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"The downside of having just moved is that my car remains untouched since curb' and looks like crap, so I have to clean it at the event or here before I set off which does not sound so appealing, maybe i'll leave it and say I'm going for the rally look."
Had a good day at Prescott for practice and the car has certainly moved forwards to a pb of 47.13 (was 47.60), only just ahead of the Harriman Brothers, but far more important to me a closing on the EVO to his best of 46.59, just 1/2 second behind him, and the closest I've ever got to his times.
His class record is 46.35 secs.
The big AUDI V8 murdered it to a 45.28.......
Pete Harriman gave me more help than he new on my AST's and his suggestion worked well.
Only a vid of my Impreza as that's what i told the wife to do! DropShots Day
Practice day at Prescott today and the weather turned out great, as far as the driving went it was a mixed bag as usual.
Launched well and it seems my launch problems are behind me, managed the fastest launch of the whole field all day with a 1.91 on my second run.
I am however struggling a little driving the new big turbo round some of tighter bends and spent all 3 runs trying to find a formula with dccd settings and gear selections to beat the lag, not spin the wheels wildly and not get near death understeer as you will see in the video. it's such a fine balance and practice definatley served it's purpose, I just hope I can convert the information I gained today into faster times tommorrow as my times today were pretty dissapointing, my 2nd of 3 runs was my fastest at 47.95 which is only 2 10ths of a second faster than I went last year with 100bhp less on road legal rubber and with damp sections on the track, which frankly is just not good enough on my part. I know where I'm leaving time all over the hill and watching the video back I just want to kick myself up the arse and say "brake later, keep foot in longer, wrong line, wrong gear..." but it's easier said than done.
Today was useful in the sense of setting up the car for tomorrow but I won't lie I was trying hard and still some way off the pace of Roy, Graham and Pete who just seem to be getting quicker and quicker which is demoralising.
Graham has officaly now no right to moan about everyone being quicker and the world ending tomorrow with every mod' a class competitior gets as he was rapid again today setting a 47.13 less than half a second behind Roy, a few 100ths ahead of Pete and miles ahead of me, also smashing his personal best. So anyone who sees a post from him saying anything but "I'm doing great, beating my Pb's by miles and closing in on Roy by the run" should report his post, add infraction or whatever you do to get him in trouble with the web master, Graham you have been warned!
Did I mention the A4? I had a £20 bet with Pete that Roy would be quicker at Prescott which I promptly lost as he smashed yet another record by miles, ho hum we better get used to it.
Weather doesn't look as bad for tomorrow as first thought but we shall see, I had better pull my finger out or Paul will take my suspension off me and put it on a better drivers car!
Roof top video of my 2nd practice run 1.91 launch and 47.95 run time, trying strong diff setting, 2 positions off lock so I could use first gear in my big turbo bogey corner 'Pardon' which worked great until it nearly understeered me to an untimeley death off the edge of semi-circle as you will see in the final corner of the video, I was shaking for 30 mins.
Fantastic vid Rob, just so good.
That is seriously faster off the line than my Sti by miles.
The shot felt and looked to me a replica of my run, the gear changes etc all in the same place with the exception of exit of Pardon, such a difficult bend.
Your run in the Esses is much neater than mine, and the Semi bit looked bloody scarey to me.
For those that do not know, there is an almighty drop off the edge of the track there that you do NOT want to go down.
I had to let go of the wheel through there on my last run to get the slide back, but I was tucked-up to the right. Could I have pinched a bit more time I wonder?
Will be a great dice in the class tomorrow.
Roy got his EVO going again!
Race day saw me go faster but not fast enough unfortunatley. I posted a PB of 47.47 which is just average.
I pulled a launch of 1.89 which is another PB for me at Prescott and made great time to the first split at Pardon being ahead of Roy and Pete at that point and then Pardon the super tight hair pin seemed to be my achilles heel, I just could not seem to keep the new turbo on boost or anywhere near it so I had to take first gear out of the corner and despite my best efforts to be progressive with the throttleI just smoked my rear tyres and any time I had made slipped away seeing me fall around 1/2 a second behind Graham 56.88 Pete 56.60 & Roy 56.57 by the finish line. Frustrating stuff, but the cars weaknesses in 2 corners at Prescott are it's major strengths at most other courses, massive straight line pace and my next 3 outings include MIRA and Shelsley Walsh which should see it's full potential realised if the nut behind the wheel can get his act together.
