redXman
08-20-2009, 09:03 PM
Well, I FINALLY have something to post here.... It's been a long year so far, after winning the national championships last year, I had high hopes for a return trip in '09, but it just doesn't seem like it's in the cards....
I got a late start this year due to a move and building a new engine, and went out for the first time in July (to Mid-Ohio). I then proceeded to grind my pride and joy to a screeching halt in the first 15 minutes (looks like oil pump pickup bolts backed out and oil pressure gauge was reading high due to a bad ground. Oops. Live and learn...).
So I put another engine in and gave it a shot last weekend. PTE around here has had pretty good showings and this weekend was no exception. We had (2) '90 Civic Si's, Neons, Miatas, H4 Civic ~95, and my lone SE-R.
Saturday I ran well out of the gate and qualified 2nd. In the race the leader got away from me when 2 cars spun in front of us. He was able to get thru with some minor damage, while I had to brake heavily on the straightaway in order to avoid a collision. I didn't lose any positions, so I put my head down and started grinding away laps. After about 5 or 6 laps I was able to get back to within striking range, when he got tangled up with a Miata (lap traffic) and went off permanently. This led me to a easy win 30 seconds ahead of 2nd place.
But the real drama started off the track.....In impound I got a dyno card, so obviously reported to the dyno. Old faithful put down 161whp with my new BC Stg3 cams. My competition was very happy with that as they meticulously went over my paperwork and reread the rules.... My minimum declared weight (copied out of the book) is 2467, but I actually came off the track at 2533. So if you use the 2467 weight in the calculation, I was at 16.42lb/wt ratio. 0.08 illegal, ~2hp over. If you use the 2533 weight I was legal by far. Well the 2nd place guy found somewhere in the rules where it states the minimum weight must be used for the calculation and not the actual. So I was docked 1 position and moved to 2nd place. All the NASA officials were actually on my side since I competed at a legitimate power-weight ratio, and it was basically a technicality that I was under. The race director actually said after reviewing it he would like to wait a few days to make a final decision, and today decided to uphold my win. Luckily, my series director was also on my side, and found in the Dyno Rules section, that the minimum competition weight for the calculation is defined as the weight when the car comes of the track (or something to that effect). So I am pumped that the win was upheld and I got the victory! And to keep this stunt from happening again, I upped my minimum weight on the paperwork to 2501, which legally allows me to run 162whp.
Sunday I continued to work on the setup of the car as I removed the rear wing to add the cams this year and the car was now scary loose in the fast left-handers. I qualified 2nd again to the same guy as last time, but this time there was no separation, I stuck to him tight and passed in some traffic on the 2nd lap. I held onto 1st for another 2 laps but he was pressuring me hard from behind so I was pushing HARD. Coming up over the right hander hill heading into thunder valley I caught too much curbing and got the car bouncing big time. I easily had 2 wheels off the ground and just drifed right off into the grass. I kept the throttle down and was luckily able to get back on track without slowing down, although 2nd place was able to re-pass me. I felt the car for a few turns, realized it was OK, and starting pushing for first again. This time it wasn't so easy, the lighter civic had great corner speed and could get good runs onto the straightaways, such that my power couldn't get me close enough for a pass by the end. This went on for 5 or 6 laps, me trying to pass in all sorts of places, when I finally changed my line and got a great run out of the keyhole, basically matching his exit speed, allowing me to pass him easily 1/2 way down the straight. Once in the lead, I was able to work thru traffic and keep him behind me by driving the defensive line and killing him momentum thru the corners while motoring away on the straights. This was pretty effective and netted me another win! The margin of victory was 0.22 seconds and we ran within a few hundredths (0.01s) of each other (ahemmm, mine was faster, ahemmm). It was a really awesome race and I hope he posts his video sometime so I can see that view as well.
So overall an awesome weekend with great results. Thanks to GSPEC for hooking me up with awesome parts, and the BC cams were great too, a little too much power if you run 2467 though...And Bits 'n Pieces w/Koni 8611s = PRICELESS!!!!
Unfortunately, I believe this will be the last outing with the sentra this year. Blowing the engine didn't help the "budget" (what do you call it when you have no money?) and us guys in the auto industry are having a rough year to boot.... I will be doing some driving for our race team at work (HART, Honda of America Race Team). We're doing a 12hr Enduro at Nelson Ledges this weekend and plan to do the VIR 13hr in October.
I only recorded Sunday's race, but here it is Part1:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbpAQ-VyDb4
Part 2:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbpAQ-VyDb4
Part 3:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwegQs1Y38o
This video is Sunday's race and shot from a PTD Integra GSR who was behind us most of the race. http://www.vimeo.com/6165439
Hopefully a few pictures to come soon too.. Enjoy...
