Rain race video at Laguna Seca...

NASA racer · 02-07-08, 11:18 AM

There are these moments which you almost miss in life. I got interested in racing when I was 11 years old watching the movie LeMans. So years later, I'm racing my Radical (which is in Gulf colors with the #20) and it's raining etc. I get home and am watching the video and realize, here I am racing in the rain against two red cars...I'm almost living my childhood dream on a much smaller scale

Anyway, I spun while leading and on this motor it breaks the starter if you don't get the clutch in fast enough...and I didn't, but it made for a pretty good video:

youtube Radical cup rain race video

frank beuker · 02-07-08, 03:01 PM

what a great video !!!

Frank Catt · 02-07-08, 03:34 PM

We have broken a lot of starter motors that way on a Suzuki GSXR1000 engined single seater. Dipping the clutch will not save the motor if you go backwards as it is directly geared to the drive, the only way to save breaking it is to lock all wheels immediately you realise you are going to rotate and stop the engine, but as you only have a fraction of a second to think and do it its 50/50 you get away with it. We always carry a few starter motors with us, two bolts and its changed.

NASA racer · 02-08-08, 12:53 AM

fortunately, the Radical truck always has spare starters...I tried to bump start it going backwards while rolling off the track but it was not to be. This is a GSXR1300R so is probably the same Denso starter...super easy to change, not super cheap though :/

Russ Noble · 02-08-08, 02:56 AM

Great video. Impressive driving. Big balls in those conditions with such a variable track. I love action race shots....

Malcolm · 02-08-08, 04:16 AM

That was brilliant, very smooth indeed which i s what you need in those conditions. You had pulled out quite a lead over 2nd place guy when you spun. What was your heart rate doing? Triple time? The aquaplaning in a straight line was a bit hairy.

Leguna is a circuit I wish to drive one day.

Top stuff!

Paul Thompson 'Hooligan' · 02-08-08, 09:14 AM

Great video -

Also, I believe there is a modified clutch arrangement available for competition use that should prevent such failures in small-car installations.

I've seen one for a 240Bhp GSX1300 (Busa) powered 2-seater..

Mesa · 02-08-08, 12:29 PM

Great Stuff !
What kind of lap time in the wet?, looks like youre going along at a good clip. Spinning out while leading? - Remember Weedhopper "win the race going slowly as possible" That track was WET boy, I like the part where you get to go off course and drive it back on :-) Looks like good fun.

I ran a track day at Laguna once in a light drizzle all day (on slicks), water running across the track in places (going up the hill from 6 to 7 and the front straight). Spinning it up when hitting the running water such as you.... Well here comes the last session and my buddies say "it's not drizzling any worse than earlier".

SURE.

I head out and quickly realize there is just enough additional water to make it impossible. I decide to crawl around to the pits - going what feels WAY slow....... And crash my brains out. Of course the bike slides off on one side and then digs in and flips taking out the other side. 10 minutes later the track closed for the day. Not quite soon enough for me.

Daryl Adams · 02-08-08, 01:15 PM

I feel your pain. Turn six got me as well, and I ended up taking both ends off my SRF. You were doing great in some pretty dicey slop!

Pete Fowler · 02-08-08, 03:24 PM

I was actually taking it pretty "easy" in the lead but it looks like I simply gave it too much gas on turn exit at a particularly damp bit. That last "clear" lap was a 1:54 something so wasn't very fast...the aquaplaining on the straight was pretty "exciting" though not for all the right reasons.

The track had enough rivers that it was hairy...it was sort of an "i got it, i got it, i don't got it" kind of thing...can't imagine it on a bike!

Here was my fastest dry lap of the weekend, was 1:30.9 There was more time there but I didn't get it in the session I had:
YouTube - Radical Cup qualifying Laguna Seca

Mesa · 02-08-08, 04:12 PM

A 1:30 in the dry?
Ironic, if I remember correctly my best ever Superbike qualifying lap for AMA at Laguna was a 1:30. I think it put me mid pack at the time on the 'old' pavement.....of course 10 guys qualifyed in that same second. I think the pole time was in the 26s

More on that drizzly day - I would wheelie coming out of turn 11 and about halfway down the straight was the river. I didnt know until that day that you could spin the rear while pulling a wheelie! Was actually a really good learning experience right up to about 10 minutes from the end there ......

Pete Fowler · 02-08-08, 05:50 PM

Yeah, a modern DSR or CSR car would run around 1:25s...my car is pretty heavy (1250lbs) and low dowforce and I'm using a bone stock Hayabusa. A good time would have been in the 28s but I had setup problems all weekend including lack of rear downforce.

MReid · 02-08-08, 07:20 PM

Excellent video, thanks for posting! Just a little while longer and you could see the sun starting to break through in the distance. Looks like you were having a blast with just a couple of heart checks along the way.