1st auto-x next weekend, Next AX September 8th- only 7 points out of 3rd place with 3 events left! Options

[scott_in_nh]

A 22 swaybar may be a bit much for the 165 pound rear springs. Which torsion bars are you using?

I have stock torsion bars, stock front bar (15mm?)

[r_towle]

You may be surprised it what adding an adjustable link (the horizontal piece) would do for you.

If you can afford to buy a bigger bar, great.
Go for a nice piece of engineering...I don't like my weltmiester bar...
I would shoot for a starret bar.

Rich

[scott_in_nh]

You may be surprised it what adding an adjustable link (the horizontal piece) would do for you.

If you can afford to buy a bigger bar, great.
Go for a nice piece of engineering...I don't like my weltmiester bar...
I would shoot for a starret bar.

Rich

Adding adjustment to the stock bar is the plan Rich, but until it happens its worth watching what comes up for sale, so I was curious what I should watch for....

I've been meaning to post my birthday/father's Day present my son bought for me (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Woody]

The Momo? Sweet. That's a great mod.

[ChrisFoley]

I would shoot for a starret bar.

I would aim higher.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif)

[Woody]

I would shoot for a starret bar.

I would aim higher.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif)

Thats a very nice bar you sell there Chris. Very reasonably priced as well.

[r_towle]

sorry, did not know you sold a bar...
Good to know.

I meant tarrett, but heck, if Foley is selling one...lets buy from him.

rich

[Woody]

This will be my next bar.

http://www.tangerineracing.com/antiswaybars.htm

[scott_in_nh]

So a friend of mine at work is going to help me make some adjustable bar ends and links from a sketch I came up with.
We are going to make the arms out of 2"x1" aluminum bar stock and add and adjustable heim joint to the bottom of the stock link.
I just ordered the aluminum bar stock, total materials should come in at about $50!

sketch (not to scale):

[scott_in_nh]

So I didn't finish both sides in time and had to adjust the side I had on to match the stock side.

I'm going to change to homemade drop links with heims on both ends for easier adjustment.

Had some good runs and finished 6th out of 14 in the novice class.

I beat the next three cars ahead of me on raw time, but lost on PAX (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

Now that tire pressure actually makes a difference, I found myself back at the 38 psi Racer Chris recommended!

On a bad note, we had a guy show up in a super-charged Lotus.
He took one run where he let the instructor drive and went solo after that.

He had the misfortune of running out of talent on an off camber dip in the track where he lost the back end, didn't lift, the car hooked and shot him off the track where he hit a spectator who had his back to the track and slid backwards up the grassy hill almost onto the road.

I was eating lunch and turned around in time to see him and the spectator sliding across the pavement! They were both very lucky in that the spectator "only" got his ankle broken and a small patch of road rash, and the car has some lower front fender damage and a broken splitter.

Also a member died last week while hiking with some of his kids (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

Be careful out there folks!

[Woody]

We've had several incidents this past year. No one got hurt except the cars. Always keep an eye out if you're anywhere near the course.

[mskala]

On a bad note, we had a guy show up in a super-charged Lotus.
He took one run where he let the instructor drive and went solo after that.

He had the misfortune of running out of talent on an off camber dip in the track where he lost the back end, didn't lift, the car hooked and shot him off the track where he hit a spectator who had his back to the track and slid backwards up the grassy hill almost onto the road.

I was eating lunch and turned around in time to see him and the spectator sliding across the pavement! They were both very lucky in that the spectator "only" got his ankle broken and a small patch of road rash, and the car has some lower front fender damage and a broken splitter.

I had instructed what must have been the same car the previous day.
I only went 3 times among the 2 drivers, they weren't great but didn't
do anything dumb either. I don't like the small parking lot courses
because the designs have to take all sorts of things into account for
safety. Where we are it's an air strip and much easier to manage.

[Woody]

I wish we had an airstrip. We have a decent size parking lot but we certainly have boundaries.

[scott_in_nh]

I had instructed what must have been the same car the previous day.
I only went 3 times among the 2 drivers, they weren't great but didn't
do anything dumb either. I don't like the small parking lot courses
because the designs have to take all sorts of things into account for
safety. Where we are it's an air strip and much easier to manage.

grey Lotus, guy was short and a little pudgy, spikey hair, cheesy mustache, glasses. The waist of his shorts was a little below his chest....

Yeah he is a little goofy looking, but hey he can afford a Lotus (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

Our usual lot is big enough that you'd have to try really hard to hit something other than people or the timing trailer.

I liked the course and the lot, everybody just needs to be more careful!

[r_towle]

Seems the safety captain needs to look at the course layout to determine where people should be allowed to spectate....then close off certain areas each event.

Sounds like someone was spectating at an outer corner and physics took over.

Rich

[scott_in_nh]

Seems the safety captain needs to look at the course layout to determine where people should be allowed to spectate....then close off certain areas each event.

Sounds like someone was spectating at an outer corner and physics took over.

Rich

That is what was done after the fact, so hopefully the club learned something going forward.

The guy who got hit also had his back to the cars even though he was on the edge of where the course area was blocked off.

I always warn people I take to any race track to keep their head out of their ass, watch the cars and avoid high risk areas!

[mskala]

Here is one of the reasons we have all the rules for how
far away you have to be and no cell phones, no sitting down,
etc. Me in 2004. This guy was within about 12 feet of being
one with my skid plate.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8BGoYCElbw

[r_towle]

Wtf is your gas pedal doing on the passenger side of the car???


Just proves my point btw....he stood in a stupid place.
Physics are what they are....he should have been about 50 to 100 feet closer to the start....lazy guy did not want to walk for cones.

At least he was standing....bet he never stood there for the rest of the day (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)


I believe the best safety captain I have met is from the ncr region.
He goes out and checks that before the race, and no spectators a allowed on the course edges....

[scott_in_nh]

So we had a problem/accident free AX last Sunday.

I beat the cars I wanted too/usually beat, lost to the cars I usually lose to and had fun.

I took my adjustable sway bar end "proof of concept" parts out until my buddy can make me the spacers I need and I make nicer mounting brackets (as well as decide on the length of the new drop links with heims on both ends).

I am currently 3rd based on points + highest finish (?) but am tied in points with my nemesis (late 90's Mustang convertible #666). his PAX deducts about an extra second from mine, so as long as I beat him by a second or more I'm good (and I have been the last couple of events).

1st and 2nd are too far ahead to catch, but 3rd is only 7 points ahead of me!

It would be nice to at least get a podium finish in the points, but I am coming into some work travel that may prevent me from making it to all 3 remaining events. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

[scott_in_nh]

Finished in about my usual place, beat the drivers I wanted to beat....
I'm goingto be coming home from Europe during the next event, so a podium finish for the year is probably not going to happen (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

Still had a great time, made good friends and learned a lot though (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)