I got a late start this year due to a move and building a new engine, and went out for the first time in July (to Mid-Ohio). I then proceeded to grind my pride and joy to a screeching halt in the first 15 minutes (looks like oil pump pickup bolts backed out and oil pressure gauge was reading high due to a bad ground. Oops. Live and learn...).
So I put another engine in and gave it a shot last weekend. PTE around here has had pretty good showings and this weekend was no exception. We had (2) '90 Civic Si's, Neons, Miatas, H4 Civic ~95, and my lone SE-R.
Saturday I ran well out of the gate and qualified 2nd. In the race the leader got away from me when 2 cars spun in front of us. He was able to get thru with some minor damage, while I had to brake heavily on the straightaway in order to avoid a collision. I didn't lose any positions, so I put my head down and started grinding away laps. After about 5 or 6 laps I was able to get back to within striking range, when he got tangled up with a Miata (lap traffic) and went off permanently. This led me to a easy win 30 seconds ahead of 2nd place.
But the real drama started off the track.....In impound I got a dyno card, so obviously reported to the dyno. Old faithful put down 161whp with my new BC Stg3 cams. My competition was very happy with that as they meticulously went over my paperwork and reread the rules.... My minimum declared weight (copied out of the book) is 2467, but I actually came off the track at 2533. So if you use the 2467 weight in the calculation, I was at 16.42lb/wt ratio. 0.08 illegal, ~2hp over. If you use the 2533 weight I was legal by far. Well the 2nd place guy found somewhere in the rules where it states the minimum weight must be used for the calculation and not the actual. So I was docked 1 position and moved to 2nd place. All the NASA officials were actually on my side since I competed at a legitimate power-weight ratio, and it was basically a technicality that I was under. The race director actually said after reviewing it he would like to wait a few days to make a final decision, and today decided to uphold my win. Luckily, my series director was also on my side, and found in the Dyno Rules section, that the minimum competition weight for the calculation is defined as the weight when the car comes of the track (or something to that effect). So I am pumped that the win was upheld and I got the victory! And to keep this stunt from happening again, I upped my minimum weight on the paperwork to 2501, which legally allows me to run 162whp.
Sunday I continued to work on the setup of the car as I removed the rear wing to add the cams this year and the car was now scary loose in the fast left-handers. I qualified 2nd again to the same guy as last time, but this time there was no separation, I stuck to him tight and passed in some traffic on the 2nd lap. I held onto 1st for another 2 laps but he was pressuring me hard from behind so I was pushing HARD. Coming up over the right hander hill heading into thunder valley I caught too much curbing and got the car bouncing big time. I easily had 2 wheels off the ground and just drifed right off into the grass. I kept the throttle down and was luckily able to get back on track without slowing down, although 2nd place was able to re-pass me. I felt the car for a few turns, realized it was OK, and starting pushing for first again. This time it wasn't so easy, the lighter civic had great corner speed and could get good runs onto the straightaways, such that my power couldn't get me close enough for a pass by the end. This went on for 5 or 6 laps, me trying to pass in all sorts of places, when I finally changed my line and got a great run out of the keyhole, basically matching his exit speed, allowing me to pass him easily 1/2 way down the straight. Once in the lead, I was able to work thru traffic and keep him behind me by driving the defensive line and killing him momentum thru the corners while motoring away on the straights. This was pretty effective and netted me another win! The margin of victory was 0.22 seconds and we ran within a few hundredths (0.01s) of each other (ahemmm, mine was faster, ahemmm). It was a really awesome race and I hope he posts his video sometime so I can see that view as well.
So overall an awesome weekend with great results. Thanks to GSPEC for hooking me up with awesome parts, and the BC cams were great too, a little too much power if you run 2467 though...And Bits 'n Pieces w/Koni 8611s = PRICELESS!!!!
Unfortunately, I believe this will be the last outing with the sentra this year. Blowing the engine didn't help the "budget" (what do you call it when you have no money?) and us guys in the auto industry are having a rough year to boot.... I will be doing some driving for our race team at work (HART, Honda of America Race Team). We're doing a 12hr Enduro at Nelson Ledges this weekend and plan to do the VIR 13hr in October.
I only recorded Sunday's race, but here it is Part1:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbpAQ-VyDb4
Part 2:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbpAQ-VyDb4
Part 3:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwegQs1Y38o
This video is Sunday's race and shot from a PTD Integra GSR who was behind us most of the race. http://www.vimeo.com/6165439
Hopefully a few pictures to come soon too.. Enjoy...