Some Videos of Redhead Racing & Performance at Road America

R

redheadracing

New member
just watched the first video, I need to go to bed already... My first impression is GO GO GO keep in the throtle longer!!! If I were those Porches you wold have been driving me nuts!!!

This can't be an IT car it has TONS of HP... did you see how much more power he had than anyone else in the video??? Time to run with a new group, these guys/gals wont be a challege for you for long!!!

Raymond "keep working at it, looks like your having a blast" Blethen
 
Looks as if this car is prepared ( HORSEPOWER WISE ) to a GT2 LEVEL . The other cars you are racing with look like ITS Porches, I think the person in the white Porches had to be getting frustrated <_<
 
Comments (as asked for...)

IMHO....
7 pound aluminum flywheel
Nicely ground purpose built cam(s)
Aluminum pop up pistons (approx. 3-5 pts above stock compression ratio)
Shifting at about 8000-8400 rpm
This is not an SCCA sanctioned IT race.
Your "stock" dashboard is behind your nice aluminum one.
But....what the heck do I know, I'm merely guessing.

I could go on, but what's the point.

Best of luck!

Mark
 
Hey, again... nice video quality

It is really tough to critique your driving all that much, as it is impossible for me to "feel" what your feeling from the car thru the corners.
It seems like your maybe...not pushing to the limit thru the corners, but again...I would have to be there.

I think this because thru some corners you seem to stay with the porshes well, but then thru others they walk away.

Mostly on the corner entry, it seems like your not taking that first third of the corner well. Once again, this may be the car...

I dont know if you learned racecraft in a "hp advantaged" car...or a "hp disadvantaged" one...
I always drove cars (and road raced motorcycles) that were underpowered, when compared to the competition. While this can be quite frustrating (like the drivers of those porshes B) ), it can really teach you about perserving momentum and "free speed"

Free speed is what you have on corner entry. Your already going faster then you need to be going...so scrubbing more speed then necessary to negotiate the corner is giving up your free speed.
I kinda got the feeling your doing this...but...this all depends on your car.
If you have a fWD with a LSD, I would try not slowing quite so much for a certain corner, and then try getting on the power HARD right after turn in, well before the apex.
I think you did this a few times, and really flew off the corner...staying with the porshes very well.

Some of the sweepers I think you could try applying more power. You may be surprised that your LSD will hook up and carry the rest of the car thru with MORE power applied...You might get more understeer on the sweepers by feathering the throttle, believe it or not.
Experimentation...work one corner at a time (trying to remember at speed more then one can be counterproductive) Try applying throttle sooner, or more throttle, or more trailbrake, etc...

I, can definitely understand if your car is not set up well. Mine isnt either, but I am working on it. Without the assistance of a pro shop it can be difficult.

by the way, this is only my opinion...and we all know they are like a holes...everyone has one :rolleyes:

Matt "King benchracer" Batson
 
http://www.redheadracing.net/car.php

For those interested, the above link will show how the car pulls Porsches. It's a built to the nines 2.0 litre motor. And no, it's not IT, or even SCCA...seems like Madison Sports Car Club.

My advice?? In the words of my first instructor, "Gas gas gas!!!! Brake brake brake!! Turn! Gas gas gas! More gas! Harder! Brake brake BRAKE, turn, gas gas gas.....' And so on...

I think there was a bunch of feathering there, probably due to other cars in the vicinity. But it looks like you've got some serious push up the hill! Use it!
 
So I could guess he was in a H1 car and those were 944 cup cars with NASA? seems like a NASA type build
 
MCSCC is the Midwest Council of Sports Car Clubs (or something similar). They're like EMRA or ICSCC, with some classes adopted from the "big" sanctioning bodies and some that are local member-created.

K
 
Wow, video says IT car but that isn't an IT car. If that guy would stay on the gas he'd be way out front!

Never been to that place but it looks like you could fark your car up in a hurry there with all the concerte.

R
 
Neat video...really enjoyed it.

Engine sounds like it has an ignition breaking up at high rpm's, but that could be the camera. My Canon does that, sometimes.

One gear too low through almost every corner. It's nice to have that torque and sound pulling you out, but you're having to spend too much time slowing down to get slow enough to use third gear, and you're not spending enough time in it after the turn to have needed it.

You're spending too much time waiting for something to happen in the turns rather than making it happen.

Once you began getting up to speed, you started to squeal the tires in the turns. That's okay, but they were making noise as a result of not using the gas. Had you been on the power, they probably wouldn't have made any noise at all.

It sounds like you replaced the throttle linkage with a toggle switch set for low/medium/high, and spent too much time on medium.