Pete would have beaten Roy for sure and taken 2nd place if only he knew how to change gear, I have some driving manuals left over from when my wife was learning to drive which I think I am going to have to pass on to him before the next meeting.
Roger took the A4 up to another record of 45.37 and I'm sure he's got plenty more in the tank.
Plenty of positives to be taken from the weekend though in the development of the car, it seems with the new set up every track I find an area that I feel needs improvement to suit my driving ability to make it a more rounded car in order to excel on the many different types of track that the championships take us across, on fast flowing tracks with the new rubber it's monstorous, and the chink in the armour at the moment is only the tightest of hairpins which do raise their ugly heads at a few tracks so it's something I will have to look into improving in the future.
Got a fortnight off now as I could not get an entry to Shelsley next weekend so I will go along and cheer Pete and my Dad on, I'm really frustrated I didn't get an entry as the mext round of the midland championships is at shelsley and a weekend driving it would be great practice for that. I'm going to take a BTCC style pit board and hold it up with helpful signs like "your sh*t try harder!" & "Press the right pedal", or maybe a blue flag to wave to let them know to move out the way and let faster drivers past.
Pete:
I think I have spotted the secret to your pace!
How do you go round Semi so friggin fast?
I canmatch almost all of you to Jackie's Gate, but after the Esses you just rocket ahead.
Food for thought..
You will murder us all at Shelsley Rob.
Today I checked my chassis out and found all my suspension adjusters were all different to each other!
Tinkering fingers of Joe Public I think.
Barbon Manor for me on Sat next for a round of the Leaders, just Geoff and me in the class.
Great fast short venue. Cruising with the wife around the area on sunday so I can bag some brownie points.(realy need at the moment..)
Got to find a way to beat Rob (and Pete and Roy...)
Next year the event dates are more evenly spread over the summer a last.
Good luck everyone at Shelsley B meeting!
Finally, have to say I realy enjoyed everyone's banter over the weekend, the class has come alive again after several years.
It is great to be closing in on Roy after so many years, and i think he enjoys the challenge Petes giving him, you were so unlucky not to bag 2nd!
aha your on to me! rob said the same the evo diffs must come into there own! i can just wang it in and it grips! I am leaving lots of time coming into esses shutting off way to early.
Good to meet you all at Prescott on Sunday, even if I was so busy handing out flyers that I missed all your runs
Got lots of good feedback regards the Epynt Hillclimb. There is no such thing as a free weekend in the motorsport calendar so some who would like to come are already committed to going to Doune, MIRA, Le Mans etc. But others were very interested in coming along and everyone was very positive about us putting on an event at a new venue. I can confirm your entry has been received Graham and with Pete & Rob doing MIRA you've probably got as good a shot as anyone to set the first hill record There are 4 Imprezas already entered so you'll be in good company.
We've got our MSA permit and John Symes from the MSA is coming for another inspection this week so it's all coming together.
We got our permit through last weekend and earlier today John Symes (MSA Technical & Risk Control Manager) gave us the thumbs up for getting the track licence we need. So it's full speed ahead
Just need to keep pushing to get the minimum entries we need and enough marshals.
Cheers, think its going to rain and as i have only drove up shelsley twice in the dryand once in the wet with poor tyres on might be really slow! got some new wheels and tyres Speedline Turinis with kumhos on for wets on order hopefully pick them up friday! if they dont arrive im going up on slicks!
You won't regret them Pete.
Just read John Stevenson in Scotland is sprinting in a class of 20 and 9 are EVO's!
I will be at Barbon on 1A's.....
Graham.
Car to be mapped next Wednesday night - fingers crossed!!
Powerstation the day after.
Loton at the weekend, cutting it fine so really hoping not to be let down!!
Martin
ps. Like your in-cat Prescott vid Rob, have you got an in-car of Loton to refresh my memory?!!
ps. Like your in-cat Prescott vid Rob, have you got an in-car of Loton to refresh my memory?!!
I didn't do any in car at Prescott mate, only 1 with the rooftop camera.
I will have plenty of vids after 10 runs at Loton park next weekend, not getting in at Shelsley seems like the best bit of luck I have had in ages, the rain is biblical here at the moment!
There are 4 Imprezas already entered so you'll be in good company.
