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ForzaMinardi Racing @ Eastern Creek
Hey guys, just writing to let you know what's happening.
Round 2 of the NSW Championships is on at Eastern Creek Raceway this weekend, and the 'red minardi' is back in action. So far this weekend we've completed three friday practice sessions, a qualifying session and race one.
Having never driven at Eastern Creek before I wasn't expecting to win, but I didn't expect to be too far from the front...so we were all a little shocked come friday afternoon when we found ourselves 4 seconds off the pace! It got even worse this morning, with the leaders breaking into the 1m49sec barrier and us going nowhere, we were left 5 seconds a lap slower, in 20th place out of 37 cars.
As it turns out, we are around 5hp off the front running cars, and with that we lack 600rpm down the main straight. The effect of that is, we're in excess of 10km down on top speed. Formula Vee's hold their top speed down the main straight, through turn 1 and down the straight to turn 2. We've done the calculations and we believe that this alone is costing us up to 2 seconds a lap by itself. Add that to us coming in at a whopping 515kg after race 1, 25kg's over the minimum weight!
In race 1 this afternoon we did some more chassis work, and have pegged the gap back to less than 3 seconds a lap. Around the back of the circuit, the car feels great and I can really attack the people around me, but that all comes undone on the main straight. Even worse for me is watching some of the cars I beat at round 1 running around 11th, 12th, 13th, etc.
My aim for the weekend is to close the gap to the front runners even more, and perhaps break into the top 16 before the end of race three. It's only a learning year for me, and I'd like to get as much experience as possible in the current car so when the new Aurora comes online later this season I can potentially run top 5 and perhaps win a race or ten. Now I know how Friesacher and Albers must feel waiting for that PS05! Although I will admit some of our lack of outright pace is down to my driving. It's only my 4th time in the car, and i've never seen Eastern Creek before. I feel my driving style is much more suited to Wakefield Park and Oran Park, and i'm expecting big things at the next round in 5 weeks time.
I'll give you guys a full rundown of the weekend and some photo's tomorrow night, so for now Forza (red) Minardi! :D
Comments
After your Dad when off at you after round 1, you should go off at him for building you an unpowered, overweight car!!
I disagree with buying a Jacer. Firstly, they have a very cramped footwell which I dont much like, and they cost $35,000. David Cutts (the builder) lives 10 minutes from us, and I can tell you our workshop is much bigger and has better machinery than his. All we need is the 25 years of experience and know how! It was a toss up between $17,000 to build it ourselves or $35,000 to buy one...and in the end our car will be just as fast once it's sorted. Plus now we're tooled up to make them, we can use all the information gathered to build the second and third cars at a fraction of the cost, in about a third of the time it took to make chassis 1, and fingers crossed make them fast enough to win.
The second chassis is underway already and will debut later this season. I'm pretty confident with more seat time i'll put this new car right up the front when it hits the track.
[Edited on 9/4/2005 by Brooksey]
and Oran Park is the next circuit on the chopping block...
Did a whole bunch of new car evaluations there before the 'Creek' was openned. Punting sedans through the 'Loop' a few times was always sure to cause major surges in the fuel tank and ugly cooking smells from the tranny.
*sigh*
Turns out we had a pretty good weekend considering our lack of straight line speed.
Race two I moved up to 17th from 20th on the opening lap, but again would lose it on the straight. I fought pretty hard and managed to be 18th at races end.
Race three was much of the same, although this time I pushed really hard and moved up to 15th, with a little 'creative manouvering' to hold people at bay come the front straight.
Two weeks time will see us head off to Oran Park for a one day meeting, where i've offered to hand the keys over to ex-Aussie karting champ Gary Joel who will run my car rather than his ussual Jacer F2k. In the meantime, we'll be doing some engine work on the Aurora 01-B (as Clown calls it :hehe: ) and with some new tyres for Round 3, I will accept nothing less than a top 10 finish! :D
[Edited on 11/4/2005 by Brooksey]
Already best wishes for round 3 !!