Javelin sprint day series 2016 winter prep and upgrades

[welshy1]

Aug 18, 2016 19:35:07 GMT rocketrichard said:

Good work, I wish the Javelin series would move slightly further south!

These cars are so suitable for sprint racing, I think more people should have a go, you'll enjoy it and I drive to the events so you don't need a trailer.

Agreed im from south wales hence my name so all are long runs closest being Anglesey which was last weekend, but the journey is worth the effort snetterton is round 6 be great to get some more mevs on track they using the full 300 layout too and with one practice lap 8 timed runs and possibility for more on top if the days goes well.

[welshy1]

Well Anglesey was the 4th round last weekend epic drive through wales with the trailer left south wales at midday and arrived at the track just after 5pm, after a nice week the weather was not on our sides constant rain showers all the way up but did stop once we got to the track. Chatted to a few of the people that had all ready arrived watched the 24hr yes 24hr 2cv racing going on finishing 9am on sunday left the trailer with the car at the paddock and went back to the hotel.

Meet up with 2 of the guys competing which lasted a few hours with some food and drink till 11 then off for some sleep before the early start.

Sunday got to the track about 8 got the scrutineering done and signed on, while the wait for briefing straight to the café for breakfast and hot cup of tea as its extremely windy.

Morning was very messy due to the 2cv guys using most of the main paddock and we had to use the top paddock which meant a lot of time spent going back and for but by the time of the 2nd run most of us found room down the main paddock and everything went good.

With a dry track and sun shinning but extremely windy first practice lap got underway new track so just taking it easy managed a very respectable 1.41. First time run done and done under 1.40 with a 1.39.48 then run 2 nearly 2s drop down to 1.37.17 which was pretty good. Runs 3 and 4 messed up both 1.38 then while waiting for run 5 started drizzling not bad at first but now effecting the track went out no grip at all 1.50 lap time after a few extremely sideways moments.

Stopped rain track started to dry up so went out for run 6 but wasn't quicker but was good to explore the wet line and driving the exo in the rain first time while turbod. As soon as I came in the just got heaver so no point in run 7 or 8 so packed up covered the car and walked over to the café to chat and grab a bit to eat.

As for postitions in one way the rain coming in stopped anyone else beating my lap time but felt I could of gone even quicker but it was good enough to get me another 1st in class but improved 3 positions from croft 6th to first 3 behind a evo 8 and a formula jedi meaning my first overall podium super chuffed and at my home track so couldn't have gone much better.

3 trophys now in 2 races woodbridge is next up so potential to maybe improve on the latest result. Will update the series position after the 4th round when it gests updated.

[kiwicanfly]

So by my rough calcs you spent eight hours travelling for less than 11 minutes of racing.

On paper that does not look a good investment in racing time over travelling time.

However, as I too have discovered, the investment is just SO worth it.

I did a track day in NZ with roughly the same travelling time as you followed by a sprint competition and I know which I would pick if I had to choose.

Good stuff welshy1

And I don't even consider myself a competitive driver!

[welshy1]

Yes does look a lot of traveling for track time but prefer sprinting over track days going to run the series again next year then look into going into my local welsh saloon and sports car racing series which will need even more money to compete.

[welshy1]

Woodbridge was the 5th rd first time like most of the tracks and a different feel as its a mod base so its more like a rally course than track.
Didn't click with the track at all throughout the 8 runs and with only 40 cars that came and went extremely quickly. But still got me 6th overall and passing 3 cars in the championship table with that result so now sit in the top 10 the only person that high while missing a round.

The track did break the car in fact only noticed it when I unloaded it of the trailer as its broke a rear wing stay from the mounting tab and broke the bonding between the stay and arch.

Month left till the next round which is the final round of the year which is a double header with the Toyota sprint series running in class x at the snetterton 100 layout on the Saturday and the 300 layout which what the btcc series use with the javelin lot on the sunday. Hoping to come away with atleast 2 trophies one being class x winner and b2 overall title winner.

