Baking Barbon the action on the track yesterday was as hot as the weather. A large class 1B saw record smashing pace, retirements and crashes. Report with film to come.
Baking Barbon
Lord Shuttleworth's drive has been used as a hill climb since 1950 and the first record time was set a year later at 37.20. 68 years later the record stands at an incredible 20.08 seconds. The course has just 3 corners the first 2 with blind entries and majestic oak trees waiting in the slips to catch any car driven beyond the limit of the tiny ribbon of tarmac that threads its way between them. It is seriously steep, fast and dangerous.
The last 2 years had been plagued by torrential rain. The event had run but it had been a struggle for all concerned and some cars went home bent. Liverpool Motor Club who run the event had kept faith with the venue and installed paddock drainage and a new access road for the paddock. Their courage was rewarded by the most glorious sunshine and the venue was picture postcard perfect.
This was my 3rd event of the year so far I had been the nearly man with 2 second places both by the narrowest margin possible, just 0.01 of a second.
Last edited by RussellT; 11-06-2018 at 20:43.
Link to a video of the Andy Larton barrel roll
https://youtu.be/Ju3_X2UPFSQ
Last edited by RussellT; 12-06-2018 at 23:08.
I decided to take my Go Pro to Barbon and I started the day with a wander around the paddock with the camera and then up through the first 2 corners all for your enlightenment. Since the last event I had tweaked the launch control settings and the pit crew had adjusted the tappets and she was sounding smooth.
My competition in class was of the highest order. Gordon Riley in a turbo Toyota Starlet was currently the class leader at Harewood that puts him as one of the very fastest 1B cars in the country. Then we had Will Roberts in a Clio rebuilt with Ian Butchers money after he bent Will’s previous Clio at Harewood. Shared drives often end in tears, remember my relief at giving Keith his 306 back in one piece at the end of last year. Then we had Ian Butcher in his Integra and then father and son team of Alex and Michael Thornton. Steve Price in the non turbo Subaru Impreza, John Pinder who beat by a 100th at Scam Dam in his Fiesta ST A couple of lads in a fairly standard old style Fiesta and a lad from Wales in another Clio complete with a K Tec windscreen sticker.
Last edited by RussellT; 14-06-2018 at 12:17.
Not be long before your top of the class Russel. I can feel it in my oil!😉
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Thanks Matt I may be a bit long in the tooth for that though!
a lad from Wales in another Clio complete with a K Tec windscreen sticker......Continued
I ran my usual conservative 1st practice at 14psi and all was well until I got to the top hairpin and just like the last event my engine died trying to accelerate in second from low revs. Second practice I gave her full race boost and she roared up the hill. My tweaked launch control settings with the run in Toyo R888R 1b tyres on the hot day gave me mega starts and she pulled out of the hairpin with no issues and I set a sub 30 second time. Will Roberts Gordon Riley and Ian Butcher were ahead of me but I was comfortably ahead of Alex and Michael Thornton when usually Michael and I are nip and tuck with young Alex way ahead.
Into the timed runs with some optimism but it all evaporated at the hairpin. She practically parked herself on the exit and I just had to sit here and watch the clock count up as I got going again. A 30.12 was still a relatively fast time. Will and Gordon dead heated on 29.12 with Ian on 29.21 and me in 4th. Very frustrating.
For the second run I tried to give her plenty of revs as I changed into second but the same thing happened. i did manage a slight improvement to 29.99. That 100th to get under 30 seconds makes so much difference.
Sadly Ian, the most aggressive driver in the class, left his braking just that bit too late for the hairpin, he locked up and buried the pretty nose of his Integra into the straw bales after the Armco. That was the end of his day hopefully just cosmetic damage but Ive been there myself and its a horrible feeling. I presume he should have antilock brakes but he obviously couldn't steer away from the impact.
Gordon's second run was a stellar 28.36 and really put the win beyond doubt. Will Roberts was slower and I was still 4th.
For the final run the plan was to use 1st gear. A good start and a slight slide from the rear at the first corner perfect. I slowed a bit too much for the middle corner (Im not used to the power of my brakes yet) and I'm at the hairpin into second I start to turn in and go for 1st. She slots the gear and I roar out of the corner grab second and cross the line in a new PB of 29.38! but I'm still 4th so no award. I pack up and go home.
Ive edited the film and Ill post a link to it on YouTube
For the next even Ive put some more diff friction modifier in the gearbox as it was a bit aggressive in action and Im going to get the pit crew to check for a leak on the induction just in case she is sucking a bit of air and that why she doesnt like to pull second. You cant read the AFR meter on the film as its flickering too much. It could also be a mapping issue or as Ian would point out a inherent problem with the siamessed ports and poss over fueling. Ill let you know.
