The 2012 PCGB Club Championship

[Neil Haughey]

...and take a long time to develop, and take either very detailed and expensive data collection and analysis and/or a highly developed feel for what a car is doing dynamically. A very simple example. Driver one says the car understeers badly on the run between turn in an apex, driver two says its fine but driver two is trail braking. My hack 1.2 Panda is like that, its terrifically well balanced but only if one goes into corners with some trail braking. No trail braking and the thing has horrific understeer. I also found straight away when I started driving my race car on track that in general the faster I went the less of an understeer characteristic it had, sounds counter intuitive but I reasoned that carrying more speed into a corner sets up a sort of pendulum effect in the car which counters some of the mid corner understeer. The books don't tell you this btw.

 

[bazhart]

Yes many of the books I read this winter explain dynamics and theory but few tell you what to do first and next for a specific problem - you still need to work it out for yourselves. I doubt the new car this season will get things right in one year - as there are simply too many parameters that influence each other - to many variations and then on top - different driver styles and feedback. With testing time limited by cost and being already in the season - the best we can expect is to turn up sometimes with it better than before and then again other times not so good and put up with it and the result that follows. There does seem to be something a little bit unusual happening at the rear of the car and we are trying to analyse what it might be and how to improve it - but it is a difficult task and only time will tell if we are on the right track or not. Baz

 

[paulf968]

actual geo settings are such closely guarded secrets between teams

......... and even when you think you have them 'about right' there is always the nagging doubt that it could be a lot better !! Just over a week now until we race at Donington Park on 30th June. Last test day before racing was yesterday. I was there as was a few others, notably Pete Morris - 996, Sumpter & Purdie - 964's, Cheetham in his Boxster, Mark K and me in 968's. I worked hard to try and beat last years times and failed - so a bit disappointed, (albeit with an extra 30kg on board). IMO the secret of a quick lap is carrying speed all the way from Redgate back to the chicane -- couple that with some serious late braking at Redgate and then the chicane and you have a great lap. Sounds simple but so very easy to overdrive a bit and then you lose a load of seconds. It'll all come out in the wash on raceday.

 

[Paz]

The real secret to success is to relax, do your best and enjoy it - here's to a great weekend's racing!! []

 

[MarkK]

Well said!!![]

 

[bazhart]

Not quite the last chance Paul - we were there yesterday and made some progress. What is clear now is that some of the advice we took early on (and the spring rates and resulting set up) was quite a long way off in one direction and while we have gradually moved the right way - and can now correct some of the handling in a more predictable way - the original damper scales are too extreme for the set up (so small changes move quickly away from a good set up and balance) and so they need re-adjusting (which we do not have time to do before Donington). In fact we are now awaiting some more springs to experiment more after the next race and have different sets now to keep moving in that direction until we go too far and have found the right settings and balance front to back and then we will get the dampers reset to suit that range - which will give us finer adjustment - to dial in the right settings for different circuits and conditions etc in the future. Needless to say this does not allow us to turn up with everything right and we will need to make quick decisions in the right direction - often during qualifying. This is where the problem lies for cars new to their owners and prepared for racing under the PCGB Championship rules - (because although the BRSCC Championship had Boxsters in it before - they have different rules for suspension, tyres, no LSD's allowed etc) but it does make for interesting results with many different cars at the front and each with some areas of advantage and handicap - all providing change - which can only be a good thing. The best we can do at present is to send the guys out with the best we have got to but knowing there is still more to come and hope they can keep it all on the park while they try their best to perform well with a car not yet in good balance nor set up right for each circuit. The viewing public at large will not appreciate the difficulties the drivers are having with these set-ups and they have pride in their performance and so are pushing to be where everyone expects them to be while managing a less than ideal set up they cannot yet have familiarisation with - as we keep changing a lot of things between each event. Hence some races we may well be close to the right settings while at others we will just not be close enough. It may well be best to be relaxed in your racing but unfortunately for our drivers - we need feed back and them trying out different settings - even while they are trying to qualify sometimes - so I doubt they will be relaxed until the car settles down and can be taken to any of the circuits with some confidence it is set up right or can be quickly dialed in. I think we were lucky for Brands Hatch (although Ben's driving had a lot to do with that result) but each circuit gives different problems to overcome - Oulton braking, Donington balance - Castle Combe suspension etc etc. Ben and Marcus have been exceptional in the way they are coping with all this - top drivers with a positive attitude - and confidence that we are making progress and will get there. At least we managed to scrub in our new tyres (as drizzle is predicted for the next race!) so if sods law works out - it should now be dry! Anyone interested in the story of our first year racing with our own cars can read more on our BLOG on www.hartech.org Baz

