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Post by baconsarnie on May 16, 2017 9:05:28 GMT
Sprint School at the CurborgringThis time last week I was sat in the morning briefing for the Curborough Sprint School ready to have my first stab at a 'proper' sprint course. For those that don't know the sport, a traditional sprint course is kind-of like a flattened hillclimb - a narrow, twisty track with some full chat bits to link it together. In the same way that hillclimbing is quite different to regular track driving, so is sprinting with the key to quick times being late late late apex and getting the car hooked up and on the gas for a quick entry onto the straights. Easier said than done, every fiber screams for you to turn in on a 'normal' line and try to carry speed thru the corner, but that just results in horrid understeer and running wide on the exit, ruining your speed down the straights. First session once the guide cones were taken away and I started to feel like I was making progress... The Torsen I fitted with the help of Apextwin the day before has transformed how early and aggressive I can get on the power now, the car hooks up brilliantly! Can't wait to get back to Gurston and see how the car update improves my times! In the afternoon we also had time on the 2 lap variant of the track and my (unofficial) times improved again. I don't think this run was too shabby... The track provided plenty of entertainment during the day with T2 being actually quite tricky once you were traveling! Que some slidy bits... Unfortunately I missed pressing record on my crowning moment of the day... having egged Apextwin on and on about how late I was braking for the first corner of the second lap, waiting on the start line for my run I had a grandstand view of him locking up in a spectacular way and sailing past the corner... genuine LOL moment watching that. My turn to 'show him how it's done'... Que out-braking myself into the same corner and turning in trailing the brakes and a big slide that I wasn't going to catch. Thought I'd style it out with a donut to recover! warrrrbarbarpbarp! (diff works!) Got a cheer for that  Hopefully someone caught it on film because all the embarrassment of overcooking it was swept aside by that 'hero' moment!! Time to give MEP a service ready for the Sprint event at Curb I've entered in June. One disappointing(but not unexpected) development is the characteristic puff of smoke on overrun is rapidly becoming a battleship style smoke screen. The winter engine rebuild project is confirmed but hopefully I can nurse it through the 5 events I have booked with some thicker oil...
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Post by baconsarnie on Jun 13, 2017 11:47:59 GMT
Graham Hill Sprint at CurboroughSmall updates to MEP before my first competitive event at the Curborgring included an oil change to 10w50 Millers nanotech oil to try and address the blow-by issue and fitment of a hybrid competition engine mount kit from 949 Racing in the States. The Millers oil seems to have made a massive improvement to the blow-by situation, reducing the smoke screens on over-run to the odd puff of smoke that I've been used to. It's not changed my engine rebuild plans for the winter but has given me confidence that MEP will be OK for the remainder of the season. Good news. I installed the hybrid mount kit which consists of a very trick looking custom mount with 70 durometer bushes and a mazdaspeed OE style upgraded competition mount with the help of Apextwin. Impressions are good, shifter movement has been reduced and the whole thing feels tighter and more positive. The engine barely rocks on throttle now which is a easily visible indication of the improved control these mounts give. NVH has been increased which wasn't unexpected but this is supposed to calm down a bit as the new bush beds in. Well impressed with the delivery time from 949. Another job well done.  And onto the report from the day... First impressions having had my entry confirmed weren't totally positive, the class splits, especially with regards to 1a/1b rubber, meant that there were only 3 entries in my class and just 2 in the >2l class Apextwin was entered. Bit of a shame, but one of the great things about Hillclimbs and Sprints is the challenge of beating yourself and cars from other classes so it didn't really put that much of a dampener on the day. The track layout would be a new challenge with the sprint using the crossovers for a figure of eight course. The school day only covered the basic loop and so half of what I'd previously learned about the track went out of the window on the fist lap! Added to the 'pressures' of competing and this resulted in some committed (at least by my standards) but slightly scrappy driving. Still, I managed to improve with each run and ended up with a 72.15... Curborough left me a little cold after the school day if I'm honest but with more track time the challenge of the place has started to bite and I now can't wait to have another crack at the Curborgring! Mega stuff only made even better by the bunch of guys we were 'paddocked' with Some pics from the day:    And man I wanted to take this home...  Next up will be Prescott double header at the end of the month, massive excitement for that round...
