Peter Smallwood
New member
I'm gutted about Zolder - was sooooooooooooooo looking forward to it.
I'm in the GT3 Cup this weekend. Good luck in the championship
I'm in the GT3 Cup this weekend. Good luck in the championship
The 2010 PCGB Club Championship
- Thread starter paulf968
- Start date
Peter Smallwood
New member
Look forward to it Paul
paulf968
New member
Full results from the Club & GT3 Challenge races here:
http://www.tsl-timing.com/mgcc/2010/101453.pdf
Yes Peter, great start -- you'll need more shelving at home if you go on like that!
I enjoyed myself, finished inside the Top 10 of Class 1 for quali & both races -- that is a first for me. Had 2 good starts and managed to jump ahead of Mad Pete both times, he soon hauled me in though!
Car went well and had my best drive in the 2nd race fending off Kevin Harrison - first time I have managed to defend a position when someone is crawling over my back bumper for a few laps !
http://www.tsl-timing.com/mgcc/2010/101453.pdf
Yes Peter, great start -- you'll need more shelving at home if you go on like that!
I enjoyed myself, finished inside the Top 10 of Class 1 for quali & both races -- that is a first for me. Had 2 good starts and managed to jump ahead of Mad Pete both times, he soon hauled me in though!
Car went well and had my best drive in the 2nd race fending off Kevin Harrison - first time I have managed to defend a position when someone is crawling over my back bumper for a few laps !
Peter Smallwood
New member
good to meet you Steve and glad you liked the chilli [ORIGINAL: 996_STEVO
Pete... Well done on your class wins yesterday, nice driving.
BTW... Your good lady makes awesome Chilli []
]Peter Smallwood
New member
Paul
Looked like you going well in both your races. Lets hope the grids fill up for the challenge races with similar numbers to the club championship.
Hope the rugby was a fitting end to the day!
Lets also hope for a replacement for the Zolder round - still gutted about that.
See you at the next one
cheers
P
paulf968
New member
Peter - thx
On a parallel note about racing, 17th April sees one of our number having their first outing in their E30 racing at Silverstone. Not bigdave, not frogisland but the almost as famous 'small Paul' will be in action.
I will be going to add moral support as the 'three amigos' begin their challenge in this series. Drop by if you can.
On a parallel note about racing, 17th April sees one of our number having their first outing in their E30 racing at Silverstone. Not bigdave, not frogisland but the almost as famous 'small Paul' will be in action.
I will be going to add moral support as the 'three amigos' begin their challenge in this series. Drop by if you can.
Neil Haughey
New member
Paul have you had a catch up with Ben about your test day? His best time in your car still a full 1.5 seconds slower then Jez Clark's pole time but your best not that different from the test.
paulf968
New member
Neil - hi
That is well observed and a very good point but what you might not know is that Jez's transponder was not working in quali and his pole was hand timed - so questionable at best (& his race times seem to confirm that). Mark's pole of almost exactly 54 secs is therefore the benchmark time. Ignoring the weather the main other factor is that the track has rubbered in more compared to that previous test day, so I expect Ben could have got v close to 54 secs in my car. My best was a 55.4. So whilst it is tempting to think that the car might be the main factor I am left pondering my own performance.........
Also, looking at the results of the first race -- 6 cars crossed the line within 8 seconds of the leader. I was in the middle of the next group of 6 who finished 40 to 60 secs after the leader. That is the scale of the challenge -- in a 28 lap race all I have to do now is find 1.5 secs per lap to get on the podium!
NB Just been to Oulton, car still going well and I have dialled myself into the circuit again, track conditions were perfect. Was unofficially timed by someone but could not beat my 2009 race time of just over 2 minutes. This has knocked me back a bit as I was really trying hard later in the afternoon when the track was clear. Left pondering again ..............
To give you a flavour, this is my thinking so far:
-Resolved to examine my driving a bit closer and I think my own data logger will not be far away.
-Secondly, optimising my braking both in terms of the stopping power and then later braking is a new priority - Oulton clearly revealed this as a requirement.