It's real easy to critque someone's driving when you're not behind the wheel. I've been where you were and can tell you that if the car doesn't feel like it's under you...for whatever reason...then it's better to take it easy than to through it away. That said, push the accelerator down farther in the turns and drive them in a higher gear and you'll be surprised at how fast you go. B)
 
Since you asked.......

To parrot Jake by quoting my first driving instructor, Coasting? There's no coasting in racing! You're a race car driver....you're either on the gas, or on the brake. There isn't anything else!

With all the horsepower, you seemed too content to just suck up to the Porsches and stay behind, instead of pressing the issue and passing them.

You are too late on the throttle off the corner most of the time. Even with a sizeable HP advantage, there still looks to be room for higher straightaway speeds with an earlier application of the throttle. I can't think of one corner on that track where you couldn't be accelerating prior to the apex. The carousel doesn't apply due to the many lines that can be run. Even there you still need to be on the gas well before you hit the straight.

While I have never run Road America (it's on the list, though), can anyone else share? Is the kink supposed to be flat? It just seemed like you were giving up to much real estate backing off the throttle through that corner.

Use all the real estate. You look to have leftover room on a lot of corner exits because you're not using up the whole track. You could carry more speed off the corner if you allow the car to track all the way out.

Learn to heel-and-toe downshift. It seems you may be overslowing the car on corner entry by not being able to blip the throttle to match revs. It takes a lot of practice to get it right, but pays off in my opinion.

T1 looks like you could do it in 4th and carry a bit more speed.

Did you get your start doing HPDE events? Your style looks like the classic got-to-be-careful-cuz-I'm-driving-my-street-car-on-the-racetrack type. There is room for a bit more aggression in your style. Maybe it's just not who you are, and that's OK, but it appears you could "attack" the corners a bit harder.

Don't take this the wrong way, I went through all of this, with the possible exception of the HPDE stuff (I was too stupid to drive my street car safely on the race track. I drove it like it WAS a race car!). I too learned on a high HP car and overcame a lot of driving errors with gobs of HP. It wasn't until I started driving low HP IT and SM cars that I truly came to appreciate that which we refer to as "momentum".

Good luck in your future races.
 
RedHead is still new. His car is very well prepped, and his track set up is sweet. We're talking semi, full trailer (complete with matching graphics) huge awning, etc. I give him credit for running "UNR" instead of trying to pass it off as an ITA CRX.

My guess is the only reason he runs in IT is because he is close in lap times to other IT cars. I'd imagine that with a few more races he will get tired of running away from the pack and move to another group like GT or at least Production where his car is more suited to be.

Hey Redhead...I still got fast lap of race on Saturday! :birra:

Steve
 
Thank you all for the comments. I will respond more tonight. My email must be messed up since I did not recive any of the emails stating that there were responces.
 
whats funny here is that redhead racing has forgot to mention that though the civic is a IT car the real class he is in is IT/UNR wich is an unresticted class and there is no competion with that car. also forgot to mention the realtime racing influances in that car, but i will say no more about that as i only know second hand on that. the car/driver may look fast but then again a known cheater car will always look fast!
 
What classification is this car in? Is this an SCCA IT car? If so, your dash doesn't look "stock"

:018:
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I am currently running with Midwestern Council with the Improved Touring group as a UNR car. I had done a motor swap in the car before I got in to wheel to wheel, when I turned it in to a race car I had to run in UNR because of that fact. I am running with the IT group becasue that is how the car is preped saftey wise. This winter we are thinking of prepping it to run with the Prod or GT group.

just watched the first video, I need to go to bed already... My first impression is GO GO GO keep in the throtle longer!!! If I were those Porches you wold have been driving me nuts!!!

This can't be an IT car it has TONS of HP... did you see how much more power he had than anyone else in the video??? Time to run with a new group, these guys/gals wont be a challege for you for long!!!

Raymond "keep working at it, looks like your having a blast" Blethen
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Thanks for input on keeping on the throtle longer. That seems to be the advice that I am getting alot. This is my 4th year racing, but really the first full year. My first year I got my novice lic at the school but did not have any $$$ to races that year. Second year ran 4 races, 3rd year blew up the car in qualifying of my first race. And now this year.

I am pretty consertive on how I drive and I really need to trust the car and push it some more. Go deeper in the corners and more thottle. I feel that I am making headway, and that is why I post the videos, I like to here what people that have been doing it for longer have to say.




Looks as if this car is prepared ( HORSEPOWER WISE ) to a GT2 LEVEL . The other cars you are racing with look like ITS Porches, I think the person in the white Porches had to be getting frustrated <_<
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Like I said above it is running UNR with the IT group. HP wise I would say I am closer to a GT2 car and we are looking at prepping the car to run with GT group but need to do more saftey stuff to the car.

Comments (as asked for...)

