I posted a short segment of Race 3, Part 2 in the 'Good Driving' thread and was going to post these up here anyway as I know you guys like to see topless Miatas racing, even if we have the steering wheel on the wrong side.
I've posted some videos previously on here of my race driver student Fahad Hizam. The Mk1 season has finsihed now but we do have a short series of MX5 Cup UK running prior to a full Championship next season.
As there are only about a dozen or so Mk3s prep'd at this stage the grids are made up by the Mk1 cars.
I got the opportunity to race in 3 races at one of my favorite circuits in the UK, Donington Park. Was great to be back as this circuit had been closed for 18 months as it was to be heavily modified to run F1 instead of Silverstone. Thankfully this didnt happen as I do think they would have sanitised this great classic circuit.
Races 1 & 2 are predominantly defensive races as the rent-a-drive car I was using is down on power to many of the others cars which are either privately owned or team owned and there are things you can do, quite legally to give you an extra bit of oomph (skimmed heads, oversized pistons etc. etc.)
Race 1
Qualified in P2 behind ex Champion Jonathan Greensmith. A very quick driver and a very quick car. This race was all about defence from one of the quickest cars on the grid. If you are ever going to race at Donington these videos are well worth watching for how to defend your position.
Started in 2nd based on finishing position from Race 1. Again a mainly defensive race but some interesting action. Jonathan was leading when he had an incident with one of the Mk3 cars and had to retire.
Continued stout defence and a canny move after the safety car saw me take the chequered flag to WIN ... Yippee
By far the most exciting and action packed race, mostly due to errors from me. Was on pole to start but 5th into Redgate, got back into 3rd through the Old Hairpin and 2nd by lap 3,and back to 1st soon after.
Jonathan Greensmith who had to retire in Race 2 had made his way up from the back of the grid and bearing down on me fast. Yes, I can defend but Jonathan not only has a very fast, well prepped car but he is also a very quick and very experienced drivers having raced MX5s for 7 years and an ex Champion.
I knew he would get by but the racer in me just didnt want to give in too easy and this was my downfall. Going side by side through Coppice my plan was to tuck in behind him but he didnt pull away as i expected and was caught by the 3rd placed car, who had the 4th placed car on his bumper, all 3 on the inside for the Chicane and nowhere for me to go so had to take a trip across the gravel. It was much deeper than I though and I was fortunate to get through but lost 2-3 more places while doing so. Now back in 7th I then fight back to 4th, going into Coppice I make a late (but perectly fair) move on the 3rd placed driver. If I'd pushed him wider I may have been able to secure 3rd but I'm not that type of racer so he had 3rd going into Goddards chiance. We both lost some speed at Coppice and this allowed another car to come alongside on the left. As I had found out, you cant do much from there but he did his best, braking later than both of us but .. too late and he went off into the gravel.
I lined myself up for the quickest run through the chicance that I could, got half alongside by the line but lost out by just 0.07 of a secon or about a metre great fun though despite the none podium.
There are some occasions, specifically when defending at the end of the long straight and into T1 where I want to have very fine control over the braking, specifically making is hard/soft/hard or soft/hard/??? in order to keep my opponent guessing (he is usually alongide so not talking about flashing brakelights). Maybe if i explain one tactic i.e. I brake hard, a touch early, he reacts to the slow down and starts to brake, I ease off pull slightly ahead, he decides he is going to hold back and get a run on me, but I brake hard again and he cant get the run.
There are a couple of corners on the circuit where it uphill, one steeply. Just easing off slows the car enough to drop it down a gear and it's so soon after (almost immediate) that the revs don't die enough to need h&t. In fact to do so would probably slow the car too soon.
It does look odd at time though I must admit, looks like I clutch before brake, I certainly start pressing the clutch before the brake on occasions.
Such is the low power of these cars that, in the dry h&t is not critical and I also think I'm getting a bit lazy (certainly the earlier races I seem to h&t more).
It may also be a consequence of doing a 24hr race the week before in a Civic Type-R where the pedals needed at least a size 10 to get across them and I'm only a 6.5 (UK)
It is interesting watching your feet though, often they don't do what you think they are doing.
My students hate the pedal cam, they come in and I say "where you flat through T3", "Yes, coach" they reply .. then we look at the video and see that the racing boot fairy has intervened LOL
Actually, whilst on here I wonder what you guys think to my 'move' on the last lap on Race 3. I actually did a video of just this lap as I ran pretty much side-by-side with another racer for the whole lap.
A couple of guys on another forum questioned it as the 'advertised' clean-close racing. One saying I shouldn't have gone for a gap that wasn't there.
I'd already explained that the contact was extremely slight, couldn't hardly hear it in the car but my mic is strapped to the rollbar right at the left hand door pillar so it sounds worse. There was no dents or scrapes on either car, just a bit of black ruuber marks on the other drivers door.
This was my reply.
quote: Look a bit more closely, my initial move was a feint, to force the car in front to defend and compromise his exit. He does, but doesn't close the door completely so I come off the brake and go for the very definite gap. I am actually alongside (not my definition, the MSAs) just prior to the point of contact but the other driver is closing the door.
No problem, this is just close last lap racing, I did all I could to avoid the contact as did the other driver, neither of us pressed the situation.
Thanks, Maxx. That's what I figured. I'm new to SM and just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing out on some wiley veteran trick to driving these things.
-------------------- Kyle Burkhardt NASA Midwest #12 SM
quote:Originally posted by MaxxUK: Actually, whilst on here I wonder what you guys think to my 'move' on the last lap on Race 3. I actually did a video of just this lap as I ran pretty much side-by-side with another racer for the whole lap.
A couple of guys on another forum questioned it as the 'advertised' clean-close racing. One saying I shouldn't have gone for a gap that wasn't there.
I'd already explained that the contact was extremely slight, couldn't hardly hear it in the car but my mic is strapped to the rollbar right at the left hand door pillar so it sounds worse. There was no dents or scrapes on either car, just a bit of black ruuber marks on the other drivers door.
This was my reply.
quote: Look a bit more closely, my initial move was a feint, to force the car in front to defend and compromise his exit. He does, but doesn't close the door completely so I come off the brake and go for the very definite gap. I am actually alongside (not my definition, the MSAs) just prior to the point of contact but the other driver is closing the door.
No problem, this is just close last lap racing, I did all I could to avoid the contact as did the other driver, neither of us pressed the situation.
Maxx
IMHO, its a bit of a dive bomb. That being said, it was light contact and it would have been a non event where I come from. If it was heavier contact, or you spun him, there'd be penalties.
-------------------- Kyle Burkhardt NASA Midwest #12 SM
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Maxx: Watching your footwork makes me want to see mine! I never thought about how busy it is down there! Rick P.S. How many HP do you think you're wasting to generate the electric to necessary run all those cameras? Just kidding.
-------------------- Fortune Cookie Racing SM 60 Directions for use: Race, Rumple, Repair ... Repeat!
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great fun though despite the none podium.
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