Next event is Sunday 17th a 2 lapper at the newly resurfaced 3 Sisters track Wigan. That will definitely scrub some rubber of the tyres. With the potential of multiple runs I might try and play with tyre pressures and I could try and log a run. Watch this space!
My YouTube film
Ive just redone it to reduce the exposure on the in car shots so you can better see the scenery flashing by
here is the new link
https://youtu.be/BhE7ZNpzSMs
Last edited by RussellT; 16-06-2018 at 12:35.
Ian posted the in car of him eating straw. It was all looking so good.
https://youtu.be/aj8KU7jzA88
and how it should be done
https://youtu.be/hKQqrk2bGg8
R
Not quite so dramatic an event at 3 Sisters today. The whole venue has been lifted by the freshly relaid track. The jet black smooth perfect ribbon of tarmac was very inviting. I enjoyed my brakes and 1B tyres and managed to win my class although that task would have been considerably harder if Ian Butcher had made the event after his shenanigans at Barbon the previous weekend. My nearest rival was Richard Windmill who managed a 86.92 on list 1A tyres.
Here is an in car video of my best run. Apologies for the loose camera mount but it gives you some idea of when I hit the brakes!
I should say I won the class with a time of 84.44 and that was on 15psi.
https://youtu.be/BQ1lh-SgS5U
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Last edited by RussellT; 30-06-2018 at 19:28.
Doris compressing her new suspension
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Another scorching hot speed event on Saturday. This time at Aintree the once home of the British Grand Prix where famously Moss once beat Fangio. We race on only a portion of the old GP circuit and just 3 corners but they are all good ones. The slowest is the 3rd gear 90 left after the start. The second corner I take in 4th gear so you can really feel the suspension moving under the loads. The last corner has a nasty bump on the way in where Beechers Brook crosses under the track. Get it wrong and the bone hard skeletons of the Grand National fences are waiting to destroy your car. As sadly happened to one previously immaculate Westfield. They are very tough but the car looked very damaged by the impact. Driver was unhurt lets just hope the chassis is still straight.
There were 10 cars listed in my class but in the event Michael Thornton didn't appear in his Integra. No sign of Keith Minshull or Ian Butcher after their previous problems. There was however another Renault 5 driven by Shane Dyson who told me he works on ECU's for a living and had built his own but hadn't started to convert to EFI yet. His car matched Doris for terminal speed at 119 mph so a name for the future. I passed on the tip from Scoff about a idle pulley for the fan belt to stop it leaving its pulleys.
Doris had been into the pits to have the gear box checked as she had become reluctant to change gear on the road. A new gear selector rod had improved the situation the old one having lost its original shape after various off track excursions, the only problem now was the gears weren't in the same places.
As it was so hot I had taken a small garden sprayer to douse the radiator and intercooler after runs but even on a normal day I tend to go slower as the power hungry circuit pushes Doris to her absolute limit. After 2 runs at practice boost 55.18 (missed gear) and 54.24 it was full beans and warp factor 8 for Doris. My first timed run was 52.83 and no one else could manage a 52 second run. The joy of being able to stop at the end of the long straights was intoxicating and I found myself braking too early but a slow entry enabled fast exits.
I had one more go and lowered the time to 52.22 a new PB and then I rested Doris. Nigel Trundle was my nearest challenger his twin boosted Scirocco with a 53.56 closely followed by Karl Wilson in a Clio on 53.73.
As I didn't take my last run I went out and find my class mates taking Village corner. The long right I take in 4th.
https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&ar=...id=6DYF7x_Am8Y
The next event is a double header at Blyton in 2 weeks.
I don’t know how much more of this sun I can take. We all baked at Blyton every scrap of shade was occupied. The action on the track was just as hot.
Saturday was run over the outer circuit some may remember from a RTOC National Day some years ago. This fast flowing track suited Doris and although up against a Fiesta ST a Fiat 500 Arbath and a Honda Civic type R. My first timed run at race boost blew the competition away. My 74.78 sec run was well clear of the Fiesta ST in second place on 76.18. Such was her dominance that I turned the boost down to 15 psi and still managed a creditable 76.30.
I did have some issues though. Track limits were being enforced which is fine but its hard to drive to a line painted on flat tarmac with no kerb. I had one run disallowed which I though was good but accept that recollection from the drivers seat is far from perfect and another disallowed where I parked her next to a marshal’s van which is fair enough.
