Roxy served me very well for 4 years. The last year and a half I discovered the track and how much fun that could be. I joined a race team in steadily improved my lap times. What a great car! I learned so much along the way. I changed different parts and saw how they effected the performance and handling. Roxy opened up feelings that I hadn't felt since I was a teenager racing in cycling races in Ireland and even winning a few. Competition is in the blood perhaps so I decided I wanted to take party in the friendliest race in Japan - The Party Race.
The Party Race has pretty tight regulations and so many of my modifications to Roxy would be illegal in this race so I needed a new car. On top of this I decided that my driving would improve even more if I was exposed to a different car rather than always driving the one car. So in January, I ordered myself a new Mazda Roadster to continue my driving education and gain entry to the Party Race.
So Roxy has moved on and will hopefully find a new happy owner. As such, I'm leaving this blog now and moving things over to a new blog.
Meet Tweety TCR2000.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Race video from TC2000.
This may bore you to tears :-) The visibility was quite bad as you can see. I spun my wheels too much at the start. If you only watch a bit, fast forward to 16:20 and watch my first pass along with one hell of a spin coming out of the last corner.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Wet Race - TC2000 08/01/12
Arrived in Tsukuba TC2000 all dry. No rain. Whippee! Or at least not until about 8am anyway. We could do the preparation in the dry. That counts for a lot. I decided not to worry too much about car setup etc. for the race as it only adds tension. I expected to come last so nothing to worry about. I started with all tires at 230 thinking they would get hotter after a while. I left the suspension settings on 6F/8R which is basically my street settings as in rain I believe softer is
better.
I also decided to leave DSC off. I've been running with it off for over a year now. You turn it on once and you always have to wonder how much its really doing for you. I spin a lot so it would probably do a lot for me short term, but long term - nothing. It would have made the race and the rain simpler but you gotta learn somehow. It's easy to get a faster time with it on but definitely more educational to leave it off. DSC all Off then.
First qualification session was 8 minutes. But it involved the safety car for the first lap so unexpectedly we only had two laps. I managed to make a bit of room for myself on the first lap and then got a 1'20 on the second lap. I'm not sure if I could have gone faster though as the
grip just wasn't there and my rain skills are mostly untested. I know driving like I'm on rails is slow but Tsukuba is not exacly a place to practice drifting for the first time in the rain. I got 5th out of 6 in the GP1 group. GP1 group cars have more tuned parts than GP2 cars. There were 14 cars altogether.
Second qualification session was also 8 minutes. It was raining harder and I had some big moments going through Dunlop so I couldn't improve my time. This time we had 3 laps. But now I was 6 out of 6 in GP1 group. 11th on the grid to start. We really gonna race in this? Lol...
The start was pretty cool although I messed it up. I could only watch as two cars overtook me on the start as I got myself into a wheel spin. I guess other guys were either using DSC or were way better on the throttle than me. Still that puts less pressure on me I thought as there
is only one car behind now.
I spent most of the race following around another yellow car. Grip felt terrible though. Either its the tire pressure or the grip was that bad. I'm betting there is more car setup I could do to make the driving easier, but not sure how without lots of trial and error.
Dunlop just felt like sliding on ice after turn in. The final corner was also pretty hairy. Each time I made the same mistake and took the same tight line through it and each time I got closer to an error.
About half way through the race though I started poking my head around close to the car in front of me. It was quite interesting to think about how to pass without screwing myself in the process. Finally though the guy in front of me passed another 8 and I tried to go through too on the first corner. I didn't know that this was the last lap. I felt I could pass but didn't know how. Finally, I managed to hook up right on his tail coming out of the second hairpin and on to the back straight. Slammed it into 3rd, 4th and I crept up beside him. I had the inside
line beside him on the last corner... He naturally braked first, I braked. I was through! My first pass!
The exit of the corner didn't go as planned though. I squeezed on the slightest bit of power too early. The back flew around. I probably added to it by letting off too much throttle making the back even lighter). I remember thinking hmmm. Wonder where I'll end up. The pit wall is close. I hit the brakes, Now heading backwards, looked around me to check where the walls were, eased
off the brakes, car flung around again, hit the brakes again and stopped facing straight. Safe. Chucked it into first, saw the guys had passed me safely and headed up to the checkered flag. What a rush!