-Thirdly, have decided to do 2 things to the suspension on the car -- will not say anything here until they are done and tested -- watch this space
-Finally, am thinking about psychological factors -- I am not a natural sprint racer but have to become one -- discuss!
That is well observed and a very good point but what you might not know is that Jez's transponder was not working in quali and his pole was hand timed - so questionable at best (& his race times seem to confirm that). Mark's pole of almost exactly 54 secs is therefore the benchmark time. Ignoring the weather the main other factor is that the track has rubbered in more compared to that previous test day, so I expect Ben could have got v close to 54 secs in my car. My best was a 55.4. So whilst it is tempting to think that the car might be the main factor I am left pondering my own performance.........
Also, looking at the results of the first race -- 6 cars crossed the line within 8 seconds of the leader. I was in the middle of the next group of 6 who finished 40 to 60 secs after the leader. That is the scale of the challenge -- in a 28 lap race all I have to do now is find 1.5 secs per lap to get on the podium!
NB Just been to Oulton, car still going well and I have dialled myself into the circuit again, track conditions were perfect. Was unofficially timed by someone but could not beat my 2009 race time of just over 2 minutes. This has knocked me back a bit as I was really trying hard later in the afternoon when the track was clear. Left pondering again ..............
To give you a flavour, this is my thinking so far:
-Resolved to examine my driving a bit closer and I think my own data logger will not be far away.
-Secondly, optimising my braking both in terms of the stopping power and then later braking is a new priority - Oulton clearly revealed this as a requirement.
-Thirdly, have decided to do 2 things to the suspension on the car -- will not say anything here until they are done and tested -- watch this space
-Finally, am thinking about psychological factors -- I am not a natural sprint racer but have to become one -- discuss!
Neil Haughey
New member
Very true about Jez, Paul. His race times a long way down from that scorching pole time.
I think you said it yourself at the weekend about your race times, if you could reproduce your qualifying speed over the race you would have stayed on the back of that pack.
Sobering thought but getting on the podium means out driving 3 former champions, by my count 5 former champions in all (class or overall) and of course in Mark Sumpter a world class driver. For anyone trying to get on in PCGB racing that is either unlucky or a fantastic opportunity and challenge depending on how you look at it.
I think you said it yourself at the weekend about your race times, if you could reproduce your qualifying speed over the race you would have stayed on the back of that pack.
Sobering thought but getting on the podium means out driving 3 former champions, by my count 5 former champions in all (class or overall) and of course in Mark Sumpter a world class driver. For anyone trying to get on in PCGB racing that is either unlucky or a fantastic opportunity and challenge depending on how you look at it.
paulf968
New member
Neil, thx, you've neatly summarised my situation "keen old guy thinks about starting racing so takes on experienced championship winning whizz kids" -- perhaps I should have expected this but if I can go further up the learning curve and challenge them a bit, it will be so satisfying.
Neil Haughey
New member
Or another way of looking at things is to say if one is going to go racing you want to compete against the best available. No matter what anyone says about the cost of PCGB club championship everyone I have talked to says the current standard of leading drivers is right at the top end of UK club motorsport.
http://history.fiagt.com/driverinfo.php?drivername=Mark+Sumpter
That is the standard in PCGB championship these days, nice ain't it. Who ever wins this year will be without doubt a top class driver, you would be doing seriously well to hang on to these guys let alone anything else.
http://history.fiagt.com/driverinfo.php?drivername=Mark+Sumpter
That is the standard in PCGB championship these days, nice ain't it. Who ever wins this year will be without doubt a top class driver, you would be doing seriously well to hang on to these guys let alone anything else.
paulf968
New member
We now have dates of a pair of races at Cadwell Park to replace the cancelled Zolder races at the end of May.
New dates for Cadwell are 5th & 6th June -- but there is a chance that they might be combined into one of those days that weekend.
Accordingly, I have amended the first post on page 1![[FONT=verdana,geneva"]](/forum/styles/default/pcgb/space.gif ". [FONT=verdana,geneva\"]")
New dates for Cadwell are 5th & 6th June -- but there is a chance that they might be combined into one of those days that weekend.
