MEP, ITBs, hillclimbs and trackdays
Sept 27, 2017 12:15:21 GMT
sandys, howardb66, and 2 more like this
Post by baconsarnie on Sept 27, 2017 12:15:21 GMT
Shelsley Walsh Autumn Pre-Finale
MEP powering out of Top Esses
For the last outing of the year another new venue. I've spectated at Shelsley Walsh many times and it's always a work-out climbing the hill to spectate. Perhaps it shouldn't have come as a surprise quite how steep it was on the track walk... bloody steep! especially through the Esses. The late braking for here and the blind approach to Kennel and then Crossing were going to be a test of bravery and how well I know the car.
I can't say I had high expectations for the weekend, it was after-all a new hill and very much a power hill. With a car down on power and only 4 runs on Saturday to get 'on it' I set myself the goal of going faster each run and coming home with the car in one piece!
First practice I tootled up to get a feel for the track conditions and where I needed to be on the black stuff. I broke way early for the Esses and vowed that I needed to grow a pair and brake (much much) later for the next run.
Second practice I went out with the aim of getting a feel for how fast Kennel and Crossing are and braking late for the Esses... I knocked 4.5s off my time but still found myself braking way to early for the Esses!
First timed run went well, small lift through Kennel, small lift through Crossing, but still too early on the brakes for the Esses... wow you really should be braking deep here! Boom, another 1s off my time and under the 40s barrier. My usual rivals of Ken Morris (ITB MX5) and Alistair Clark (Elise) were just a whisker behind on low 40s.
The pressure was on for the final timed run with my rivals so close I really wanted to nudge my time down a little more and then disaster! A V8 TR7 had ended up on its roof in the Esses and with reports of oil "flowing" down the hill as all the fluids escaped from a cracked cam cover it seemed that would be the end of the quick runs.
Then, to top it off, the rain started, light, but enough for the general feeling in the paddock to be that was it for quick times.
Lining up for my final run with rain spots landing on my windscreen and the ghosts of oil slicks in my mind I tried to focus on the task in hand, whilst keeping an eye on the times of the lower class cars ahead of me... those times seem 'ok'... maybe I can push... at least up to the Esses...
Decent ish launch, flat thru Kennel, feather thru Crossing, could still have braked later for Esses, wow I'm through the Esses and what oil??, power up over the line using all the revs (I had raised my limiter to avoid an upchange here)
39.25
I'd knocked another 0.5s off! and put myself comfortably ahead of my usual rivals for the first time this year. Result.
Most people failed to improve with their second run, so that felt like a feather in the cap! Still lots to learn on this track which demands bravery and respect in equal measure... and power, oh yeah need way more of that!
That's it for my first year competing. A longer winter of upgrades and a quest for more horses is now ahead... I'll keep you posted.
MEP powering out of Top Esses
For the last outing of the year another new venue. I've spectated at Shelsley Walsh many times and it's always a work-out climbing the hill to spectate. Perhaps it shouldn't have come as a surprise quite how steep it was on the track walk... bloody steep! especially through the Esses. The late braking for here and the blind approach to Kennel and then Crossing were going to be a test of bravery and how well I know the car.
I can't say I had high expectations for the weekend, it was after-all a new hill and very much a power hill. With a car down on power and only 4 runs on Saturday to get 'on it' I set myself the goal of going faster each run and coming home with the car in one piece!
First practice I tootled up to get a feel for the track conditions and where I needed to be on the black stuff. I broke way early for the Esses and vowed that I needed to grow a pair and brake (much much) later for the next run.
Second practice I went out with the aim of getting a feel for how fast Kennel and Crossing are and braking late for the Esses... I knocked 4.5s off my time but still found myself braking way to early for the Esses!
First timed run went well, small lift through Kennel, small lift through Crossing, but still too early on the brakes for the Esses... wow you really should be braking deep here! Boom, another 1s off my time and under the 40s barrier. My usual rivals of Ken Morris (ITB MX5) and Alistair Clark (Elise) were just a whisker behind on low 40s.
The pressure was on for the final timed run with my rivals so close I really wanted to nudge my time down a little more and then disaster! A V8 TR7 had ended up on its roof in the Esses and with reports of oil "flowing" down the hill as all the fluids escaped from a cracked cam cover it seemed that would be the end of the quick runs.
Then, to top it off, the rain started, light, but enough for the general feeling in the paddock to be that was it for quick times.
Lining up for my final run with rain spots landing on my windscreen and the ghosts of oil slicks in my mind I tried to focus on the task in hand, whilst keeping an eye on the times of the lower class cars ahead of me... those times seem 'ok'... maybe I can push... at least up to the Esses...
Decent ish launch, flat thru Kennel, feather thru Crossing, could still have braked later for Esses, wow I'm through the Esses and what oil??, power up over the line using all the revs (I had raised my limiter to avoid an upchange here)
39.25
I'd knocked another 0.5s off! and put myself comfortably ahead of my usual rivals for the first time this year. Result.
Most people failed to improve with their second run, so that felt like a feather in the cap! Still lots to learn on this track which demands bravery and respect in equal measure... and power, oh yeah need way more of that!
That's it for my first year competing. A longer winter of upgrades and a quest for more horses is now ahead... I'll keep you posted.
le sigh