Discussion:
OT: A more-than-decent race weekend.
(too old to reply)
Alan Baker
2019-06-17 17:06:49 UTC
Permalink
Despite only coming second (to Dave McKay—three times), I had a great
weekend back on track.

After finally getting the correct front left lower A-arm from my parts
supplier (there are variants on the suspension and he'd inadvertently
sent the '99 variant rather than the '00 version, which had been
designed to lengthen the wheelbase by about 1.5"), and doing the
reconstruction of the brake line running through the replacement arm
(which came without one, unlike the 99 arm), it was with some caution
that I went out on track for practice on Saturday. The only goal for the
session was to confirm that everything—brakes, steering, structural
integrity—was working properly, and my times showed it, as I didn't
press beyond about 85%. Best time: 1:17.193

With no problems cropping up beyond a slight change in brake bias for
the lower tire pressures I tried out for the first time (cold pressures
9psi front, 12psi rear), next up was qualifying, and with Dave back in
the field, I knew I'd have to start working for it. Best time: 1:13.303,
but as luck would have it, Dave thought he had a mechanical issue and
didn't go out. Result: pole position!

Race 1 was more of a battle than it had to be. A sports racer with
easily twice my horsepower, but not as fast overall was harassing me at
first, and I thought that I'd have enough advantage to "cruise home" to
the win with Dave starting at the back of the pack, but I lulled myself
into a false feeling of confidence and the next thing I knew, Dave was
all over the back of me. This was more disconcerting to me than it
should have been, because I was using a—now temporary—replacement left
mirror after the original was sheared off by a passing (over!) Lotus 23,
and it was a flat mirror where I had grown used to using convex mirrors.
Every time Dave moved from my right side to my left, he seemed to leap
closer.

So I simply decided to let him take the lead to see if I might be able
to take it back with only a lap or two to go. As the 5 minute board came
out, it seemed my strategy was going to work beautifully. Dave was
starting to struggle coming out of turn 8-9 onto the main straight and I
was able to draft up and a little by him as we entered turn one. With
what we both thought was going to be one lap to go, I got a great drive
off the final turn and was looking to go completely past his car before
the braking zone, to pull to the inside and see if I could then keep him
behind me for one lap. But as we approached start/finish, the chequered
flag was very suddenly displayed, and Dave won by 0.113s; just a little
less than a car length.

However, it seemed my strategy was sound. I much preferred being the hound.

Saturday evening was our semi-traditional communal barbecue with mostly
FF drivers, family and friends, but a few FC pilots as well. We
celebrated Alan McColl's 60th birthday a little ahead of time, and
generally had a great night as the heat of the day dissipated and the
drag races started running in the background.

Sunday, there is no practice session. It's qualifying followed by two
races. And in qualifying, I had it all together and put my car on pole
by 0.03s over Dave.

On race 2's start (of three races for the weekend), I figured that my
best strategy as pole sitter was to try and keep the speeds down to the
point that my fuel-injected engine would accelerate cleanly and many
Dave's would stumble for a moment, but I reckoned without taking into a
account the presence of Erle Archer in his Birkin S3 sports racer (a
Lotus Super 7 clone with a Ford Zetec engine and about 220hp). Erle's
car is no match for an FF over a lap, but in a straight drag race from
25mph, he easily shot ahead of both Dave and I, and because I hadn't
moved as far right as I could have, he was in a position to block ME
when we finally had to brake for turn 1.

That led to me chasing Dave, passing him for the lead on lap 8, him
getting it back on lap 9, and then traffic made it a little harder for
me to stay on his gearbox. But each time he'd get a little gap, I found
I could reel him back in, and I was still trying for my next to last lap
strategy...

...and then we hit lapped traffic coming into 7A, and there was only
enough time for Dave to go by, while I was forced to wait behind the Vee
until the apex of turn 8. That put me behind Dave by a little more than
a second, which led to me turning the fastest FF lap of the weekend on
the final lap as I worked to get back in touch; 0.8s faster than Dave's
best of the weekend, I think.

With that lap, I was able to get a great drive off turn 9, and at the
finish I'd popped out of the draft and finished just 0.068s behind;
about 9 feet.

