NorCal Shelby Mini Nats - Aug 2nd and 3rd

[Ron Sutton]

Originally Posted by carbuff

According to Google, it's 1779 miles from my place to Sonoma Raceway. NorCal is gorgeous that time of year, right?

I remember my first trip to Northern California. I was in San Franscisco and drove up to Sonoma for the day. As I turned the corner from 37 onto 121, I passed the entrance sign to Infineon Raceway. It took about 5 seconds for that to register, and I slammed on the brakes and did a u-turn in the middle of 121. I drove back, and the place was wide open. It was a weekday, and some cars were running practice laps, others were being worked on in the garages. I parked and just walked around the track for a while. Such a cool experience!

It is beautiful. That is my all time favorite track, even though her & I have "history."

[Sieg]

Originally Posted by Ron Sutton

It is beautiful. That is my all time favorite track, even though her & I have "history."

......waiting to hear about the history lesson.


Thought this might be a better track prep video



Appropriate car, his lines look pretty good, and he's smooth.....IMHO.

[GregWeld]

That car is FAST -- and make note of the steam roller tires on it!


First he picks off Chet (117) --- then Pete (004) -- then finally Charley (35) -- and finally hunts down Kevin Sitner.... all the skinny tire cars fall one by one....


I've seen this purple people eater run with our group before and it goes like stink. Nice driving too!

[Track Junky]

Originally Posted by GregWeld

That car is FAST -- and make note of the steam roller tires on it!


First he picks off Chet (117) --- then Pete (004) -- then finally Charley (35) -- and finally hunts down Kevin Sitner.... all the skinny tire cars fall one by one....


I've seen this purple people eater run with our group before and it goes link stink. Nice driving too!

This year your story wont be much different only it will be the orange people eater

[Flash68]

Originally Posted by Ron Sutton

Oh boy ...



Looking forward to it. I'm hoping Dave, Mike & Mike ... and others ... will come join us. We had a blast last time. Greg makes a mean lunch. Plus there are the BS sessions afterward.

Dave ... I hope you're not mad you got a nickname from it. I wouldn't have done if I didn't like ya.

LOL. Ron, it's all good. Some nicknames have staying power.... and most don't.

It's the closest track to my house so I am in.

Originally Posted by carbuff

According to Google, it's 1779 miles from my place to Sonoma Raceway. NorCal is gorgeous that time of year, right?

I remember my first trip to Northern California. I was in San Franscisco and drove up to Sonoma for the day. As I turned the corner from 37 onto 121, I passed the entrance sign to Infineon Raceway. It took about 5 seconds for that to register, and I slammed on the brakes and did a u-turn in the middle of 121. I drove back, and the place was wide open. It was a weekday, and some cars were running practice laps, others were being worked on in the garages. I parked and just walked around the track for a while. Such a cool experience!

Gitter dun dude. Make it happen.

Originally Posted by Ron in SoCal

He's not talking to you!



Well...he might when he sobers up.

That sobering up comment was more accurate than you know.

Originally Posted by Richio1

Im in

Now that's excellent!

Originally Posted by Track Junky

This year your story wont be much different only it will be the orange people eater

Let it begin.

[Panteracer]

I am wondering about running the A6's (autocross tires)
on the race track.. it was always my understanding that
they heated up quicker but will not sustain the longer runs
of heat required by the race track and 20 minute sessions

Heat cycling always help the tire last longer but not sure
if that type of heat cycling will work... I do understand
that race slicks have several compounds from soft to hard
just wondering about the A6's??

Ron or anyone had any experience with them

Panteracer Norcal Bob

Was hoping to be going to Optima in Oregon that weekend

[GregWeld]

Originally Posted by Panteracer

I am wondering about running the A6's (autocross tires)
on the race track.. it was always my understanding that
they heated up quicker but will not sustain the longer runs
of heat required by the race track and 20 minute sessions

Heat cycling always help the tire last longer but not sure
if that type of heat cycling will work... I do understand
that race slicks have several compounds from soft to hard
just wondering about the A6's??

Ron or anyone had any experience with them

Panteracer Norcal Bob

Was hoping to be going to Optima in Oregon that weekend

WE are trying the A6 because of the tire temp measurements of the R6's when running Thunderhill.

We ARE not racing.... and I'm certainly no race car driver.... a real race car driver would most certainly generate too much heat... but I don't. I also have a complete set of R6's mounted on another set of wheels -- so if the temps tells us the A6 is getting too hot... a simple switch will be made. WE are doing this based on the science of our own measurements, rather than, what someone told someone else's buddy one time.

The tire pressures I WAS using were near but not close enough... actual measurements of the tire temps and ending pressures etc gave us the info needed to set the tires right. Now - that's the new numbers being used instead of just kinda sorta someone else is using X pressure.

[Ron Sutton]

Originally Posted by Panteracer

I am wondering about running the A6's (autocross tires)
on the race track.. it was always my understanding that
they heated up quicker but will not sustain the longer runs
of heat required by the race track and 20 minute sessions

Heat cycling always help the tire last longer but not sure
if that type of heat cycling will work... I do understand
that race slicks have several compounds from soft to hard
just wondering about the A6's??

Ron or anyone had any experience with them

Panteracer Norcal Bob

Was hoping to be going to Optima in Oregon that weekend

Originally Posted by GregWeld

WE are trying the A6 because of the tire temp measurements of the R6's when running Thunderhill.

We ARE not racing.... and I'm certainly no race car driver.... a real race car driver would most certainly generate too much heat... but I don't. I also have a complete set of R6's mounted on another set of wheels -- so if the temps tells us the A6 is getting too hot... a simple switch will be made. WE are doing this based on the science of our own measurements, rather than, what someone told someone else's buddy one time.

The tire pressures I WAS using were near but not close enough... actual measurements of the tire temps and ending pressures etc gave us the info needed to set the tires right. Now - that's the new numbers being used instead of just kinda sorta someone else is using X pressure.

I have quite a bit of experience running and/or testing most of the Hoosier tire line. In addition to being a great autocross tire, the A6's are a great track tire as long as you don't over heat them. And by overheat them I mean run them at 230°+ for several laps. That would shorten their life considerably.

What I saw at the track was ... by the end of the weekend ... Greg was driving the hot rod at 90-95% ... braking moderately ... being smooth with the throttle, braking & steering ... which all keeps the tires happy ... and cooler. As he pushed the car harder & ran those 2.08-2.10 lap times, the tires came back in the mid-to-high 160° range.

Another part of the reason for cooler temps is the track sessions are short ... 20 minutes ... about 9 laps. Frankly, it takes a couple laps for the R6's to really come in. So for 2 of the 9 laps you need to be more conservative.

Greg will have better braking on the car for Sonoma, so the rotor temps coming up will also increase the tire temps. I think that plus the softer compound will put us 20-30° higher temps with the A6's ... putting them in the 180-190° range ... which is right in their sweet spot. And these tires will warm up quicker & provide grip the driver can be confident in MUCH earlier in a session.

Greg's goal is to have more fun. IMHO, if you tow your hot rod all the way to the track and run 4 sessions of 9 laps ... 36 laps ... and we can make 8 of those laps more fun (with more grip) ... that achieves the goal. The A6's will wear quicker than R6's, but when you factor in all the cost to go run a track day, it's minor compared to having 22% more "fun."

That's the reason I suggested A6's for Greg's Hot Rod.

[Flash68]

Originally Posted by GregWeld

WHO KNEW???

Gaetano probably knew. Todd, too.

He!!, just ask 'em.

Originally Posted by intocarss

We should be there testing some new suspension mods on the truck

Did you install your B&M Megashifter in there yet?