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WTF?! Nick is a Race Car Driver? |
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Written by Nick
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Tuesday, 15 August 2006 |
I made my first serious racing effort August 4-6 with the NJ BMWCCA at Summit Point. While my first actual race was at VIR, I was both getting oriented that weekend and dealing with a blown shock - it made it hard for me to do much more than get around. This time was VERY different.
There was a BSR hosted Seat Time day on Friday, which I had enormous fun doing and which helped me get my head screwed on straight for the weekend. Without it, I think i'd have been in pretty poor shape for this weekend.
Saturday was damned good. Practiced, qualified in second for the sprint race. The KP leader spun on the first lap, so I took that over for the rest of the race. :D I'd have preferred to race him directly, but I'll take a victory that way.
Sunday was MUCH more intense - instead of a 20 minute sprint, we ran a 1 hour enduro. Now, I know that doesn't really sound like a lot of difference, but it is. At least for me, 20 minutes in a nomex fire suit with a closed helmet, gloves, etc. in a 110-130 degree cockpit is about all I can do without getting tired. This went on for three times that.
I did OK in the race. Unfortunately, a really slow driver in the UUC sponsored IP car killed any chance I had of making a heroic (and unlikely) effort at getting to Hinkley, probably the fastest KP driver in the country these days. Apparently, the IP car finished two laps behind me - not exactly something I was pleased to see. That said, I finished second, avoided any contact, and had a damned good time. I'm not complaining. :D As it turns out, Hinkley was penalized two laps for an illegal driver change from qualifying. Technically, I "won" KP.
Unlike the last race, the car held up pretty well with the exception of my brakes which were starting to fade big time by the end. My pads, which had shown virtually no wear after three days at Summit, began disintegrating (literally!). Not only that, but I cracked the left front rotor BADLY. We're talking inside to outside, all the way through in three places - with a bunch more starting. If that race had gone on 15 minutes longer, I'm willing to bet that there would have been a rotor failure. Either that, or my left rear tire would have popped. It is currently showing some rather interesting graining, combing and other patterns.
...oh yeah, and I cracked the windshield. That was probably either the time I dirt tracked around turn one after a slightly over-optimistic use of the brakes, or the other time I dirt tracked the same turn after getting forced (half) off to avoid contact. It's a good thing that grass is a racing surface!
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