The fast lap put me on pole for race 3, and with Erle's car coming up
lame during the previous race, it was going to be a straight fight from
the start down to turn one for race 3. I tried my slow-down strategy,
but Dave's car is very well jetted, and we were dead even when we hit
the brake zone for turn 1. I held the inside and the lead after we
exited turn 1, and held it for a couple of laps, hoping that Dave would
make a mistake, and let me get enough of a gap to drive purely for fast
laps, but it was me that made the mistake when I missed a shift and Dave
went by. And give him his due: whether it was my tire's going off, maybe
getting the rear pressures wrong (it's hard to know where you are with
pressure when the tires leak between sessions and the tires are also
still warm)...

...but most likely, I was just not on it anymore.

Dave won by 2.44s, and whenever I started to reel him in, I'd make
enough of an error to give it back again.

So all in all:

Three pole positions.

Three second place finishes for grand total time difference of just over
2.6 seconds.

Fastest FF lap of the weekend by 0.8s

And in the club standings for FF and open wheel, I was leading Dave by
14 coming into the weekend, and with a 5 point difference between first
and second place, I believe that Dave is now ahead by 1 point.

But what a weekend! We went at it, hammer and tongs—getting very close
but never touching.

:-)
geoff
2019-06-17 21:07:16 UTC
Permalink
Post by Alan Baker
Despite only coming second (to Dave McKay—three times), I had a great
weekend back on track.
After finally getting the correct front left lower A-arm from my parts
supplier (there are variants on the suspension and he'd inadvertently
sent the '99 variant rather than the '00 version, which had been
designed to lengthen the wheelbase by about 1.5"), and doing the
reconstruction of the brake line running through the replacement arm
(which came without one, unlike the 99 arm), it was with some caution
that I went out on track for practice on blaa blaa blaaa.
Presumably a post intended to another (formula.ford ?) newsgroup.

Reassuring to see you are a dick in not only r.a.s.f1 .

geoff
Alan Baker
2019-06-18 00:39:48 UTC
Permalink
Post by geoff
Post by Alan Baker
Despite only coming second (to Dave McKay—three times), I had a great
weekend back on track.
After finally getting the correct front left lower A-arm from my parts
supplier (there are variants on the suspension and he'd inadvertently
sent the '99 variant rather than the '00 version, which had been
designed to lengthen the wheelbase by about 1.5"), and doing the
reconstruction of the brake line running through the replacement arm
(which came without one, unlike the 99 arm), it was with some caution
that I went out on track for practice on  blaa blaa blaaa.
Presumably a post intended to another (formula.ford ?) newsgroup.
Reassuring to see you are a dick in  not only r.a.s.f1 .
geoff
It said "OT" right at the top, Geoff.

No one forced you to read it.
t***@gmail.com
2019-06-18 00:43:11 UTC
Permalink
Post by geoff
Presumably a post intended to another (formula.ford ?) newsgroup.
Reassuring to see you are a dick in not only r.a.s.f1 .
you told him. lol
larkim
2019-06-18 10:55:45 UTC
Permalink
Post by geoff
Post by Alan Baker
Despite only coming second (to Dave McKay—three times), I had a great
weekend back on track.
After finally getting the correct front left lower A-arm from my parts
supplier (there are variants on the suspension and he'd inadvertently
sent the '99 variant rather than the '00 version, which had been
designed to lengthen the wheelbase by about 1.5"), and doing the
reconstruction of the brake line running through the replacement arm
(which came without one, unlike the 99 arm), it was with some caution
that I went out on track for practice on blaa blaa blaaa.
Presumably a post intended to another (formula.ford ?) newsgroup.
Reassuring to see you are a dick in not only r.a.s.f1 .
geoff
For what it's worth, whilst racing in FF is not the same as racing in F1,
and whilst I disagree with AB's conclusions about the Vettel incident,
given the low volume of traffic in this group I don't mind reading about
his actual racing experiences - I wish I had the same opportunity.
Alan Baker
2019-06-18 15:51:46 UTC
Permalink
Post by larkim
Post by geoff
Post by Alan Baker
Despite only coming second (to Dave McKay—three times), I had a great
weekend back on track.
After finally getting the correct front left lower A-arm from my parts
supplier (there are variants on the suspension and he'd inadvertently
sent the '99 variant rather than the '00 version, which had been
designed to lengthen the wheelbase by about 1.5"), and doing the
reconstruction of the brake line running through the replacement arm
(which came without one, unlike the 99 arm), it was with some caution
that I went out on track for practice on blaa blaa blaaa.
Presumably a post intended to another (formula.ford ?) newsgroup.
Reassuring to see you are a dick in not only r.a.s.f1 .
geoff
For what it's worth, whilst racing in FF is not the same as racing in F1,
and whilst I disagree with AB's conclusions about the Vettel incident,
given the low volume of traffic in this group I don't mind reading about
his actual racing experiences - I wish I had the same opportunity.
Thanks!