I came into the chicane on the back straight and turned in just a fraction too soon. The near side rear hit the marker bale and kicked me into oversteer. That put me off the track on the inside and heading for another bale. The choice was left into the corn straight on into the bale (always expensive) or right across the track. I chose right veered back across the track and arrived in the Marshalls car park with indecent haste. I just managed to stop before the corn field on the outside of the track.
Damage was limited to whacker rash on the near side rear quarter and a large piece of hardcore wedged through my grill that just missed my radiator element.
Sunday was a completely different ball game. Run on the Eastern circuit only 2 corners are the same as the outer circuit. It was new to me and rather ominously the driver of the ST said “ We’ll see how you do on the twisty circuit tomorrow”
I walked the course and it appeared to be a rather devious layout where the best line was to miss the first obvious apex to hit the second......
Check out the circuit layout at
https://www.blytonpark.co.uk/the-circuit/
How it should be done
https://youtu.be/NqEdX3bLMww At 43 seconds you can see the parking area on the right that I used the previous day quite a way down the track from the start of my incident!
I struggled with the first corner, the following tight chicane and most of all with the Curva Grande entering the Wriggler. The latter looks easy on the film but you are turning right tightening on an adverse camber to turn left with a long straight after. I kept losing the rear under breaking I struggled to brake, turn and change gear and had to resort to fiddling through the corner clicking her into first and boosting down the straight.
Then there was the last corner and my first attempt at that at race boost ended in a different postcode as I bailed out in favour of the grass rather than eating the finish board and timing gear, unlike others.
So I was the one playing catch up. The Fiesta ST was the car in a league of its own with a first run 81.20. I was a no score (clock still ticking as I didn’t make the finish) . My second timed run of 82.83 was good for second but then the Honda took me with a 82.61 and the Arbath was only a hundredth behind me.
To the credit of the Westfield Sporst Car Club they went for a 4th timed run. I was still at full race boost and decided to try A slower entry to the first corner and a more measured approach to the twisty section. This seemed to work well. I went slower into Bunga Bunga to get a better exit then it was full power in 4th all the way through the fast chicane with a early lift to make sure I made the finish. Stopping the clock at 81.77 just 0.57 behind the Fiesta who couldn’t better his first timed run.
I was back in second. Poor Doris was rather hot and bothered and boiled over. she had been incredible all weekend.
I am still not happy with my cornering grip and Ive ordered some more springs and I’m all over the place in my seat so I’m going to try and make a foamed insert. She will need the tracking checking after been bounced around.
The family took some film so I’ll eventually post it onto YouTube.
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Last edited by RussellT; 16-07-2018 at 21:54.
Here is a film of the outer circuit. The bale I hit is at 41 seconds and the marshal’s car park at 46 seconds
https://youtu.be/nUS6e1iFtpg
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Excellent write up as usual Russ! Get the video up asap. I imagine you will end up with 600lb springs like Tony?Originally Posted by RussellT
I've recently bought some second hand Gaz coilovers with Compbrake top mounts and 600lb springs! I imagine they're going to be too stiff particularly for road use but I'll let you know how I get on.
Update
After my couple of offs over the WE I had the pit crew check the tracking and she had 12mm of toe out with a broken ball joint!. So that could explain some of the problems I had on the twisty circuit. The irony is I think I did it before I got to the venue. On the corner just before the entrance to Blyton there is an evil trench in the road. I hit this with such force that my noise cancelling headphones fell off my head!
Its one of the drawbacks of driving your race car to the venue. I've made a note in the Doris Dossier to dodge that bear trap next year.
As promised
https://youtu.be/PucTU9XdvDM
The view from the spectator banking doesn't capture the adrenalin rush that is Blyton Park. I was very grateful to have my Carbon Lorraine brake pads clamping on the discs.
Woa! Doris is hurtling around that track!!looked a very good day.
This Sunday was my second trip to the sweet Scammonden Dam Hill Climb. The last time I had lost out to John Pinder's Fiesta ST by 0.01 second so with him there again I knew it was going to be a tight competition. I was ever hopeful of a better result as Id had a manifold leak discovered after the previous event and the pit crew had just reset the geometry of the front wheels.
The optimism only lasted as long as first practice. I was in the high 29's and John was already in the low 28's . The class record stood at 27.74 by James Kerr. Harewood Hillclimb instructor in his immaculate 205 1.9Gti.
Second practice at full boost was a bit nearer the mark into the high 28's but John was almost in the 27's.