So I only barely managed my goal of being last but goal achieved none-the-less. Actually the goal was just to complete the race :-) It was a great experience even in the wet. I shall be back for more...
I have to upload the video of the race now. Will post again when I have it ready.
better.
I also decided to leave DSC off. I've been running with it off for over a year now. You turn it on once and you always have to wonder how much its really doing for you. I spin a lot so it would probably do a lot for me short term, but long term - nothing. It would have made the race and the rain simpler but you gotta learn somehow. It's easy to get a faster time with it on but definitely more educational to leave it off. DSC all Off then.
First qualification session was 8 minutes. But it involved the safety car for the first lap so unexpectedly we only had two laps. I managed to make a bit of room for myself on the first lap and then got a 1'20 on the second lap. I'm not sure if I could have gone faster though as the
grip just wasn't there and my rain skills are mostly untested. I know driving like I'm on rails is slow but Tsukuba is not exacly a place to practice drifting for the first time in the rain. I got 5th out of 6 in the GP1 group. GP1 group cars have more tuned parts than GP2 cars. There were 14 cars altogether.
Second qualification session was also 8 minutes. It was raining harder and I had some big moments going through Dunlop so I couldn't improve my time. This time we had 3 laps. But now I was 6 out of 6 in GP1 group. 11th on the grid to start. We really gonna race in this? Lol...
The start was pretty cool although I messed it up. I could only watch as two cars overtook me on the start as I got myself into a wheel spin. I guess other guys were either using DSC or were way better on the throttle than me. Still that puts less pressure on me I thought as there
is only one car behind now.
I spent most of the race following around another yellow car. Grip felt terrible though. Either its the tire pressure or the grip was that bad. I'm betting there is more car setup I could do to make the driving easier, but not sure how without lots of trial and error.
Dunlop just felt like sliding on ice after turn in. The final corner was also pretty hairy. Each time I made the same mistake and took the same tight line through it and each time I got closer to an error.
About half way through the race though I started poking my head around close to the car in front of me. It was quite interesting to think about how to pass without screwing myself in the process. Finally though the guy in front of me passed another 8 and I tried to go through too on the first corner. I didn't know that this was the last lap. I felt I could pass but didn't know how. Finally, I managed to hook up right on his tail coming out of the second hairpin and on to the back straight. Slammed it into 3rd, 4th and I crept up beside him. I had the inside
line beside him on the last corner... He naturally braked first, I braked. I was through! My first pass!
The exit of the corner didn't go as planned though. I squeezed on the slightest bit of power too early. The back flew around. I probably added to it by letting off too much throttle making the back even lighter). I remember thinking hmmm. Wonder where I'll end up. The pit wall is close. I hit the brakes, Now heading backwards, looked around me to check where the walls were, eased
off the brakes, car flung around again, hit the brakes again and stopped facing straight. Safe. Chucked it into first, saw the guys had passed me safely and headed up to the checkered flag. What a rush!
So I only barely managed my goal of being last but goal achieved none-the-less. Actually the goal was just to complete the race :-) It was a great experience even in the wet. I shall be back for more...
I have to upload the video of the race now. Will post again when I have it ready.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
2007 Summary
2007 was a very special year. I tracked Roxy quite a lot, 26 times total. I became an RTE team member and I broke the 1'10 mark on Tsukuba. I also went from RE-040 tires to ADVAN Neovas to RE-01R so I clocked up some good experience there. I switched DSC fully off every circuit day this year even in the wet. I believe that has helped push me a lot as you must drive well. Even so I spun out countless times and saved many more. I ran with 4 different alignments and challenged 4 new circuits. I got a B Competition license and competed in my first official circuit trial event. I also passed the A Racing License test at the end of the year which gives me the choice of racing in 2008. I also started this blog!
What then for 2008? In 2008 I think I want to race and continue to learn to better my driving skill. I think the biggest problem with my driving right now is heel'n'toe down-shifting. While I've been doing it for over a year now, I'm still not perfectly smooth. I want to perfect this in 2008 and get weight shifting under control under all types of braking and not just full.