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Post by sandys on Jun 13, 2017 13:20:58 GMT
Nice run, it’s a good little track, being small it’s tricky to keep it on the black stuff when on a hot one. Class battles are nice I was having a tight one 0.04s in it at the end, but as you say you can’t help but look outside at other things, I often look at people I have raced against before and set myself a mini target of closing the gap, getting within the same second or so, I thought I could do this with Jon at Curborough as I didn’t appreciate how fast you can actually go on the straight bits…..it was clear after first practice that he was on another level and I failed he was miles ahead, hey ho, maybe I’ll close the gap Prescott  Having the HSA target records is a nice thing to chase as you know where you should be for the class, it’s simple, there’s a time, go out and beat it, of course they get harder every year but adds another meta game to the sprint. In addition I also like to target particular cars that I have been interested in like Clios and Elises to make me feel better about being in a 5 instead |
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Post by baconsarnie on Jun 13, 2017 15:56:15 GMT
Yup, I can see where I can gain time almost everywhere! Pretty pleased with the crossovers tho, seems I'm happier in the high speed corners than the slow ones!
Good battle between you and the Lotus... those Elans can be shockingly quick for a 40year old + car!
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Post by baconsarnie on Jun 15, 2017 9:50:43 GMT
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Post by Fizbne on Jun 16, 2017 10:35:29 GMT
I love your car. It's so sexy pls  |
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Post by baconsarnie on Jun 29, 2017 11:12:50 GMT
Prescott Midsummer Speed FestivalPrescott is a mega mega hill, very technical and doesn't suffer mistakes easily. This event was definitely one I was looking forward to as a highlight for the year. The event was shared with the Midland Hillclimb Champs, so it attracted a large and varied entry with some proper quick 1100cc single seaters and even a decent crowd! On Saturday P1 went off fairly well, setting a time which felt swift enough for a first attempt but it was clear that I wasn't going to be getting near the top <2l entries with their power (the quick mx5s have ~200hp). Nevertheless I did try to overcome the power deficit with bravery in P2... No prizes for guessing how that turned out! Que a very dicey spin between the barriers at the esses!! I was lucky to get away with a minor bumper scuff and bruised pride... others weren't so lucky over the course of the weekend and several cars ended up taking the trip home on a flatbed. Thankfully no-one appeared to have suffered more than bruising in their impacts here. Lesson learned, don't disrespect the esses! I think I was so close to making it stick, maybe 3 or 4mph too hot but as soon as it started to slide it was only going to end one way! I think this experience tempered by subsequent runs, but I did manage to improve throughout the next runs to claim this run as my PB: Some room for improvement but my slightly sick engine just isn't propelling me between the corners with either the punch it used to have or anywhere near the pace of the front runners. Can't wait to see what I can pull off over the winter with the engine rebuild program. Anyway, a decent pub dinner with Jon (Apextwin) and his Dad, which was as nostalgic as ever, followed by a not too uncomfortable night camping on site preceded waking up on Sunday to do it all again! The pace wasn't really in me on Sunday and although my times were consistent and there or thereabouts I didn't manage to improve over Saturday. This was my best attempt: My final run I was determined to be flat through Orchard and brake late late late into Ettores... and I would have made it if it wasn't for snatching a gear on the down change to 2nd causing the rears to lock and swap ends! Bugger. Will crack it next time I'm sure! Next event is Wiscombe Park a the end of July. Wiscombe was one of our local hills to spectate growing up and I'm really looking forward to competing there (and having dinner at The Pig!!). Wiscombe is kind of the 'Green Hell' of the UK Hillclimb calendar and punishes you extremely hard if you run out of talent with a trip into the trees. I will approach this particular hill with much more respect. Till next time, here's another spin 
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Post by howardb66 on Jun 29, 2017 11:25:43 GMT
Well done for trying so hard. At least you got away with it as spin in the Esses doesn't leave much room for errors.... A friend wrote his TVR off there in May.
