BIR - the last lap is always the most exciting!

[LittleBlueGT]

It has taken me awhile to get the vids up, but now it is ready.

 

I learned a ton (last time on a road course was 15 years ago in a FWD car), especially being in a wet track for the majority of the time.

 

The car handled absolutely great. I was extremely impressed with the car. The only time I had an obvious knock event from the engine was when I forgot to refill the alky between runs. I was going around a corner and saw the knock light flash.....hmmmmm.........then I saw the low level on the gauge........back to the pits for a quick refill!

 

The suspension was really perfect for this track. I think if it would have been dry and if I had used the R-comps a little more front neg camber would have been useful, but in the rain and with -1.58 front camber (and WL RC kit) tire wear was good, and the car reacted very well. Even my one instructor who owned an EVO said I was understeering less then him on one particular long (230 degrees) corner. The KW2s have proved themselves to be a very good combo for a decent DD and still the odd track day. I turned up the fronts by two clicks, but left the rear alone.

 

AWD is awesome on a wet track. The whole time I was there (about 4 tank of gas) I never got passed once. There was a Noble M400 that was sometimes in my mirror, but I would always come out of the corners faster. It was kinda funny actually, we would start our session and I would be following a CaymenS and an M3. I would think, "great, these guys will be fast, so I won’t have to worry about them, wrong! on their tails the whole way til we got to a passing zone." Then I would be behind an older A4 (1.8 badge) with different colored body panels, and it would take me quite a while to gain ground on him. For the most part I could hit the corner apex and go WOT, the RWD guys were always at the limit of rear adhesion, and it was really a great exercise in throttle control for them.

 

The M5 driver wasn’t very good, but it was nice to pass him anyways.

 

I did however knock quite a few hp off my car after a couple of sessions Sat morning. I loaded in a map that cut the boost down to WG value only (still alky on) which is about 14 psi. I just wasn't good enough to use the full power properly and I am confident I picked up a sec a lap w/ less power. I could drive the line (especially the complex corners) much better. If it had been dry I would have gone back to the higher boost map.

 

Caramell2 was there as well. Unfortunately his car was out of commission, so he volunteered. He made a cam mount for the passenger head rest, so I got some video of the last day. He also let me use his 4 point harness. I had a CG-lock, but put that on the passenger side for the instructor.

 

I hope to back again in the spring (end of May, I think) and maybe others will be there too. It was a good group, good rules, and fairly safe track. The short track now (with 13 corners) is very nice, and more then a challenge for any driver I am sure. I wish there was more elevation changes though.

 

The last session is in 4 parts, here are the first three:

 

BIR1small.flv video by littlebluegt - Photobucket@@AMEPARAM@@http://vid248.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid248.photobucket.com/albums/gg194/littlebluegt/BIR1small.flv@@AMEPARAM@@vid248@@AMEPARAM@@248@@AMEPARAM@@gg194/littlebluegt/BIR1small

 

BIR2small.flv video by littlebluegt - Photobucket@@AMEPARAM@@http://vid248.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid248.photobucket.com/albums/gg194/littlebluegt/BIR2small.flv@@AMEPARAM@@vid248@@AMEPARAM@@248@@AMEPARAM@@gg194/littlebluegt/BIR2small

 

BIR3small.flv video by littlebluegt - Photobucket@@AMEPARAM@@http://vid248.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid248.photobucket.com/albums/gg194/littlebluegt/BIR3small.flv@@AMEPARAM@@vid248@@AMEPARAM@@248@@AMEPARAM@@gg194/littlebluegt/BIR3small

[LittleBlueGT]

Here is where my stupidity came to play.

 

Back in time a few months:

 

My BBK was working great. But when I checked my pads, for some reason, the left outside pad was almost gone, the rest where at 50%. (clue #1) I called up brake pros and they sent me a new caliper (just to be safe) and one new pad (I know, always good to use pads in pairs). I installed them and continued on my merry way.

 

At the track I checked my pads after every session. I was using up about .5 mm after 25 mins, which IMO is not too bad. FWIW I was using the Mintec Xtreme Motorsport pads, which supposedly go up to well over 1100 F. I believe that they do go that high (backed my my earlier testing) but they are not really happy there. (still the best aggressive street pads I have ever used of heard of, but if you are going to the track, just get track pads) On Sunday morning I found that my left outside pad was the most worn of any pad (clue#2). That should have really triggered alarm bells, since that means that the front left had gone through almost 2 whole pads in the same time that the other 3 were only 70% gone.

 

I put in another pad (had about half life on it).

 

By this time I had uneven deposits on my my rotors, it would kinda wear off if I took the car out on the street and used them a bit. But the car still stopped well. The fact that my pedal was pulsating and it was harder to feel what was going on with the brakes is also key to the story.

 

Now the track was starting todry out a bit, and my driving was getting very good (at least my instructor was very happy). If only my common sense had started to work!

 

Last lap had a few other warning signs, you will see it in the vid.

 

After turn #3 (extremely hard braking) it appears that the pad separated from the baking plate, this actually may have happened during or before turn #3, as only 3 front pads working still = some brakes. Quite likely the fluid boiled after that, because they were 100% gone. They actually came back a few mins after the incident.

 

I won't spoil the rest for you.

 

On closer examination of the brake system it appears that I may have a problem with my left front rotor (it made a wierd noise like one of the slots would rub wierd, but only when very very hot). I now have new front rotors and all appears to be 100%. FWIW front rotors were DBA5000 2-piece 330mm curved vane rotors. New ones are the same, but slotted only (vs drilled and slotted that came w/ the BBK).

 

Try and listen to all the clues in the audio:

 

BIR4small.flv video by littlebluegt - Photobucket@@AMEPARAM@@http://vid248.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid248.photobucket.com/albums/gg194/littlebluegt/BIR4small.flv@@AMEPARAM@@vid248@@AMEPARAM@@248@@AMEPARAM@@gg194/littlebluegt/BIR4small

[lucas569]

dude you had Ashton Kuther riding shotgun?

[LittleBlueGT]

dude you had Ashton Kuther riding shotgun?

 

No, his name was Matt.

 

My first instructor owned an older M3 (light-weight, full harness, R-comps), and on Sunday he wanted me to get an instructor that was used to higher horsepower AWD cars. My instructor drove my car and couldn't believe how much torque it had (that was at 14 psi, imagine what he would have thought at 22.5 psi;))

 

I never got to ride with Matt in his car, but according to everyone else there

he is pretty awesome.

[praedet]

Nice save

 

I had a similar save that definitely made for messy pants

[LittleBlueGT]

Nice save

 

I had a similar save that definitely made for messy pants

 

You lose your brakes too?

 

Did you like the warning signs on the lap leading up to it?

[praedet]

Didn't loose my brakes on the one I was talking about (did in my old car) but I did almost loose it in traffic (spin) and recovered w/ no damage...

 

Mainly referrring to the scary part

[LittleBlueGT]

About the only pics I have:

 

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg194/littlebluegt/IMG_2936croppeddarkened_filtered4.jpg

 

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg194/littlebluegt/IMG_2944Large.jpg

 

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg194/littlebluegt/IMG_2946Large.jpg

 

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg194/littlebluegt/IMG_2947Large.jpg

 

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg194/littlebluegt/IMG_2949Large.jpg

 

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg194/littlebluegt/IMG_2952Large.jpg

[caramall2]

Car and driver tore up the track and did great! And, LtBlue got to show his skill in handling emergency situations ;-) More than we bargained for!

[j255c]

really cool Ben, thanks for sharing.