Scott's Time Attack Report

[gambler]

After Brands the engine had to be re-built. I had been hoping for 500 ponies as I would need every one I could get for Snetterton. Unfortunately there was a breathing issue with the engine (asthma or swine flu maybe?) So I had to make to with 420. It sounds a lot but the supra's etc were putting out 850Bhp for snetterton. With its 2 bloody big straights it takes a lot of catching on the corners.

I traveled down to Snett on Friday night for a track day on Saturday. Failed noise testing. Luckily Adam and Fee from TrackScotland loaned me a bung. Decided not to over do it on the Saturday as I was having oil surge issues at Corum, despite my baffled sump. So just did enough to learn the circuit. Went out for dinner with the Wallace performance lads had 1 pint and went to my bed at 11.30(on a Saturday night :shock: )Could not sleep at all because I was too excited about racing the next day.

I knew I was in for a tough time at the race, being a fair bit down on power compared to a lot of cars especially at Snetterton as it is a power circuit. I would be happy with a place in the final. Top 10 in 4WD

In the morning I managed to pass noise testing without a bung :wink: And came 5th in warm up. With a 1:18.4 I did not get too excited about this as I know a lot of the guys know the circuit very well and would not be ramping up the boost till later in the day. I was 3rd quickest in the 1st speed trap which is well into the braking zone but only 11th over the start finish straight, showing my lack of power. Or maybe just dodgy lines or bad driving round russels chicane. Though I was shown the lines from Phil Glew who won Pro Class and broke the record. So I can’t blame the line!

In practice I pushed a little bit harder to take the time down to a 1:18.0 putting me in 10th overall.

Qualifying did not go quite as well as I had hoped. I knew I could push a little harder and had hoped to go a bit quicker. I always try and get a couple of 'banker' laps in the 1st couple of laps. As traffic can be a real issue later in the 15 min session. Even now when club has been split into 2 groups to help traffic. Everyone is generally going for it so traffic is less of an issue if you can make space on an outlap. Unfortunately on my 1st hot lap someone pulled out of the pits and ruined my run into the 1st corner. In the 2nd lap a Porsche decided to run my lap. I knew I only had 1 more lap before the tyres went off. As I was going down the main straight Duncan Graham was catching me and the cars were level just going into the braking zone. Probably either of us could have lifted but were both trying to get a decent banker lap in. Duncan missed his breaking point and had to go down the escape road and I could not turn in because he was there. I still managed a 1.18.1 late in the session in the traffic. Duncan came over to apologise for runing my lap and I did the same for messing up his lap. I finished 12th overall and 8th in 4WD which was enough to put me in the final. Result!

Wheels came off to check everything was ok and found the brake pads to be very very low. I decided not to change them and possibly mess up the brake pedal as I had only planned doing a few flying laps in the final as there was a lot of heat going into the tyres.

I usually spend a lot of the warm up lap with my left foot on the brake to heat up the brakes and tyres. Decided to save the brakes and just get them just warm enough and just do some weaving to heat the tyres. Into the 1st flying lap and there was plenty of space to get a couple of banker laps in. 1st corner, nearly 100mph, front tyres warmish back tyres cold. Big drift decided just to keep her lit and give it a dab of opposite lock after an impressive drift (warming the rear tires :wink: )which is on a trackscotland video. Pushed really hard down the main straight. Into the chicane a wee bit too hard and ended up with 2 wheels in the dirt. Just kept her lit again and everything was fine. Nice and clean round Corum as the tyres were getting a bit warmer now and then a nice cut at russels chicane. Turned in a wee bit more than I needed as I expected to slide a bit. Looks like the tyres were nice and warm by then as I twatted the marker and put a big dent in my B&Q motorsport splitter( right next to the plywood :wink: ) The track was still clear in front so I was ready for a proper, cleaner, flying lap. I then looked at my oil pressure which had dropped. I knew that by getting into the final I had scored enough points to finish 6th in the championship and I was not going to catch the guy in front so I decided to call it a day and save the engine. After putting in a 1:17.7 on my lairy lap putting me 7th in 4WD

The end of my 1st season. In reflection it’s been an absolute blast. I have been to plenty of great new circuits and Silverstone and met some great people. Plenty of headache and heartache on the way and ill not bother adding up the bills :blackeye. The only downsides have been some of the traffic problems before they split club class into 2 sessions. And being a long way down on power and budget compared to some of the other cars. It’s a tuner series though so I can’t really complain and I know that evo's and skylines are supposed to be cheaper to tune. I love my Subaru though with no electronic aids, not even gAy B S.So ill be sticking to it

Next year. I’m pretty sure ill be doing Time Attack again. Plans are already in motion for 500-520BHP. After that I might give some wheel to wheel racing a shot or maybe rallying

In car video of Practice not qualifying as it says on the video

Being followed by Trackscotlands Fee in the final. Hot laps starts at 1:30

Edited November 17, 2009 by Gambler

[Richie Cross]

Good stuff.

Nice write up and well done

[TrackScotland]

excellent write up!

You do good times for the power

[cullenmin]

Excellent write up, love it

Rich

[sti pretender]

Another good write up, will be good to see how you get on next year with a few more ponies.

[johns]

Great write up Scott, and looking forward to seeing you compete agin next year

[frank c]

Once again , an interesting and worthwhile read Scott. Sounds like last season was a blast albeit with the usual ups and downs.. That's racing i suppose

Roll on next year, good luck with the car and i'll look forward to hearing/reading all about it.

ps: Your avatar pic is a belter

[gambler]

Thanks guys. Glad you enjoyed my wee write up. It ended up on the front page of the SIDC site.Looking forward to next year and already have plans for more power. Another 100 ponies would be nice.