Just got back from a fantastic trackday at my local track, Bruntingthorpe. The day started in brilliant sunshine, then turned into a monsoon - but that just added to the FUN!

Here's some pics to look at until I get the videos sorted...

Trying to outrun a 747.


Then the rain came!

and came...

Aquaplaning wasn't the word!

 

Great shots!! Can hardly wait for the videos!

 

Simon...

as usual thanks for the sharing... showing us all what this little bugga can do.

may be next time you may want to try:

 

Great one Josh! I was just waiting for clearance from the tower before hitting the afterburner.

 

Here you go Danimal...I've chopped together some of the action from the video footage - it was more like powerboating than driving at times! I am still going through the tape from the dry session.
Slippery When Wet

 

That's good stuff!!! Thank you for sharing!

 

Simon, that's crazy... Racing around an airport in a hurricane ! LOL You brits are hardcore !
Good job. Check out some of my shots from Saturday.

 

Well we had Californiaesque sunshine in the morning, then the hurricane after lunch, just after my rear tyres had almost become slicks! I think my passenger had to send out for clean underwear!

I hope you a good a time as I did, and consumed plenty of RICE. We don't get much of that here - just a track resembling a paddy field LOL!

How was the new lightweight car?

I'll definitely be checking out you pics. Have you posted any yet?

 

I performed horrendously for many reasons. I only got four hours of sleep the night before, I was on the worst track for the Crossfire because it is designed for very high HP cars, I was on the track with 30+ other cars that completely out powered me that by lap two of every race I was having to worry more about traffic passing me at high speeds than driving my own race.

Lastly, since I gutted the car down to bare metal and have not built a roll cage in it yet, I got really twitchy about my safety in a crash. So, I was overly cautious and didn't push hard at all. My actual lap times were slower than the last time I ran the track a few months ago.

I now know that my next project is going to be the roll cage so I can eliminate that "Fear Factor" and get back up to speed.

The car itself is MUCH quicker now and really takes off out of the turns. I can definitely notice a huge difference.

 

Woody, you read my mind! I was wondering how the weight reduction affected HDDP's ride. Alas, performance is only possible when some level of security is achieved. Let us know when you get "caged" HDDP. Then you can let her rip!

 

Just put together the footage of myself and fellow track addict Carl (in the Yellow Leon Cupra) from the morning track session. Yes, it was the same day as monsoon! It was great fun and interesting to compare the two cars - that Leon Turbo has 220 BHP to my 215, and he's just fitted brakes that wouldn't disgrace a train!
I didn't have time to complete all the brake ducting but out of interest we checked some brake temperatures after we had both been out for a session. Mine were 200 degC, his were only 80! I had to check several times before I believed it. We were both running EBC Green Stuff pads. I can't say that the these pads were a vast improvement over stock, plenty of stopping power but they felt a bit mushy.

Anyway here's the vid:

Caught in the Crossfire

(Sorry its a 14mb download, but it should stream OK)

 

Simon, you humble me with your production skills. I guess I'll now have to work even when I'm at the track, just to match your last video, BRAVO.

I am so happy to see that you were matched with equal HP cars, because I'm a bit distraught about my showing this weekend, even though I placed second in my class, I keep looking at my video and seeing all the cars passing me like I was waiting for a bus, and forgetting about the cars that were behind me.

It would be fun to drive against you. It would be a little whacky though, seeing you in the passenger seat... LOL

PS: Take a look at the Porterfield brake pads. And you might want to check out Goodridge braided brake lines (UK company). I noticed that you had OEM lines in your photo essay of the ducting project. That is one thing I think I have tuned perfectly now, brakes.

Cheers

 

You're really too kind Derek. I would put most of my 'skill' down to an iMac and iMovie, but coming from someone with your background I take it as high praise indeed. :blush:
With your expert eye you will have noticed that the cut in shots were not from the track session, I just wanted to do something a bit more entertaining and try out my external camera mount. I am going to try and get some 'Rendezvous' style library footage by mounting the camera in the fog light hole before I put the ducts back.

I've just watched your video - Amazing, there was stuff coming at you from everywhere like a swarm of angry bees. Top marks for hanging on in there!
Just remember that unlike yourself I am not 'racing' as such on these trackdays and we are not really matched for power either, it just depends who is organizing the day and who turns up. When I go with the Porsche Club you get 912's and GT3 Cup racers mixing it. On Saturday there was a full race M3 out testing and I had to think about getting out the way as soon as I saw him in the distance in the mirrors.

Likewise Derek, it would be great to compare notes...if you are ever in the UK I'll let you have a go in the 'wrong' seat - Oh, remember to bring a raincoat LOL

Yes, I run Goodrich on my other cars and have these planned but ran out of time. The shop didn't have the right fittings either. I might check out the pads though as I am not convinced the EBC's were much of an improvement. I might try the Reds or Yellows though. Good to hear the your SRT setup is working.

On a general note I am sure that with the wealth of knowledge and disciplines we have in this community we can all contribute something to your campaign. After all your raising of the Crossfire profile can only be good for all of us - PEDAL TO THE METAL.

 

Nice pics... now is it me or is the drivers rear actually lifting in the corner!!! (for us left side drivers that would be the passenger side) now that’s some handling in wet weather.

 

I had to spend more time in the mirror than driving my race. Consider the speed difference if I was doing 100+ on the back straight and was getting passed like I was a statue... Pretty intimidating to say the least. But since NASA groups all the TT cars together this is something I'll have to get used to.

 

What kind of power do the big boys have? I guess it doesn't help having the xfire geared to 150+ Although your 18" rears may have reduced this slightly. Lets hope you find a way to get enough power to pull those speeds on the longer circuits.

 

You may have misunderstood, there are 10 different classes of TT that all race together though are timed separately for the class they are assigned.

For example, there is TTU, TTR & TTA thru TTH all of which are classed based on the original vehicle HP / weight specs. + upclassing for modifications done to the vehicle. For example, there were stock Corvette Z06's classed in TTA running with VW GTI's running in TTF.

There were 40+ cars running together in all of the TT classes from the slowest TTH (Mazda Miata etc.) to TTA (Ford GT40, Z06 etc.) and little ole me, in TTD.

The Crossfire has a base class of TTE (slowest in TT category) but because of the modifications I have on the car, it is up-classed to TTD.

So you can imagine a 215 hp car running on the same track with a 550 hp car even though we are not racing each other per se. It gets a little hairy doing 110+ down the back straightaway and being bombarded by cars doing 150+ in complete open passing competition.

All in all, I had a fair showing in that there were 3 TTD cars running and I finished second of the three. It was just freaky running with such faster cars in open comp.

My next mission is to put a full roll cage in the car with a safety fuel cell, in the event I get caught-up in the mele' of 550 hp cars. I'll worry about HP mods later.