Half-Fast Motorsports Blog

(Ya, 2 posts in one day, I am trying to catch up.)

I arrive at Summit again, but this time I get to drive the big track, Summit Main. I drop the car at my paddock spot, and head for worker camping for a good nights rest.

Getting up early on Saturday, I switch out the tires, going back to the R-compounds from the street tires. As mentioned, I shake the suspension and find it’s again loose. I figured it was the nut on the shock again, so I pull the wheel to tighten it. Strange, it’s not the nut. The bearing is loose on the left front, crap! I find someone with a 32MM socket, and tighten the axle nut. It appears it wasn’t tightened all the way when the suspension was reinstalled after the engine swap. The right side was the same way. Another item for the check list I guess. After the classroom sessions, I did the final checks and jumped in the car. I was first on grid for my session.

Since this was my first time driving with NASA, they wanted me to have an instructor. He was late, and I didn’t get out on track for about 2 laps. I was taking it easy since I was again unsure of how the car would react to a dry track, and the new suspension. My instructor said I was doing just fine, but needed to show him I could threashhold brake.  We worked on that through the next 2 sessions, and the first one on Sunday. I guess he was happy, as after that, I was left on my own. He said I was ready for HPDE3 (open passing with a point by).

The car still pushes, but it’s loads better than it was. The engine and suspension mods are working out well. Before the next track day, I will have to install a rear sway bar to help this beast turn.

Now that then engine is installed, it’s time to try this new suspension again.  I had made one other modification to the suspension after the engine blew.  On these cars, the rear wheels toe in from the factory quite a bit.  The only way to fix it is to bend the rear beam.  Along with a few other guys, I had a fellow, Steve Foltz, fly in from Colorado.  Steve has a rig that will bend the beam so it’s straight.

I signed up for the SCCA PDX at Summit’s Shenandoah circuit. I took Friday off to get some last minute things done to the car. The alternator had been found to be not working after the engine installation, so I swapped it out with the extra I had that came with the used engine. I went over the car again to make sure all the little details had been covered, and to make sure nothing would fall off.

As I headed out for the track Saturday morning, the weather forcast didn’t look good. A tropical storm (former hurrican Hanna) was coming up the coast, and it looked like it would be a rain event. I wasn’t too worried as tracking a car in the rain was kind of fun, you really get to see if you are smooth. I had some street tires with plenty of tread, so I was okay.

I got there and switched the race tires for the street tires. When I was checking the suspension as I always do, I noticed a wiggle in the front end. It seems the nut that holds the shocks in place was loose. This has become a reoccuring problem, and I have to check it before each session.

We get through the classroom “chalk” talk, I step outside and it’s raining pretty good now. My turn comes up and I take to the track. With the exception of the last session the day goes like this, car won’t turn, windows fog, and I am for the first time scared on the track. The tires weren’t up to the task, and the handling stunk. At least I wasn’t the only one with problems, a civic spun in front of me on the first lap of the first session, and several cars ended up off track, one even hit a barrier.

I kept the car on the pavement, and the last session was pretty good as the rain had let up a bunch, but I learned nothing about the suspension AGAIN!

I am signed up for the NASA event in 2 weeks, hope it doesn’t rain.