I'm also considering trading in my dear Roxy for a Mazda roadster (NR-A) so that I can take part in this years party races. While I love my rotary dearly and love the shape and handling of the car, the inside, the color, the whole bloody thing, I really want to try my hand at racing and I think that to progress my driving further, exposure to yet another car could only help. The roadster is not exactly slow either with best laps of 1'08 around Tsukuba not unheard of. That's a second faster than my current best in Roxy! However, I'm still undecided about selling Roxy though but I can't own both.
2008 is still wide open!
PS. Not sure why the format is screwed up here.
What then for 2008? In 2008 I think I want to race and continue to learn to better my driving skill. I think the biggest problem with my driving right now is heel'n'toe down-shifting. While I've been doing it for over a year now, I'm still not perfectly smooth. I want to perfect this in 2008 and get weight shifting under control under all types of braking and not just full.
I'm also considering trading in my dear Roxy for a Mazda roadster (NR-A) so that I can take part in this years party races. While I love my rotary dearly and love the shape and handling of the car, the inside, the color, the whole bloody thing, I really want to try my hand at racing and I think that to progress my driving further, exposure to yet another car could only help. The roadster is not exactly slow either with best laps of 1'08 around Tsukuba not unheard of. That's a second faster than my current best in Roxy! However, I'm still undecided about selling Roxy though but I can't own both.
2008 is still wide open!
PS. Not sure why the format is screwed up here.
| Date | Org | Track | Best | Tire |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7MT | TC2000 | 2'11(SW) | RE01R | |
| A-LI | FSW | Passed! | N/A | |
| REV | FSW | 2'14.81 | RE01R | |
| SRS | TC2000 | 1'09.349 | RE01R | |
| MSCT | TC2000 | 1'09.425 | RE01R | |
| K1S | TC2000 | 1'10.254 | RE01R | |
| DT | TC1000 | 0'43.81 | AD07 | |
| K1S | TC2000 | 1'09.774 | AD07 | |
| DT | TC2000 | 1'10.456 | AD07 | |
| DT | TC1000 | 0'44.016 | AD07 | |
| SRS | TC2000 | 1'10.919 | AD07 | |
| DT | SSPark | NA | AD07 | |
| KB | Link | 1'02.684 | AD07 | |
| KB | SSPark | NA | AD07 | |
| RTE | TC1000 | 0'44.2 | AD07 | |
| WME | FSW | 2'15.06 | AD07 | |
| DT | TC1000 | 0'44.119 | AD07 | |
| DT | SSPGym | 0'56.3 | AD07 | |
| DT | SSPGym | 0'58.x | AD07 | |
| SRS | Honjyo | 0'47.439 | AD07 | |
| DT | TC1000 | 0'44.41 | AD07 | |
| DT | TC2000 | 1'10.327 | AD07 | |
| 7MT | TC2000 | 1'10.126 | AD07 | |
| DT | T.Gym | NA | AD07 | |
| SRS | TC2000 | 1'10.430 | AD07 | |
| SRS | FSWSC | 0'38.24 | RE040 |
Fuji Speedway 08/01/04
Attended my first FISCO license NS-4 session at Fuji this year. 6,300 yen for 30 minutes of track time. I did two 30 minute sessions. I really love the challenge of Fuji. Its such a demanding track to extract every bit of skill from you. Makes me feel like I have so much more to learn. Huge respect for the track. It maybe less great than Suzuka but it still ranks in my book. It certainly offers a very different learning experience to Tsukuba. So many fast corners to master. The hills upset the car and the blind corners demand commitment. What's not to love!My lap timer reported FULL on me again mid second session so I know that up until then my best lap time was 14'94. Not so good me thinks. I guess I'm losing the time understeering around the hairpin mostly. I feel there is also a lot to be gained on the uphill section from the chicane to the last corner. I'm slowing the car too much in some of those sections so that I don't mess up my gear changes. Need more commitment up through there, but its hard, hard, hard...
One of my new racing spark plugs is on the blink with the spark running down the outside of the plug, so I've had to put the old plugs back in again for the moment. I wonder if the misbehaving plug was affecting my lap times at all? I felt I was a little bit slow to 180 on the straight but can't be sure. I've so much more to learn that 2008 is looking exciting already!
