The driver has direct contact with his race car through the steering wheel, seat, and pedals. And the car has direct contract with the racetrack through it's tires. So having a good set of race tires for your ride makes all the difference. Other than cost, there are quite a few differences between roadrace tires and street tires, the biggest two being tread design and rubber … [Read more...] about RACE TIRES
5 WAYS TO HAVE A BETTER RACE WEEKEND
As with most things in life, planning ahead usually brings about better results. My Dad taught me the rule of 3 P's: Piss Poor Planning leads to Piss Poor Performance. That certainly holds true in racing. A little luck can go a long way, but planning, preparation, and skill is what leads to a better race weekend. 1- Get your race car maintenance done early. Wrenching on your … [Read more...] about 5 WAYS TO HAVE A BETTER RACE WEEKEND
BUTTONWILLOW RACEWAY PARK, VARA-U ’09
I spent this weekend at Buttonwillow Raceway Park with VARA-U, a combined school and Test&Tune event. VARA holds this event annually, and this year was a great success especially cosidering the current economy. The school event had over 100 students, and the T&T had over 30 participants. On Saturday the students alternated between the skid pad, slalom course, classroom, … [Read more...] about BUTTONWILLOW RACEWAY PARK, VARA-U ’09
10 WAYS TO LOSE WEIGHT!
No, this is not a 'Woman's Day' article on how to lose ten pounds by walking from the back of the parking lot or by folding your laundry while jumping in place. I'm talking about putting your race car on a diet. A car's acceleration potential is measured by its Weight-to-Power ratio, or how many pounds of car each horsepower must accelerate. A 2200 pound car powered by a 200 … [Read more...] about 10 WAYS TO LOSE WEIGHT!
THROTTLE LINKAGE VS. THROTTLE CABLE
A lot of older cars used throttle linkages instead of throttle cables. My 1971 Datsun 240Z was one of them. Linkage systems are usually quite robust and hold up to decades of abuse. Unfortunately in the 196os and '70s, they started using plastic pieces, usually the end caps, that sometimes break down, especially when frequently adjusted. And as you can imagine, these little … [Read more...] about THROTTLE LINKAGE VS. THROTTLE CABLE
SOUNDING OFF – db limits
I've never been a believer of the Harley crowd's moto "Loud Pipes Save Lives". All that loud pipes do is get restrictions put in place. Next month I'm going to a track day event at Laguna Seca Raceway in Salinas, CA, just outside Monterey. LSR has a very strict db (decibel) limit due to its proximity to some very wealthy and influential neighborhoods. LSR only has 5 weekend … [Read more...] about SOUNDING OFF – db limits