Tim Comeau Posted November 24, 2005 Share Posted November 24, 2005 Where good friends and 944 racers gather to talk about the things that really matter to us.......... So what can we do for next year to make the series better? I have ideas. What are your ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeanutinCA Posted November 24, 2005 Share Posted November 24, 2005 Set a 1 tire set per weekend rule?????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
944-Spec#94 Posted November 25, 2005 Share Posted November 25, 2005 Set a 1 tire set per weekend rule?????? Well, You can't be serious Dilly!!! I use two sets of tires over a given weekend however. 1 set for practice that I am breaking in for race use when my race set gets old. My other set is my "race" set that use for race and qualfying. That may "sound" like alot, but those two sets last me all year doing full slate of races. Plus you always want an extra set of tires just incase of puncture, flat spot or your "good set" finally give up the ghost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Posted November 25, 2005 Share Posted November 25, 2005 Speaking of tires...check your PM Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Comeau Posted November 25, 2005 Author Share Posted November 25, 2005 Yeah. Mikael put on a brand new set for Sunday's race and my car still went faster. New tires might be faster than tires with 4 or 5 weekends on them? Unknown. I guess it depends how you drive them, how they're inflated, etc. What kind of heat cycles have they been through? Severe heat cycles? My experience has been that the TOYOS stay pretty consistent for a long time. Do the TOYO TIRE techs say different? I have experience in karting with racing on the tires you qualify on. They spray paint a dot onto the side wall of the tires. I don't think it's neccessary to limit ourselves to one set of tires per weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
944-Spec#94 Posted November 25, 2005 Share Posted November 25, 2005 Yeah. Mikael put on a brand new set for Sunday's race and my car still went faster. New tires might be faster than tires with 4 or 5 weekends on them? Unknown. That is not the case from my experience. On my with my driving style it takes at least 6 heat cycles to get them fast. Even then second to last heat cycle of well worn toyo is actually very fast, but the tire are also a handfull to drive. Then on their next heat cycle they are toast. That is after getting 38 or so heat cycles from them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Comeau Posted November 25, 2005 Author Share Posted November 25, 2005 (edited) Here's us at Buttonwillow. Addy, Weitze, Pag, Foley, Pennock- left to right in back. Spargo and Comeau in front. We're all wearing our TOYO TIRES hats! Thanks to Bryan at Chapman BMW for the shirts, hats, lanyards and decals. Edited November 25, 2005 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
944-Spec#94 Posted November 25, 2005 Share Posted November 25, 2005 What are you so surprised about? 38 heat cycles or them being fast at the end of their life... ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Comeau Posted November 25, 2005 Author Share Posted November 25, 2005 Naw, I just had to enter something while I figured out how to get a pic on the forum. Used photobucket.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Comeau Posted November 25, 2005 Author Share Posted November 25, 2005 So........any ideas for next year's racing? How about always starting as a pack, regardless of how far apart the fastest and slowest qualifiers are? I think that makes for better 944 racing. Coin toss for inverted starting positions or regular qual'd starting positions? Remember kill switches will be mandatory for 2006. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeanutinCA Posted November 25, 2005 Share Posted November 25, 2005 OK, so maybe I left out the 'new'? Some people experiemented with several new sets per weekend. It was questionable as to any real advantage? It just seems it takes that element out of it? Not really fussed personally. Just throwing it out there for discussion. Of course, run all the old tires you like. Hell, save your new set for the race. But if you race both days, it's the same tires for second days race? I've seen guys go through 4 sets of tires in a 3 day race weekend (Friday practice). Inverted start for the Sunday qual race was fun. But, would be nice to keep your previous days finishing order for the Sunday race if inverted qual races were imlpemented (for fun only). It sucks to win on Sat and then go to the back of the field for the Sunday Qual. If something goes wrong in the qual race, your at the back, even though you were faster? Friends and I had a brief indoor go-kart series going. We came up with a few different race formats for points. Fastest last, inverted grid, best average lap, finishing order. Each race was a different format. Made it fun. P.D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Comeau Posted November 25, 2005 Author Share Posted November 25, 2005 Yeah, fun is the impetus here. Close racing among the 944's for a longer period of time is the product. * Some drivers will want to start where they qual'd because they're going for the championship? * 30 minutes is enough time to get to the front if you're really faster? Just a suggestion......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
