This is my report from Oct 08. I enjoy telling the story and hope you enjoy reading it.
The day looked bleak, Air temp was 45F, we had rain every 20 mins for about 10 mins. There was standing water on the track, mostly at the apex of the corners. All of my tires are decidedly summer dry tires. My street tires (Yokohama Advan Neova) are fantastic when it is warm and dry, but lackluster in the cold and wet. Then there is my track rubber. Toyo RA-1. They are at the end of a season and the end of their life. They have held up great to many a session but are now hardened slicks.
Before heading to the track I had decided that I would not run in the rain. Maybe it would clear up and dry out and then I could give the Cosworth a good shaking down, but if it stayed wet I’d just be a spectator. So I mounted my track rubber and headed off.
The day stayed as it started, wet and miserable. Turnout was low, maybe 12 cars, a new Z06, several M3s, a couple Carerra C4Ss, an STI, a very fast and very light racing Honda CRX, and a couple other decent cars. After a session most people sat in heated cars to stay warm. I was content to just watch the drift fest, as everyone struggled for traction. Laptimes were a third slower than normal.
A couple guys decided it was time to add another car to the mix and ganged up to peer pressure me into getting on the track. These guys weren’t accepting my excuse of having overly heat-cycled slicks as a reason not to run in the rain. Well, after having already aired my excuses for any future spin-outs or way slow lap times, I succumbed to the pressure and got my helmet on.
The track management had us running in 2 groups, randomly chosen, because nobody was running too fast that day. They stagger started us to keep plenty of wiggle room. The track felt like it was all greased up and ready for some RiceCrispy treats to be made on it. The corners would allow no side loading. It was easy to even drift in the straights if judicious application of the throttle was not excercised. I put the car in 4th gear and left it there, even then exiting a corner at 2000 rpm I had to feather the throttle. I began to alter my driving style, entering a corner very slowly and wide in attempt to get the straightest shot out of the corner. The Cosworth has given this car an incredible powerband. Stuck in 4th gear, it would pull through the straights with alarming speed, though the power never came on unexpectedly. Given the conditions, it was still easy to drive. There were so few cars on the track that there was never any traffic to worry about, I just had to contend with driving on marbles and having more than enough power on hand to send the rear end out at any time.
My lap times we off by nearly 40 seconds from dry/naturally aspirated. I had my buddy time some of the other cars as compared to my times. There were only 2 cars that were pulling better times and they were both all wheel drive. A well prepared C4S and a nicely modded STI, and then they were only besting me by a second. Not too shabby.
Several sessions went by, the rain stopped and laptimes started dropping. The fast C4S went home. The track was still slippery, but a little less so. The Z06 decided to start running again, after having taken an extended lunch in hopes of waiting out the weather. I staged in front of him because I wanted to see how long I could keep him at bay. The staggered start put about 1 turn between
us and I expected to see him on my bumper after a lap or two. I started to get some heat in my tires finally and could feel some lateral grip at last. I still kept the Cosworth working 4th gear. At the end of the 20 min session, still no Z06. Next session I staged behind him, and the STI was behind me. This was going to be good. The Z06 had earlier stated; after having spun his car, that he was now going to leave the TCS and DSC and any other driver aids in the ON position as it was way easier to keep the car pointed the right direction. I commiserated with him and told him that today was the only time I have ever wanted those things in my car, but I did not have them.
