Is it okay to spin twice on the warmup lap? (Video evidence)
Discussion
I have just spent the weekend competing in four Radical races at Rockingham, and thought I would share the video and my experience, as it was amazing. The first time I have ever driven a Radical (SR3) was in the first qualifying session, it was also the first time competing at Rockingham, and my third ever race!
What an amazing car, the engine and gearbox were a joy to use, the sound of the engine revving up to 10,000 rpm before you snatched the sequential gear lever to select another cog made me feel every inch a bona-fide racing driver. Once the slicks were up to temperature we were recording 1.7-1.8G lateral acceleration through the corners, and maintained around 1.4-1.5G around the banking for 6s. Even though I had been doing some serious training in the gym in preparation for the weekend, after 2 qualifying sessions and 3 races, I was unable to hold my head upright around the banking! Luckily the roll bar padding was close enough to my head to wedge it in place. It was very alarming slip-streaming a car at 125 mph around the banking whilst not being able to move your head at all.
We had numerous technical problems over the weekend, a broken driveshaft on the first warmup lap of the first race (ahem, my fault as I did one to many clutch dumps to warm up the tyres), then fuel starvation around the banking leading to a retirement, then a horrendous handling in-balance on right hand corners which saw me spin twice on the warmup of the 2nd race (oh the shame), a gradual loss of power and top end speed throughout the weekend and eventually a broken water pump. Even through all of these problems, I still had an absolute ball as it was an incredible experience racing one of these beasts around Rockingham, wheel to wheel with other similar cars.
The warmup lap:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gz-L07tDHY0
My fastest racing lap of the weekend:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YN5ZcK8Pj9c
What an amazing car, the engine and gearbox were a joy to use, the sound of the engine revving up to 10,000 rpm before you snatched the sequential gear lever to select another cog made me feel every inch a bona-fide racing driver. Once the slicks were up to temperature we were recording 1.7-1.8G lateral acceleration through the corners, and maintained around 1.4-1.5G around the banking for 6s. Even though I had been doing some serious training in the gym in preparation for the weekend, after 2 qualifying sessions and 3 races, I was unable to hold my head upright around the banking! Luckily the roll bar padding was close enough to my head to wedge it in place. It was very alarming slip-streaming a car at 125 mph around the banking whilst not being able to move your head at all.
We had numerous technical problems over the weekend, a broken driveshaft on the first warmup lap of the first race (ahem, my fault as I did one to many clutch dumps to warm up the tyres), then fuel starvation around the banking leading to a retirement, then a horrendous handling in-balance on right hand corners which saw me spin twice on the warmup of the 2nd race (oh the shame), a gradual loss of power and top end speed throughout the weekend and eventually a broken water pump. Even through all of these problems, I still had an absolute ball as it was an incredible experience racing one of these beasts around Rockingham, wheel to wheel with other similar cars.
The warmup lap:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gz-L07tDHY0
My fastest racing lap of the weekend:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YN5ZcK8Pj9c
Hi Julian
It was great pleasure racing with you over the weekend , very impressive to get down to 1.21's on your second practice session and on old tyres.
Your progress was evident on the video and data and only hidden on the lap times by the engine losing power over the weekend.
The issue with the odd handling on right hand corners presented an interesting challenge and i guess caught the attention of those following when i spun on the first right hander of the UK cup race !
Nigel
It was great pleasure racing with you over the weekend , very impressive to get down to 1.21's on your second practice session and on old tyres.
Your progress was evident on the video and data and only hidden on the lap times by the engine losing power over the weekend.
The issue with the odd handling on right hand corners presented an interesting challenge and i guess caught the attention of those following when i spun on the first right hander of the UK cup race !
Nigel
Sounds like you had fun. I was there running the Moore Racing SR8 for Phil Keen. That was a long weekend in the pit garage.. Still we managed a 1st and a 3rd from the back of the grid in both races..
