Ross racing this weekend

[Ross Nicol]

We only had enough time to fit the new rear rotors before the race meeting
at Phillip Island this weekend 21st, 22nd October. I'll post a pic tomorrow of the setup. So any supporters able to attend you'll find me in the paddock, all welcome. This will be the first time at the Island with new motor and now new brakes. Should be good.
Ross

[Gregg]

Good luck.

[roaldin]

Yeah, good luck and don't forget to check the bias.
I know, I know, but sillier things have happened.

Tim.

[ChrisL]

Good luck Ross.
I'll be at Sandown this weekend doing laps in the '40 too.

[flatchat(Chris)]

And don't back off for turn 1

[Ross Nicol]

I've got an excuse for that Flatchat, no wing for downforce. I will be going as hard as the mechanicals and the anatomy between the legs allow though. Will be nice to have some brakes with bite for a change. Chris.L you'll have to
post your times from Sandown, hope you break my suggested hard to beat (for a roadcar) time of 1min 25sec.
Ross

[Ross Nicol]

Tim I will check the bias, although I hope I don't get rear lock up on the first serious brake application which will most likely be during practice/ qualifying on saturday morning. I don't have a knob and cable on the balance bar so adjustments can only be made between races. With all the weight over the rear wheels though, I've always had quite a bit of rear bias.
Ross

[Pete.]

Good luck Ross, while you are having fun on Sunday I'll be working hard entertaining clients at Indy.

[Russ Noble]

Ross,

Good luck at Phillip Island.

Don't forget your priorities though. Remember the main reason we go racing is for the booze up after! Have fun.

Cheers

[ChrisL]

Ahhh Ross, you're a hard man to impress. If my last outing at Sandown is any indication, a better-than 1:25 would give me an outright win and about 3 seconds better than 3rd place. I'll happily take that if I can get it

[Pete.]

Happy Birthday Ross, BTW how did you go over the weekend?

[Ross Nicol]

Thanks for the birthday wishes Pete. I got a Tee shirt with Homer Simpson and Old Rockers Never Die written on it, very appropriate after the band reunion. Ok so here's the wrap up from the weekend racing.

Saturday morning arrived at the track and the weather not so good. Get the car through scrutineering after the paper work and then made the tyre decision full wet tyres for practice/qualifying. Ended up doing quite a few laps
and all I can say it was survival mode.I forgot to take the front bar right off and consequently had a lot of understeer. The best example was coming down from Lukey heights, into MG corner. As soon as I applied the brakes it wanted to keep going so had to get off the brakes and kick the back out to drift round the corner Go Kart style. Great fun but not very fast.
Onto the afternoon and first race 6 laps in dry conditions. Got away to a great start making places up but soon lost them again as the race progressed.
I held onto the Cobra for a while but he muscled his way past and put in some good lap times to be well in front of me at race end.
Sunday morning dawned fine and I started race 2 with new determination and another demon start for the 6 lapper. I thought I was putting in more effort and it turned out I had taken another second off my lap time down to 1min 49.8 sec. Pleased but not ecstatic. Finished behind the Cobra again.
The final race in the arvo was a ten lapper and I started well again and hung onto the back of the Cobra for 3 laps. I was trying to leave my braking into turn 1 till the 100m marker but I found out the car was unstable with hard application, so the brake bias is too much toward the rear and I couldn't stop and change it, so I dropped back to earlier braking point for the race remainder.The Cobra and one of the GT3s spun and I made 2 places. However they caught me on the final lap and that was how it ended back to finish in tenth. The car is going well though and I can carry on improving the handling now the brake & motor issues have been dealt with.Next event is the Historic meeting at Sandown on 10th,11th and 12th of November.
Ross

[Ross Nicol]

Sorry for not doing this in the wrap up but need to thank Will Croll for getting the rear brakes fitted on time and for the new Roaring Forties who came up with a brake hose ( at the last minute ) when it was realized one of mine was damaged, many thanks again.
Ross

[flatchat(Chris)]

Finally up near the pointy end, eh! Ross -- well done , but coming second to Cobras ? tttt .

[Ross Nicol]

Hi Chris and all
Yes I did get beaten by 2 Cobras but I actually beat the 2nd one in 2 races out of 3 . The good news is the GT40s handling is transformed and I was able to attack the track like never before. It now has amazing grip and turns into corners brilliantly, which explains why I was able to easily repeat 1min 20sec lap times and set a new personal best time today of 1min 19.8sec just the result I was after and 3 years on, with the car I finally believe I have a race package.Have some great photos I'll post tomorrow. In the last 10 lap race my front brakes gave up and with too much rear I was snaking all over the track, made for some exciting moments at turn 1 though.
Ross

[Dave S]

Hey Ross
This might seem like silly questions but when you race do you
1- Have A/c fitted to your car? and 2- Do you have the A/C operating while your racing?.

[Ross Nicol]

Hi Dave
Answers are No and No. Anything that steals power is never in a race car although I was very sweaty after the races finished.
Ross

[Ross Nicol]

Here are 3 photos from the weekend. Note the front 3/4 shot where I've just ridden over a ripple strip with right front, those heavily loaded tyres on the right hand side are flat on the track and hooked up.I could really feel the extra grip. The cockpit activity is much more frantic in the corners now.
Ross

[Ross Nicol]

Ok so I don't know right from left. Been a long weekend for me. The Photo shows heavily loaded tyres on the left!!! hand side of the car, sorry about that.
Ross