For the first timed run I decided to use 1st for the key corners of the middle S bend as I had done at the the previous event. Doris roared off the line but I hit the change over speed on the launch control just before I lifted to turn if for the first corner and as she leapt forward I had a very untidy moment on the exit. Gathered up and off down the straight past the pump house. I braked late and back into first for the S bend. Its too low a gear and Im struggling for revs then all of a sudden as I turned for the second left she leaps forward and punts me off at the exit. I drive straight over the reflective mirror for the split time beam. All I could manage was a high 28.
John was way ahead on a 27.84 faster than the 27.98 that beat me last time.
Over lunch I had a rather interesting idea. Thinking about the problems I had at the slow hairpin at Barbon, the slow Wriggler at Blyton and the S bend here I wondered if I was dipping below the crossover speed for the launch control which would then limit the revs until I got back above that speed?
I decided to run with LC off.
With that decision the event changed in my favour. My first attempt was a 27.84 a dead heat with John! He would still take the win with the better second best time. In the event it was immaterial as my next run was a 27.50! a new class record. I have not come close to being competitive with Mr Kerr for years and to take a class record from him was truly amazing.
There was a final run and I decided to rest Doris. It was a gamble, John only needed 0.34 sec to match me but apart from saving my car I wanted to film John through the S bend to see if I could learn from his lines.
Typically John saved his best run for last, no doubt fired up by my decision, he gave it his all and stopped the clock at 27.80. Doris was a winner and a new class record holder.
The plan is now to try a push to make button on the steering wheel so I can have LC for the start but off for the run. I have the new springs to fit and various other issues to sort and all for the next event on Sunday at 3 Sisters Wigan.
Last edited by RussellT; 05-08-2018 at 21:28.
Here is a link to Jame's run. It turns out he was on 1a tyres so Im still not ahead of him but getting closer!
https://youtu.be/Er8zdNX5cJo
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Here is my film of a few of the cars on the last run. Look out for John in his Fiesta ST at the end.
https://youtu.be/Oxeiim870Co
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Just got her back with the 600lb/“ springs fitted and she feels good not too hard and with some meat taken off the bump stops is actually better over the pot holes.
Sunday at 3 Sisters will be the test and it may be wet.
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What a contrast in the weather. It had to break some time and we were met with biblical weather for the 3 Sisters sprint on Sunday. I was anxious for several reasons. I had never raced in the wet on the 1B tyres I had just had stiffer springs fitted and to cap it all Ian Butcher was back with his mega Integra last seen being rammed into a hay bale at Barbon. We also had Paul Henderson in his 306 (running Michelin Pilot Sport tyres ). Nigel Trundle in his twin boosted Scirocco and a welcome return from Mr Russell (Fishy) Herring who was one of the main men when I first started in a neat Fiesta ST tuned by Mountune but on 1A tyres. which could be an advantage in the wet. ...
I said to myself that what ever the result if I can drive home at the end with Doris intact and 4 wheels pointing in the same direction Ill be happy.
The venue is a Go Kart track and had been relaid with fresh tarmac for this season so how that performed in the rain was another unknown variable. For a change the road cars were run at the end of the field so we had the benefit of seeing the race cars splash around.
Here is a link to a In car vid of the test. Look out for the tight left hand hairpin and the fast finish up over a hill.
https://youtu.be/K-wWuypmCPQ
Stopping after the finish is not easy especially in the wet and as you can see there is only a ribbon of grass before the unforgiving tyre wall.
My first practice was steady, very steady at road boost I was the second slowest in class at 66 seconds Ian was already on it at 59 seconds. Going through the lake at the esses was an experience I was totally blinded for a moment by the volume of water thrown onto the screen. Luckily I knew where to go and made the left turn out of the chicaine. Although I was slow I could feel the car was different under me responding to steering inputs and feeling more planted on the road, it felt very good and the R888R tyres were far from hopeless on the soaked track. Second practice at 15psi I was a close 3rd on 56.80 to Nigel's leading 56.02. Ian must have had an issue as he was back on 57.96. Paul in his 306 was second on 56.57.
The club then stopped the meeting for an early lunch as a few cars hadn't made it through the water splash. I do hope I can get some photos for you as they were epic with the water thrown way into the air on either side of the cars giving a real sense of the powered speed of the car.
OK after lunch the track had dried to damp this could be the only run to count on this most difficult of days, wet to dry to wet it was all a bit of a lottery and as we waited at the back of the field it started to rain again. I tried my best but didn't get the hairpin entry right and bogged down. The rest the run seemed OK and I stopped the clock at 54.96. I would have probably taken that time on the start line but I somehow knew it wasn't going to be quick enough.
