So after another long summer of working around the clock it was finally time to get back on track with the Javelin. At the last test the car was “ok” but I just couldn’t get near my old fast lap of 1:57.8… I was getting discouraged. Despite that I REALLY wanted to make at least one race this year. March had been a bust (broken 3rd link mount). That set me back so I missed the next couple of races. Then work hit (like always) so I was out of the game from June – August. I really wanted to make the September race but knew I needed a good test day under my belt first…
There weren’t any test days before the NASA race and I was stressing about what to do when I found out that Don was going to be at Sonoma for a Track Masters event the Saturday before the NASA race. SOLD! I jumped online and signed up for the event. I’ve run the Javelin with them a couple of times and they’re a great group. Unfortunately the Advanced group was full but I got into the Mixed group and Don said it wouldn’t been too bad (it’s open passing unless someone has their car marked in which case you have to wait for a point by).
The week before the event I nut and bolted the car and the night before I loaded the car on the trailer and got all my gear in the truck. Saturday morning I got up at the crack, hoped in the truck and took the scenic 30 minute drive to Sonoma Raceway!
Oh, I had sprung for a garage space which is always awesome. Keeps you out of the sun and just generally make a track day that much more enjoyable. So I set up my tools and a couple of chairs and got ready for the first session.
Dammit! Brake shimmy was still there… Got 6 laps at speed and managed some 2:02s and a 2:01… went out for the second session and after two laps they black flagged the session because of a wreck. Both laps were 2:01s… when we got to the garage Don notice my passenger front tire was getting cut on the inside. I had removed the ½” spacers I usually run after talking to Don about scrub radius and deciding maybe it would help the handling. Remember I’ve been unable to get the car to go faster than before I lowered it so I’ve been looking for ANYTHING that might help… well, without the spacers that tire was hitting something and getting sliced. it was right were the sidewall and tread meet. We looked around the wheel well and turned the wheels in both directions to try to see what it was hitting. The driver’s side wasn’t having the same problem. After a bit the best we could come up with was the 3 bolts that hold the remote oil filter mount. They were covered in rubber so Don thought that was the culprit. I called AIM tire to see if they had a replacement tire and they said they don’t stock Toyo’s. So I was going to have to run it or call it quits.
The cut wasn’t that bad. So I decided to go out for the 3rd session. For this session I hooked up a 2nd camera in my wheel well to watch the front suspension to try to see what was cutting the tire. I didn’t have a laptop at the track so I wouldn’t be able to watch the video until I got home but it was worth trying to see what it would show. Anyway, got back on track and we got a full session in. Got several more 2:01 laps but that was it. Traqmate data shows theoretical best laps for a couple of session in the 1:59s (including a 1:59.00 flat). So that’s somewhat encouraging but still not great. After that session we checked the tire and it was getting worse. I decided to call it a day. So I loaded up and headed home. I’m going to have a bit of thrash. I need to move the remote oil filter housing bolts that we think are cutting the tire and get a replacement tire mounted/balanced. Only have a week until the Sept. race!