I try to remember to heal & toe to try to avoid the rears locking on down changes- might help?
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Post by baconsarnie on Jun 29, 2017 11:36:44 GMT
Well done for trying so hard. At least you got away with it as spin in the Esses doesn't leave much room for errors.... A friend wrote his TVR off there in May. I try to remember to heal & toe to try to avoid the rears locking on down changes- might help? I think 4 cars died in the esses over the weekend :s Exactly and I'm sure it would have avoided the loop. It's a skill I've always struggled with in the MX5... the pedal placement is just a bit awkward for me - maybe I can mod the pedal a bit to improve this? |
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Post by howardb66 on Jun 29, 2017 12:33:06 GMT
Well done for trying so hard. At least you got away with it as spin in the Esses doesn't leave much room for errors.... A friend wrote his TVR off there in May. I try to remember to heal & toe to try to avoid the rears locking on down changes- might help? I think 4 cars died in the esses over the weekend :s Exactly and I'm sure it would have avoided the loop. It's a skill I've always struggled with in the MX5... the pedal placement is just a bit awkward for me - maybe I can mod the pedal a bit to improve this? No, haven't needed mods in mine. Size 10.5 feet so no flippers required. Ball of right foot on brake pedal, tap the accelerator with the other edge of your foot whist you depress the clutch to change down. Just takes a bit of practice: Really helps keeping the car stable in the wet too. (sorry if I was teaching you to suck eggs....) |
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Post by sandys on Jun 29, 2017 13:58:46 GMT
Lots of cars went off, it seemed to be a tricky day for some reason, more off than I have experienced at any other venue, I span off also, like yourself too optimistic about the grip levels |
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Post by baconsarnie on Aug 7, 2017 11:23:43 GMT
Wiscombe Park Hillclimbaka the West-Country's Green Hell. Love this place, the atmosphere, the noise of the cars echoing off the valley and through the trees, the claustrophobia through the esses and up castle straight and the elevation changes are spectacular. Particularly when contrasted with the open start through Wis Corner and flat out over Bunnies Leap. This was our (Apextwin and mine) most local 'major' hillclimb venue for spectating as kids and one we were very much looking forwards to competing at for the first time. It didn't disappoint. Wiscombe has a reputation for being a bit of an ice rink if it's rained at any time in the previous few weeks running up to an event and on Saturday it was wet. Very wet. I have to say this is the first hill I've has 'the shakes' (hillclimbers will know this adrenaline rush well) after just pooteling up on the first practice run! To say I was hooked from the first moment would be a massive understatement...  (Credit Riviera Guy) Sunday we woke up to clear skys which lasted for the whole day and times tumbled from the off. My best effort was a 52.09, which I was pretty chuffed with, the car felt great (other than the lack of power) and I think I drove the hill pretty well on the whole, although I could have been much less tentative on the brakes into the Gate (which is easier said than done, canoe me it looks tight when you're approaching well into the meat of third gear!) And howardb66 will be pleased to hear some heel and toe on downshifts  (I'm mid house move so just one vid for the moment, I'll try and find some more to share soon...)
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Post by baconsarnie on Aug 20, 2017 14:27:24 GMT
One more from Wiscombe... this time in the wet!
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Post by atlex on Aug 20, 2017 17:58:17 GMT
One more from Wiscombe... this time in the wet! horse and rider as one-ness. very much. |
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Post by baconsarnie on Aug 21, 2017 8:21:09 GMT
hahaha if only Think the Mazda flatters the driver tbh! |
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Hopefully someone caught it on film because all the embarrassment of overcooking it was swept aside by that 'hero' moment!!
