The interesting stuff:

http://www.thedriversedge.net/TDE-MSR-Full.wmv

Pics: Blue run group. White #7.
http://hart-photography.com/photocart/index.php?do=photocart&viewGallery=1556
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And the long-winded report

Well the second track weekend has come and gone, and I am happy to report that both Skye and I made it out despite some severe weather and track conditions. Like always the preparation leading to the event is almost just as exciting.

First up on the scheduled changes was to add some tuning on the car in hopes to refine the power band for the uphill climbs at MSRC and maybe squeak out a few more miles per gallon. Into the garage to dig out my old MAF-T setup and then with a few keystrokes I jumped online to Dejon’s site for some new UICP hard pipes since the decision was made to switch from a FMIC to side mount setup. I had seen the troubles my friend’s 1G went through in tuning with a piggyback setup and didn’t want to incur the mid throttle issues we experienced. So another look into the DSM graveyard yielding an old treasure I stashed away a long time ago…95 E-prom. The rest of the plan was to swap out the injectors with a set of 660s and let DSMlink take care of the rest. But I ran into a few problems. First the mailman wasn’t nice to Dejon’s craftsmanship. The air filter was crushed and the intake pipe had seen better days. Dave is a true business man and took care of the issue. Second up to bat I discover the BOV flange is not in the correct orientation. So that piece is in transit. So much for that idea. I decided to just take care of the basics and just take to the track with this current configuration. With everything packed and loaded it was time for a nice 4.5 hour hike up to Dallas.

Rain was in store for us Friday, but was supposed to clear up for a nice Saturday and Sunday. What I didn’t know was that it had rained all week with some of the heaviest rainfall in recent times. The drive up was treacherous combating between sideways rain and the slick Dallas highways. On Saturday the track was a mess with silt and debris left from the previous night’s downpour. Quickly the decision was made to shorten the configuration to the 1.7 mile course until the new sections of the 3.1 could be prepped. Still there were four water crossings that spanned the width of the track, two of which have never been seen before and resemble small streams. Combine that with all the rubber being washed from the track and the dry/wet transitions, this was going to be more than what we bargained for.

The only piece of mind I had going into the first session was that the blue run group is last of the rotation. I managed to gather lots of reports on track conditions from friends in other groups, so I knew which corners were slick and how the ‘puddles’ were affecting braking and handling. I opted not to go out on race pads in fear of locking up the wheels under these conditions and not being able to get them up to temp with the slower speeds. My goal was to take these early morning sessions slow to build up my pace.

All too soon I found myself up in grid waiting to see who my instructor would be for the weekend. I hear out my window, “Wow, this is a nice looking car. What year is it?” Long and behold another familiar face shows up in the window. Ron is one of the crazy loons I’ve spoken about before who drives a spec Miata. We get settled in and go through the normal pleasantries of getting to know one another and familiarizing ourselves with the car. I also get a run down on track condition and it was much worse than I had previously imagined. I was familiar with the track and the turns, but the track condition would come back to bite me. We get the thumbs up to roll onto the track as we begin our warm up lap. Taking it a light 30-40 mph we explore the line around the track. The ‘puddles’ are quite deep and greatly affect the stability and breaking ability of the car. We line up for a long uphill left sweeper which combines into two corners which are taken as a double apex. We’re still doing 30ish so I didn’t track out all the way to the edge to give ourselves a little wiggle room. Despite the logic in it, the front wheels loose all traction on corner exit as the rear comes sliding around. We slide abruptly over the curbing and keep momentum to avoid being buried in the mud. Back in pit lane the curbing claimed my rear mud guard which had to be removed. Back out on track it was still slow with the track conditions. Eventually we end our little parade and are called back in.

Back in the paddocks it was the same story all around. As blue students we were expected to be more comfortable on track and to begin working on driving technique. But this weekend, it would be a constant battle with traction with the only goal to stay on track. It all came down to throttle control and controlling body motion. The biggest problem was the puddles as they would cool the tires and disrupt the ability to brake in the normal braking zones. The corners were dry, but combined with the water over the polished sections it became like ice. To counter this I added a little more air into the tires and adjusted braking to get down to speed before the streams that crossed the track. Session two was much better as the car felt more under me. We were steadily increasing the pace with really the only regard to the streams that spanned the front and back straights. Towards the end of the second session I would learn another important lesson. Ron and I had adjusted our line to the ‘wet’ line to avoid the slicker spots of the track. I remember feeling out different lines through ‘Little Bend’ a fast late apex right sweeper. I tried the outside line, the middle line, and even dared to start wide and apex in towards mid track to carry a bit of speed. On the third time through though I let another car go by on the back straight and prepared to go middle. It was suppose to be a routine corner with speeds kept in check, but then it dawned on me. It wasn’t so much an issue between the wet and dry line, but where the lead car had drug water into the corner. No sooner as I realized this I found myself on the same part of the track as the car in front. My rear end stepped out and I immediately countered and applied gas. I could hear the front wheels let loose and spin as they clawed for traction. Nothing I did would get the car under control and for the second session it was two-nil in the tracks favor.

