BB's First Day on Track!

I made a dream come true yesterday.  I ran out of gas close enough to a station to walk/run and get a gas can (for $25!!  Like an airport beer, they know they have you!) and walk back and get to my event on time.  Previously, I had called a tow truck upon running out of gas.  That was more the nightmare part than the dream part.  The event I was headed toward was a Test and Tune at the Mid-Ohio racetrack.

This is where Eric and I attended high-performance driving school, so I consider this my home (and only) track!  To be honest, I have had great fear of this day.  Although all my years of prep were aimed at this, it is very overwhelming to actually be on track.  In contrast to autocross, which demands full engine power and full braking force but only for about a minute at a time, a race track is continuous.  It seems like wide open throttle or full brakes for 20 minutes.  I wasn't sure this project was ready for that length of abuse.  In particular, I was worried about the cooling system.

Since a radiator leak led to engine rebuild, I'm a bit paranoid about engine temperature.  In one autocross last year, the temperature climbed to 220F and I paused running to let it cool.  I thought that continuous track use would surely overheat me.  I did make some adjustments after that event.  I determined that my shrouding around the radiator was letting too much air flow past.  So I used some water pipe insulation to plug the gaps:

This seemed to make a difference in normal driving. But how would it hold up to racing?

It turns out, I needn't have worried.  While full engine power is used exiting corners and on the two straightaways, there is actually a fair distance where only partial power can be used.  For example, there are two long sweepers where only maintenance throttle can be used.  I actually ran lower temperatures on the track than I run on the highway on a hot day.

Also, the new wheel hubs held up well.  Actually, everything did great.  I had only one unexpected problem.  Somehow, I overfilled the oil sump on the last oil change.  This, combined with the long, hard braking after the back straight, burped some oil out of the PVC fitting which I left open.  This dripped onto the exhaust manifold and created a cloud of smoke.  It didn't repeat in that session so I kept driving.  On the break, I identified the source of the leak and wrapped a shop towel around it which I clamped on with a coat hanger.  Always carry a coat hanger when driving a British roadster which is 60 years of age!  This got me through the last session.  It later occurred to me that I was basically making a torch, an oily rag wrapped around a stick in a hot place!  Fortunately, no fire occurred.

There were some surprises.  Even in 20 minute sessions, it was exhausting!  The longer turns compared to autocross mean you are tensed up, holding yourself in the seat, for a long time!  After a session, you are sweaty and tired!  Not sure how F1 drivers do this for over an hour.  Of course I also did a walk/jog of 2.5 miles to refill my gas tank, which didn't help.  In any case, I was tired for two days after the session!

The track is also much smoother than autocross.  Most of the features have transition time between them.  In autocross, it's quite violent, with rapid changes in direction and tire force.  

All in all, I think I might be more of a track person than an autocross person.  My slow brain function is poorly suited to autocross, where one has to memorize and improvise a dozen corners with only 6 tries.  On a known track, you can concentrate on small adjustments in each corner.  

Furthermore, in the confusion of the event, I didn't do well with my tech.  I was using my Track Addict app but my phone lost gps in the middle of the first session so I got no useful data there.  I tried to connect my 10Hz gps but couldn't manage it with limited time.  For the last session, I did get the GoPro working and captured some nice sunset views as I went flying around the corners.

As usual, with BB, a car as old as me and highly modified by me, this was an adventure!  But a fun one!  And my track anxiety is dead.  So, Nelson Ledges, here we come!  Keep on having #funwithcars!