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Post by Matheus da Silva on Sept 4, 2022 18:06:26 GMT
I'm so so sorry, Richard. I tried my best to keep the car in the wall, but it still ended sliding to the track.
A bummer really. I was really slow on the straights - really would like to know how you guys set your cars up to get to speed for future reference.
For what I had in my hands, it was actually a nice race; unfortunally it ended early.
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Post by Francisco Amaral on Sept 4, 2022 18:10:48 GMT
I couldnt get home on time. It a shame to miss this Race.
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Post by Michael Drechsler on Sept 4, 2022 18:40:25 GMT
Oh well, that one was ... not great! 
Not doing a full schedule in the series, I lack a bit the experience how hard I can push the cars and what they need to straighten up and go quick. I got a decent Q-run, though I binned it through the last turn and thus didn't manage to get into the 33s. Running a bit out of time, I tested a last minute idea in the warm-up session, and it felt really fine behind the wheel, though the times and speeds didn't look overly competitive, just like at Indy.
All musings became obsolete at the end of lap one, when David's car was stranded on pit entrance. I expected him to roll to the outside and went for the inside line. As my english teacher once suggested, if you got two options, you better decide on one and take the other, as the car rolled back into my line. There just went a week of work with the car...
...but to my surprise, the car was still rolling, the right front suspension missing, but the wheel still attached!  So i crept back to the pits for a lenghty repair. The first time I took a dump during a solo race, but the pit crew did an excellent job and got the car straight again, albeit nearly 20 laps down and the right front suspension still missing. I did two very careful laps, then progressively increased the boost and the car was doing just excellently. Time to roll on and pick up what's left. Fuel limit was for sure no matter of concern. Balance was very fine with no balance shift to mention, just the car being dead slow. Perhaps I just backed the wrong horse and went with to little downforce, or lowered the suspension too much, no idea. Anyways, some incidents allowed me to move back to my starting position, and then two more positions, with about six to seven laps behind Anders, who also had to do some repairs. Unfortunately, about 75 laps in for me, I was passed by a large group of faster cars, and turning into T3, I was a bit to close to the car in front of me and lost the rear end. Time to park it.
So, there is still one more chance for my goal to finish a 500 miler this year, another chance for an early lenghty repair stop...
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Post by Jules Bouchard on Sept 4, 2022 20:02:43 GMT
Al Jr. once said you gotta drive these 500 milers like you're driving a Cadillac and that's what I did. I just tried to stay out of trouble and conserve fuel and the engine. I did brush the wall a couple times which gave some damage but got lucky it wasn't too bad. I wasn't really expecting to finish here with the Ilmor since it is a long race but to get 3rd is an amazing result. Michigan 1974 with the USAC cars was my first race with ISO and to get my first ISO podium at Michigan is fitting. Pleasure racing with y'all and congrats to the two other survivors.  |
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Post by Jacob Fredriksson on Sept 5, 2022 4:54:37 GMT
Al Jr. once said you gotta drive these 500 milers like you're driving a Cadillac and that's what I did. Good call! I did not do that. After surviving the first handful laps with the dreadful understeer, I found out that the car became easier and easier to handle by every lap. But I hadn't explored tyre wear enough in my limited practice sessions, so at lap 23 the car suddenly snapped loose. It hadn't happened at all in practice, but that is because I hadn't practiced enough. On to the next one. |
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Post by Bruno Chacon on Sept 5, 2022 11:06:29 GMT
Very frustrated with the engine breaking down.
I kept the engine temperature always around 94 degrees for the water and not going above 100 degrees for the oil, never going into the red range of the engine revs.
I had 3 accidents with the car with little fuel, even walking in a moderate way it had surprises losing the rear.
It was a race as Bouchard said, to drive the car like a Cadillac and I was doing it. The engine broke on its own, I didn't force it, not even when Coxon was chasing me and at the time of the break, the turbo pressure was at 0.18.
Congratulations to the top 3 who were masters in the art of "driving Miss Daisy" and deserved the result.
Congratulations to Jonatan and team for the excellent transmission of the race.
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So i crept back to the pits for a lenghty repair. The first time I took a dump during a solo race, but the pit crew did an excellent job and got the car straight again, albeit nearly 20 laps down and the right front suspension still missing. I did two very careful laps, then progressively increased the boost and the car was doing just excellently. Time to roll on and pick up what's left. Fuel limit was for sure no matter of concern. Balance was very fine with no balance shift to mention, just the car being dead slow. Perhaps I just backed the wrong horse and went with to little downforce, or lowered the suspension too much, no idea. Anyways, some incidents allowed me to move back to my starting position, and then two more positions, with about six to seven laps behind Anders, who also had to do some repairs. Unfortunately, about 75 laps in for me, I was passed by a large group of faster cars, and turning into T3, I was a bit to close to the car in front of me and lost the rear end. Time to park it. 
