Ross Nicol
GT40s Supporter
Got half way through this report last night and the power went off, so I lost some of my time into cyber space and am having to start all over again.
I talked the wife (Cheryl) into working for me at the factory and off I went to PI for friday practice. The day dawned nice and fine and I set off with a clear number of objectives to test the cars handling.During the week I had reduced the front spring rate by 100lb and bought the four wheel frequencies into a better range. I intended to run the 2 morning sessions on the springs only and then connect the front bar for the afternoon sessions.
With no ARB the body roll was very apparent and although the grip was good the pitching around did not fill me with confidence to go too hard. With the bar connected the cornering was much flatter and my confidence in the cornering capability rose to a new high. As the day drew to a close I felt I had made a significant leap forward in my understanding of what makes a car corner fast and proving these things to myself is what drives me really.
Onto Saturday morning and the weather took a turn for the worst. I fitted the wet tyres for their first run since purchasing them in March. I also disconnected the front ARB again.Off to the pre grid and although 11 cars are shown in the programme only 7 appear. 3 Lamborghini Gallardos, 2 P...... GT3 Cup cars, 1 MGB V8, and 1 RF GT40 ( me ). I'm getting used to racing against exotic machinery but this is getting a bit serious.There was a TR8 supposed to be running but he was out with a blown diff. In the wet I qualified with a 2min 6 sec lap time 6th place. One of the Lambos did a sensational 1min 47sec lap time, however all 3 of them had their ups and downs through the weekend.
Race 1 on Sat arvo was run in extremely wet conditions and aquaplaning down the straight I'd have to say was not one of my most pleasant experiences.I retained the wet tyres and left the front ARB disconnected.I got into fifth from the start and was going well until we got to Honda corner a tight r/hander. The front brakes locked and I couldn't turn so off I go nose first. Recovered and got back on into last place. 2 laps later the same thing happened at MG corner which is a tight r/hander after a steep downward slope. I will admit to quite a lot of grass cutting as I made my way slowly back to the track.I decided to calm down and drive as smoothly as I could through to the end of the race and this strategy seemed to work, unlike the video camera that I thought was running but wasn't. A lucky break for Ross though I think. After a kind offer I decided to stay down at PI overnight thanks to my MGBV8 competitor who is a doctor and owns a house in PI. I was thinking to myself mmm be ok if I have a heart attack tonight.
A large group of us went out to a restaurant for a meal and the good Doctor instructed us not to tell his wife ( she was soon to arrive) about the new tyres he had purchased during the day. Anyway after I got talking to her she stated how great it was Mort raced cars and how his medical colleagues were so envious of him. At this point I loudly exclaimed 'Nows a good time to tell her Mort' and boy did she rip into him.Luckily his generosity remained good and I still had a bed for the night.
Sunday dawned and weather still looking a bit iffy. Arrive at the track and I'm thinking I must put more rear brake bias on to stop the fronts locking up. When I inspected the balance bar it appeared the bar had shifted from it's set position.Well this explains a few things I thought.The
flat spotted tyres at Sandown, the locking fronts at Winton and my off track excursions this weekend in the wet.I put the car up on stands and got Tom (helper) to squeeze the brake pedal till I could no longer turn the front wheels.Then I checked the rear wheel and sure enough it spun freely.I reset the bias so both front and rear wheels locked together and wired the balance bar.
Race 2 started in the dry so I had slicks on and front bar hooked up.
on the warm up lap I was able to confirm there would unlikely be a rear brake lock up so I was looking forward to the race. I got away to a good start but had to immediately take evasive action to miss the yellow Lambo that hadn't moved.2 laps in and the rain came down in some parts of the circuit so it was eggshell time.by the time the race concluded 2 Lambos were out and I had closed on the 2 P...... cars fighting for position over the line. I ended up just losing to them in 5th place.Even though the brakes were squeeling and causing pedal shimmy at least they were back to their effective best. There's another box ticked.Ross check your brake bias!!!!!!!
Race 3 the final 10 lap and the weather dry.I didn't hold out any hope of staying with any of the front guys, but I was enjoying a transformed car handling wise.Off the start and Mort MGBV8 pulls out with what looks like terminal driveline failure and we now number 6 cars in the race.It was a lonely race for me but I came across an ailing P.... car heading to the pits, ok now I'm 5th and unbeknown to me one of the Lambos failed as well so I came home 4th and a bucket load of points will be mine.Hell I nearly made a podium.My best lap time 1min 49.89sec, could have done better but this motor is very down on power.
