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Re: How did things go at the SoCal Pro Solo Event? (tre-longoso)
On Wed, 28 Mar 2001 15:40:01 -0500 "Neal Tovsen" <sixteen.volt@gte.net>
writes:
>You wanna explain that one? AFAIK, when the light turns green, the clock
>starts. Considering I'm guilty of leaving the car in neutral (call it a
>REALLY bad reaction time!), and it KILLED my time for that run, I
believe
>this to be true. Why wouldn't it matter?
Ill splain.
At a Pro event, for the 12 runs you make for the general class
competition the timming is different than say at a regular drag race.
When you stage and the yellows count down, you have from the time the
light turns green until .500 after. A perfect light is .500. If your
reaction time is 1.0 or more, you red light. if you have a .499, that's a
red light. So you have a half second window to get the car moving. That
make sense so far?
So what all this means in the big picture at a Pro is, you don't have to
be the first guy off the line to win the run. On the contrary, all you
are really doing is a mini autox where you want to run your own race
against the clock and don't even CARE about the other car. (although its
awfully hard to do when you can see and hear him in your peripheral
vision.) The timming light don't start til you cross it. Time starts THEN
and the reaction time isn't added to the time like it is at the
challenge. so cutting a .500 light isn't important.
My mistake was, I was trying to cut a tight light all weekend, this
screwed me on sunday. Had I of known, I would of concentrated on making
clean runs. This would of greatly reduced my stress levels. How bout you?
:)
>I am also only just beginning to realize the importance that a good
launch
>makes. Current popular thought suggests that a Impreza 2.5RS won't
>compete with an Integra Type R.
I dunno. I didn't have any problems beating the Type R to the first turn
all weekend. In fact, it shocked me how far ahead I got in front of the
Type R before the first turn. I don't know the specs of the 2.5RS so I
don't know how well it does or doesn't do.
>Autocross normally has a "rolling" start, so you
>don't have to deal with wheelspin issues, launches, or reaction times.
Sure you do! The autox is a Pro solo only with only one car. You still
have to get off the line and get max speed up before the lights.
Wheelspin is an issue there just like it is at the Pro. RT doesn't come
into play, you have a good while before you actually leave.
>In a ProSolo, though, with more practice I should be able to cut a
consistent
>2.0-2.1 60' time. If the Type R has a hard time making a 2.4 off the
line,
>that gives me a .3-.4 sec. advantage before we even hit the first turn.
>That's HUGE. Every time I ran against an ITR bears this out: I was
ALWAYS a
>car length ahead of them before the first turn (it's intimidating
hearing
>the VTEC kick in behind you tho!). Even if the ITR is better on the rest
of
>the course, I'm not sure that it is going to be .4 sec better. IMHO, a
good
>launch with a good reaction time and minimum wheelspin WILL make or
break
>you...just like a drag race. A .1 improvement in the first 60'
translates
>directly into AT LEAST a .1 improvement in your overall time. It also
means
>you're also carrying more velocity at the end of the straight into the
turn,
>improving your time even after the 60'.
Absolutely true except the reaction time doesn't come into play here.
There's lots to think about when it comes to launching a car at a Pro
event.
What ive learned to use drag racing and autox work for a good overall
time (FWD car) at a Pro:
Drag racing experience:
Stiff rear suspension soft front
Lots of air pressure in the rear (40+ psi)
low air pressure in the front (10 psi) for max off the line grip.
Autox setup:
Well, you set it up like you like the car for the cones. In my case,
still rear shocks and full soft front.
Tire pressure of 30 psi rear, 34 psi front. (on Hoosiers)
Now, mixing this info up a little and consider that the course is much
smaller than a regular autox course means that you can start with a lower
front tire pressure for the launch. Not drastic but enough to get you
down a tenth off the line. (Worked for me. consistent 2.3 sec 60 ft time
most of the weekend.)
Also consider that my -3.0 camber settings don't do much to help launch a
car either. Work with what ya got. So, I used 29 rear and 30 front tire
pressures. You cant adjust pressures between runs so this is ok. The
first runs suck because the tires are cold. The second 2 will be better
AND you've gotten an idea what the course is like.
Adjustments to the car for the Pro are small compared for a regular solo
II event. Consider that you spend much more time on course than you do
comming off the line means a good autox setup is more important than
getting off the line.
I digress because its time to go eat!
Shawn Méze
86' Jetta GLi 8V 84' Scirocco 8V 88' Corvette -SS 30-
82' Scirocco GTi -FSP 54- 79' "Project FSP Scirocco"
The Fastest, Quickest, Cleanest and best looking Scirocco in all of San
Diego!
http://www.Geocities.com/MotorCity/Speedway/1308/index.htm
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