And if you really want to have that opportunity and you're not
physically incapable, you could you know...

:-)
Bigbird
2019-06-18 13:24:05 UTC
Permalink
geoff wrote:

{Snip cross-post]
Post by geoff
Presumably a post intended to another (formula.ford ?) newsgroup.
Reassuring to see you are a dick in not only r.a.s.f1 .
His cross posts are purely there to troll the other groups. He has been
asked not to cross-post many times as it just draws responses from
those in other groups that think he is a dick. Certainly no-one in the
golf group has ever shown any positive response. Continuing to do so
just confirms that assessment.
--
Trump fact check:
The grand total as of Sunday: 4,913 false claims
Last week’s total: 31 false claims
That’s the 75th-worst week of his presidency out of 116 weeks so far.
Alan Baker
2019-06-18 15:52:33 UTC
Permalink
Post by Bigbird
{Snip cross-post]
Post by geoff
Presumably a post intended to another (formula.ford ?) newsgroup.
Reassuring to see you are a dick in not only r.a.s.f1 .
His cross posts are purely there to troll the other groups. He has been
asked not to cross-post many times as it just draws responses from
those in other groups that think he is a dick. Certainly no-one in the
golf group has ever shown any positive response. Continuing to do so
just confirms that assessment.
HH's response was positive...

...and he is in the golf group.

Just replacing your nonsense with facts... ...again.
Bigbird
2019-06-18 18:14:15 UTC
Permalink
Post by Alan Baker
Post by Bigbird
{Snip cross-post]
Post by geoff
Presumably a post intended to another (formula.ford ?) newsgroup.
Reassuring to see you are a dick in not only r.a.s.f1 .
His cross posts are purely there to troll the other groups. He has
been asked not to cross-post many times as it just draws responses
from those in other groups that think he is a dick. Certainly
no-one in the golf group has ever shown any positive response.
Continuing to do so just confirms that assessment.
HH's response was positive...
...and he is in the golf group.
Just replacing your nonsense with facts... ...again.
No-one in the golf group has responded. The only responses are your and
Geoffs cross-posts.

You are a liar and a troll. Those are the facts as far as your
fuckwitted cross-posting is concerned.