Despite the frustration with another off, that second session felt good as I had picked up a lot of speed over the other parts of the track. I was getting the feel of the car again with the wider tires and the firmer suspension. In a few of the corners combined with the low grip I began to control slide the rear to help rotate the tighter sections. About that time our blue group was herded back into class where we had a little pep talk. Morale was low as everyone was fighting to just stay on the track. Some people gave up all together and called it quits for the weekend. Even the instructors were having difficulties with the awkward conditions. Then the big news flash came, the 3.1 was finally ready and they were planning on opening up the new section. This section is lower in elevation than the 1.7 and didn’t offer any nice places for an agricultural experience. And to top it off, we were the guinea pigs. Here’s what we were up against.

4th gear coming down the front straight into ‘Big Bend’ (turn 1). It’s fast left sweeper with lots of traction and room to track out. Right before you enter turn 2-3-4 known as ‘Rattle Snake’ there is the first of two water crossings. So it’s hard on the brakes and downshift to 3rd before sloshing through. Lightly holding the brakes and/or pumping lightly seemed to help the water from disrupting braking ability. Then it’s a super late apex into turn 2 as you look for that line that shoots you across to the exit of turn 3. A quick stab on the brakes and an aggressive left turn lets the rear kick out to negotiate 3 and sets up mid track for 4. From 4 to 5 we make the transition to the new track as you hang out on track left looking to shoot across this little black patch of tarmac that is 5’s apex. Scrub speed before 6, gently off the brakes to keep the car stable and roll from track right into 6. This is one of the wildest parts of the track. This downhill section between 6 and 7 offers no remorse if you were to fall off, but is a roller coaster that I loved to take at WOT. Get the line right and there’s a small left-right adjustment as your break zone is right on top of the rumble strips before 7. I learned to take this section with more and more speed using the rumbles to time a slide into 7 avoiding the loss of speed. Somewhat the same going into 8, we drive straight over the curbing looking for an overgrown weed right before the turn into 8. 8 is an interesting corner, uphill 180 degrees. Early apex and you’re shunted off. Too much gas and you’ll find yourself headed downhill into the corner worker station. For the GSX, it was a simple 2nd gear shift and just giving it all she had as we climbed uphill. Before 9 there is a hill to be conquered, where what goes up must come down. Blind transitions are scary at speed, but with good visuals (Shell sign) it can be taken with confidence. Known as the ‘Toilet Bowl’ this turn offered many different lines. During the wet I drove around the outside making it a single late apex exit and during the dry it was a double apex corner. Turn 10 is another late super late apex that requires the patience of a redwood. It’s very deceptive how early you think you can get on the gas. Then it’s back onto the old track, up in 4th gear and downhill into ‘Ricochet’. Between turn 11 and 12 is our 2nd water crossing and the most difficult corner of the weekend. The water was so close to ‘Little Bend’ (turn 12) that whatever line the car drove in front of you would be the slickest. This was a photographer’s haven as cars of all types were pirouetting off the track. Continuing on, hopefully all the water was off your brakes and wheels going into 13. Set up about mid track leading into 14 and it’s a double apex all the way through to 16 and back out on the front straight. Talk about a mouthful.

Session three and four were building blocks. I let my instructor have the helm for the first few laps to show me around. Then it was a slow buildup as I etched a new line into my head. Nothing exciting to report here and no offs, but Sunday would be a new day. I did pick up enough speed though that brake fade started to rear its ugly head. In go the race pads.

Sunday was a blur as I found myself anxious to hit the track. The first session was a straight pickup from Saturday with the exception of learning the characteristics of the car with the Porterfields. They bit hard and really got the front end to dive and bite. But that also meant controlling them when rolling off as all that compressed spring wanted to explode and release. Ron gave me a good visual on smooth braking. I now look at it from the springs perspective on controlling its compression and expansion rather than just the ‘feel’ of the weight transfer. Sounds silly, but it made more sense then the uncalibrated butt dyno which severely needs a roll bar, seats, and harness. All too soon it’s the end of session 3 and I’m making that decision to pack up and get a head start home or get my money’s worth and see what session 4 had in store. Normally sessions 2 and 3 are my quickest, but with a little egging on from my brother and friends I’m back on grid. It was a good second half of the weekend, no offs and steady progression in pace. There had been less instruction as the day passed by and Ron had pretty much given me the thumbs up to attack the track as I see fit. I get the occasional ‘excellent’, ‘spot-on’, or ‘just a little too early’ remarks, but other than that it’s pretty quiet. Onto the track I’m moving at a blistering pace. I’m on a hunt slowly reeling in the car in front and then the next. For the first time I realize how much attention I’m paying to just get that throttle open a little faster or carry a little more speed by giving some up at corner entry. These little things made that session all that more special. It was a feeling of some small accomplishment. The last session ended with me catching the last car in the field. It was a supercharged 350Z with all the bells and whistles who I had met earlier that day. I was so focused on the rear of that Z as we came down the hill on ‘Ricochet’ I missed the checked. In my defense I didn’t want to find Z standing on its brakes as I came over the hill, but none the less that’s not an excuse. Back to TWS in 2 weeks…C-ya then.

Good read. Sounds like treacherous conditions. I'm not sure I'd want to drive my car in conditions like those, but I'm sure it's a great learning experience pushing it in the wet.