justkickin

Was great seeing you out! You can thank @Curtis for that re-run. I left him alone in the timing trailer for but a few moments and all hell breaks loose with the timers. Coincidence....I don't think so.

Had a great weekend of racing. Here is Curtis's winning run from Saturday: Notice how the passenger seat is empty. Here is my fastest run, about 0.4 seconds slower with Curtis in the passenger seat. I could say his lard ass cost me the win, but we all know better...you've seen Curtis right?! lol My inability to execute a 2 - 3 shift cost me time on Saturday. Realistically though, a Z06 should never need 3rd gear at an autox. I may have redeemed myself Sunday in a really close battle where 0.008 seconds separated first from third. Like they say, a win is a win. Here is my video of that final run. Glad it stayed dry today, I have had enough running in the rain this month.

This was my first Nationals and although I didn't meet my goals this year, I am hoping to head back next year armed with the knowledge acquired from this year. Still had a ton of fun. The people and courses made things enjoyable even if conditions were not ideal. I don't think I have ever raced in water that deep and we had the glory of drying the track on Wednesday. In the wet there were times the course would absolutely disappear and I was driving and timing my turns from memory. And that is in a car with a windsheild! Not sure what the folks without windshields were doing. I knew we were giving up something with the narrower rear tires, but how much never really hit home until we heard the cars on day 2. They were on the power much sooner and harder than Chris and I could even imagine doing. We will make changes for next year. I had the luxury of working sound which was not setup either day. On Day 1 I shagged cones, on day 2 I had the luxury of not working and went and watched CAM and Prepared cars on the East course while the West Course (where I should have been working) had a 1 hour delay to clean up trans fluid. The CarPorn alone is worth the trip! East course in the deep water: My best run on the West course. I never did execute the starting or finish slalom well.

We run first and work fifth. Glad we chose to check out the day after competition. Those are going to be long and early days. Looking forward to Vivek's course, not so sure yet about Karen's.

Might be interested in this. Will have to do some math on sizes.

So I hear paddock registration opens in a couple days. For those that have been or are going, what is that and what are important considerations?

Awesome job Mark! Always fun watching the car run!

Since I rent the trailer I can't really add tracking like that but have seen it used. I will look up this Saturn Industries place as I do want to tie it down from the chassis, although the internet seems split 50/50 on chassis vs wheels (or suspension compressed vs not compressed). The compressed camp makes more logical sense to me. Thanks folks.

Guys, Know any place local where I can get something like this? (My Google-fu has been weak this week... ) https://www.summitracing.com/int/search/product-line/macs-forged-mini-t-hooks/cargo-tie-down-anchor-type/t-hook The j-hooks in the straps I have do not fit in the shipping holes on the Vette. Others have recommended the above or similar. Any thoughts on the above vs strapping through the wheels when trailering the car? Or something like this so I can get a fat J-hook through it. https://www.bimmertools.com/t-hooks-p/11-7a-lba.htm

The EBC Racing Blue's I have now are about as dust free and quiet as I have had in a good pad. They work better than the HPS, but Chris and I are debating if the bite is the same as the HP+. They are certainly more linear than the HP+ so your friend may like them. Got mine from Sam Strano at stranoparts. https://ebcbrakes.com/product/ebc-disc-pads-for-racing/

That is my thought! Bridgestone engineering is thinking low pressure as well but I still think that is the easy way out. @rjames and @Jim Eh., Yeah going to have shop check that corner over as I told the Bridgestone Engineer, to me stuff is moving only in the directions it is supposed to. We chuckled. He's going to talk to John Laughlin (sp?) Who raced one of these for a few years and is now in a mod Mustang and works down the hall. Was nice talking to someone who understands what I do with the car at a manufacturer. Shall see what they email back. For now I am shopping another tire.... Costco is sold out. @Shawn I had a gauge do that as well, threw it out. Like you, won't make that mistake twice.

Car was fine @MRS Joe thanks, just a big tire mark. Thankfully we caught this second one before it blew out. Interestingly, after the event I was headed to that I did not make the tire would have been removed and flipped. I wonder if we would have seen the same wear as well? Will never know the answer to that question. And yes, I have two gauges that I use. Like I said, kinda anal about this car, although it may not appear that way all the time. @Magner these are both from the set we bought last fall. I get the under inflation argument @Corey, do appreciate you looking it up. It does make the most sense but it fails for me on a couple of points: 1. The right side has no issues and it is subject to all the same variables of pressure (30psi), camber (-2.5ish) and toe (0). Also mounted on an identical 18x9.5 wheel. 2. This is the second set of RE71R's on the car. The first set went to 120ish runs with nothing like this. After the blow out the left front wheel went to Wpg Wheel Works for close inspection and got a clean bill of health. One post on RoadRaceAutox has a note from the Bridgestone Engineers to run lower, at 26psi and his problem like this went away. That is just weird. I am also thinking a pyrometer is going to be my next tool purchase, it has to be less expensive than this is turning out to be. Any suspension guru's here wanna help me go over my left corner with a fine tooth comb this weekend before I destroy a third tire? One other post on RoadRaceAutox mentioned shock or bushing issues to check for...no idea what to check for though since the shock and its related hardware are all new. It would appear my email to the local Bridgestone rep has attracted the attention of the Engineers and one of them will call me tomorrow, I hope.

By both, do you mean inside and outside? This cording is solely on the inside of tire on the inside tirewall. On the Sandbox (roadraceautox.com) I am now hearing drop pressures even more...I am soooo confused! (think Welcome Back Kotter...google it if necessary). Attached here is the aftermath of the aforementioned blowout. Not certain anymore that the two events are unrelated. Note that the car is at about -2.5 degrees camber up front.

Looking for some input on what could be going on here as I seem to be wearing tires from the inside out. Some background: 1. I am religious about pressures. These tires run at 28 PSI rear or 30 PSI front, or 32 PSI on the street. 2. The tires are dedicated autox tires, very limited street miles. 3. Sometimes they sit in the garage for a week or two at a 24 - 26 PSI, but the car does not move until I check torque and pressure. 4. I had a blow out on the left front earlier this year that I attributed to road shrapnel, now I am not so sure. 5. Note that the cording in the tire pictured is on the INSIDE of the sidewall. My tire shop refused to remount, and I am not questioning their judgement here. 6. The blow out and the cording both appeared on the front left side. 7. The noncorded tire was on the right front. 8. Both sides have similar tread wear. 9. Both sides have 47 autox runs. 10. Car is running the full Strano setup with some alignment tweaks to adjust to our surface and style. Do note the bump/ridge that seems to be running across the inside of the tire adjacent to the cording. I have included a pic of the inside of the good tire from the right side of the car with the same run count on it. Question for the smart people here, manufacturing defects or setup problem? I can live with the former, but would like to fix the latter. If the latter, thoughts on fixes? Any help is appreciated as, in all honesty, I don't understand how two tires with the same run count and inflation practice can appear the same on the outside but so different on the inside. Still sorting this tire wear and alignment lock down issues. This, coupled with family obligations is why Chris and I were unaccounted for and apparently gave Curtis way too many points this weekend. lol

Chris and I actually got in this time...may have involved some texting on the 6th to make it happen...64 cars in AS alone! So far the second biggest class behind STR at 66 cars. Mark and Briget also registered. My first time going down for Nationals, should be a great time, win, lose or draw!