GNF
--
Trump fact check:
The grand total as of Sunday: 4,913 false claims
Last week’s total: 31 false claims
That’s the 75th-worst week of his presidency out of 116 weeks so far.
Alan Baker
2019-06-18 20:22:21 UTC
Permalink
Post by Bigbird
Post by Alan Baker
Post by Bigbird
{Snip cross-post]
Post by geoff
Presumably a post intended to another (formula.ford ?) newsgroup.
Reassuring to see you are a dick in not only r.a.s.f1 .
His cross posts are purely there to troll the other groups. He has
been asked not to cross-post many times as it just draws responses
from those in other groups that think he is a dick. Certainly
no-one in the golf group has ever shown any positive response.
Continuing to do so just confirms that assessment.
HH's response was positive...
...and he is in the golf group.
Just replacing your nonsense with facts... ...again.
No-one in the golf group has responded. The only responses are your and
Geoffs cross-posts.
HH responded, and he regularly posts in the golf group.
Bigbird
2019-06-18 23:04:59 UTC
Permalink
Post by Alan Baker
Post by Bigbird
Post by Alan Baker
Post by Bigbird
{Snip cross-post]
Post by geoff
Presumably a post intended to another (formula.ford ?)
newsgroup.
Reassuring to see you are a dick in not only r.a.s.f1 .
His cross posts are purely there to troll the other groups. He
has been asked not to cross-post many times as it just draws
responses from those in other groups that think he is a dick.
Certainly no-one in the golf group has ever shown any positive
response. Continuing to do so just confirms that assessment.
HH's response was positive...
...and he is in the golf group.
Just replacing your nonsense with facts... ...again.
No-one in the golf group has responded. The only responses are your
and Geoffs cross-posts.
HH responded, and he regularly posts in the golf group.
He hasn't, and you are a liar.
--
Trump fact check:
The grand total as of Sunday: 4,913 false claims
Last week’s total: 31 false claims
That’s the 75th-worst week of his presidency out of 116 weeks so far.
Alan Baker
2019-06-18 23:10:40 UTC
Permalink
Post by Bigbird
Post by Alan Baker
Post by Bigbird
Post by Alan Baker
Post by Bigbird
{Snip cross-post]
Post by geoff
Presumably a post intended to another (formula.ford ?)
newsgroup.
Reassuring to see you are a dick in not only r.a.s.f1 .
His cross posts are purely there to troll the other groups. He
has been asked not to cross-post many times as it just draws
responses from those in other groups that think he is a dick.
Certainly no-one in the golf group has ever shown any positive
response. Continuing to do so just confirms that assessment.
HH's response was positive...
...and he is in the golf group.
Just replacing your nonsense with facts... ...again.
No-one in the golf group has responded. The only responses are your
and Geoffs cross-posts.
HH responded, and he regularly posts in the golf group.
He hasn't, and you are a liar.
He has:

<69c2e82e-f419-4a0c-baa0-***@googlegroups.com>

Just as Geoff IN this group replied only in CSMA.

:-)
geoff
2019-06-19 02:57:02 UTC
Permalink
Post by Alan Baker
Just as Geoff IN this group replied only in CSMA.
:-)
Um, no. Wrong (yet) again.

geoff

Subject: Re: OT: A more-than-decent race weekend.
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.advocacy,rec.sport.golf,rec.autos.sport.f1
References: <qe8hb8$1n26$***@gioia.aioe.org>
From: geoff <***@nospamgeoffwood.org>
Date: Tue, 18 Jun 2019 09:07:16 +1200
t***@gmail.com
2019-06-19 03:06:06 UTC
Permalink
Post by geoff
Um, no. Wrong (yet) again.
Peanut gallery garbage.
Logoff Stupid.
Alan Baker
2019-06-19 07:09:30 UTC
Permalink
Post by geoff
Post by Alan Baker
Just as Geoff IN this group replied only in CSMA.
:-)
Um, no. Wrong (yet) again.
geoff
Subject: Re: OT: A more-than-decent race weekend.
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.advocacy,rec.sport.golf,rec.autos.sport.f1
Date: Tue, 18 Jun 2019 09:07:16 +1200
My error.

Sorry.
Bigbird
2019-06-19 08:51:25 UTC
Permalink
Post by Alan Baker
Post by geoff
Post by Alan Baker
Just as Geoff IN this group replied only in CSMA.
:-)
Um, no. Wrong (yet) again.
geoff
Subject: Re: OT: A more-than-decent race weekend.
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.advocacy,rec.sport.golf,rec.autos.sport.f1
Date: Tue, 18 Jun 2019 09:07:16 +1200
My error.
Sorry.
Error or another falsehood.