Packed up and headed home, on the way decided to rebuild the race motor before the next round at Sandown about the 20th of July.
Ross
I talked the wife (Cheryl) into working for me at the factory and off I went to PI for friday practice. The day dawned nice and fine and I set off with a clear number of objectives to test the cars handling.During the week I had reduced the front spring rate by 100lb and bought the four wheel frequencies into a better range. I intended to run the 2 morning sessions on the springs only and then connect the front bar for the afternoon sessions.
With no ARB the body roll was very apparent and although the grip was good the pitching around did not fill me with confidence to go too hard. With the bar connected the cornering was much flatter and my confidence in the cornering capability rose to a new high. As the day drew to a close I felt I had made a significant leap forward in my understanding of what makes a car corner fast and proving these things to myself is what drives me really.
Onto Saturday morning and the weather took a turn for the worst. I fitted the wet tyres for their first run since purchasing them in March. I also disconnected the front ARB again.Off to the pre grid and although 11 cars are shown in the programme only 7 appear. 3 Lamborghini Gallardos, 2 P...... GT3 Cup cars, 1 MGB V8, and 1 RF GT40 ( me ). I'm getting used to racing against exotic machinery but this is getting a bit serious.There was a TR8 supposed to be running but he was out with a blown diff. In the wet I qualified with a 2min 6 sec lap time 6th place. One of the Lambos did a sensational 1min 47sec lap time, however all 3 of them had their ups and downs through the weekend.
Race 1 on Sat arvo was run in extremely wet conditions and aquaplaning down the straight I'd have to say was not one of my most pleasant experiences.I retained the wet tyres and left the front ARB disconnected.I got into fifth from the start and was going well until we got to Honda corner a tight r/hander. The front brakes locked and I couldn't turn so off I go nose first. Recovered and got back on into last place. 2 laps later the same thing happened at MG corner which is a tight r/hander after a steep downward slope. I will admit to quite a lot of grass cutting as I made my way slowly back to the track.I decided to calm down and drive as smoothly as I could through to the end of the race and this strategy seemed to work, unlike the video camera that I thought was running but wasn't. A lucky break for Ross though I think. After a kind offer I decided to stay down at PI overnight thanks to my MGBV8 competitor who is a doctor and owns a house in PI. I was thinking to myself mmm be ok if I have a heart attack tonight.
A large group of us went out to a restaurant for a meal and the good Doctor instructed us not to tell his wife ( she was soon to arrive) about the new tyres he had purchased during the day. Anyway after I got talking to her she stated how great it was Mort raced cars and how his medical colleagues were so envious of him. At this point I loudly exclaimed 'Nows a good time to tell her Mort' and boy did she rip into him.Luckily his generosity remained good and I still had a bed for the night.
Sunday dawned and weather still looking a bit iffy. Arrive at the track and I'm thinking I must put more rear brake bias on to stop the fronts locking up. When I inspected the balance bar it appeared the bar had shifted from it's set position.Well this explains a few things I thought.The
flat spotted tyres at Sandown, the locking fronts at Winton and my off track excursions this weekend in the wet.I put the car up on stands and got Tom (helper) to squeeze the brake pedal till I could no longer turn the front wheels.Then I checked the rear wheel and sure enough it spun freely.I reset the bias so both front and rear wheels locked together and wired the balance bar.
Race 2 started in the dry so I had slicks on and front bar hooked up.
on the warm up lap I was able to confirm there would unlikely be a rear brake lock up so I was looking forward to the race. I got away to a good start but had to immediately take evasive action to miss the yellow Lambo that hadn't moved.2 laps in and the rain came down in some parts of the circuit so it was eggshell time.by the time the race concluded 2 Lambos were out and I had closed on the 2 P...... cars fighting for position over the line. I ended up just losing to them in 5th place.Even though the brakes were squeeling and causing pedal shimmy at least they were back to their effective best. There's another box ticked.Ross check your brake bias!!!!!!!
Race 3 the final 10 lap and the weather dry.I didn't hold out any hope of staying with any of the front guys, but I was enjoying a transformed car handling wise.Off the start and Mort MGBV8 pulls out with what looks like terminal driveline failure and we now number 6 cars in the race.It was a lonely race for me but I came across an ailing P.... car heading to the pits, ok now I'm 5th and unbeknown to me one of the Lambos failed as well so I came home 4th and a bucket load of points will be mine.Hell I nearly made a podium.My best lap time 1min 49.89sec, could have done better but this motor is very down on power.
Packed up and headed home, on the way decided to rebuild the race motor before the next round at Sandown about the 20th of July.
Ross