It wasn't Ian had stamped his authority on the class like the big cartoon Monty Python foot with a stunning time of 53.12 Nigel was second on 54.25 I was 3rd and Paul was 4th on 55.52. Russell Herring ran a creditable 56.42.
The second timed run was a washout no one improved but I surprised myself on the 3rd with a 54.05 to take second! Mind you I had very nearly visited the tyre wall after the finish only avoiding a very expensive collision by taking my foot of the brake and allowing the car to rotate the fronts and respond to the steering angle in the nick of time. Nigel had been able to improve but only to 54.18. Ian was down to a scarcely believable 52.72 the class record stands at 51.50 and is held by Fred Currell in his insanely quick Formula 3000 engined Golf and Ian was just 1.22 sec behind on a damp track.
No one improved on the 4th run Nigel was back in the 55's so I decided to try a softer damper setting for T5 and once again slid into the hairpin. Reckoning I had blown the run and after my post finish antics on the previous run I backed off. In the event this was probably not a sensible decision as Nigel parked up stepped out of his car to announce he had just stopped the clock at 53.18! I was dumped back into a very distant 3rd. All I could do was shake Nigel's hand and say well done. That one run dropped me from 100 points to 98.39 a potentially telling blow come the end of the year.
However I was driving home with Doris intact and some good feelings for my prospects at the next dry event. Damp, deflated but content it could have gone a lot worse.
Last edited by RussellT; 05-08-2018 at 21:43.
Fecking up so you don't have to.
Here is the first attempt at a foamed seat
At least the event was a positive in that you could fully test the car with new springs and in the wet!!
Not sure on that foam seat!
It was the Summer Meeting at Harewood yesterday so of course it was another event held in what could be fairly described as adverse weather conditions. Rain started at 9.30 and was heavy and persistent. We could have had Noah in the Mark 1 Ark entered in Sports Libre.
I had given up on the foamed seat for just taking out the seat cushion. I fell more in the seat but the pedals are too close but my short arms mean I cant go further back. Ideally I need to move the pedals back. The other modification since the last event was to block off the pipe to the standard boost gauge on the dash. It doesn’t really tell you anything and I think it was leaking.
The Harewood venue has been freshly tarmaced at great expense and looks a picture with the perfect ribbon of black against the verdant green of the fields and surrounding countryside. It was a unknown quantity in the wet. I had stayed over with Mr James Kerr Harewood instructor and we left Doris at the venue the previous evening which meant I had the opportunity to walk the course with James who helped me with some top tips and warnings about the height of the new kerbs.
First practice was going to be the driest run of the day and I toyed with running her at full race boost but having left at the venue overnight I had to warm her up and the dampers tend to need a run to firm up so I put her at 15psi. I selected launch control on and set off with some enthusiasm.
The course is the longest Hillclimb in the UK but perversely starts off downhill.....
Here is a link to an old film to give you a flavour of the challenge
https://youtu.be/PsqdM2Kc8kw
I had the launch control on and gave her the beans off the line. Up to the first right hander where the back is prone to step out I lifted early dab on the brakes and she is through with no complaints from the rear. down the hill up to 3rd then back to second. Through the Esses and into Chippeys concentrating hard on James’ words of advice. Up to Country avoid the inside kerb and I’m on the way to Willow. I apexed that just where James had indicated and full power up towards Orchard. This used to be a gate and for the early years of the Hillclimb the gate post was still in place. That was no longer a feature but its still a tricky kink left into sharp right whilst you change from 3rd to 2nd. Once again she didn’t want to pick up the revs in the lowers gear. OK LC off for the next run. After what seemed like an age I’m on my way to the sweeping hairpin of Farmhouse, then up the face of the escarpment to the blind entry tightening right of Quarry. When I first came to the hill there was a tall tree that marked the line for Quarry. I asked James what happened to it? He said that it was still there. He pointed to a darker green oak tree. “Its just the other trees are now taller than it” . I’m through the finish and look at the time a 71.43. Not great, OK it was starting to rain, I was at practice boost and finding my way but still that’s a rather ordinary performance.
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Last edited by RussellT; 28-08-2018 at 20:32.
Looking at my split times the start had been good at 2.72 so it was with some reluctance I turned the LC off. I also put her up to race boost for second practice as much to see if that would help get her out of Orchard.
