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Re: Time to go racing (con't)

PostPosted: Mon Mar 26, 2012 6:00 pm
by steve kramer
that's soem decent advice...
Scott, are you going to Hallett next month to play? (the test day on Friday is a deal; there is so much track time you will be tired of driving by mid-afternnon.)
We should have a good turnout, too.

Re: Time to go racing (con't)

PostPosted: Mon Mar 26, 2012 6:57 pm
by Shine
GregCirillo wrote:
Shine wrote:I'm finally licensed! Well, not technically, I still need to send in my medical for final approval, but I completed the license course last week. Now I'm focused on my first raced, which I hope will be at MSRH later this month. :shock:


Congrats. I'm just heading into my second season, and I prefer to think of it as my second rookie season. The 6 month layoff makes me worry about how much I may have retained. So, rookie-to-rookie, my suggestions for the first race(s):

1. Keep it clean and be conservative. The SRF community is tight and you want to earn your stripes by being someone people can trust and feel comfortable around. And who wants to show up at the Chief Steward's office as a rookie? Besides, it's bad form to win your first race. ;-)

2. It all starts with qualifying. If you don't get a good quali lap, the weekend starts out in a hole. Ask me how I know. Do not roll out for qualifying with brand new brake pads.

3. Close is safe. Going into a turn side-by-side, you'd rather be 6 inches apart than 6 feet apart. OK, maybe 12 inches. Point is, as a new racer (former HPDE-er), the tendency is to seek maximum space.


Thanks for the advice, Greg. "Close is safe" is a new concept for me as with everything I've raced in the past, close usually resulted in bodily harm! I got some good training on close driving during my comp school from Michael Mills and I also got to follow Brian Grigsby around for a few laps at the school and I learned that I've got much to learn...so, I don't think I have to worry about winning my first race. :)

Re: Time to go racing (con't)

PostPosted: Mon Mar 26, 2012 7:00 pm
by Shine
steve kramer wrote:that's soem decent advice...
Scott, are you going to Hallett next month to play? (the test day on Friday is a deal; there is so much track time you will be tired of driving by mid-afternnon.)
We should have a good turnout, too.


Unfortunately, this is the busiest time of year for me at the office, so I've had to postpone my first race until TWS at the end of May. What are the Friday test days like at TWS? I'll definitely need the practice.

Re: Time to go racing (con't)

PostPosted: Mon Mar 26, 2012 9:34 pm
by steve kramer
TWS test days are fine - Hallett is more for less, though!

Re: Time to go racing (con't)

PostPosted: Tue Sep 04, 2012 4:52 pm
by Shine
I finally competed in my first race! I raced in the double rational at MSR Houston last weekend and had a blast. I would like to thank everyone at Spec Racer Sports and all of my fellow competitors for helping me through the weekend, especially Hal, John, Matt, Jerome, Josh, Ed and the Bosiens for all of the advice. I can’t wait for the next race! :D

Re: Time to go racing (con't)

PostPosted: Thu Sep 06, 2012 12:02 am
by Ed Cavalier
Shine wrote:I finally competed in my first race! I raced in the double rational at MSR Houston last weekend and had a blast. I would like to thank everyone at Spec Racer Sports and all of my fellow competitors for helping me through the weekend, especially Hal, John, Matt, Jerome, Josh, Ed and the Bosiens for all of the advice. I can’t wait for the next race! :D


Yep, Scott did OK for his first race:

http://www.mylaps.com/results/showrun.jsp?id=2447437

Congrats!

Before the questions start:
1. It rained - hard at times.
2. It was a combined Regional / National
3. Scott, Jerome, and I were all running the Regional and using the old rain tires
4. Regardless, Scott bested Jerome, who is no slouch. He also bested me, but I'm a tremendous slouch.

Re: Time to go racing (con't)

PostPosted: Fri Sep 07, 2012 9:24 am
by mhart073
Regardless of what tires you were on, I think that we were all impressed by how quickly you are ramping up. Glad to have another driver in the SRF group and I look forward to racing with you in the future!

Re: Time to go racing (con't)

PostPosted: Fri Sep 07, 2012 12:13 pm
by Shine
Yep, it was the perfect storm...literally. I think I was more worried when I realized I was leading the race than I was during the blind run down to turn 1! :lol:

Now I've got to decide if I want to sell my Lotus to buy an SRF...decisions, decisions.

Re: Time to go racing (con't)

PostPosted: Fri Sep 07, 2012 1:52 pm
by mhart073
I've been racing now for about 3 years, although this is my first year to run more more than 2-3 events. That said, I am still learning.
Forgot to turn on my rain light on saturday's race, which would have been much safer for all involved.
I also forgot how to drive a rain line. Even I had remembered the basics, some of the corners were just hopeless and there was no way to get around the pools of water in the carousel.
Finally, tear-offs suck in the rain.


Oh...don't sell the Lotus. I regret ever selling my E30 M3. There should be more SRF's that come for sell over the winter.