Seems you are making a lot of errors lately.
--
Trump fact check:
The grand total as of Sunday: 4,913 false claims
Last week’s total: 31 false claims
That’s the 75th-worst week of his presidency out of 116 weeks so far.
Bigbird
2019-06-19 06:20:33 UTC
Permalink
Post by Alan Baker
Post by Bigbird
Post by Alan Baker
Post by Bigbird
Post by Alan Baker
Post by Bigbird
{Snip cross-post]
Post by geoff
Presumably a post intended to another (formula.ford ?) newsgroup.
Reassuring to see you are a dick in not only r.a.s.f1 .
His cross posts are purely there to troll the other groups.
He has been asked not to cross-post many times as it just
draws responses from those in other groups that think he is
a dick. Certainly no-one in the golf group has ever shown
any positive response. Continuing to do so just confirms
that assessment.
HH's response was positive...
...and he is in the golf group.
Just replacing your nonsense with facts... ...again.
No-one in the golf group has responded. The only responses are
your and Geoffs cross-posts.
HH responded, and he regularly posts in the golf group.
He hasn't, and you are a liar.
Meaningless to me but I checked a second server and still nothing.
Post by Alan Baker
Just as Geoff IN this group replied only in CSMA.
Again meaningless.
Post by Alan Baker
:-)
:-|
--
Trump fact check:
The grand total as of Sunday: 4,913 false claims
Last week’s total: 31 false claims
That’s the 75th-worst week of his presidency out of 116 weeks so far.
Alan Baker
2019-06-19 07:09:56 UTC
Permalink
Post by Bigbird
Post by Bigbird
Post by Alan Baker
Post by Bigbird
Post by Alan Baker
Post by Bigbird
{Snip cross-post]
Post by geoff
Presumably a post intended to another (formula.ford ?)
newsgroup.
Reassuring to see you are a dick in not only r.a.s.f1 .
His cross posts are purely there to troll the other groups.
He has been asked not to cross-post many times as it just
draws responses from those in other groups that think he is
a dick. Certainly no-one in the golf group has ever shown
any positive response. Continuing to do so just confirms
that assessment.
HH's response was positive...
...and he is in the golf group.
Just replacing your nonsense with facts... ...again.
No-one in the golf group has responded. The only responses are
your and Geoffs cross-posts.
HH responded, and he regularly posts in the golf group.
He hasn't, and you are a liar.
Meaningless to me but I checked a second server and still nothing.
Your ignorance is not my problem.
Bigbird
2019-06-19 08:54:38 UTC
Permalink
Post by Alan Baker
Post by Bigbird
Post by Bigbird
Post by Alan Baker
Post by Bigbird
Post by Alan Baker
Post by Bigbird
{Snip cross-post]
Post by geoff
Presumably a post intended to another (formula.ford ?)
newsgroup.
Reassuring to see you are a dick in not only
r.a.s.f1 .
His cross posts are purely there to troll the other
groups. He has been asked not to cross-post many times
as it just draws responses from those in other groups
that think he is a dick. Certainly no-one in the golf
group has ever shown any positive response. Continuing
to do so just confirms that assessment.
HH's response was positive...
...and he is in the golf group.
Just replacing your nonsense with facts... ...again.
No-one in the golf group has responded. The only responses
are your and Geoffs cross-posts.
HH responded, and he regularly posts in the golf group.
He hasn't, and you are a liar.
Meaningless to me but I checked a second server and still nothing.
Your ignorance is not my problem.
I note you snipped the second falsehood rather than admit the lie.

I am sure the reason you failed to clarify the first is for the same
reason.

When it gets to the inevitable time when your posts consist entirely of
ad hominen and falsehoods I think it is time to do everybody a favour
and say go fuck yourself bozo, you're such a loser.

Your falsehoods and being a dick are no longer my problem.