IMHO....
7 pound aluminum flywheel
Nicely ground purpose built cam(s)
Aluminum pop up pistons (approx. 3-5 pts above stock compression ratio)
Shifting at about 8000-8400 rpm
This is not an SCCA sanctioned IT race.
Your "stock" dashboard is behind your nice aluminum one.
But....what the heck do I know, I'm merely guessing.

I could go on, but what's the point.

Best of luck!

Mark
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Mark,

You are almost on the money about the build of the car.

* Engine swap: B18C5 JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) 1.8L 4 cylinder 1998 Spec sleeved out to a 2.0L
* Mugen thermostat / thermoswitch
* Spoon Sport Magnetic drain plugs
* King Motorsports Head Job, 3 Angle valve job, Hot Tank, Port and Polish
* Import Builders "Killer Block"
* Skunk2 Stage 3 cams
* Skunk2 valve train
* R/C 550cc injectors
* Bored out Throttle body
* Port Matched Intake Manifold
* Hondata S200 ECU
* Custom straight exhaust
* Oil Cooler with remote oil filter
* Unorthodox Racing crank pulley
* Fluidyne radiator
* Clutchmasters lightened Flywheel
* AEM fuel pressure riser
* Mugen Oil Pan
* Comptech Ice Box / Intake
* Exedy organic clutch
* Catch Can
* Password JDM intake gasket & cam seal
 
Hey, again... nice video quality

It is really tough to critique your driving all that much, as it is impossible for me to "feel" what your feeling from the car thru the corners.
It seems like your maybe...not pushing to the limit thru the corners, but again...I would have to be there.

I think this because thru some corners you seem to stay with the porshes well, but then thru others they walk away.

Mostly on the corner entry, it seems like your not taking that first third of the corner well. Once again, this may be the car...

I dont know if you learned racecraft in a "hp advantaged" car...or a "hp disadvantaged" one...
I always drove cars (and road raced motorcycles) that were underpowered, when compared to the competition. While this can be quite frustrating (like the drivers of those porshes B) ), it can really teach you about perserving momentum and "free speed"

Free speed is what you have on corner entry. Your already going faster then you need to be going...so scrubbing more speed then necessary to negotiate the corner is giving up your free speed.
I kinda got the feeling your doing this...but...this all depends on your car.
If you have a fWD with a LSD, I would try not slowing quite so much for a certain corner, and then try getting on the power HARD right after turn in, well before the apex.
I think you did this a few times, and really flew off the corner...staying with the porshes very well.

Some of the sweepers I think you could try applying more power. You may be surprised that your LSD will hook up and carry the rest of the car thru with MORE power applied...You might get more understeer on the sweepers by feathering the throttle, believe it or not.
Experimentation...work one corner at a time (trying to remember at speed more then one can be counterproductive) Try applying throttle sooner, or more throttle, or more trailbrake, etc...

I, can definitely understand if your car is not set up well. Mine isnt either, but I am working on it. Without the assistance of a pro shop it can be difficult.

by the way, this is only my opinion...and we all know they are like a holes...everyone has one :rolleyes:

Matt "King benchracer" Batson
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Matt,

Thank you for all of the input! This is exactly what I am looking for. A few answers to your point.
1: I would agree with you that I am not pushing the car to the limit of what it can do. Like I said earlier I am still pretty new to raceing and I really need to trust the car more. I personally feel that I have been getting a bit more confidend and pushing the car as the season goes on.
2: Yes the car has an LSD and it is FWD. I know what you are talking about this last weekend we were at Gingerman raceway & that track really a RWD track so in a FWD car, the car was using the LSD alot more. After seeing how the car reacts I can really see how the LSD can help put the power down to the ground.
3: Thanks for the input on the sweepers, I will need to try that and see how the car does.
4: I hear you on set up of the car. We are really starting to collect data on how the diffrent changes we make to tire pressures and suspension settings effect the car.

Thanks again for all of the help!


http://www.redheadracing.net/car.php

For those interested, the above link will show how the car pulls Porsches. It's a built to the nines 2.0 litre motor. And no, it's not IT, or even SCCA...seems like Madison Sports Car Club.

My advice?? In the words of my first instructor, "Gas gas gas!!!! Brake brake brake!! Turn! Gas gas gas! More gas! Harder! Brake brake BRAKE, turn, gas gas gas.....' And so on...

I think there was a bunch of feathering there, probably due to other cars in the vicinity. But it looks like you've got some serious push up the hill! Use it!
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Yep I am runnign with MSCC with Midwester Council. I would like to run some SCCA events but with the motor swap I am not really classed. Now I know there is the rules comming down for next year with cars prepped to world challenge specs which I could run but I would need to do more saftey things to the car, or there is always GT.


Thank you for the advice GAS GAS GAS, BRAKE BRAKE, Turn, GAS GAS GAS!!!