[theancientone]

Great write ups. What is your opinion on diff ratios now you've tried two?

[welshy1]

Not with the turbo been running a 3.9 torsen diff all year, but did run 2 last year when n/a and did prefer the 4.3 over the 3.9 but with the turbo need the 3.9 in it. Ideally want the 6 speed box to go with it but its shit in competition uses.

[theancientone]

Thanks.
What are the drawbacks of the six speed box for competition use?
The ratios? The ease of changing gear? Or something else?
Just asking because we've got the 3.9 diff with the six speed box (and forced induction), and it would be interesting to know.

[welshy1]

I find the 6 speed box the distance between the gears are way to close to each other so you end up missing gear changes when in competition. 5 speed is a much nicer box for racing.

[welshy1]

Time flies when your having fun and with a change of job and work being hecktick since joining feels like only last week since the last round. Snetterton is this weekends round and the final round of the series with javelin and on the Saturday is the same with the Toyota series where I'm running in class x.

Not much done apart from fixing the wing stay traveling down tomorrow and popping into see g19 to add a turbo brace and set up the launch control.

[theancientone]

Good luck at Snetterton.

[welshy1]

So last weekend of the year was a double header at the snetterton race track. A long 260 mile journey for a long weekend with 2 sprints.
First day the Saturday was running in class x in the Toyota sprint series on the 100 layout mainly to use as practice for the sunday events. Dry day was forecast and so it turned out to be a dry day. Arrived just before 8am got the boring stuff out the way and was set to go for the practice and what turned up to be 9 timed laps. Started of slow with a 1.41 on the federal rsr tyres my aim was mid 1.30 lap time from a regular in my class with a r500 Caterham.
By run 4 was down to a low 1.40 so time to swap over to the nankang ar1 for the afternoon.

Times then instantly fell down and with a good battle with a brand new 2.5 turbo boxter finished with a 1.36.00 with him a 1.36.60. Managed a 3rd overall and 2nd in class x with class winner being a 400 bhp supercharged fisher fury.

The talk at the hotel were a number of the runners on the sunday event were staying was all on the weather if and when the rain was going to come in. Some going for a early quick run some hoping it would dry up later all would be unleashed the follow day. Again got to the track just before 8am with another 2 runners a mk2 mr2 who was aiming to finish 2nd overall in the series and another in the class below me with a r400 Caterham. Was dry right up till the point briefing started. Lucky we had a garage to share along with a pair of guys in a formula jedi one from Newport 10 miles from me.

First time using the exocet in the rain been dry all year so first practice run on a new track was going to be fun. Decided to use the rsr to gauge the grip which there wasn't much of boost turned right down and got to grips with the conditions and car. 2 runs before lunch with a 2.47 being the quickest which didn't mean much. Found out 2 things one after swapping to the ar1 and removing the arb links they aren't that bad in the wet and 2 my right arm gets soaked in the rain.

Then after run 1 then rain stops track dries from then on. With run 2 and lunch meaning the track is drying up I was the unfortunet person to be first up to venture out on track. Very hard it turned out trying to gauge the conditions that are totally different to the run before this time boost turned up I push as much as I dared and manage a big improvement of 30s with a 2.17.50 happy with that and with more dry weather was sure of breaking into the low 2mins. With a 80 car field the track was going to be dry for the 4th run. So my time to go back out this time went for it knowing weather could change and if it did rain now it would be not enough time to get dry again.

So with that in mind and knowing the condition which would be a fully dry track pushed on and managed a 2.09.99. Happy with that worked out where I could find time with another competitor and then bang massive rain shower couldn't be longer than 5 mins but was enough too ruin the day.
For the majority of the field with the dry run 3 and 4 most didn't venture out back as ive come all this way thought what the hell just go out for fun got it sideways a lot and spun it numerous times finding the limit of the car in the wet.

With such a disjointed day with the weather nobody knew where they finished or what times were quick. I managed to get a very respectable 7th overall with the only cars ahead 4wd cars 2 drivers in the formula jedi and the 400bhp fisher fury. Managed a 2nd in class with the fury first in class.