 

[paulf968]

aha Baz ........ you must have come out on the RMA 'trackday' then. NB for which timing is strictly not allowed, otherwise their insurance cover is compromised big time. Wed was the last 'test' day when timing is allowed. Paz ......... yes relaxing and enjoying it would be nice BUT it is not the only reason I race. We have races to win and personal objectives to be realised and IMO the biggest highs come when these barriers are pushed as hard as is possible. So you might see me in the paddock, visualising, internalising stuff and sometimes being a bit moody............ I'd certainly agree that pushing too hard could lead to problems and for me that is where I get a lot of satisfaction ie keeping a cool head and drawing back from the ragged edge before something unfortunate happens

 

[MarkK]

I am going for a "blend" of the two perspectives if that's possible?[] I cannot wait for raceday next week,fingers crossed the reassembly goes ok!!

 

[paulf968]

Only a few days now until the next races at Donington Park on Saturday 30th June. You coming? See the current timetable here: http://brscc.co.uk/assets/timetable---donington-30-jun-1-jul-2012---issue-1.pdf I wonder which way the weather will go? it will be a first this season if quali and the 2 races are all dry ! -- just done some last minute brake work on my car - the brake fluid in the master cylinder reservoir seemed to have become very dirty recently, so I took this as a hint that the master cylinder itself was getting old/worn after 4 years work in my ownership. New one now installed with fresh Castrol React SRF fluid throughout. (SRF is not cheap but is highly recommended by those wiser than me, see: http://www.opieoils.co.uk/p-740-castrol-react-srf-racing-brake-fluid.aspx ) Also, some of you might know that the brake servo is fixed to the bulkhead and is capable of flexing the bulkhead under high pedal pressures -- so took the opportunity to put much bigger washers under the servo fixing bolts to try and reduce this flexing. Thus more of the pedal pressure will go into braking the car and I hope I'll get better feel. NB this work also eliminates the slight risk that the fixings would punch through the bulkhead and render the brakes useless ....... one safety tip you might like to add to your car !! Finally, I'd noticed that one of the 4 fixing bolts that holds the race seat to the floor seemed to have worked loose. Imagine my surprise when on removing the seat I found that a section of the floor beneath the bolt about the size of a matchbox had detached itself -- so the bolt was doing nothing! A small plate with a new captive bolt was soon welded on and my seat is much firmer as a result .......... that should help the braking along a bit as well! See you Saturday

 

[spyderman]

I'll be there Paul - would rather it stay dry - there's not exactly much shelter up there!

 

[MarkK]

At least my Wets are scrubbed in now[8|],really looking forward tom the weekend!

 

[MarkK]

Forecast less wet now,which way will it go...?

 

[bazhart]

Don't think I mentioned any lap times Paul? No where we made some progress was the ability to change the car from under to oversteer and try out which suited the circuit and each driver best. It is good progress but after this weekend we will be doing some more testing and setting off with different springs and geo yet again and moving things in a direction to optimise the results. All lengthy and painstaking work but likely to reap rewards eventually. Good luck guys - hope it is a great weekend for everyone. Baz

 

[paulf968]

Barry & good luck to you guys - go grab a load of points. BBC weather forecast does show rain from 10 onwards on Saturday ......... so wellies at the ready!

 

[paulf968]

I'm not on facebook or twitter ....... draw your own conclusions ! For those of you who use these social media, here are two things for you. 1) there is a facebook page devoted to the racing see: Porsche Club Championship 2) and, our twitter account is @PorscheMsport ......... enjoy.

 

[bazhart]