A month in the bozo bin.
--
Trump fact check:
The grand total as of Sunday: 4,913 false claims
Last week’s total: 31 false claims
That’s the 75th-worst week of his presidency out of 116 weeks so far.
t***@gmail.com
2019-06-19 14:53:55 UTC
Permalink
Post by Bigbird
A month in the bozo bin.
lol
Alan Baker
2019-06-19 15:08:06 UTC
Permalink
Post by Bigbird
Post by Alan Baker
Post by Bigbird
Post by Bigbird
Post by Alan Baker
Post by Bigbird
Post by Alan Baker
Post by Bigbird
{Snip cross-post]
Post by geoff
Presumably a post intended to another (formula.ford ?) newsgroup.
Reassuring to see you are a dick in not only
r.a.s.f1 .
His cross posts are purely there to troll the other
groups. He has been asked not to cross-post many times
as it just draws responses from those in other groups
that think he is a dick. Certainly no-one in the golf
group has ever shown any positive response. Continuing
to do so just confirms that assessment.
HH's response was positive...
...and he is in the golf group.
Just replacing your nonsense with facts... ...again.
No-one in the golf group has responded. The only responses
are your and Geoffs cross-posts.
HH responded, and he regularly posts in the golf group.
He hasn't, and you are a liar.
Meaningless to me but I checked a second server and still nothing.
Your ignorance is not my problem.
I note you snipped the second falsehood rather than admit the lie.
What lie?
Post by Bigbird
I am sure the reason you failed to clarify the first is for the same
reason.
When it gets to the inevitable time when your posts consist entirely of
ad hominen and falsehoods I think it is time to do everybody a favour
and say go fuck yourself bozo, you're such a loser.
Your falsehoods and being a dick are no longer my problem.
A month in the bozo bin.
Yeah... ...whatever.