Accordingly, I have amended the first post on page 1
paulf968
New member
Dave, you are certainly right about Cadwell.
Some do call it the UK's answer to The Ring - let's hope we do not bend too much machinery.
I have been there a couple of times but not in the last 3 years. Got any good video of your own trackdays there that might be useful?
As it is so tight/narrow, setting a good quali time will be of more significance, so had a bit of a hunt around and found an MSV trackday on 15th May, so will head up and see about dialling myself into it again.
NB I do remember that crest near the paddock called I think 'The Mountain' and how it was the only time I ever felt slightly sick in my road car on a track -- even the dip at Brands, Paddock Hill never had that effect on me.
Some do call it the UK's answer to The Ring - let's hope we do not bend too much machinery.
I have been there a couple of times but not in the last 3 years. Got any good video of your own trackdays there that might be useful?
As it is so tight/narrow, setting a good quali time will be of more significance, so had a bit of a hunt around and found an MSV trackday on 15th May, so will head up and see about dialling myself into it again.
NB I do remember that crest near the paddock called I think 'The Mountain' and how it was the only time I ever felt slightly sick in my road car on a track -- even the dip at Brands, Paddock Hill never had that effect on me.
paulf968
New member
After the Brands races and Oulton, felt something was not right with the car -- so took off all 4 shocks and had them dyno tested. Also noticed the front left top mount bearing was knackered,new ones from Porsche are on back order until June so I dug out a serviceable used one to go back. Well ....... just got my GAZ shocks back, 3 out of 4 tested fine on the dyno but the front left strut was to say the least knackered. It offered no resistance at all on rebound! and the bump on the harder settings was coming in late and then very high. The strut was also leaky and the top bearing was clearly worn.
( Had a few thoughts about how I managed at the Brands races -- ie with no front left rebound through Paddock Hill bend! -- I suppose I just drove the car to what felt like its limits -- did feel it was not right at all at Clearways when it was nodding across the diagonal)
So, with a new internal tube to replace a fractured one, a new top bearing/sleeve, a respringing of the bump valve and the whole unit screwed together and dyno tested by someone who knows -- I now have a unit to match the other one. FYI Ian Gardiner did the work, he is local to me and is actually ex-Jordan FI suspension man who set up on his own 3 yrs ago www.igracing.co.uk
Now they have to go back on the car, with the replacement used top mount and then the geometry, ride ht and corner weighting needs checking. Looking forward to trying it out. NB Testing at Silverstone National on May 7th -- all will be revealed
Also noticed the front left top mount bearing was knackered,new ones from Porsche are on back order until June so I dug out a serviceable used one to go back. Well ....... just got my GAZ shocks back, 3 out of 4 tested fine on the dyno but the front left strut was to say the least knackered. It offered no resistance at all on rebound! and the bump on the harder settings was coming in late and then very high. The strut was also leaky and the top bearing was clearly worn. ( Had a few thoughts about how I managed at the Brands races -- ie with no front left rebound through Paddock Hill bend! -- I suppose I just drove the car to what felt like its limits -- did feel it was not right at all at Clearways when it was nodding across the diagonal)
So, with a new internal tube to replace a fractured one, a new top bearing/sleeve, a respringing of the bump valve and the whole unit screwed together and dyno tested by someone who knows -- I now have a unit to match the other one. FYI Ian Gardiner did the work, he is local to me and is actually ex-Jordan FI suspension man who set up on his own 3 yrs ago www.igracing.co.uk
Now they have to go back on the car, with the replacement used top mount and then the geometry, ride ht and corner weighting needs checking. Looking forward to trying it out.
NB Testing at Silverstone National on May 7th -- all will be revealedNeil Haughey
New member
Good luck Paul. Watching the in car videos from Cadwell though makes me feel a bit dizzy, its a bit frenetic in sections although I reckon if you qualify well you should be able to defend your position there. Swings and roundabouts and all that.
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