944 Swede Posted November 26, 2005 Share Posted November 26, 2005 Always starting as a a pack I think is great for the class and hopefully NASA allows us to do so. To turn the 2nd session of the day (qualifying) in to a qualifying race for grid position for the points race in the afternoon I feel would add alot more wear, stress and $$$ to the weekend. Frankly, after one 30 min race I'm pooped. Normally during the qualifying session I'm done after 6-8 laps. I know I won't go any faster and I choose to pit to save tires and wear on the car. Inverted starts is fun and spectacular to watch but a slap in the face to someone racing for points. I would agree to a inverted grid maybe just a few times a season and only if it is announced well in advance and not at the drivers meeting and only if we leave the top 3 cars in original order. i.e. the slowest car starts first but the fastest car starts third to the slowest, the 2nd fastest starts second to the slowest and the 3rd fastest qualifier starts last. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Packfill Posted November 26, 2005 Share Posted November 26, 2005 To turn the 2nd session of the day (qualifying) in to a qualifying race for grid position for the points race in the afternoon I feel would add alot more wear, stress and $$$ to the weekend. I disagree with the Swede on this one point... I am here to race. Don't care that much about championships, trophies, tires, or wear and tear on my car... I just want to race.... I think racing for Qualifying, Inverted Starts, Relays, Longer Duration races, etc... are ALL good for developing race craft.... I can TT in my neighborhood. I came to race!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spec-944#70 Posted November 26, 2005 Share Posted November 26, 2005 If we did something like this we'd have to do it as a lotterey after Qual so our sneeky Director can't pad his qual and then say "Guess what we're running inverted today!" After all we all know how sneaky TC can be!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
944-Spec#94 Posted November 27, 2005 Share Posted November 27, 2005 Well, I'd really prefer straight-up fights. That means practice timed qualfying and a race each day. Two races per day is tough on drivers and equipment. Two fully points paying races per weekends just right. As for inverted starts... There is major problem with this. Once guys get fast it is hard to pass. I have race against both Dilly and Glenn G were I felt I "might" have been faster, but got behind them in the race. This could have been from straight up qualfying or a pass at the start. The problem is that passing that person becomes very difficult because the cars are so even in power and performance. Better in my mind to reward the low qualfying time with better starting spots. It really makes you work hard in qualfying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
944 Swede Posted November 27, 2005 Share Posted November 27, 2005 Good to see we can all air our viewpoints without becoming hostile towards eachother. At the end of the day we all want the same thing, good, clean, even racing with lots of participants. Whatever is decided, I'll attend with a smile Looing forward to next season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Comeau Posted November 28, 2005 Author Share Posted November 28, 2005 NASA will allow us to start as a group. We may have to start at the back, but that's ok. It's really cool just to see all the 944's together on the start. No sneakiness here on the part of the Race Director. We'd all have to agree and know at least there would be a possibilty of a non-standard start. Sometimes my qual sessions can be only 3 laps long. If I feel I've ripped off a great lap, I'll park it and save the gas and tires! As far as qual'ing well and being "slapped" by having to start at the back of the pack.....we could reward qual'ing well with points. Let's say 5 points for pole if we invert the start? If a coin toss shows we invert the grid, you'd still get something for pole position. ( We could also give 1 point for fast lap of the race). When I was karting, we did qual'ing and 2 races. You qual'd for starting position of the first race, then the finishing order of that race was inverted for the second race. The fast guys still usually won, but the pack didn't string out so quickly, which made it more exciting. Racing should be exciting, right? More ideas? Let's start as a pack this weekend, ok? Championship is over. It'll be fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfoley Posted November 28, 2005 Share Posted November 28, 2005 It's about racecraft and learning to be a better racer for me. Starting as a group is great for the class and I'm much more comfortable racing with people I know. Inverted starts would mix it up and I think that would be fun once in a while. I typically stay out the entire qualifying session because it is more seat time and I'm still learning how to make room to get that fast lap in. I can't imagine anybody tanking the qualifying session. I think NASA has it right with a qualifying session and a race each day, however, I would like two practice sessions per day. Points are secondary. We all know who the fastest guys are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
924sowner Posted November 30, 2005 Share Posted November 30, 2005 Need... MOre...... TRACK TIMEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *goes insane* i still havent gotten my clutch fixed. Any way you guys decide to run the QUAL/RACE sounds like it would be great fun, and very exciting for the people in the grand stands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Comeau Posted December 1, 2005 Author Share Posted December 1, 2005 Git-R-done, Mike! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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