Sorry for the delayed report, laptop playing up and I cant use my phone for anything but the most basic posts.
2018 Javelin Sprint Series, round 2, Blyton Park
The day previous to the sprints, Javelin have started running trackdays at the sprint venues.
A great way to get a feel for the track we`re competing on the following day
or.... A way for those with money to burn to cheat...
As 2018 is going to be a very modest year on track for me, I`m gonna have to do this the hard way..
Though one advantage is that my (rich) mates had already bagged a top spot, just by the start/loo`s etc.
There were 90 competitors for this round and the paddock stretched out an awful long way..
Getting there the evening before, meant I could get my car scrutineered and get all set up for the following day.
Making the morning a lot less frantic..
The class structure has been tweeked slightly this season and what was either under or over 1700cc, has now been split into seperate cc classes.
I am now competing in the N/A 1600-1800cc class (spec 2, unlimited modifications)
So as well as another Puma & Pumesta, I have a couple of 1.8`s (all well tuned) to beat.
Seven cars in class 11, making this the toughest sprint to date..
As you may be able to tell from the pics, the weather was fine. Not quite perfect, but pretty damn good.
As I`d feared the racing was bloody tight and one of the MX5`s was giving me a real run for my money.
The other Puma and Rover are also well sorted cars but both had gremlins on the day and lagged behind.
car 128 was right behind me all day..
Thankfully, thats where he stayed and after a bit of sweating in the afternoon.
I came out on top
ose: Winning by a mere 0.22 second!
Flying the Puma flag with pride..
My time was 2 seconds faster than last year and I picked up 12 points more than I did last year too..
Thats now 6 wins & a 2nd from 7 sprints.
I must be doing something right..
It`s going to be a six week layoff as the next sprint is at Croft.
A fantastic track, but a fantastic FAST track!
Meaning the championship points will be modest for all the modestly powered cars.
So I`ll be skipping that round. Meaning it1ll be the 17th June `till I roll again..
Plus, I can use the money to book Fordfair instead. (I`ll be putting in a couple of track sessions at Silverstone, so people can see my little trophy magnet in action..)
So.. Enough about the competition.
Let me say a few words about the car and it`s new mods..
Firstly, the new seating position is fantastic.
I`m lower than ever before and with the steering wheel angle now being a lot flatter, I could use the spacer bringing the wheel to just the right spot.
I`m now on the lookout for either a super deep dished steering wheel (@100mm) or a solid metal spacer.
The adjustable spacer I have is plain dangerous, I had to tighten it half way thru the day (12 miles in!)
The other mods were, of course, those wild cams and ecu `octane mod`.
WOW..
FRP cams are a fantastic tuning option for any standard Puma
They probably give the biggest power boost of all the FRP goodies.
But... At the end of the day they are cams designed for a road car.
Making them `fast road` cams in my eyes.
Newman Cams have their cam specs on the website and their Stage 1 cams have more lift than FRP ones.
The LMS stage 3 ones I have just fitted look huge next to the FRP`s
Not only is the lobe taller, It`s fatter too, So the cam open and closes a lot faster and the time it spends wide open (dwell) is longer too.
(no micrometer to hand, sorry)
Anyway, enough theory.. real world difference..
WOW..
If you know Blyton, you`ll know `The Ump` the first corner/chicane, with a dollop of concrete on the apex. (nice)
Straight after it is a long left hander, `Lancaster`
Previously, once I`d dodged the suspension busting `kerb`, I`d feed the power in, hitting full throttle before the first cone.
If I`d tried that on Sunday, I`d have spun the wheels and drove straight off track.
I had to feed the power in Coming out of all the technical sections,
There is a WOW amount of extra power.
So, looking forward..
With my redline now being at 7500rpm and my useable power being right at the top of the rev range. The rev counter is useless.
I either need a shift light (sequential type) or a custom dashboard with 8k rev counter. (it`ll be the shift light!)
Also, I need to be getting myself some more grip.
I`m already using soft compound Toyo R888 SG`s and even stickier tyres would be way too expensive,
So it`s time to seriously look at some aero..
I have my diffuser idea still milling around (I managed to slightly lose the back end on the last corner almost taking the timing gear with me, getting me a wee chat with organisers) So I do need a little on the rear end. But NO bgw.
I really REALLY have to make and fit an effective splitter. (this will be number 5. I think I know what it needs)
I may also compliment this, by designing and trying some oversize `time attack` style canards.
Possibly that can be removed for trackdays and only used when I`m balls to the wall sprint driving..
6 weeks `till the next Sprint (Kendrew Barracks) so I hope to have something sorted by then.