Scottish Scoob In Time Attack

[gambler]

Im a bit late with this update. As we have already raced silverstone. Ill get a report for that done when i get some pictures to make it a bit more interesting

Knockhill update -

Time attack had organized a test day on Saturday. Knockhill was its usual. Horizontal, freezing rain. I was quite pleased with some wet practice as I had moved to stiffer spring and replaced a lot of the bushings on the car which should make the car a bit stiffer. I had softened up the rear arb to an adjustable 22mm, to match the front rather than a fixed 24mm which was making the car very tail happy in the wet. Great fun but not very fast. As soon as I got out on track the car felt grippy and handled great but it was little bit sluggish. I thought it was maybe because I had to put power on a little bit later through the corners. The day dried out and I finally got a chance to do some timed laps (we were allowed to time as it was a time attack practice session). Now...... not that I would have myself timed at a track day a few weeks before. That’s not allowed. If I had done I may have found my times to be consistently in the high 57’s with a passenger and a set of ruined r888s.I think! I was also not pushing very hard that day. I had expected to get at least a second quicker with new tyres and being able to push really hard. My times were over a minute????? Went in and checked tyre pressures, suspension etc everything was fine. The car just did not feel like it was pulling out of the corners, there was a big lack of low down grunt. Then the rain started again, horizontal, well it is knockhill.

Sunday warm up-

I had noticed the car was a bit louder than usual. It’s always loud though so I did not think anything of it. Took my mechanic Ali out with me as it would give me the same ballast as my 'estimated' high 57sec lap time. We are allowed to take a mechanic or mapper out with us on the warmup sessions. This is so any last minute mapping can be done. They can carry a laptop with them :shock: . 1st few clear laps, all just over a minute. The same problem with the car, feeling sluggish and lacking torque. I pushed harder and harder and eventually got the time just below a minute. The grip was great. It just lacked power. End of session and I was not to happy with my decidedly average time.

Practice -

Much more of the same. Pushed a bit harder and got the time down into the low 59's. After practice I knew the pressure would be on as only the top 10 forced induction 4wd cars would get through. This was my home event and there was no way I was missing out in the final. I quite enjoy a bit of pressure and it usually helps me to perform well

Qualifying -

I knew there was going to be 45 cars out on track for qualifying and traffic was going to be a problem as we can only run 3 laps flat out before the tyres go off. I got myself down early and was front of the queue. I knew this would give me 1 reasonably clear lap. That should be all I needed. Followed the pace car round for the parade lap, back into the pits where we have to stop for a minute and then off for a proper warm up lap. I pushed on with a reasonable pace tying to get heat into the tyres. Back round to the start finish straight to be met by a clear lap in front. Lights on and off I went. Attacked duffus as quickly as I have take in (just short on 90 on the data logger) and then straight back on the power. Just scrubbed off enough speed and trail braked into Scotsman. Back on the power with only a slight lift over the chicane, which had been made really tight with the tyre bails far out making only a small cut possible? Missed the tyre bails by mm. Think I touched the right hand one with wing mirror (note to self, get smaller mirrors!) Trail braked again but arrived a wee bit too much speed round carlube and missed the apex slightly. Barreled down the straight only to be met with a stack of cars in front of me. Most saw I had the headlights on and got out of the way. All but one car! Braked as late as I could and really stand on brakes at the last minute, see pic! I had to end up taking a wide line and pass him mid corner at hairpin. Up the straight to post a 58.4. Not as good as I had expected before the weekend but my best time of the day. Later on in qualifying I was on for a quicker lap, by splits, but left the braking too late this time and ended up with a tour of the gravel trap. The lap time was enough to put me in 10th place in 4wd f/I and got me through to the final

Final -

Everyone had taken my idea and had q'ed up early. I run race pads and they always take a bit of warming up. Usually a bit of left foot braking on the straights on warm up gets temperature in them. In the final it took me 4 laps to get them working properly. I must have given them a good glazing in qualifying. By the time they were hot most of the guys out in the final had cooked their tyres and were doing a couple of cool down laps. Slowed down a couple of times in traffic, I only managed to post a 59.1. Then...Bang! And a loss of all power. Pulled over onto the grass and that was the end of my day. Final result 12th overall

Andy Forest was there and had a look at the car. It turned out the gasket at the exhaust header had been leaking. Causing the loss of power, especially at lower revs, coming out of corners. This had then melted my lambda sensor and the wring right up the loom. Over fuelled the car causing, the big bang which blew off the down pipe and cracked the manifold in 5 places.

Other good results were, Fee from TrackScotland 11th and John Stevenson 3rd in club pro

I decided that as the car was comming to bits, again! It was time to go for a bigger turbo and get up to 500horsepower.

Silverstone Update and videos to follow

[johns]

Nice write-up, and pity about the gasket going. I did wonder why you pulled off at the top of the circuit in the final but never got the chance to talk to you during the day.

John

[TrackScotland]

good read as always.....

I'll be going backwards at brands with 280bhp LOL

[gambler]

John - Loved your pictures. Ill have to get some High Res ones from you

Adam - Just be glad your not making your debut at silverstone. That was a crazy power circuit. Im sure the car wont be 280hp for much longer!

[cullenmin]

Good reading that, keep us updated mate

What spec were you running before the big bang?

Rich

[gambler]

The car was running close to 400hp on a td05 20g turbo. Closed deck block, forge pistons, steel rods and sti 3 heads. Will now be running in the high 400s with an md321t+ turbo 20% e85 and some Andy Forest magic!