Steve's Runoffs

Post Reply
hardingfv32
Posts: 104
Joined: June 9th, 2015, 8:04 pm

Steve's Runoffs

Post by hardingfv32 »

Steve what was your Runoffs experience like?

Brian
FV80
Site Admin
Posts: 1195
Joined: June 27th, 2006, 9:07 am

Re: Steve's Runoffs

Post by FV80 »

Just got home last night. So..
1). The TOW was INCREDIBLY L O N G - of course we knew that going in.
2). The track was incredibly difficult to learn - I knew it would be difficult, but it was a LOT tougher than I expected. Has to be the most difficult track I've ever driven in my 40+ years of racing. The lone video I was able to find (of an FV) did not at all give perspective to the 'ups and downs' and 'off cambers' of the track. Also the little simulator experience I was able to get showed neither of those issues.
3). The motorhome and trailer performed quite well. Although not without difficulty, it could have been a LOT worse.
4). I was NOT happy with my performance, nor was I happy with Bullet's performance. I have a car that tends towards oversteer and it has always worked for me.. but NOT AT SONOMA. I was not able to dial in the car with the tools I had at my disposal at the track. That was made especially difficult due to BLACK FLAG ALL issues during the lone test day that I did. I got a total of about 13 laps (including out/in laps) in 3 sessions before qualifying started.
5). I was not happy with my finish.. who could be happy with TWO spins (both to LAST PLACE) during the race?
6). Overall, I would rate the week about a 7 of 10. I still had fun and I didn't crash too badly (just wrote off another nose) and LOT more people had much worse luck than I did .. and I brought home a good racecar other than the nose. .. and Linda and I FINALLY made the trip "out west" to a race track we had never run .. just for the experience.

I guess I'll be working a little harder towards dialing out some of the oversteer for next year :mrgreen:
Steve
The Racer's Wedge and now a Vortech, FV80
Speedsport
Posts: 170
Joined: October 20th, 2006, 7:45 pm

Re: Steve's Runoffs

Post by Speedsport »

Interesting report Steve,

I too found it difficult at Sonoma to manage a car that tends to be loose. It was the first time I can remember where I was trying to change how loose the car was. The short sessions we ended up with certainly didn't help. I was torn on how much to try to get out of the car because the more push put in, the slower the car was in the two hairpins. I had a difficult time finding the compromise I was happy with. There are a few adjustments I can make on my car that effect the balance. On the morning of the race I literally went back and forth about 5 times trying to decide how brave I felt. My ego kept saying I can hang on to a really loose car for all 20 laps, but the conservative side of me kept saying make it easier to drive.

It certainly was a fun track though - the elevation change was incredible.

If nothing else it was great to be in that weather for a whole week.

The funniest thing for me during the week was realizing the podium champagne, IN SONOMA, was from Pennsylvania.

Mike
Post Reply