t***@gmail.com
2019-06-18 23:54:14 UTC
Permalink
Post by Bigbird
and you are a liar.
Oh my, listen to this loser.
t***@gmail.com
2019-06-18 21:23:38 UTC
Permalink
Post by Alan Baker
Despite only coming second (to Dave McKay—three times), I had a great
weekend back on track.
After finally getting the correct front left lower A-arm from my parts
supplier (there are variants on the suspension and he'd inadvertently
sent the '99 variant rather than the '00 version, which had been
designed to lengthen the wheelbase by about 1.5"), and doing the
reconstruction of the brake line running through the replacement arm
(which came without one, unlike the 99 arm), it was with some caution
that I went out on track for practice on Saturday. The only goal for the
session was to confirm that everything—brakes, steering, structural
integrity—was working properly, and my times showed it, as I didn't
press beyond about 85%. Best time: 1:17.193
With no problems cropping up beyond a slight change in brake bias for
the lower tire pressures I tried out for the first time (cold pressures
9psi front, 12psi rear), next up was qualifying, and with Dave back in
the field, I knew I'd have to start working for it. Best time: 1:13.303,
but as luck would have it, Dave thought he had a mechanical issue and
didn't go out. Result: pole position!
Race 1 was more of a battle than it had to be. A sports racer with
easily twice my horsepower, but not as fast overall was harassing me at
first, and I thought that I'd have enough advantage to "cruise home" to
the win with Dave starting at the back of the pack, but I lulled myself
into a false feeling of confidence and the next thing I knew, Dave was
all over the back of me. This was more disconcerting to me than it
should have been, because I was using a—now temporary—replacement left
mirror after the original was sheared off by a passing (over!) Lotus 23,
and it was a flat mirror where I had grown used to using convex mirrors.
Every time Dave moved from my right side to my left, he seemed to leap
closer.
So I simply decided to let him take the lead to see if I might be able
to take it back with only a lap or two to go. As the 5 minute board came
out, it seemed my strategy was going to work beautifully. Dave was
starting to struggle coming out of turn 8-9 onto the main straight and I
was able to draft up and a little by him as we entered turn one. With
what we both thought was going to be one lap to go, I got a great drive
off the final turn and was looking to go completely past his car before
the braking zone, to pull to the inside and see if I could then keep him
behind me for one lap. But as we approached start/finish, the chequered
flag was very suddenly displayed, and Dave won by 0.113s; just a little
less than a car length.
However, it seemed my strategy was sound. I much preferred being the hound.
Saturday evening was our semi-traditional communal barbecue with mostly
FF drivers, family and friends, but a few FC pilots as well. We
celebrated Alan McColl's 60th birthday a little ahead of time, and
generally had a great night as the heat of the day dissipated and the
drag races started running in the background.
Sunday, there is no practice session. It's qualifying followed by two
races. And in qualifying, I had it all together and put my car on pole
by 0.03s over Dave.
On race 2's start (of three races for the weekend), I figured that my
best strategy as pole sitter was to try and keep the speeds down to the
point that my fuel-injected engine would accelerate cleanly and many
Dave's would stumble for a moment, but I reckoned without taking into a
account the presence of Erle Archer in his Birkin S3 sports racer (a
Lotus Super 7 clone with a Ford Zetec engine and about 220hp). Erle's
car is no match for an FF over a lap, but in a straight drag race from
25mph, he easily shot ahead of both Dave and I, and because I hadn't
moved as far right as I could have, he was in a position to block ME
when we finally had to brake for turn 1.
That led to me chasing Dave, passing him for the lead on lap 8, him
getting it back on lap 9, and then traffic made it a little harder for
me to stay on his gearbox. But each time he'd get a little gap, I found
I could reel him back in, and I was still trying for my next to last lap
strategy...
...and then we hit lapped traffic coming into 7A, and there was only
enough time for Dave to go by, while I was forced to wait behind the Vee
until the apex of turn 8. That put me behind Dave by a little more than
a second, which led to me turning the fastest FF lap of the weekend on
the final lap as I worked to get back in touch; 0.8s faster than Dave's
best of the weekend, I think.
With that lap, I was able to get a great drive off turn 9, and at the
finish I'd popped out of the draft and finished just 0.068s behind;
about 9 feet.
The fast lap put me on pole for race 3, and with Erle's car coming up
lame during the previous race, it was going to be a straight fight from
the start down to turn one for race 3. I tried my slow-down strategy,
but Dave's car is very well jetted, and we were dead even when we hit
the brake zone for turn 1. I held the inside and the lead after we
exited turn 1, and held it for a couple of laps, hoping that Dave would
make a mistake, and let me get enough of a gap to drive purely for fast
laps, but it was me that made the mistake when I missed a shift and Dave
went by. And give him his due: whether it was my tire's going off, maybe
getting the rear pressures wrong (it's hard to know where you are with
pressure when the tires leak between sessions and the tires are also
still warm)...
...but most likely, I was just not on it anymore.
Dave won by 2.44s, and whenever I started to reel him in, I'd make
enough of an error to give it back again.
Three pole positions.
Three second place finishes for grand total time difference of just over
2.6 seconds.
Fastest FF lap of the weekend by 0.8s
And in the club standings for FF and open wheel, I was leading Dave by
14 coming into the weekend, and with a 5 point difference between first
and second place, I believe that Dave is now ahead by 1 point.
But what a weekend! We went at it, hammer and tongs—getting very close
but never touching.
:-)
Of course what you really meant to say is how happy you are that Alan M. and Doug F. are not showing up and demonstrating just how awful you really are. Right, Liarboy?
Alan Baker
2019-06-18 22:50:19 UTC
Permalink
