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9.12.2011

Last week we were able fine tune the car to where it would be easy on the tires and just as fast at the end of the race as it is at the beginning. During the week prior to the race on the 3rd, we had JZ Motorsports go through the rear axle and replace leaky seals and other internal components within the differential. We quickly found out that the setup we had been running in the car was compensating for the axle not performing as well as it should. Unfortunately it was working too well during the first main of the night causing the car to "push", or not turn, in the middle through the exit of the corners. We decided at that point that our best strategy would be to come in the pits and make some changes so that the car would be more competitive in the second race. By the end of the first main, we had the car freed up quite a bit. Only a couple more changes and we were ready to give it another go in the second main. We were able to get out front at the start of the main and start putting some distance between us and the rest of the pack. With victory in our sights, a caution came out with only nine laps remaining. All we needed was a solid start to put us in victory lane. We cleared the second place car and drove across the start/finish line first. The car handled great but we still had an underlying brake issue that we needed to address.

Sunday morning we were already researching what braking components we needed to get the Work'n More car to victory lane again. We placed the order and waited for the goodies to arrive. Friday night involved draining the entire brake system to cycle in fresh fluid. We also rebuilt our rear calipers to make sure they work flawlessly. Then we replaced our front and rear master cylinders and installed our new front brake calipers. Saturday morning we improved our brake cooling system, changed the oil, and loaded up to head to the track. Now if you know how I am with my chassis setup, I can never just leave the car the way it is because I always want to try something to see if it will make the car faster. If you noticed above, I didn't mention anything about different springs or different weight distribution, just maintenance tasks and that was it. While questioning that decision, we unloaded the car at the track and took the car out for a few practice laps to break in the new components.

The car felt pretty good during those few laps so we decided to leave the car how it was and wait for qualifying. On the 3/8 track, we have been doing an unconventional style of qualifying called "European qualifying" where a few cars will go out on the track at once for 8 laps to try and get the best time they can. Unfortunately for us, our car works its best when the tires have no laps on them. The best lap we will turn on a set of tires is the second or third lap after that they begin to fall off. For us, once a set of tires experience a heat cycle, we loose anywhere from one tenth to two tenths of a second. During our European qualifying session, we brought the tires up to temp, got the green flag, completed our first lap then the track threw a caution. We idled around for about five laps till we were cleared to finish our session. Would we get a better time if we were qualifying like we have been for the last few decades? Probably, but it was a lesson learned for the track that we really are not saving anyone any time by qualifying that way. We qualified fourth fastest which doesn't help us earn too many passing points but placed us fairly well for track position.

We started on the outside of the front row of our heat race. By the third lap we cleared the 48 and led the rest of the race. The car handled alright but we decided to leave the car how it is and just wait for the temperatures fall as the night approached.

The night had cooled off just as we hoped it would and it was time to get ready for the race. We were lined up for third in the grid for the start. We knew it was a long race and we knew we had a good car so we tried to be as patient as we could on the start. The green flew and the pole sitter got crossed up in-front of us but we stayed in line as we are required. By the exit of turn two, the 48 and 70 passed around the outside and into the lead. I was now door to door with the sixth place starter as we passed the apex of turn one and two. As we raced off of turn two we had no choice but to split apart and go around the 89. As we reached the exit of turn three and four, I had cleared both outside cars but the 24 car spun in some oil left in the high groove from the previous race. Unfortunately the 89 car got caught up in the spin and couldn't finish the race. On the restart, the inside line moved forward placing us on the pole. Once the track officials spread some speedy-dry on the oiled portion of the track, it was time to try this all over again. We cleared the 48 car on the start but he was able to make a run at the inside. We raced side by side for a lap or two till we pulled back into the lead. We were under some unrelenting pressure from the 70 car throughout the middle segment of the race but he was unable to get along side the Wolverine car to attempt to pass us. With about ten laps to go, the car was unstoppable (in a good way) and we began to pull away from the pack. We crossed the finish line first with about four or five car lengths lead over the 2nd place car.

We are looking forward to the last race of the year which is going to be on the 3/8. Hope to make it three in a row! See you there!