06/13/2016
Gridlife Time Attack Recap:
Day one: We melted a power steering line just enough to cause fluid to drip onto the uppipe after a hard corner. Aside from that, the car was running really rich and ABS was not working. The PS leak got progressively worse and eventually blew back onto the flywheel and caused the clutch to slip in 3rd-6th gear under any load. The best lap time I could manage was a 1:45
Day two: We bypassed the PS pump to eliminate system pressure and help hopefully remedy the clutch slipping as well. The car was still running rich, but we were able to put down a few laps without the clutch slipping which was an improvement. Turned a 1:44 lap.
Day three: Clutch slipping a bit again, but overall the car was handling good, and the ambient temp was about 15 degrees lower than previous days, so I pushed it a bit. After about 3 full laps, rod #2 decided that this is America, and it wanted to be free too, exiting the block in spectacular smokey fashion.
Despite everything, I'd call the weekend a success. I turned out a 1:42 to set a PR at the track, and I got to spend the weekend with lots of old and new friends, and even my Canadian Subaru twin Brandon Cawker.
I want to thank my sponsors and everyone for the great support throughout the event, especially the entire Understeer R&D crew for helping get the car as squared away as possible and Todd Tortorelli for hauling my broken racecar home. Tara Turbo-Hurlin for the awesome on track pictures, and to everyone who stopped by to just say hi and check out the car, I hope you all enjoyed the fireballs! We will be back again, with more power and less F's to give!
LoveFab, Thompson Racing Fabrication, Girodisc.