Rockingham is a bugger of a circuit to set the car up for, and a nightmare if it rains too. The infield quickly becomes a skating rink!!!. I like it as a driver, not so sure about as an engineer though <LOL>.
We were worried about the right rear tyre all weekend.
are you doing the full season?
Cheers
G
Edited to say :- Boy you were lucky not to collect the wall in that first spin!!!! any spin where the car stays in one piece is ok in my book..
Rockingham is a bugger of a circuit to set the car up for, and a nightmare if it rains too. The infield quickly becomes a skating rink!!!. I like it as a driver, not so sure about as an engineer though <LOL>.
We were worried about the right rear tyre all weekend.
are you doing the full season?
Cheers
G
Edited to say :- Boy you were lucky not to collect the wall in that first spin!!!! any spin where the car stays in one piece is ok in my book..
Edited by Graham on Wednesday 14th April 14:16
Thanks for posting the videos.I am not doing the whole season, just the odd race here and there. We still have no idea what caused the problem, most likely something like a bush had broken on the left hand side which changed the geometry under load. Luckily I didn't get called in front of the clerk of the course, I managed to finish the race and collect a valuable signature.
Edited by Racelogic on Thursday 15th April 09:35
well at knockhill if you spin on the formation/warm up lap you are judged to have "done an Edwards" this is in honour of chris edwards one of our clerks who spun the legends pace car into the gravel at clarks last year. by doing so it entitles you to copious amounts of mickey taking from anyone in the sport. it is advisable to hide any footage of such and bribe any photographers to accidentally delete the photos so you can say "no lads I didnt spin it you must be dreaming/on the waccy baccy"
you are a good sport for putting your footage on you-tube, keep it straight and all the best for the season from me :-)
you are a good sport for putting your footage on you-tube, keep it straight and all the best for the season from me :-)
marshal_alan said:
well at knockhill if you spin on the formation/warm up lap you are judged to have "done an Edwards" this is in honour of chris edwards one of our clerks who spun the legends pace car into the gravel at clarks last year. by doing so it entitles you to copious amounts of mickey taking from anyone in the sport. it is advisable to hide any footage of such and bribe any photographers to accidentally delete the photos so you can say "no lads I didnt spin it you must be dreaming/on the waccy baccy"
you are a good sport for putting your footage on you-tube, keep it straight and all the best for the season from me :-)
you are a good sport for putting your footage on you-tube, keep it straight and all the best for the season from me :-)
+1The spectators weren't too crowded were they?
FWIW, my first wet race (I'm in Cape Town, so race mostly in the dry) was also my first race on semi-slicks and first race after a significant engine change in my Birkin S3. Spun magnificently on the second corner of the warm up lap and then had to chase like crazy to catch up with the back of the field for the rolling start.
FWIW, my first wet race (I'm in Cape Town, so race mostly in the dry) was also my first race on semi-slicks and first race after a significant engine change in my Birkin S3. Spun magnificently on the second corner of the warm up lap and then had to chase like crazy to catch up with the back of the field for the rolling start.
bikemonster said:
The spectators weren't too crowded were they?
.
Just how it is in the UK now. I spent the weekend at Silverstone, arguably the countrys premier track as they were using the full GP layout. Fantastic weather, full race programme including F2 single seaters, Saloons, sports cars, and classics so something for everybody. Had a choice of half a dozen or so grandstands to view from, not more than 30 people in any grandstand. Take away the drivers friends/family, and you had a few dozen genuine paying spectators. Quite sad really..
BJD said:
bikemonster said:
The spectators weren't too crowded were they?
.
Just how it is in the UK now. I spent the weekend at Silverstone, arguably the countrys premier track as they were using the full GP layout. Fantastic weather, full race programme including F2 single seaters, Saloons, sports cars, and classics so something for everybody. Had a choice of half a dozen or so grandstands to view from, not more than 30 people in any grandstand. Take away the drivers friends/family, and you had a few dozen genuine paying spectators. Quite sad really..
I wonder why that is?Gassing Station | UK Club Motorsport | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff