first time endurance race questions

rsx858

rsx858

New member
Hey all, im entering my third year of racing and decided this is the year to try an enduro. I decided my best bet would be to run the 2.5 hour race in may at pocono. So i was contemplating how this enduro might differ from the regionals i have been running and came up with some questions

-i was wondering what the protocol is with pitting.. I understand the timing and safety rules in the supps but some things im not familiar with are- is there a pit speed limit? whats causes a pit lane to be "closed?" whats the deal with entering/exiting the pits under double yellows? -Im no nascar fan :P and couldent find this stuff in the GCR.

-What are some endurance strategies... do I run the car at 90% given the length of the race? can i setup a portable compresser at pit?

-anything else a first timer should know

I chose this race because ill definitly be driving solo and its the shortest race i could find. ill be setting up a camelback in the car for hydration and have some crew lined up as well. Real excited to give it a shot and would appriciate all your input.

Thanks
 
Hey Matt,

My co-driver and I have been running the Enduro's since they started the series a few years back. They are a great bang-for-your-buck, and also a way to see if your equipment can hold up for longer than a Regional race.

As for Pitting, like a regional race, we have a drivers' meeting for hte enduro. Since most of us do not have a speedo hooked up, we are told to enter and exit pit lane at a safe, reasonable speed. These enduros are not won or lost entering or exiting pit lane. Since we err on the side of safety, there are enough officials around to signal you to slow down if necessary. An air horn alerts everyone on the wall that a car is coming in.

As for pit lane being closed. I honestly don't remember, in all the enduros that we've entered, a time when we were not allowed to pit. Others may chime in on this one. To guess, I would say that they could close it on a full course yellow, and make us stay out with the pace car. That would be covered at the drivers meeting prior to the start.

Strategy? Flat out (Andy, I din't infringe on any trademark did I?) Fresh Hoosier tires will last you at least 3hrs. I know. We kept ours on for 4 hours and came in at the end on chords!!!!. Fuel? Hope your gas gauge works and you know what kind of mileage you get with your car. The do's and don'ts of refueling is well spelled out in the Supps. Again. Safety first. They give us more than enough time to top off the tank. After changing drivers, we spend most of the refueling time waiting to head back out.

Pit Wall. Teams double up in the pit spaces so that all entrants have room. it is rare that both cars come in at the same time. If they do, the people in the adjacent pit space don't usually get upset (unless their car is coming in). We have had portable air on the wall with us. A canopy is also a great item to bring. Your crew has to do a lot of waiting around, and it can get pretty hot, wet, etc. Don't have a canopy? Be really nice to the team next to you that has one!!!! :lol:

We run a camelback in our car as well. A little piece of dryer vent in the window also can provide some welcome fresh air. Then again, it has snowed at the May Pocono race before........

You are welcome to pit with us / next to us at the Pocono enduro. We plan to do it as well. I hope this has answered some of your questions. I'm sure others will add their insights as well.

Dave
 
What Dave said.

If you can do some math and figure out how many RPM in X gear makes for 30-35mph it might be handy. If there has been a speed limit it has usually been in that range. Other times it is like Dave said 'reasonable', but the last time I ran a race like that, it ment it was unlimited (I managed part way through 4th gear at the exit).

Drag a big cooler full of stuff to drink into the pitlane. If drinks are hard to find, no one will stay hydrated.

Practice your pit stop w/ your crew. Even do one in practice/qualifying session if you can.

In a session that doesn't really count, start out w/ about 5 gallons of fuel. Drive until it quits or studders, then stop & figure out how much you had left. Also figure out if you can do a full lap w/ it skipping or if it will leave you stranded.

Even if you have radios, work out a pit signal plan as if you don't because you might not when you need them.

Drive the car to within a millimeter of it going into the gravel trap or having mechanical problems. Good luck figureing out where that limit is.

Matt
 
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