Have fun with the track event everyone.

Skip - I'd be up for the karting event.

 

On ICE?

 

Ok, ok...there is now a 15% chance I will show up. Geeezz...

 

Ok, checked oil, torqued lugnuts, added air to my 10 (?) year old Dunlop GT Qualifier All Seasons (came with the car and have the added bonus of being harder than pavement so the tires don't wear down, the track wears down ). Chances of me showing up are now 45%.

Also added some coolant to my radiator since I run 80% distailled water, 15% coolant and 5% water wetter in the summer.

 

Pete, please be careful with those old tires. On the tire, there is a "born-on-date." If the tires were, in fact, manufactuered in the '90's, you will find a 3-digit code at the end of a string of letters/numbers. The 3-digit code will be in its own little "oval."

The first two digits designate the week of the year that it was produced and the last number is the year. If the tire was made this century(damn, that sounds weird! ), there will be 4 digits- the last two are the year.

Tires can delaminate or whatever the term is. Tires over 6-7 years should not be used as a general rule. Everyone should check their tires for their born-on-dates.

 

We had a great time at Summit Point today. It was freakin' cold but the RA1's hooked up better than I thought they would and the S was working great. I re-corner weighted my car and sure enough the last time I did it I wasn't on a level floor--the car feels more planted, even at 32 degrees.

It was a little strange driving by Cale's accident site, but I know he'd want us out there.

Keith took Brenda out for a ride along in the F360 during the Novice-Guest group and Pete decided to go ice skating with the Miata. Those old (very old) all weather tires were terrible. Pete was sliding all over the place. He said it was like driving a muscle car--he could spin the rear tires at will!

Due to operator error I only taped the second instructor street car session, and only about half of that. Here's the you tube video:

Wing Cam you tube video

A lot of people went off because of the ice cold track and tires, but I don't think anyone damaged their cars. Pete, Keith, and I kept our tires clean today. BSR brought in a catered BBQ lunch and they kept the classrooms warm so it wasn't a bad day at all. I wish more of you could have come (George, you should have dug the Miata out).

BSR confirmed that the S2000 will have to have an aftermarket roll bar next year. Actually all convertibles will have to have roll bars or you have to show an owner's manual showing that your convertible has stock pop-up bars.

They covered more of the Turn 1 concrete wall, but there's still some bare wall showing on the left. I'm going to ask them to cover the remaining wall before the next FATT in the Spring.

BSR still hasn't firmed up the instructor clinic dates, but they plan to run at least one in February.

Crap, I'm missing football! Gotta run.

Rob

 

I pulled the Traqmate data last night. My fastest lap was a 127.5 in the second session. Traffic was pretty heavy so I don't think I ever got a clean lap. I'm looking forward to February at VIR.

 

I said to my self....How bad could the old Dunlop GT Qualifer All season tires that came with the car be?






























































They wer awful, i could light up the rear tires at any point in 3rd gear at will. Never saw more than 70 MPH in T10 and that was sideways.



I said to Bill L (mechanic) that the tires came with the car and were probably 10 years old abd Bill said "Hell they stopped making those about 10 years ago so they might be 20 years old".



Oh well, an exercise in driving smooooooooooooth.

Good to see so many friendly faces (although I still am missing seeing one face) before hibernating for the winter.

 

Rob, Calvin: we're signed up for the Friday night kart enduro.

 

Sweet!


















Are you serious?