As it happened 2nd practice wasn’t overly helpful because, not for the first time I didn’t make the corner at the bottom of the hill. Doris was flying and I was way to fast and late when I decided to brake. I just slid so came off the brakes and god love her she did try to make the corner but I slid again and I’m onto the grass bouncing around to miss the esses and rejoin at the entry to Chippys. Failed run. She was a tad better at Orchard so I left the LC off. My start without it was 3.09 but the rain had arrived...
The program listed 28 drivers in the class but in the event only 20 set times. The most noticeable retiree was Gordon Riley in the class winning Toyota Starlet. Having kissed the Armco the previous day he did practice but as the rain meant no one in the Harewood Championship, which is scored against the class record, would acquire many points he decided not to risk his car and withdrew.
Cars that did compete included the Pug 205 of Deryck Jones present record holder, past class record holders of James Kerr (my coach) and David Sykes. David was also a previous Harewood Champion, Osteopath (not Chiropracter my bad) and had been out of the sport whilst he removed himself from what sounded like a rather unfortunate marriage. David Marshall also in a 205 and ex Midland Speed Champion. You get the drift these were serious speed event drivers. Then you add in the young thrusters of Will Roberts and Ian Butcher (OK not so young but a full on thruster). Graham Normington was there in the ex Ian Butcher Bumble Bee R5 GTT, an assortment of Clios and even a Alfa Mito Clover leaf.
The competition runs...
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Last edited by RussellT; 28-08-2018 at 19:18.
Having fallen off in second practice I spent the lunch break ruminating on my approach to the first timed run. The way the weather was deteriorating, cars falling off the track causing numerous red flags and reruns and some more for timing issues as the rain invaded the wiring I felt we may only get the one chance so it was imperative to make it to the top of the hill. I hit 64 feet in 3.29 seconds the second split at the bottom of the hill in 15.17 and as I turned to come back up the hill I made the next split in 32.11. At this point Will Roberts was already 3.5 seconds ahead. The next split is on the run to Orchard and that time was lost to the weather however I got through Farmhouse in 66.50 seconds and through the finish in 79.07. I had a time but it left me nearly 7 seconds behind our leader Will Roberts and in a lowly 12th place. The Bumble Bee R5 had run 76.83 and was in 6th. Ian Butcher was second on 73.26.
I was resigned to my fate and always knew this round was likely to be a dropped score but it was rather galling to be so far off the pace. My coach James Kerr was not impressed "you can go faster than that" was all he said. He was right the new track wasn't that bad and the R888R tyres were doing a good job of dispelling the water to give some feel and grip on the new tarmac. My suspension felt surprisingly pliant even with the 600 lb/" springs and the balance was neutral with the rear obediently following the front.
OK I have a time lets try and go into the corners a little harder were my thoughts in the queue for the second run. A knock on my window broke my concentration. There was a drenched spectator, I opened the window. "your car sounds amazing mate he said rev the engine for me" and he held up his phone. I smiled reached across and turned the launch control back on and bounced the engine of the launch rev limit of 4K. "yes great thanks" he said with a big thumbs up. LC back off I made my way to the start line.
Off I went through the first corner and down the hill, where do I lift and brake Im almost there but Im still in second. I held second hit the rev limiter and just concentrated on smoothly slowing her down and taking her through the Esses and Chippys. Then full power up the hill still in second to Country. Around there and hit a good line through Willow. Now I go for 3rd and Ive saved 4 gear changes. Into Orchard kink left down to second and full throttle as I turn sharp right aiming for the whacker post. Come on girl she responds with just a hint of delay and I squirming under power to Farmhouse. 2nd for the entry and around that long hairpin to exit up the straight to Quarry. Where to lift and turn in is always a case of if you make the corner you feel you could have gone faster. I did a fair job and through the finish.
The clock had stopped at an incredible 73.06 at that point I was second in class!
It didn't last Will Roberts who was already leading set an incredible time of 70.79 he must have webbed feet then along came Ian Butcher to once again pip me by 0.01 sec on 73.05 and finally Deryck the present record holder having put himself under massive pressure by failing on his first attempt came in with a very creditable 71.75 so I was 4th.
For only the second time ever I had beaten David Marshall (74.12) and for the first time in probably over a decade coach James Kerr was behind Doris on 73.25. What a result, what a car.
A double header next weekend with Aintree on Sat and 3 Sisters on Sunday and then its just the season climax at Anglesey 6th 7th October and the adventure will be over for another year.
Matt Fearless Rowe in his Honda S2000 demonstrating how tricky the day was
https://youtu.be/4KZ_v15AvUI
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Mega weekend of motorsport Doris was awesome report to come
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2 days 2 events at completely different venues. One just 3 corners long straight and some of the highest corner entry speeds all year the other a go kart track full of twists and turns but also high entry speeds with little run off. Both have the potential to bend panels and break engines. At least the weather was back to warm and pleasant.
