Power steering or loose track?

[rick harden]

Last year our corvette C/GT ran down the track like it was on rails, this year we took the stock hydraulic power steering pump off and replaced it with a electric over hydraulic unit along with all of the belt driven components. This year our car felt like it was on top of the track kinda like driving on ice, if you corrected the steering the rear started to step out so you just kinda let it go with a minor correction until it got back on track and then it felt like it wanted to hunt some more. Between the 3 and 5 1/4 @ 200 + the steering felt real loose. I suspect it was the track but am not sure.  Anyone else have this loose feeling this year that can compare to last years long course?

[Stan Back]

Ran 200 for three miles (actually 200 -199 - 200).  Tach swinging, going from right to left, felt like a pinball between all those markers -- didn't make any chassis changes from before.  Just glad we didn't do a triple-axle or any of those other ice skating moves.

Stan

[F104A]

Had the same problem with both the roadster and the lakester. Lakester ran 230 last year, straight and true. This year it couldn't get past 187 and it was all over the place. No chassis changes, couldn't figure it out, blamed it on the track but who knows?

[bvillercr]

Fastest we have ever ran, no handling problems with our car.  although we never powered past the three, and we heard the track wasn't good at the four thru the five?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLG0JFzazrs

So what's the real problem?  Wait a minute you guys aren't running those skinny tires are you?

[jl222]

   Skinney tires with 70 to 90psi and a wheel rate that goes to infinity?

  All kidding and needling aside the course did not seem to be graded as smooth as other years , while driving the course after drivers meeting I could see high and low spots constantly and feel them in my truck but maybe it rained after grading.

           JL222

[rick harden]

Had the same problem with both the roadster and the lakester. Lakester ran 230 last year, straight and true. This year it couldn't get past 187 and it was all over the place. No chassis changes, couldn't figure it out, blamed it on the track but who knows?

  Did the roadster have the drastic speed loss like the lakester? Our car had some major improvements like more HP, better gear selection, a bit softer rear suspension, lower, heavier and balanced and we only picked up a few mph. We kinda threw everything at expecting better results. The car should have tracked better than it did and was wondering what to try next or to leave it like is and hope for better salt

[DahMurf]

I'm just a slow bike chick but did manage to run on all 3 course during speed week. The left most long course I thought was crap the last day. I was extremely thankful to be on a very stable proven bike. It reminded me of dirt bike riding from the 3 to 4. Lots of wheel spin & bumpy. I had an unintentional shut down as I came past the 4 MM so I only coasted through the 5 lookin to turn off. (probably a blessing) I managed to qualify on my first run on that track but was more excited that I got off the track without incident then I was that I qualified.  I ran again since I was trying to back it up & stayed extreme right which seemed a bit better/less wheel spin but still not solid per say.

The short course was wonderful the first day. Hard and flat. The combo course was good the 2nd but maybe not as nice as the short course. I rode the short course again in a car for orientation on the 3rd day & it was starting to get bumpy.

It seemed to me like the courses were pristine at the start but that was the best of it. Of course the head winds didn't do any of us any favors either!

[836dstr]

We were pitted trackside at about the "4"until Wednesday afternoon. It seemed like there were a number of spins in that area.

We ran the Short course so don't have any personal knowledge of the condition of the Long course other than Glen's famous words "we have a spin".

Tom

[cheeto racer]

Loose track.... especially at the 4 mile marker... Car wanted to use most of the course  down to the 4 and then danced a little jig at the end....

[F104A]

Yes Rick, the roadster ran 9 mph short of last year but should have run 9 mph faster. It's usually
a one hander but not this year. Not NEARLY as bad as 2005. Oh well, maybe next year!

[Stan Back]

I'm guessing that 2005 was the year that we were the sixth or so car on the long course on Saturday morning.  We were the first to make it to the five.  Once was enuf!  Truly an off-road course experience.

Stan

[rick harden]

Thanks everyone for sharing, I think we will still make some more improvements to our car and pray for better consistant salt surface next time we run. Can any one tell me if the volunteers drag the course at night to help maintain a good track or is it useless to try?

[Glen]

The courses are drug as needed or in some cases moved after the third day.

[rick harden]

The courses are drug as needed or in some cases moved after the third day.

On Thursday evening during Speed Week I drove the long and combo tracks for inspection and found allot of marble size salt balls and soft areas on the long track, so I decided to run on the combo course Friday morning. The combo course looked like it was in better shape since it was moved on Wednesday (I think). After record runs were made Friday morning they shut down the combo course and we had to move over to the long course. What is the reason for putting us on the long course when the combo course was in much better shape? Still trying to under stand the steering stability of our car and how the salt conditions change from day to day and year to year.

[DahMurf]

After record runs were made Friday morning they shut down the combo course and we had to move over to the long course. What is the reason for putting us on the long course when the combo course was in much better shape? Still trying to under stand the steering stability of our car and how the salt conditions change from day to day and year to year.

My guess is they did that so they could start breaking down the combo course while keeping everyone over on the long course side and essentially out of the way. I agree the combo course was better and I was very dissapointed that we had to run on the long course since it was so rough from the 3 down. 

Debbie