As it was the last rd the overall trophy presentation I had made up a lot of ground while missing the first rd with a jump of 42 places from 51-10th overall and the highest place runner with only doing 5 rd and the most important part for me class b2 champion couldn't have hoped for anything better.

Going back for 2017 to improve and compete for overall title with a quicker car and improved driver.

Hope too see more mev drivers get into this series as it such huge fun it really is something that will continue to grow and become even more competitive at grass routes racing.

Overall I managed 2 class wins trophy 1 2nd class trophy 1 3rd overall and the b2 overall champion not a bad first year.

[theancientone]

Well done. You've had a good year.

[welshy1]

So quiet few months but have been busy the car has been fully stripped back down to a bare shell ready for the full cage to be made for it by a local fabrication company then it will go for media blasting then painting. Then can rebuild it.
Got a few upgrades planned for the winter with willwood 4 pot rear brake set up to match the front set, bias valve installed to well control brake bias.
Shocks rebuilt/new ball joints etc just a general clean and paint of all the suspension parts, have a newer engine to be fitted and a few other bits and pieces
Also power will be going up from 220bhp-240bhp.

Will ad photos over the festive period with some time of work and some time to do some work on it.

[welshy1]

Long time since an update but after a long winter with a few issues finally got the car ready for mapping weekend before the first Rd this year at snetterton. Was a nervous time hoping the engine would survive considering if it dodnt would be missing the first event.
With the new manifold from g19 we did a run running the previous years map and achieved a power of 235bhp which is 15bhp more just by change of manifold. After tweekimg fuel tables and upping the boost from 10.5 to 13psi the magic number of 250bhp and 260ft of torque a quick test drive confirmed this is now a totally different beast from last year.

With that done and last minute jobs finished the Friday of the race weekend tome to load up and do the same journey we did 6 months ago where I claimed b2 champion last year.
Due to running late on the build I went with zero testing so mew set up to learn.

Got to the track Sunday morning and straight away car wouldn't even start no life great here we go. Got it off the trailer amd the jault of the trailer touching the floor got the car in to life so off to get it through scruiteernering and signed in. Unlike last year sun is shinning and no rain to be seen.

Got on track for the sighting laps and within 3 corners car cuts out after a good aimed tap to the centre consul it fired up again knowing the issue came backk into tempory fix the lose ignition switch connection. With that all sorted line up for practice run first ever time on track at speed with the new set Up and my god totally different car brakes stable with the 4 pots all round and way more grunt.
First and 2nd timed runs done with one void run and the other being a 2.12 just 2s shy of last years best at snetterton 300 layout.
Few tweaks over lunch and with a wait went to find the current time sheets not expecting much was realy surprised too see me being 3rd overall was not expecting to do so well. With time to find and tweaks made run 3 got into the 2.09 and with that now 2nd overall 5s down on first being a 600bhp Subaru on slicks. Comftable with the car and great conditions continue to push on run 4 down to 2.07 then as I enter the brakes the revs shot Up and brakes go rock hard while entering the pits frantically shut the engine of and with what little brakes I had stopped and got back into my garage. After a quick inspection found the outlet from the inlet manifold to brake servo had popped out of the manifold sucking in excess air and lose of servo.

Fixed before run 5 and now in a comftobale 2nd place time for run 5. With the previous runs problem in the back of my mind as I queed up to go wasn't expecting to improve but as soon as the flag dropped just went for it. And dropped 1.2s to a 2.06.33 now 3s from first place.
Run6 finally run of the day first place guy improves his time to 2.03.40 I set of to see how close I can get nailed the first section get onto the long back straight 140mph befor the braking zone push myself to brake as late as possible. Getting into last section which rewards bravery felt good over the line to a 2.05.3 to get within 2s of first place guy which for a car with zero practice exceeded all expectations.

2nd overall and 1st in class for the first Rd put me in a great position for the series few issue to sort for Rd 2 at blyton in 3 weeks time to hopefully continue my form.