Getting ready for Watkins Glen

I have 5 weeks before Watkins Glen (June 10-13). Right now the oil tank is the problem, I spent the weekend cleaning up oil on the back of the car. The catch can for the oil is fulling up at about 1/2 quart per race session. Another problem is I lost 3rd gear during the race, I guess it's time for some new dog rings, and still need the proper gear ratio for Watkins Glen.

The Mitty on YouTube

I can't make the video screen smaller. Your better off going to YouTube to see the whole video.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3cVe63BtFM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-b8n1MC4g8

What a weekend.

I was very surprised to find myself on the front row for Sundays race. Even so I finished 4th in Saturday's race, they still go by lap times and I had the second fastest time.

On Sunday, all the cars are placed in there grid position in pit lane.
For the next hour spectators get a closer look and the drivers answered questions.



We even got grid girls from the local high school. The HSR club did a really nice job making us the feature race of the day.



Engines running about to leave the pits.

At the start of the race I took the lead into turn one. By the time I had reached the end of the back straight the lead had grown. At the end of the straight you brake hard, then there is a quick left followed by a quick right. During the whole weekend I never had a problem at this corner. But my 3 old tires plus the odd one just couldn't keep me on the track anymore and I spun. I was hoping to get two race weekends per tire set. But everybody is using a new set per race and some people use 2 sets per weekend. Anyway the engine stalled and took about 40 seconds to re fire. Back in the race and in last place, I took off in hot pursuit only to lose 3rd gear close to the end of the race. Decided to park the car and call it a day. I was very disappointed, but this is not the first time I lost the lead by a mistake. I don't think I could have kept the lead anyway, 3 other cars were much faster than me.

Now for Watkins Glen. I'm leaving the car in back of the truck until the weekend. It's time to catch up on non race projects.

Saturday at The Mitty

First, the car is still running, but the oil tank is still pushing oil out into the recovery can. I will have to talk to Brian about this.

Apparently the laps times we did Friday only counted as practice and not qualifying. I did have the 4th fastest time. So Saturday mornings qualifying would set the grid for Saturdays afternoon qualifying race. We still thought Friday times were included. Well, on the 4 lap of qualifying one of the faster F5000 cars hit a tire barrier and they stopped the session. We ran out of time and that was it for our session. I had the second fastest time, that puts me on the front row for the afternoon race. If we used all timed sessions, I would have been 4th.
To make a long story short, I finished 4th in the race, and second in class. But I finished.

YouTube

Just came across this on YouTube. Saturday report Tomorrow.

Friday flat tire

F5000 tent

Friday their was 2 practice sessions. but your laps times counted for grid position for Sundays race. I don't know why they just don't call it qualifying.
Anyway my lap times are coming down and the track is feeling more comfortable. After the last session I went to the truck to change out of the racing gear and came back to find I had a flat rear tire. I stood there dumbfounded, just 5 minutes ago it was fine. So what to do, a tire supplier is at the track but the Goodyear tires I use general have to be ordered in advance. Went over to see if they had tires for my car, no tires. But a fellow F5000 drive had just got a new set of tires(Goodyears he ordered in advance)and if my tire wasn't repairable I could use one of his old ones.

My tire had a hole and wasn't repairable, so I'm using one of his old ones, it is a harder compound than than my old tire, but it does keep the weekend going for us.

Today may be rain.

Test day

Had 4 test sessions today(Thursday). Each session I felt more comfortable with the track and the car. The gear ratios aren't perfect, especially 4th. But better than Savannah.

The large oil leak by the valve cover is fixed and it's really nice not having too use the mufflers.

Having all the other F5000 cars really makes the weekend. Looking for more progress Friday.

The Mitty

We arrived here yesterday around 3 pm. Road Atlanta is a big place. Unloaded the car and the first under the tent. Today will be a busy one. Testing and attending the track/driver orientation program. I took a similar program at Savannah and found it very helpful in learning the fast way around. Friday will be practice sessions, Saturday qualifying and the race is on Sunday

Hillsville, VA

Quality Inn, good place to spend the evening.

Same town, different hotel. This was a good stop last time down, so I used it again. Should get to Road Atlanta around 3pm today.

Back to Georgia

Georgia, here we come.

Finish loading the truck Sunday evening. Must easier the second time around and I won't need the tent at this event, all the F5000 cars(14 total) will be under the big top. The Mitty is a big event with 350 cars and lots of other things going on. I was really glad that I went to Savannah. I feel better prepared and the car has gotten a few of the bugs shaking out of it.

The trip to Atlanta is almost the same route as Savannah. We'll leave Tuesday morning and get to Atlanta around 3pm Wednesday. Practice on Thursday then Qualify Friday and Saturday, race on Sunday.

I've created a link where I'm going to add photos from this weekend.

The Mitty Road Atlanta 2010 photos just click on it. I'm going to continue to update the blog, but it's easier to add many photos to this site.

Exhaust gaskets installed

The new copper exhaust gaskets are installed and no leaks. This is the first time since I've had the car running there are no leaks. Maybe it's my imagination, but with the spark plug re-gaped and no exhaust leaks, the engine sounds better.

The rear of the car is back together. I think that completes the list of things to do. Hoping to have the car in the back of the truck today. I'm leaving for Atlanta Tuesday and it's suppose to rain Sunday and Monday.

Gear box done

Now that the gear box is completed, I can start to reassemble the back of the car. That should be finished today.

1 day early

The gear set came one day early, that's good. I'm a little rusty at changing gear ratios, so the extra day helps. I also discovered that I don't have the extra gears to change 1st and 2nd. The 1st gear I have now would be great for standing starts, but we don't do that.
So for now, I'll just use what I have and make the adjustment for Watkins Glen.

1 gear set

I could only locate 1 gear set in the states, and will be here Thursday. The other set is in England, and with the Volcanic ash shutting down the airports in Europe I won't have it for Atlanta, but will for Watkins Glen in June. Watkins Glen and Road Atlanta are similar tracks in low and high speed. So my gear ratios should work for both tracks.

Finished remounting the mirrors, this should help in keeping my head a little lower in the cockpit. I was raising my head to see out the mirrors.

Oil Leak

Back to the oil leak. My first thought was the valve cover gasket was leaking. But upon closer inspection it looks like the breather vent I made for the valve cover is the suspect. I think the fix is to add a little more gasket compound. No time to work on the car today, I'll save this for tomorrow.