Happy new year to all!
Friday, December 28, 2007
RX-8 For Sale
No - not Roxy. Not yet anyway. But my good mate and fellow track addict John is selling his RX-8. If you know anyone who is interested, please let them know. Its basically a new car and has some nice modifications.
RX-8 For Sale. I'll be sorry to see John let go of his car. He's provided me with lots of healthy competition over the last year and a bit.
RX-8 For Sale. I'll be sorry to see John let go of his car. He's provided me with lots of healthy competition over the last year and a bit.
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Tsukuba TC2000 07/12/22 (wet)
I checked the weather in the morning for Tsukuba. Cloudy. Great - I thought. The weather is perfect for few fast laps. It started raining around 9am though. We had three sessions. I asked one of the RX-7 guys what he got after he came back from his laps. A 1'15. Damn. That's at least 10 seconds off his normal pace and he said it was slippy out there.
First session arrived, Still raining. DSC all off, I headed out. A 7 spun on the first corner (on the yellow flag lap!). I floored the accelerator to see how much the wheels would spin. Nice. Down into the first hairpin and a little counter steer was required. Dunlop, the post was waving 2 yellow flags. Another 7 spun out. 2nd hair pin, back straight and into the last corner. Nice and cautious. Coming out of the last corner, the back went out and a quick counter got it back. Whew... This is slippy! That was the first lap and the remaining 9 laps were much the same. The track side was littered with 7s who found the going pretty hairy. Not a lap passed with out a yellow flag somwhere.
Second session. The rain had stopped but the track was still very wet. I started to speed up a little in the corners as the track was more clear. Back went out again past Dunlop but I managed to keep it straight. Still tippy-toeing around.
Last session, the line was drying up but on the second lap a car spun out past Dunlop. Hmmm. Still slippy so I played it cautious and just upped the speed gradually lap after lap feeling around slowly for more grip. Turns out though 2 of the boys were right back on pace and they both scored 1'08s! I was still lapping 1'11s.
One thing I learned from Saturday was you can still take a corner pretty fast in the wet although I'm not sure how fast yet. Most of the issues seem to be accelerating too aggressively out of a corner. The rain definitely makes all your senses tingle in excitement as you try to anticipate everything including your own mistakes.
My tire pressure for the first 2 sessions was 275. I let some air out for the third session but forgot to check the pressure afterwards. I was aiming for 260 hot. I think 250 is pretty decent in the dry though. Still not sure what to do in the wet regarding pressures.
First session arrived, Still raining. DSC all off, I headed out. A 7 spun on the first corner (on the yellow flag lap!). I floored the accelerator to see how much the wheels would spin. Nice. Down into the first hairpin and a little counter steer was required. Dunlop, the post was waving 2 yellow flags. Another 7 spun out. 2nd hair pin, back straight and into the last corner. Nice and cautious. Coming out of the last corner, the back went out and a quick counter got it back. Whew... This is slippy! That was the first lap and the remaining 9 laps were much the same. The track side was littered with 7s who found the going pretty hairy. Not a lap passed with out a yellow flag somwhere.
Second session. The rain had stopped but the track was still very wet. I started to speed up a little in the corners as the track was more clear. Back went out again past Dunlop but I managed to keep it straight. Still tippy-toeing around.
Last session, the line was drying up but on the second lap a car spun out past Dunlop. Hmmm. Still slippy so I played it cautious and just upped the speed gradually lap after lap feeling around slowly for more grip. Turns out though 2 of the boys were right back on pace and they both scored 1'08s! I was still lapping 1'11s.
One thing I learned from Saturday was you can still take a corner pretty fast in the wet although I'm not sure how fast yet. Most of the issues seem to be accelerating too aggressively out of a corner. The rain definitely makes all your senses tingle in excitement as you try to anticipate everything including your own mistakes.
My tire pressure for the first 2 sessions was 275. I let some air out for the third session but forgot to check the pressure afterwards. I was aiming for 260 hot. I think 250 is pretty decent in the dry though. Still not sure what to do in the wet regarding pressures.
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