So I could guess he was in a H1 car and those were 944 cup cars with NASA? seems like a NASA type build
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Yes the car is more a NASA build. It would fit in the HU class. I was running with MCSCC though. NASA Honda Challange does not run much around here.

Shawn
 
hey, sounds like your on the right track...

suspension set-up for a FWD (well, even a RWD) is definitely a science. It amazes me how a simple sway bar adjustment can equal a second out on track, for instance...
Lots to learn yet, and I'm sure I have many seconds to gain on suspension set-up alone...

It sounds like your arent hurting for money :P
I would really seriously consider professional driver coaching...
I would do it if I could afford it. I guarantee it will take many seconds off your lap times.

You can find it most anywhere and at many tracks.
I would be switching back and forth with the pro, letting him drive after a few laps to actually show you what he is talking about.
Someday when I have the extra bucks I will be doing this. :035:

I think Jim Daniels of MER (spec miata guys) does this, for instance...
 
Wow, video says IT car but that isn't an IT car. If that guy would stay on the gas he'd be way out front!

Never been to that place but it looks like you could fark your car up in a hurry there with all the concerte.

R
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Road America will mess your car up if you are not careful. There was about 6 cars that went home on the trailer in pieces that weekend.


Neat video...really enjoyed it.

Engine sounds like it has an ignition breaking up at high rpm's, but that could be the camera. My Canon does that, sometimes.

One gear too low through almost every corner. It's nice to have that torque and sound pulling you out, but you're having to spend too much time slowing down to get slow enough to use third gear, and you're not spending enough time in it after the turn to have needed it.

You're spending too much time waiting for something to happen in the turns rather than making it happen.

Once you began getting up to speed, you started to squeal the tires in the turns. That's okay, but they were making noise as a result of not using the gas. Had you been on the power, they probably wouldn't have made any noise at all.

It sounds like you replaced the throttle linkage with a toggle switch set for low/medium/high, and spent too much time on medium.

It's real easy to critque someone's driving when you're not behind the wheel. I've been where you were and can tell you that if the car doesn't feel like it's under you...for whatever reason...then it's better to take it easy than to through it away. That said, push the accelerator down farther in the turns and drive them in a higher gear and you'll be surprised at how fast you go. B)
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Thanks for the pointers. As for the ignition break up there was some of that. I was having some issued with that, got new plugs in there which has helped mostly. I need to do an MSD also.

I will watch next time I am at the track I will watch my gear choice in the turns and see how I can improve.

I like the throttle linkage comment LOL. Partly that is because of the cams. They are very on or off the power.
 
on the subject of gear choice....

One way to practice going in faster to a corner...

Go into it in a gear that is higher then you normally would. Do this a few times with the same corner, maybe one your having trouble with...maybe a faster type corner.
Sometimes this can subconsiously make you release your brakes earlier on entry into the corner, because your struggling to get the car thru the corner faster so that your car with pull with that higher gear.
It also takes away any temptation to over-slow the car during your downshift before corner entry.

Another trick I learned (road racing motorcycles...but I think it applies to cars as well...) Approach the corner that you are working on...say you have been taking it at 60mph...or middle of third gear...whatever...

Approach the corner at 60mph, even though you could approach it at 80, then brake to 60, then turn in, etc...

So, the second time...approach at 65 mph or a couple hundred rpm's higher in third, whatever....
You'll want to get on the brakes, but resist the urge....You should be fighting the car all the way to track out.

you may have to do this until you scare yourself...Maybe try it on a safer corner with no wall or such at track out.

The point is, your trying to stay away from the brakes before turn in. Of course, if someone is behind you this may not be possible.

sense of speed is so very important. Some are better then others at it.
But, when you are lapping at within a second or half second every lap, then you have a decent sense of speed....

So, when your working this one problem corner...trying different lines or some such, it is your sense of speed that you rely on to keep yourself from overcharging or going too slow thru the corner.

If your finding that you dont have to fight the car to track out, then try increasing your speed thru the corner in incremental steps...By just one mph, for instance. Every time, a little faster...

I went to VIR for the first time last nov. and had problems with the blind, over the hill left turn after the esses....

It was high speed and should be flat out in my car (not necessarily yours :rolleyes: )
I had a very limited time on track...but this is how the race went...

I would approach this left turn (not sure the number) and not only get off the gas, but tap the brakes before turn in...
Next lap, I got off the gas and barely brushed the brakes....

Next lap, off the gas, and stayed away from the brakes.
Next lap, I didnt get completely out of the throttle, just backed off halfway...

Get the idea?

This corner kinda scared me because track out wasnt very freindly if you went off, and your really flying!

I only got down to the 2min 30 sec (grand course?), but I know I can carry more speed here, along with a couple of other corners, and can drop about 3 or so seconds....
 
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