on the approach but aim for the tannoy (if it's still there). After the apex on the tighter line there is a bump which will unsettle the car so try to take as straight a line as possible away from the apex and don't hug the left side of the track, let the car run out immediately to the right and correct your line on the straight.
Gerards is just a looooong quarter mile corner, there are loads of theories about it, my preferred way of approaching it was to enter as fast as I dare and let the car slow by itself through the corner - don't let anyone tell you they take it flat, but don't brake too much on entry and be careful not to exit too early or you'll run out of road, there's a bit of a bump on the exit which can unsettle cars a bit too.
Great circuit for racing though, far better than it's length and the diagram suggests.
Good luck
It's always daunting at first, so many cars around you - at least you were at Silverstone for your first one - plenty of space for you all, by the end of the season Silverstone will seem very boring, trust me.
There is a lot to be gained from setup in such a closely controlled series, geometry settings can make huge differences to grip levels, but to get them set for each circuit you need to test there a few times before each race - which takes money and more commitment than most people are willing to give, or race a few seasons and tweak settings - which takes time. Either way, your testing times will tell you what works at each circuit, and circuit knowledge counts for a lot before you think too much about changing geometry settings.
Mallory is one of my favourite circuits to race a 7 on. It's narrow and on the circuit diagram looks simple, but in reality there is a lot of technical content for such a short circuit.
There's a load of time to be had through the Esses and it's a great place to overtake if you've been slipstreaming down the Stebbe straight - practice your entry and don't turn in too early, trying to carry as much speed through as you can - it's quite daunting (barriers are quite close) which means most people brake and turn in too early here. In my last Locost race I was punted off at Gerards on my first lap and rejoined dead last - I made up one place a lap at the Esses, overtaking every single time through.
If it's wet the Devils Elbow can be iffy - whatever you do don't be caught lifting or changing gear at turn in (the brow of the hill) or you'll spin (and the pit wall approaches quickly). If necessary short shift out of the hairpin so you're not caught at the limiter too soon in the corner. The apex is next to the tannoy speaker, it's blind on the approach but aim for the tannoy (if it's still there). After the apex on the tighter line there is a bump which will unsettle the car so try to take as straight a line as possible away from the apex and don't hug the left side of the track, let the car run out immediately to the right and correct your line on the straight.
Gerards is just a looooong quarter mile corner, there are loads of theories about it, my preferred way of approaching it was to enter as fast as I dare and let the car slow by itself through the corner - don't let anyone tell you they take it flat, but don't brake too much on entry and be careful not to exit too early or you'll run out of road, there's a bit of a bump on the exit which can unsettle cars a bit too.
Great circuit for racing though, far better than it's length and the diagram suggests.
Good luck