Focus Challenge @ Firebird International Raceway

[oskarSVTee]

Originally Posted by FocusAZ1

The date of the event is 11/24 & 11/25. It is $149.00 for Friday's driver meeting and the event on Saturday. Only $99.00 for Saturday racers. Hypothetically the www.svtoaz.com website will accept payments, but I've heard that they're paypal has been crapping out on them. Best way to register is to call Kristen Heffern @ (480) 497-7529. Thanks again for the help Bela!

Btw, are we going to be able to get track times from this event as well as the last one out at Buttonwillow up on the FC site? It's cool how some of the guys have their best times on their pages...me wants too.

Just a little correction. Friday is Driving School (classroom and track) run by ProAutoSports at Firebird using the east track. Also anyone who attends the Driving School gets a one year ProAuto license for their events. This would include running with them on the east track during the day Saturday in addition to running with the SVTOA group on the west track.

Yeah, and you can forget about the PayPal registration for sure. Call Kristin at the number above for registration information.

Ron

[FocusAZ1]

Hey David, thanks again for getting the FC site all updated and such. It's cool to see it vibrant again. Here's to many more updates...

[chewbacca]

today was awesome, josh and I are both going over the times and one of us will get them to whoever needs them asap. Todays event was great fun, with only a couple off track excursions by myself and Josh. though i can't say that i destroyed two r-comps on my outing.

[tallguy2.3]

Yup today was awesome. My tires are GONE though. I will post pics later. I cant wait to hear the results.

[belacyrf]

Get me the times, make sure everyone who participated has accurate hdcp's and I"ll post them, and you'll see the results

[chewbacca]

heres all the pics and a vid, and Bela, Josh should be getting you the data soon. There are a couple issues that need to be adressed with the hdcps for the day and there is one guy who still has to register, Haik something or other.

http://forums.focaljet.com/team-foca...k-warning.html

[belacyrf]

No worries, we'll get it all sorted

[FocusAZ1]

Huge Congrats to Austin Miller...another first time FC'er walks away champ!



**Chad's car had a cut tire and zero brakes left for the challenge, so his rather formible entry was rendered fairly mute.

[FocusAZ1]

I suck...I can't make it fit. :

Anyway, fantastic day of racing for everyone involved. We clearly showed our dominance over the world of brakes and tires today!

Special thanks to Tyrone, Brendan, and Austin for making their first road-course events safe, fun, and challenging.

As for Chad...couldn't have done it without you man! Thanks for helping push and promote this with me. We'll have 20 cars next time.

[chewbacca]

it should be noted that those tiimes are in the form of minutesecond.hundredth so it should read 1.14.78 for austin miller

that makes it seem like the course is REALLY long, which it isn't.

[FocusAZ1]

Yes that's right...thanks for the clarification Chewy.

[chewbacca]

dang those handicaps!!! oh well, i still had the second fastest raw time!

heres my video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmXfBwJa_xk

[belacyrf]

What are your mods? I'm curious because with the 2nd fastest raw time, you should be closer matched.

[BUR_ZX3]

Chewy has a blower like me.

[tymeks]

SWEEEEEET TIME.

Can't wait to do it again.

As for the HDCP. It needs some tweeks here and there. But thats a pretty hard process to get nailed down perfect.

Can someone please post a pics of my tires? I would really like to show some people what really happened with the tires. LOL If not that OK. Lets just say racing on G-force Sports in a turbo charged, closed diff front wheel drive is a very BAD IDEA.

[stockfoci]

I had a great time and i want to thank JCM Racing for sponsoring me and loaning me some tires. id also like to thanks josh for riding with me and helping me understand what i was doing wrong. without his help i would have been at the back of the pack.

Thanks again to all who participated i cant wait for the next event!

[tallguy2.3]

Here's a pic of my driver's front tire. I had some wheelspin on the track that day.

