Racing Caterham 2013

[CarMan]

I just returned from our first weekend of racing at Watkins Glen's May Madness weekend.

Friday test and tune was 36 degrees and rain that bounced! Followed by snow flurries into the boot section of the track! Our newly installed engine did a fine job.

Saturday. Found out that we were mixed in with the Spec racer Fords. Qualified 3rd overall but had to start in the second group after the Spec Fords. Passed EVERYONE! But as I was threading my way through the group, I noticed a menacing Mazda Miata was keeping pace with my every move. It was then that I realized it was National Champion Charlie Campbell stalking me. After I ran out of traffic, it was game on! Charlie passed me, but I got him back. Then he passed me cleanly in turn one. I knew I could return the favor on the next lap, but as we came around the last turn, the checkers came out. We had encountered big traffic on the final run down the front straight and never saw the "one to go" sign. But the long course time of 2min 12 sec was not shabby at all.

 

Sunday was cool and Sunny. Qualified again in 3rd place, but still had to start in a split start from the Spec Fords. Again The Mazda was there. Before the race I spoke with Charlie. He was only interested in the lap record for the short course in FProduction. I was only interested in passing as many cars as I could.

For 5 laps I had the honor of dicing with a National Champion and we passed each other a number of times. I was learning where I was faster and slower as we circulated the track. Each pass was clean and I couldn't even think of blocking him. That would have just made us both slower.

After 5 laps he slowed a bit as he was still feeling out his car for the National season, and I motored away..... still looking to see how many Spec Racers I could hunt down.

I finished first in the whole group, and won my class. But as I came into the impound area, an official came to the car to tell me I had a new lap record for the short course in EProduction!!!!!

All in all a Great Weekend!

 

I have to make a BIG shout out to Bob Doernberg and his spare engine he sold us. And a HUGE thank you to Craig Chima for putting us together! We needed a racing Zetec engine and Craig hooked us up with Bob. We hope they are proud of our efforts.

 

I posted this in General discussion because I wanted everyone to see it. I wouldn't be racing this year without being contacted by Craig and his contact with Bob.

 

Thank you!

 

George Kline

[yellowss7]

Just goes to show that Yellow cars are faster! :driving: Other than the weather, sounds like a great weekend. Congrats on the Lap record.:hurray:

 

Tom

[scannon]

Great result CarMan! Was Charlie unhappy you got the EP lap record instead of him?

[MichaelD]

Way to go George. Great result and review.

 

Hey Skip. do you have any photos of you body wench? I now have a torn rotator cuff in my right shoulder. Surgery is scheduled in August.

 

Thanks.

[yellowss7]

Michael, I don't know about his butt Wench, butt his Butt Winch is featured in this post. http://usa7s.com/vb/showthread.php?t=7039&highlight=butt+winch

 

:seeya:Tom

[Croc]

Knowing Michael he probably does want a good wench. :rofl: I find they are very useful around the house - second best thing to have in each of the kitchen and bedroom. :leaving:

 

 

Back on track....great result Carman. Up against such elite competition that is a magnificent achievement!

[Sean]

Skip - I believe they were in different classes (if I am reading it correctly?):

Before the race I spoke with Charlie. He was only interested in the lap record for the short course in FProduction.

I finished first in the whole group, and won my class. But as I came into the impound area, an official came to the car to tell me I had a new lap record for the short course in EProduction!

 

I read it the same way as you the first time, but then re-read it for some unknown reason, and noticed the difference the second time through.

[Klasik-69]

Great result CarMan! Was Charlie unhappy you got the EP lap record instead of him?

 

I believe CarMan got the EP lap record while the Miata would be in a different class. Typically, the Miatas will run SM (Spec Miata) but may be in IT (Improved Touring) class if they have modified the ECU or made some other tweaks not allowed in SM class. If this was a TT (Timed Trials) SCCA event, the Miata may likely be running in DSP class since then they take the Solo II event designations.

 

AND, all this brings me to ask CarMan a question:

 

If you're in EP class and running in club racing under the GCR of the SCCA, are you therefore running clam shell front wings and staying with 13 x 6 wheels ? And if you were running a TT event, wouldn't you be in the SPU class vs. EP ? I'm just wondering because it seems that the SCCA has various interpretations of their rules depending on which part of the country you're in. I see variations all over the place.

 

Lastly, a very big CONGRATULATIONS on your fantastic run and setting the EP track record, making us all proud 7 owners. I bet that having a rabbit to chase (Charlie) made you even faster. It does for me too.

[Kitcat]

The EP record at storied Watkins Glen? Wow!

 

Do you have hopes for the Runoffs, or does that course favor the aerodynamic Miata?

 

And, as noted by Klasik, you must be on tiny SCCA wheels, slicks, pontoon fendered, etc, right?

 

Finally, Miatas have long been a staple of EP racing and own numerous SCCA national championships. They also run in other clases incl FP, Spec Miata, etc.

Edited May 29, 2013 by Kitcat

[CarMan]

Thanks guys.

 

I was in the E Production class and Charlie was in F production. But we were grouped in the same race. The race included the dreaded Spec racer Fords, H production and STI and STU classes. There was even a car categorized as SPU.