The fist track is Aintree where I had a clear win earlier in the year and I was hopeful of another good result. However
The Adaptronic ECU has the capacity to run traction control. I had already been using the launch control capability as discussed before and I thought I ought to revisit the TC. Scoff had kindly wired a lead to the correct output pin on the ECU to activate a indicator light when the system was working its magic and this light had been burning like a laser on that mega last run in the gloom at Harewood last weekend. It was also flickering just driving straight so something wasnt right. It works by retarding the ignition so you dont want that if its not needed.
The ECU uses a PID controller to manage the traction. This is a rather complicated piece of logic well worth checking out on YouTube but as a complete novice I was rather lost in a hostile sea trying to work out what to do with it. Even Andy Wyatt the boffin that started the ECU company as a Uni project couldnt help. Very very basically the P compares when you are from where you want to be, the present situation (in my case 10% slip between front and rear wheels) the I adds up all the errors each time the program looks the past situations and the D looks at how fast things are changing so where you are going to be or future. Get it right and the program moves you quickly and accurately to the desired position.
Get it wrong and you have an unstable system. I had the P I D set at 5 2 2 which looking at YouTube are pretty low numbers. The D is supposed to damp out the oscillations so for Aintree I set it to 5 2 5. This was an error I was misfiring out of the corners. Luckily the grip from the combination of the Toyo R888R tyres and stiffer suspension was epic and by now I was much more confident on the brakes. I ran with the seat cushion removed so I was lower in the car and more within the seat. All of which helped the feel through the corners.
On the day I was up against Karl Wilson in his Clio. He was going much quicker than the last meeting after having his Gripper diff serviced. The combination of factors saw Karl in the lead with 53..04 and me second on 53.15.
So no easing off the boost for the rest of the day I was under real pressure to get a win. My best run at Aintree is usually after the lunch break when things have had a chance to cool down. I tried to be more aggressive into the final corner and holding 4th gear to the end I went through the speed trap at 116mph and stopped the clock at 52.52. Karl was slower on that run and I took the lead. We had another 3 runs I skipped one to try and let her cool but couldnt go quicker. Karl got close with a 52.82 but in the end I took a close win...
Last edited by RussellT; 03-09-2018 at 18:19.
Back home the first thing I did was get the lap top out and set the PID settings to 5 5 2. The use if the I setting gets you nearer to the target. This time I was going to take the laptop with me so that I could change things if required.
3 Sisters is really technical, it rewards good drivers and well balanced cars. The new tarmac has made a big difference to the venue and it now ticks a lot of boxes as a sprint venue. Easy access, good track, exciting to drive, good viewing for spectators and a comfy clubhouse with a canteen. The paddock is a bit of a mess and I found 2 large sharp screws on the floor near to my allocated parking spot. I handed them in to the Clerk of the course with a suggestion that the venue could really do with cleaning up as they could cause a very serious accident. The way things are with the circuit, on the way back from administration, I doubt any thing will be done.
Against me on the day was Ian Butcher in his mega Integra. I great driver in a very quick car with well set up suspension and a trick low ratio box. At the last event here in the pouring rain he had destroyed the field with a time that would have good on a dry track. I was hoping for no more than a second place. At the wet Harewood he had pipped me by 0.01 sec and he congratulated me on that drive.
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We were allocated paddock slots right at the end of the pit straight. cars hurtled towards us flat out then braked and swung right into a s shaped chicane. Between us and the track was a 4 foot wall then some old tyres and a finally about 20 feet of grass. Not what I would call adequate run off. Sure enough 1st practice had only just started when a single seater roared into view. 30 yrds from the corner the pretty carbon encrusted nose dipped as the driver applied the brakes. The wheels locked and he slid straight for us. I ran Ian just stood there as what was now an unguided missile closed on its target. I’m sure if the driver had lifted he would have at least avoided the impact but that was beyond him. The nose exploded into the tyre wall sending stagnant water and tyres into the air and it was pretty no more. “ Are you hurt?” asked the marshal, the driver, who was still sat in the remains of his once pristine car replied “Only in my wallet”.
My class ran at the end of the field so following the delay to repair the tyre wall and remove the crashed car, it was really quite late before we got to run. I started on practice boost (15psi) with launch control on. I got a good start but then the car coughed and splutterd at the slow second corner. OK LC has to be off. I still ran a 85.26 to Ians 84.99. That’s close, a lot closer than I expected. In the class of 6 the next fastest was a Peugeot GTI 206 (138) on 88.59. I was in a 2 horse race.
