First race of the year for the Castro Motorsports SE30!

[priapism]

This weekend was our season opener. It was at California Speedway--the NASCAR track! Never done a roval before and the 50mph crosswinds were a little freaky for a de-virginizing experience! It's a little disconcerting because you're experiencing all these G forces so you think it's going to give out but most of those Gs are pushing you down into the banking, so it just sticks. I was getting up to about 130 before I had to turn, and once you turned it would quit accelerating.

Qualified 7th out of 13 and that's where I finished. It was a lonely race--I flubbed the start and couldn't get the draft of the leaders, but I was faster than the guys behind me. Here's the start:

https://vimeo.com/38074222

[j0oftheworld]

Nice.. lots of AZ peeps out there this past wknd!
I liked the "total fail race" video.. lots of action in that one! Some days it just doesnt go well in racing.. thats for sure! :)

[priapism]

Yeah it was a crossover event with Arizona. That meant lots of Spec 944s, which I love racing with. I went 2.5 seconds faster on Sunday but totally screwed the start, then I got all frustrated and overdrove the car and cooked the tires. Baaaad race, total fail on my part. It's very hard to catch the "peloton" at this track if you're not with them because they're all drafting each other down that long straight and that's good for at least a second on it's own.

I was battling loose handling all weekend. I thought it was the rear toe but I measured it again and it was straight. Need to go take a look at it again. I might bring it somewhere to get it corner balanced instead of screwing with it myself, I just don't have the kind of time I'm investing in it.

[team9]

What camera were you using?

[jlevie]

Rovals can be a lot of fun. But with the long high speed section if you loose touch with the cars ahead that are drafting each other they will simply pull lead on you every lap.

About as good as you can get is for the car to have a touch of push on corner entry and be a bit loose on track out. Corner balance is important so the car won't have a preference for turns to the right or turns to the left. But front to rear balance is also important for push/loose control. I can only get 51/49% on my car so I compensate by running the rear sway full loose and using 5mm more spacing on the rear wheels than the front. The car winds up with a touch of push on corner entry and a touch loose on exit.

[NigelStu]

Nice! Great to see some recent video. Can't wait for the race season to start....

[priapism]

Rovals can be a lot of fun. But with the long high speed section if you loose touch with the cars ahead that are drafting each other they will simply pull lead on you every lap.

The Formula Fords get 2 seconds a lap out of a draft at this track. Hard to beat that. Gotta say though, bombing around the oval at top speed was f'n fun! I started giggling like an idiot the first time I went out.

I need to get more comfortable racing in the pack. I'm still new at this, and on a provisional license.

What camera were you using?

Contour HD

[SkiFree]

Glad to hear you had fun! Starting any rivalries with the guys at Midnight Oil yet?

IF you get a chance, head out to the Speedway when VARA (doesn't look like they'll be there this year :( )is out there, watching some of those old open-wheelers hit the crosswinds is something else. Saw a Bugatti Type 35 about jump into the wall once.

[cosm3os]

Can't wait to get out there!!

[blueapplesoda]

MMM socal se30 is getting more and more enticing.

[priapism]

Glad to hear you had fun! Starting any rivalries with the guys at Midnight Oil yet?

Well, almost everyone else is Midnight Oil, so I guess so But really, almost everyone out there is cool as hell. The car is strong, I just need to get the handling right. Gonna take some doing. I'm still new at this.