[belacyrf]

Chad, your hdcp is correct, but I'm guessing your not driving your car as hard as you could which is totally understandable. Torque is a huge benefit on track, but all torque no suspension also would hurt... it will forever be adjusted to get perfect, but it's close today

[FocusAZ1]

Originally Posted by belacyrf

I'm curious because with the 2nd fastest raw time, you should be closer matched.

Hey bela, to Chad and Chewies defense...from the word go it was obvious that neither of them really stood a chance with the HDCP's in play. I think the system is set just about right, but in this case I think some kind of track modifier might be needed to really make it even. This track configuration was just too small for such a discrepancy in HDCP's.

Btw, Chad was running consistent 1:14's all day before the challenge, and I think he was pushing it pretty hard at that, but all his mods don't fit well together right now without some decent race rubber IMO.

Originally Posted by stockfoci

id also like to thanks josh for riding with me and helping me understand what i was doing wrong. without his help i would have been at the back of the pack.

I appreciate the thanks Austin. Frankly, it's a huge testament to your learning curve that you were able to make up so much time from the beginning of the day till the end. You learned quick and put down consistently fast times...kudos to you!

[tymeks]

Well, I wasn't talking about my times personally. Because I was ALL OUT of brakes, litterally. I was just running to show the sponsors some better numbers.


But I mean in general.



I just feel like the end results numbers after HDCP is added are too far away from each other. It doesn't seem fair that someone with ZERO track experience with a stock car can dominate someone by 5 seconds on a 1:14 lap with track experience and modified car. To me it just doesn't seem fair.

Austins HDCP is a 11.25, my HDCP with R-compounds is 2.25. 9 seconds I'm supposed to make up on him in one lap that only last 1:12 at best?

It just seems a little skewed towards the stock car a little far.

BUT, I say all this and I take a step back and realize REALLY how hard it is to get the HDCP right. There are SOOOOOO many variables that it is almost impossible to get perfect and make everybody happy.

So PLEASE, don't get me wrong. I am NOT complaining in any way, shape or form. Because I couldn't do ANY better. And we all truly appreciate how far you have brought this so far. And of all the work it has definitly taken.

[belacyrf]

Oh... you know what? That really makes up a good point. I think modifying the handicap is a great idea based on track length, you're right 10 seconds on a 3 mile track is much easier made up than 10 seconds on a 1 mile track.

Very good point, now in Austins defense he had the 3rd fastest raw time of the day and only .02 of 2nd raw time, so yea it might be his first time, but he laid down a great time!

But I definately agree that hdcp's should be adjusted based on track length. I'll look into that.

[tymeks]

Looks like Josh pretty much summed it up for me in a shorter response. Beat me too it.


I do like the idea of a track modifier.


BTW Josh.....Looked at the brakes today.

Brake fluid is TOAST. Probably boiled if I had to guess. So now there is air in the system. That's why the pedal goes to the floor. Not to mention ALL four corners are down to about 15% on the outer pads. Inner pads are worse...much worse.
Going to probably have to replace the rear rotors due to the MAJOR hot spots on them. They're BLACK........... ............seriously...

Both inner CV boots blown. Passenger side half shaft broken. Spun the bearing that connects the shafts. It took the boot with it and CHEWED up the boot. .........seriously.

4 new tires.

And a partridge in a pear tree.................


All in all it was DEFINITLY WORTH EVERY PENNY. Can't wait till next time.

[BUR_ZX3]

It doesn't seem fair that someone with ZERO track experience with a stock car can dominate someone by 5 seconds on a 1:14 lap with track experience and modified car. To me it just doesn't seem fair.

Josh @ the FOTB/FC in July was kicking ass and taking names... and it was his first track event IIRC.


Unfortunately, the handicap can't account for God-given talent.

[belacyrf]

dont forget guys, that the idea of the FC was eventually to add a 1 second handicap on to anyone who wins an FC event to lower their chances of winning twice.