<VV> Autocross report-long, maybe boring

levair at aol.com levair at aol.com
Mon Oct 27 11:04:14 EDT 2008


 Yee Haw!!!

Are we sick? It was around 40 deg. and 45 mph winds and we had a great 
time anyway at Grissom AFB.
    Well maybe not the first heat group who made half of their runs in 
the rain. Of course we had to work in the rain. It was so windy that 
pylons , timing equipment and chairs were blowing over. Reminds me of 
Kansas in late Sept.
    Weather forecasters in Indiana don't even come close. Can't hardly 
wait to head for Florida Tuesday.
    Some of the Indy members in open cars on slicks just slunk away and 
went home due to the weather--you know who you are.
    The 45 mph winds dried up the water and the concrete surface was 
grippy for the 2nd and third heats where slick tired cars ran.
     The two ladies in 200 hp, 1200#,open slick tired cars , ran in the 
early rain heat and had a ball. Both were novices and put on a great 
show with Wanda (car co- owner) pulling out a .6 sec. win over Tracy. 
They say that the men who slunk off are Barbie Dolls.
     I drove the turbo Corvair Stinger for two reasons , one was to have 
some cammeraderie with other CP drivers and the other to test my ever 
changing set up. The Cammeraderie was a given, competing with Jeff 
Rapp-Corvair, and Robert Richwine-Mustang. We had a great time and I 
was able to take the win--always helps.
    I had just recently decided that the early reduced section(smaller 
.2 A/R ratio)  turbo exhaust housing was too small and reducing power 
output, although with great response,. I ran the  late, larger (.55 A/R 
ratio) housing at a recent Indy event and was constantly smoking the 
rear tires. so for Grissom I had installed much larger 23.5-11.5-15" in 
tires on 12" wheels, in an R 35 coupound.
    I ususally run the smaller car at small events and the huge car at 
larger ones anyway. I was afraid that the rain was going to ruin my 
testing, but the course was great for it; lots of room for boost and 
fun sweeping turns. I believe that the sustained momentum design was 
good for all cars.
    The test was great, the car was a hoot to drive, and the boost was 
addictive--just ask the rider/victims. The previous over locking rear 
diff (hard to turn in) was fixed also. I turned the same times whether 
in 2nd or 3 gear, so the torque was there. 52.5
    There was a great race between Michael (Levair Performance) and his 
car owner Steve Brinkerhoff in the other powerful light Lotus 7 clone 
with Michael taking a .1 second win. 48.3
    Watching the other less powerful classes turn very fast times (i.e. 
Ron Conrad's 54.5 in an STS car) proved that the momentum design helped 
every one.
     PAX best was Chuck McMillion in an AWD car-fast in all 
conditions--congrats.
We had a mini year end banquet at the Golden Corral later, great 
friends, great fun.
   Now I have to go out in the freezing weather to unload the Stinger 
and load the Roadster for the trip to St. Augustine, FL.

Warren



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