Here is a link to an in car from out tame racing driver Matt “Fearless” Rowe. Some say that his reality is virtual and if he drove a Ferrari no Merc would get past.
https://youtu.be/FJzvkf4t2z4
By the way he set a new class record and was 1 second faster than Doris.
The second practice with LC off had me bogging down at the start and I missed the turn in field at the split point sliding well wide. I was slower on 85.40 Ian had asserted his authority with a 83.96. He must have been surprised that with Doris on race boost I piped him on the first competitive run with a 83.37 to his 83.95. He had lunch break to consider his response and I fully expected that he would go faster. Like the day before the cars tend to slower as they get hotter so the run after the lunch break can often be your best chance. Ian though failed to stop in time for the split point and could only carry on up the hill to abort the run. I managed an 83.16. I was happy with that, the car felt very good and I was trying to find the correct balance between attack and grip. My next run was ruined by a hopeless start so no quicker where as Ian had got back in the game with a 83.57. This was going to be close and I could sense another 0.01 sec difference in the pipeline. The 4th timed run was a bit of a blur I cant say I did anything much differently, I did make the apex on the split point corner and feathered the throttle through the infield taking a fair degree of kerb. I was astonished to stop the clock at 82.26. Doris had flown. I decided to take a gamble and call it a day. Ian had gone quicker with a 83.41. I stood and watched his 5th run. Good start smooth turn ins accurately hitting the apexes with strong speed. It looked quick and I wouldn’t have been shocked if he had taken the win. However he was 0.01 slower than his previous best I had the win by 1.14 sec to Ian Butcher! And a new class record offJames Kerr by 2 seconds although that was set on the slower 1A tyres and with the old tarmac.
Doris had been awesome all weekend. I think blocking off the pipe to the original boost gauge has made a “significant step” as the F1 guys say “for sure” .
As for the PID Ill leave it as it is I might just have stumbled onto a good setting.
One more weekend to go in Wales Ill try and give you a championship standing before the event. Ian will be there and he is changing his gearbox just for the event in order to enjoy the long straights at Trac Mon. He will be out for revenge.
I love the fact that there's a bit of mechanical/technical tweaking and then a result given with a test around the track!!
Very well done Russ. The bogging down is obviously still something to aim for but certainly isn't halting any wins!!
Ive come 3rd in the 3 Sisters Championship. I might get a prize!
Just checked the regs and...
No I don’t
Last edited by RussellT; 05-09-2018 at 20:38.
With 2 events to go I have had a look at the various championship scores and although its complicated with drop scores coming into the equation I reckon that its between me and Ian Butcher for 3rd in the Liverpool Championship and I might get a 4th in the Longton and District championship.
Normally I would have a good chance of beating Ian on the long straights at the Angelsey track where his car would hit the rev limiter but at 3 Sisters he was talking about changing the gearbox specifically for that weekend. I have a 2 point lead on him at present, if he changes the box its going to be a titanic struggle to hold onto the place.
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Andy and I had a go at logging the hesitation Doris has when trying to rapidly accelerate in a low gear. As I drove, Andy held the laptop and watched the AFR gauge and she is going full lean.
The logging just gave us headings and no data so Im going to DW Scoff at EFI and see where we went wrong and if we can adjust the "accelerator pump" or transient throttle settings on the ECU.
There is a way to set up the map prediction but generally I've had success by adjusting the gain.
Scoff reckons that after the overrun the manifold is full of fuel and she is actually going rich and registering lean as the fuel isn’t ignited. He has suggested using the cut power to the injectors on the overrun function.
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Interesting that. I guess that's why he's a wizard!!
Just back from Trac Mon on Anglesey. One titanic struggle all weekend with Ian Butcher in his menacing Integra.
One of us had 2 wins with 2 new class record times.
Report and hopefully some in car film of the on (and sometimes off) track action, to come.
this is what I was up against
and this is Ian in action
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgMqVe0NZX4
The car has been prepared by raceDNA a firm with some reputation for making Hondas go fast.
So a 1980's shopping trolley with a 1960's pushrod engine, with a cobbled together inlet manifold (that some said looked decidedly ropey and would never work) up against a professionally race prepared Honda with one of the best 4 cylinder engines ever put into a road car driven by a fierce fearless competitor.
Ian had swapped his low ratio gearbox for a standard one just for this even to better suit the long straights at Trac Mon.
Last edited by RussellT; 08-10-2018 at 15:11.
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