I will give Lotus a "shout out" - they're very free with their information and actually have copious "notes" that are there for the taking - regarding the entire chassis set up - with "X" tire (the dog crap Advan A048) and "slicks"… These notes give a great deal of detail regarding every facet. They explain - if you do "X" then you can expect to also adjust "A and B" and get "X" feel from the car -- and doing "Y" means you need to do "C and D and B" in order to get a different result.


In speaking with Lotus -- they don't consider Hoosier R6's as "slicks"… too funny -- but there are REAL SLICKS from Hoosier and others… and the R6's are considered to be less than that. Of course you can order "slicks" in various compounds from soft to hard - and the R6's are just what they are. For track days…. R6's will be a major step up from the "street/track" compound used in the A048's - and I suspect the the A048's where a bit used up as far as heat cycles go.


Here's my thoughts on all of this…. I'm going to just make base adjustments due to changing to "slicks"…. I've adjusted the aero wing for "MAX" downforce (I certainly don't care about maximum top speed) and we'll just go with that. My driving is the main difference between happy tail and not… so until I get that part fixed - the car will be just fine… and I'll just learn what's to be expected and roll with it.

Just eliminating the tire unknown variable is big. One baseline change at a time......similar to tuning a carb.

Me neither........as long as I can comfortably dominate nearly every car in my group. :unibrow: :D

Well I take that "LEARN HOW TO DRIVE" statement to heart. I don't just say that to "others" (that really do need to get over the whole I'm AJ Foyt syndrome) but it most certainly applies to me as well!…. CHARLEY never spins… and he's fast… so if I could just have one weekend where I felt fast AND didn't spin - then I think I'd be on the road to the beginners learning ladder. Until then - I just want the car to be "fine". I'll learn how to drive it the way it is and be happy with it. Until I've got enough seat time in the car where I can start to play with all the variables there's not much point in trying to improve them until I improve myself.

Confidence in your equipment and setup leads to confidence in your abilities which allows you to relax which allows you to be smooth which allows you to be fast and enjoy the ride. :thumbsup:

All absolutely true and spot on. I really really enjoyed the driving just following little Tommy McCarthy around the track…. I was relaxed - motions in the car smoothed out - car was stable… and it was FUN.

This is why I say I need to learn to drive. The CAR is far more capable than I.

Just like life, enjoy the ride at your pace. Its cool your having fun.

It sounds like you are getting the car set up dialed in. As far as the driving goes... I wonder if there are special driving techniques you can apply when driving a car that is loose (tail happy) versus driving a car that pushes. It seems like you would want to be on the gas sooner after entering the corner to transfer the weight to the back of the car. Hit the brakes hard while in a straight line... then get right back on the throttle going in to the corner. Probably a way different strategy required than when driving the Mustang.

Just throwing out ideas here... Car is looking good, look forward to updates after the next outing :thumbsup:

I just finished up DIRTFISH school which is ALL about weight transfer in a wild and wicked way -- and after 3 Bondurant schools - and Spring Mountain ZO6 school… I totally get the whole weight transfer thing.


There is absolutely ZERO comparison or any semblance of sameness between the Mustang and the Lotus… and I was getting out of one - and driving the other next session. I'm absolutely convinced NOW - that the tires on the Lotus were just "used up"…. as there was no grip - and there was really no grip when you expected there to be some (i.e., an easy turn in).

The weight split on the Lotus is 63% rear. Trying to transfer weight from the front to the rear - unlike the Mustang - was nearly non existent. There just isn't the torque to lift the nose in order to squat the rear. The car is so friggin light! If I jab the loud pedal on the Mustang - the weight transfer is instant - it's like bang - squat and dig… But with the Lotus - a jab of the pedal just produced speed without the resulting bite you wanted --- if that makes some sense. So then I became "afraid" of trying to use that tactic. I just had to become smoother -- and that was a "newb" transition that was hard to master jumping from one car to the other.

Regardless of how many schools I've been to -- remembering all the things you're supposed to do - and when - well - they aren't "automatic". They become that way later in the day or the second day etc because then you've got some seat time and things just get easier and you make adjustments without even thinking about them.

The Lotus was just flat "greasy" --- I've said that before - and that's the part that sticks out about it the most. Fun - and fast - but dangerously greasy especially with the speed it was able to carry. The video only showed the part following little Tommy - but I was probably turning 2.0's or 2.02's and I thought the car was capable of sub 2's "if only" I could learn to drive it. Now - I think the car is capable of 1.50's with the right grip - and the aero and a few other mods I'm making.

It's a funny little car -- you all know you can FEEL when you have grip and there is a seat of the pants feel that let's you know when you're pushing it or your limits. I'd go down the front straights and begin the turn in and think -- I should have carried more speed thru there -- and then bam - the tail would let loose… and you'd think WTF was that all about. You're then reliving the turn thru the next corner and thinking "I wasn't even asking for any grip thru there - so what's with that!?!?!"

The Mustang can carry some speed down that straight -- and you start your turn -- lift just a little to settle and then get back into it and the rear settles in and it hooks up and you know you're going to carry out on the exit and it feels SO GOOD and so hooked up. The Lotus was like driving on egg shells -- and you didn't want to move the wheel or upset the car in any way - or you just carried yourself into the DIRT on the exit!!

My "connection" tells me this shouldn't be --- and I'm confident in his knowledge and guidance so now I'm dying to get it right and get her back on the track to feel the difference.

This will bust you guys up ---- Little Tommy McCarthy (now 15) is possibly going to be running the LOTUS CUP next year -- in -- drum roll -- a 2 Eleven.

His Dad just emailed me and asked if I knew anybody that he could talk to… HA!! ME? I connected him with the Lotus Cup Unlimited Champ 2012 and 2010…

Apparently little Tommy was pretty smitten by the little go kart of a car. I love that!! And his parents are willing to do what it takes to advance young Tommy's career. Doesn't get much better than that in my book.


Why didn't I grow up with parents like that??? Damn it!

Dale --


Here's another short video of the last couple laps where I was following Tommy --- you'll notice that even at these really low speeds you can hear the junk tires squawking for traction.

It was actually HARD to stay behind these slower cars…. I had to really bite my lower lip and just go into cruise mode… and you can see how much difference the braking zone was for me than the cars in front. This is where NO WEIGHT really makes the difference! I'm sold on LOW weight!

Yeah… Tommy is a pretty lucky kid for sure. That will be a nice step up for him after running the Miata. My Dad bought me a Honda mini trail when I was a kid and I thought that was pretty cool, Lol.

Hopefully the new chassis set up and tires balance the car out a bit and make it more predictable. Once you get that car figured out it will be so much fun! I watch the good drivers in the Miata’s out at PIR and they don’t even let off the gas until the 300 to 400 foot marker coming off the main straight into the chicane. That would be a rush.

Have fun on the next run... look forward to more video from the next California trip.

:relax:

That's spot on

Found this pretty old video of Chris Harris (who's reviews I like) driving a 2 Eleven…

I found the perfect Lotus 2 Eleven video!!!!




HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Looks like there was some braking available in that spin?

A lot of racers either disconnect the ABS -- or they ditch the entire system for a dual master cylinder with a balance bar.



I have to say that I disconnected the ABS (you just disconnect the right front) and I drove up and down the street in front of my house. I couldn't make a stop of any kind without locking up at least one corner. I'll try the same thing once I pick it up with all the new shoes on it - and see what happens but if it's still locking up like it did - the ABS will be reconnected… and I'll take my chances on the spin.

Sounds like a plan. The dual w/ balance bar would deliver that a'la naturale feed back that us motorbikers like. :D