How did you make out??? Details, details
Hi Jim,
Ups and downs for sure. My heart said "I hope you get a podium or at least a personal best laptime". Reality said "...sort the car and you idiot". Mind you, I have not been on track competitively in over 11 months and I have not at LRP since Oct '09. So, I definitely knew I needed to sort myself out first, hence I double-dipped. I just double checked, my best at LRP is 1.03.619 back in May '09.
The motor pulls like a bandit out of hell - LOVE IT! (thank you Matt Kessler, I bow to the) Tires were so-so, they were 1 years old from NHMS July '10. Suspension was completely different for me: pre-season we removed the front sway bar, stiffened the rear to full (24mm progress) and went from 450 lbs rear spring to 1000 lbs. Same brakes from last year... old rotors and newish DTC-60's.
ITA qual session - mid 1:04's with Lou and I mixing it up for fun. Tranny kept popping out of gear when in 2nd and 3rd and then oil temp spiked to over 250+ degrees. We're still breaking in the motor with dino oil, I get nervous and pit late session. Matt said "eh... you're fine" I qualify 5th in ITA.
STL qual session - low 1:04's (I think) mid-session I'm down on power by 20+whp, check engine light is on and oil temps spike again, I pit mid-session thinking I just blew another motor. Truth: VTEC solenoid wires came loose, problem fixed. Matt said "wtf... check your connections next time". I qualify mid-pack in the group at 18 or something.
ITA qual race - 1:0X.X (I don't remember) though I remember passing cars on the start to Big Bend plus a few others but at some point mid-race speedometer goes nuts on me and eventually dies. ECU goes into limp mode, again 20+whp down, I finished but to fell back to 9th. Speedometer wire came loose off the speedsensor - easy fix and we're good to go again. PS. Windell was FLYING through cars! Good to see him back!
STL qual race - 1:0X.X (I don't remember) this race was the pinnacle of my weekend... seriously. I should have been lined up as 18th... but me and apparently another 4 maitae showed up late to grid. LOL! I started 31st out of 35 or something like that. Passed 10 or so at start and moved to 11th by the end of the race... wow, what a good time! If I pissed anyone off, please let me know!!!! I am guessing I did 1:03's though I need to wait info to get posted on mylaps.com.
ITA race - started 9th, moved up to 6th with Klvana, Frederick and a Prod car in front of me - I was flying! then.... GRINDDDDDD.... no 4th on the downshift to bigbend, no 3rd... no shift at all so no race. I pit and call it a day. Quote of the day, "you drive the wheels off that thing"... what goes around came around, pooh.
STL race - I watched this one from the sideline. (DELETE)
Tranny aside I was getting FASTER! front tires almost gone entirely, so I was driving HARD in the STL qual race and ITA race. I clearly didn't do my research when I built my tranny... I believe the counter shaft bearing pressed into the clutch housing was walking out on me hence it keeps popping out of gear. We're not 100% sure if that was the cause of gear popping AND/OR of the bigger "no shifting" but we'll see. Car is at Matt's where he will be dropping/opening my tranny (i.e. fixing my mistakes), adding an oil cooler, new front rotors, new brake ducts and maybe a new clutch/pressure plate. If all goes well, we'll be at LRP July 1st-2nd with 225/45 R6s. If not, WGI for sure.
We missed you Young Jim Alley. When's your next race?
Mickey