 

I am Running legal, cutout, pontoon fenders and 13" legal panasport wheels. And, believe me, those fenders were vibrating as we faced the headwind as we ran down NASCAR straight.

 

I always wanted to upgrade the brakes, but SCCA will not allow us to have safer brakes and rotors. We have to maintain the sledgehammer single piston brakes and non-ventilated rotors.

 

But, all in all, the weekend was kind of epic for the 7.

Just wanted to share the news among fellow enthusiasts.

 

Big! Really Really BIG Smile.

[dallasdude]

Congratulations on your record, sounds like you had a fun, safe weekend.

 

As far as SRF traffic, it is a great class, but fortunately in our part of the country they have their own run group. They get lined up in a row on the straights and it is hard to see past the first one. We did have IT and STU in with our run group this past weekend however. Forty cars total (10 EP cars) and some IT cars you lapped a couple times.

 

Andrew and I didn't have as good a weekend (i don't think his dad would mind me saying that)at Texas World Speedway. Andrew had mechanical problems and I could not touch the two guys in front. TWS has to be one of the very most difficult tracks in the country. In my opinion, way more difficult to get right than COTA 100 miles away. I'll never get it right. Andrew is better than me most tracks, but the way better there. Didn't help that I stuck it in fifth instead of third going on the infield on the first lap. A lot of it is about the braking zones and going way deeper than you think you can. It would be great to see video from Andrew.

 

Larger wheels might me nice, but getting a 15X7 or 8 wheel that keeps the wheel weight to 10 or 11 pounds is pricey. Your really need three sets of wheels to go racing, so it adds up pretty quickly. The larger Hoosier Radial slick would work a little better with a 13X7, but the 13X6 is adequate. From when Chip Bond did the series 11 years ago there most be a hundred of those 13X6 wheels lying around. You go to 15's and you start creating problems with aero and roll centers, not the mention the stresses rubber this size puts on an S3 chassis when used to the maximum.

 

Here's a link to the GCR. The part particular to racing Caterham specififications for EP is on pages # 596 and 597 (600 & 601 for the document)

 

http://scca.cdn.racersites.com/prod/assets/2013%20GCR%20-June.pdf

 

 

If you want to race a Caterham in the US....buy Bob's car. A fresh build done by a Caterham expert and a National Champion.

And have fun.

[CarMan]

Racing update in the East.

 

Took the CAT to Lime Rock Park June 21 & 22 for the SCCA weekend. HOT! and Slippery! And FUN!!!!

There were 41 cars in our group 3! And on a 1.3 mile track.... that's a LOT of traffic indeed. These New England racers like EProduction as the field had 11 in this group.

 

They so thing different at LRP. No "Racing" on Friday. So you Qualify in the am, then have a "qualifying" race in the afternoon. Then the "racing" is on Saturday.

 

Qualified in 2nd on Friday am and then followed up with a win, in the afternoon race.

On Saturday I lead from pole but a well prepared Mazda RX-7 was all over me. I just kept the lapped traffic between us. And, believe me, there was a LOT of lapped traffic. But they were generally well behaved and let us by. The Mazda was used up at the end and did not start the afternoon race.

 

The afternoon race was from pole with a very good BMW next door. Johnathan Leitner is a good driver. He hounded me for the first 4 laps until we started lapping cars. Then he tried to use them as a way by. I was trying to use them as a pick to keep him at bay.

Finally we both got caught up in heavy traffic and made moves to pass a car on either side. The car being passed, at first, did not see me on the left side. Then he did(just as I put 2 wheels in the grass) and he jinked to the right and forced the BMW into the grass! At that point we kind if slowed things up as far as aggression, and realized we had lapped 34 of the 41 cars!

 

In impound, there were remarks about "That OLD car" being so fast. Turned a 1.00.755 on a crowded and greasy track. Not a bad time at all.

 

So the next event is LRP on July 12 & 13. with my inlaws coming to their first race.

 

Should be interesting.

 

George Kline

[yellowss7]

George, it sounded abit like our trackday last weekend, without us having your skill level. :ack:

 

Question for you. I just picked up as set of race clams that are cut out pretty severely, and the standard wingstay is about 2 inches longer than the clam at the point where it would normally attach on the clam. Is there a special wings stay made just for the race clams?

 

Tom

[CarMan]

The SCCA requires us to use the cutout clams.

I just looked at the front mounting bracket that holds the front over the tire. It is the standard issue bracket and mine looks to have been cut off to avoid sticking out.

 

The rear of the clam has no bracket and is mounted to the frame with 6 bolts. I am always amazed that the fenders don't break off, they vibrate so much. The paint is Crazed from all that vibration, but they keep on working.

 

The SCCA has VERY specific specifications for the Clamshell fenders and you cannot change them. I can not imagine the amount of lift that the non-cutout clamshells used to create. Whew!!!!

 

If you can blow up my avatar and look, you'll see how they are cutout.

[yellowss7]

Thanks, I couldn't blow up your pic without massive pixilation, so I couldn't see the mounts. My mount is a hollow tube that the wires for the headlights run thru and then has a flat section at the end that a hole is in that attaches to the sidelight marker.

 

I guess I'll try to find another set of stays and try to make them work.

 

Thanks

 

Tom