[Wichita-SCCA] Tues-Wed at Solo Nationals

[Greg Laws]

Sorry, I don't have results for any of the Tues-Wed classes so I can't tell you much.  The last word that I had suggested that Dave Green was doing exceptionally well in SS.  I think that Brian Meyer was mid-pack on Tuesday but I didn't hear any results for Wednesday for anyone.

The big story that I do know about was the weather, which was crappy.  One Tuesday 1st heat and 2nd heat both got nailed by chilly rain & light drizzle.  As bad as 1st heat was, I think that maybe 2nd heat was even worse.  3rd thru 5th heats did just fine however and the day ended up being warm & sunny.  

On Wednesday 1st heat again had problems but this time not directly from rain.  Instead it was an extremely heavy dew that covered cars and pavement both.  The sun was only just above the horizon at the start of 1st heat so the cold asphalt was like a skating ring.  It had worse traction than if it had been raining.  Things had started to burn off by mid-heat so it was better by everyone's third runs but still not the best.  2nd and later heats had good to excellent conditions.

So which heat did FSP run in?  1st heat of course.  That makes FSP the 'winner' in the bad luck for weather contest as this class has had to contend with rain, cold rain, monsoon rains, cold & heavy dew, and one year of darn near freezing every year for the PAST FIVE YEARS!  I'm sick of it.  Scheduling this event in mid-September was bad enough but only a crazy person would think that the last week in September in Kansas was a good idea. 

The pavement itself was slick and sandy.  The staff had a gas-engine blower to clear the sand off of the course and they were using it regularly.  I swear that the crappy asphalt in the pit lanes had at least twice the traction as the special "race" asphalt on the course pad.  Seriously.  There's something about the national solo pad asphalt deal that it starting to smell fishy to me.  I can't pin it down but I do wonder if someone, somewhere might have been sold a bill of goods concerning what was paid for versus what was delivered....

All of which leads to my finishing position which was .... ahhh  .... well, I didn't trophy and I didn't finish DFL so we'll just leave it at that.  My undistinguished National's career remains doggedly undistinguished.  This event is going to be the cap to my National's career.  I won't be back.  This would be a perfect place to blame the awful weather, the unnaturally slick pavement, or that maybe something broke on the car but the simple truth is that I was beaten fair and square by most everyone in the class.  They adapted to the weather conditions while I didn't.  It is just that simple.  Such is the difference that determines a champion or an also-ran.  

Concerning the mechanical capabilities of the Phrog, I saw enough to know that on a bright, sunny day with warm temperatures the Phrog in its current setup and with competent driving could reasonably expect to finish mid-pack.  With exceptional driving maybe it may even place higher because it is as good or better in dry handling, power, brakes and weight as most of the cars in class.  It most likely doesn't have quite the right mix to be in contention for winning the class but a heroic effort might nab a lower trophy someday.  That's not likely to happen, especially during the last week in September in Kansas, because although the car works extremely well on dry pavement it is hopeless in wet conditions.  With the loss of the Torson differential and no known way to replace it, the car spins the inside drive tire exiting every corner when things are wet or too cold.  That is a problem in simple physics that cannot be overcome without a limited-slip differential.  Lick that one problem and the car becomes a contender.

There are other problems that showed up in Topeka but they are all correctable with time and a bit of money.  The main thing was that the car was too stiff.  It needs a better selection of softer front spring and rear torsion bar strengths.  It would also be nice to be able to unhook the rear sway bar when that was called for, something currently not possible as the sway bar also holds the rear suspension trailing arms together.

So the car isn't the real problem when it comes to my deciding to stop going to Nationals.  Neither is the weather.  Nor the pavement.  I can't even complain about the Heartland Park staff or organization as everything seemed to flow pretty well this time.  Ditto for the SCCA staff -- especially Howard Duncan who seemed to be everywhere doing everything from course setup to sweeping.  Howard is an impressive guy and a serious credit to the sport.  Nope, the problem is me.  I finally saw the plain truth that it is time to call it a day and stay home from now on.  I've chased a national trophy for 17 of the last 30 years (I had a 13-year break in the middle) and success is just not to be.  

I had a great time in the chase but I'm ready to move on.  The Phrog will now become an occasional player on the regional level only, something just for fun which is as it should be.  My best wishes go to everyone challenging the Nationals.  Go Wichita Region !!!  

Enjoy,
Greg Laws
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://wichitascca.org/pipermail/wichita-scca_wichitascca.org/attachments/20070927/38f3fec4/attachment.html