Post by t***@gmail.com
Post by Alan Baker
Despite only coming second (to Dave McKay—three times), I had a
great weekend back on track.
After finally getting the correct front left lower A-arm from my
parts supplier (there are variants on the suspension and he'd
inadvertently sent the '99 variant rather than the '00 version,
which had been designed to lengthen the wheelbase by about 1.5"),
and doing the reconstruction of the brake line running through the
replacement arm (which came without one, unlike the 99 arm), it was
with some caution that I went out on track for practice on
Saturday. The only goal for the session was to confirm that
everything—brakes, steering, structural integrity—was working
properly, and my times showed it, as I didn't press beyond about
85%. Best time: 1:17.193
With no problems cropping up beyond a slight change in brake bias
for the lower tire pressures I tried out for the first time (cold
pressures 9psi front, 12psi rear), next up was qualifying, and with
Dave back in the field, I knew I'd have to start working for it.
Best time: 1:13.303, but as luck would have it, Dave thought he had
a mechanical issue and didn't go out. Result: pole position!
Race 1 was more of a battle than it had to be. A sports racer with
easily twice my horsepower, but not as fast overall was harassing
me at first, and I thought that I'd have enough advantage to
"cruise home" to the win with Dave starting at the back of the
pack, but I lulled myself into a false feeling of confidence and
the next thing I knew, Dave was all over the back of me. This was
more disconcerting to me than it should have been, because I was
using a—now temporary—replacement left mirror after the original
was sheared off by a passing (over!) Lotus 23, and it was a flat
mirror where I had grown used to using convex mirrors. Every time
Dave moved from my right side to my left, he seemed to leap
closer.
So I simply decided to let him take the lead to see if I might be
able to take it back with only a lap or two to go. As the 5 minute
board came out, it seemed my strategy was going to work
beautifully. Dave was starting to struggle coming out of turn 8-9
onto the main straight and I was able to draft up and a little by
him as we entered turn one. With what we both thought was going to
be one lap to go, I got a great drive off the final turn and was
looking to go completely past his car before the braking zone, to
pull to the inside and see if I could then keep him behind me for
one lap. But as we approached start/finish, the chequered flag was
very suddenly displayed, and Dave won by 0.113s; just a little less
than a car length.
However, it seemed my strategy was sound. I much preferred being the hound.
Saturday evening was our semi-traditional communal barbecue with
mostly FF drivers, family and friends, but a few FC pilots as well.
We celebrated Alan McColl's 60th birthday a little ahead of time,
and generally had a great night as the heat of the day dissipated
and the drag races started running in the background.
Sunday, there is no practice session. It's qualifying followed by
two races. And in qualifying, I had it all together and put my car
on pole by 0.03s over Dave.
On race 2's start (of three races for the weekend), I figured that
my best strategy as pole sitter was to try and keep the speeds down
to the point that my fuel-injected engine would accelerate cleanly
and many Dave's would stumble for a moment, but I reckoned without
taking into a account the presence of Erle Archer in his Birkin S3
sports racer (a Lotus Super 7 clone with a Ford Zetec engine and
about 220hp). Erle's car is no match for an FF over a lap, but in a
straight drag race from 25mph, he easily shot ahead of both Dave
and I, and because I hadn't moved as far right as I could have, he
was in a position to block ME when we finally had to brake for turn
1.
That led to me chasing Dave, passing him for the lead on lap 8,
him getting it back on lap 9, and then traffic made it a little
harder for me to stay on his gearbox. But each time he'd get a
little gap, I found I could reel him back in, and I was still
trying for my next to last lap strategy...
...and then we hit lapped traffic coming into 7A, and there was
only enough time for Dave to go by, while I was forced to wait
behind the Vee until the apex of turn 8. That put me behind Dave by
a little more than a second, which led to me turning the fastest FF
lap of the weekend on the final lap as I worked to get back in
touch; 0.8s faster than Dave's best of the weekend, I think.
With that lap, I was able to get a great drive off turn 9, and at
the finish I'd popped out of the draft and finished just 0.068s
behind; about 9 feet.
The fast lap put me on pole for race 3, and with Erle's car coming
up lame during the previous race, it was going to be a straight
fight from the start down to turn one for race 3. I tried my
slow-down strategy, but Dave's car is very well jetted, and we were
dead even when we hit the brake zone for turn 1. I held the inside
and the lead after we exited turn 1, and held it for a couple of
laps, hoping that Dave would make a mistake, and let me get enough
of a gap to drive purely for fast laps, but it was me that made the
mistake when I missed a shift and Dave went by. And give him his
due: whether it was my tire's going off, maybe getting the rear
pressures wrong (it's hard to know where you are with pressure when
the tires leak between sessions and the tires are also still
warm)...
...but most likely, I was just not on it anymore.
Dave won by 2.44s, and whenever I started to reel him in, I'd make
enough of an error to give it back again.
Three pole positions.
Three second place finishes for grand total time difference of just
over 2.6 seconds.
Fastest FF lap of the weekend by 0.8s
And in the club standings for FF and open wheel, I was leading Dave
by 14 coming into the weekend, and with a 5 point difference
between first and second place, I believe that Dave is now ahead by
1 point.
But what a weekend! We went at it, hammer and tongs—getting very
close but never touching.
:-)
Of course what you really meant to say is how happy you are that Alan
M. and Doug F. are not showing up and demonstrating just how awful
you really are. Right, Liarboy?
I've been doing everything I can to get both of them to come back out,
Liarboy.

And 1:11.556 isn't awful by either of their standards.

:-)
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