Thanks and good racing to you too Paul! It was thanks to you that we were gently prodded in this direction (although it didn't take much of a shove) and we are all enjoying participation in these events so much I am surprised a few more Independents and Main Agents are not involved (thanks for the push). It has really stretched our knowledge base, enthused the staff, interested the customers, cemented our team spirit and been a brilliant focus for everyone here in Bolton. There are a lot of racers funding their own racing (of which you are typical) and it is so expensive there are many different ways a sponsor could assist someone without going the whole hog of owning the cars and building them (like we have) and benefit from the exposure and challenge. It has also provided quite a lot of valuable publicity that is expensive by way of adverts in the media and a small/modest contribution could easily be justified. Although doing it our way is very expensive - you do at least own the cars (which sit on the profit side of the books at cost) and the benefits are far reaching and can involve everyone employed in one way or another. Success is not easy but although winning is important and wonderfully satisfying - you also make contact with other similar businesses on a more personal basis that can result in mutually beneficial outcomes. Technically - the difficulties in trying to understand the handling issues we presently are looking into are awesome - but we are just beginning to get an understanding of it all and when we do it will elevate our capabilities much higher than they ever were before (and higher than many of our commercial competitors) so there are other areas you can win in - if not on the track (and there is only one who will ever receive that accolade in each race). It has made us realise that however much education you have received and however many books you read - there is absolutely no substitute for trying these issues out on a track in a competitive situation - when you soon learn that there is a lot more to it all than you will ever understand if you do not take part. It would be great to see more support for the privateers and more business competitors not shying away from exposing their knowledge and capabilities - but putting it out there for all to see. As for the lift you get from a good result - I think our team would agree that it absolutely beats watching F1 (and most other things). With new models now livening up the grid and a lot of variety of choice for owners and drivers alike - it really is a great medium for an business involved in Porsche's to pursue and get involved in - and for potential sponsors outside of the narrow world of Porsche cars to advertise their names and support in. It has certainly done us the world of good and yet most of the names involved have been around for many years and few new ones seem to be coming on the scene - they don't realise just what they are missing! Baz

 

[paulf968]

Barry Your post gives insight into your thinking about racing, thank you I am admiring from a distance your commitment and enlightened approach to your 2012 season. It is good that you feel you are getting a positive return for all the effort and investment - not many principals in the world of Porsche would back such a hunch and invest their money in what is after all a club racing series. In fact it is a bit of a relief that it is working for you, of course you are big enough to leverage benefits at all sorts of levels. The small businesses just don't have the cash and big ones lack the vision and passion for such things, so you have a niche all your own! In fact keep it to yourself, you don't actually want a load of people trying to copy you !! (not that they could because they lack the underlying engineering skills and race experience) On sponsorship. The few businesses outside the world of Porsche I have approached for modest sponsorship just do not seem to have an appetite for the adventure ........... so most of the field is a bit like me, paying my own way and trying to keep costs to the absolute minimum. One bigger crash, a blown engine or indeed 2 or 3 more sets of new tyres chasing the championship would throw the budget out of balance! Onwards and upwards.................

 

[Steve Brookes]

Just seen this post on pistonheads about the trucks:

good luck marcus. we were at brands last year with the gt2 when the trucks were on, it was so slippy all weekend with the crap they put down leak etc. it was the same a few years ago with them as well have fun

Be careful out there boys!

 

[paulf968]

add to that the prospect of rain and some aviation fuel mist from the planes and we'll all be skating around ....................

 

[bazhart]

Thanks Paul - if the weather is going to be as you suggest - I think your earlier optimism about our results may be misplaced - it is the worst scenario at this stage of our development. Basically it needs experience to know which tyres, pressures and geo to use for such awful conditions and we have not got there yet (and a mid-engined car is far from ideal in those conditions). I agree general non Porsche sponsorship seems very hard to attract but I have never been afraid of fair competition - and there are a lot of Porsche based businesses that would benefit and with it benefit owners Countrywide as well as their own staff development. If it means more cars on the grid and more of you privateers getting some support - I would be all for it even though it would mean more competition for us. We didn't go into this to have an easy ride to the front - we expected a difficult time for all of us and it is only the level of the competition that defines the resulting capabilities when you do well. It is interesting that many of the independents that do participate - also have good reputations for the quality of their work and customer care. It seems that there is some correlation between not being afraid to try and become better at what you do and providing a high level of customer orientated services and facilities. We have found no down side to admitting our own inexperience of racing set-up knowledge - in fact I feel that many of our customers have increased respect for us as a result of trying to achieve our objectives in public. It must be hard for owners to decide which businesses to entrust their car care to just from advertising slogans and being prepared to put a car they built and prepare on the track against others for all to see - expresses a confidence in their ability and an acceptance of a kind of honesty that some customers feel reassured about and does lead to increased business. Buying a car already designed and sold as a racing car and racing it may well be very difficult and expensive but is it no where near as much of a challenge as starting our with a road based car (that Porsche never intended to be a track success) and working our what to do to get it competitive with others who are driving models that Porsche did prepare for racing from the factory models first and then had the benefit of several years of others Worldwide refining the result. If our experiences encourage a few others to get involved - I would be delighted - it could form another level of newcomers challenging each other as we strive to make up the years of experience many of the other teams embody. I hope the weather is kind this weekend. Baz