The Z06 was sent on the track, after about a turn I was sent out, then the STI then the others each with a turn between us. The warm up lap was a rather brisk one, but we still had a corner separating us. By half track of the second lap I had a wide tires, 4 oval taillamps and a GM badge in my sight. 2 more turns and I was on his bumper as we entered the fastest straight of the track. Here I expected to I’d have to start hunting him down all over again. But wait, the
The Z06 was sent on the track, after about a turn I was sent out, then the STI then the others each with a turn between us. The warm up lap was a rather brisk one, but we still had a corner separating us. By half track of the second lap I had a wide tires, 4 oval taillamps and a GM badge in my sight. 2 more turns and I was on his bumper as we entered the fastest straight of the track. Here I expected to I’d have to start hunting him down all over again. But wait, the
Cosworth, never having come out of 4th, isn’t losing much. The Vette was accelerating faster but not by much. We entered a hard slow right after heavy braking with less than a Smart Car between us, and then into the longest straight of the track. Again, he pulled us, but no so much that by the time we entered the 90deg slow left I was waiting on him. As we entered the more twisty parts of the course I was having to lift early to keep that Union applied paint off my car. Our track has a rule that passing may only be done in the straights, and here I was pushing this Z06 around the track. The driver was not happy about this. The other part of the passing rule is that the slower driver must stay on his line, let off a little and point the faster car around. Well this Z06 driver was not going to let some rice burning, girly car pass him. So we went like this for a few laps. Me riding the guys ass (keeping the car in 4th still) till the straights where he would make up a few car lengths. Then the STI caught us. Like a proper gentleman, I yielded to the STI after a lap or two of him riding me while I am riding the Vette. I pointed him around and slowed a bit. The American muscle was having none of it though and we went a lap like a Z06STIMX5 choo choo train. The STI got pissed about the Vette not yielding and took matters into his own hands. On a longish sweeper he took a low line had all four tires spinning and digging him
through the turn and got in under the Vette, then he bid us both farewell. I was stuck behind the Vette when the checkered flag came at the end of that lap.
The next session the STI did not go out and I made sure that I staged in front of the Vette again. The track was getting dryer and I was determined to run a good session. I went and hammered down. I was able to get on boost earlier in the corners and thus my exit speeds were going up. The car felt great, the power available now is fantastic. The low end pull is exactly what the car needed, always ready and very controllable. My entry speeds were rising and my brakes were telling me so. I have been running Maruha SS27 pad that have been perfect dual purpose pads, but they were starting to loose their bite. The combination of higher speeds down the straights and the increasing lack of deceleration made things a bit hairy. Down the long straights I was now running out of gear, but I did not shift due to the brake issue. I decided to keep up the pace but to start decel and braking early. With about 5 mins remaining in the session and after having passed all other cars on the track, there it was, the Z06. He was a turn ahead of me, though he started right behind me. I pushed a little more, only a couple laps to go and I had to catch him. I still kept the car in 4th, but I pushed the corners a little
The next session the STI did not go out and I made sure that I staged in front of the Vette again. The track was getting dryer and I was determined to run a good session. I went and hammered down. I was able to get on boost earlier in the corners and thus my exit speeds were going up. The car felt great, the power available now is fantastic. The low end pull is exactly what the car needed, always ready and very controllable. My entry speeds were rising and my brakes were telling me so. I have been running Maruha SS27 pad that have been perfect dual purpose pads, but they were starting to loose their bite. The combination of higher speeds down the straights and the increasing lack of deceleration made things a bit hairy. Down the long straights I was now running out of gear, but I did not shift due to the brake issue. I decided to keep up the pace but to start decel and braking early. With about 5 mins remaining in the session and after having passed all other cars on the track, there it was, the Z06. He was a turn ahead of me, though he started right behind me. I pushed a little more, only a couple laps to go and I had to catch him. I still kept the car in 4th, but I pushed the corners a little
harder. Within a lap I had done it. I was right on his bumper pushing him around the track once again. I had lapped him. I was cheering in my car and waving to my buddy who had a big grin on his face having seen what had been done. This car is fast.
We pitted and I decided to check out my brakes. Here is what I found
The pads were gone and I had been braking with metal on metal, so I called it a day. I threw my stuff in the car and headed down the road to get some Taco Bell. Upon coming out of TB the STI from the track was sitting there parked next to my car, the owner ooogling into my window. I said “hi”, and he said “I’m glad I tracked you down here, I have to know, is it turbo or what?”. I told him of the Cosworth to which he replied “ Oh thank God, I was worried that a stock Miata was pulling me down the straights, I couldn’t keep up with you in the straights. On a dry day that car would crush my STI on this track” What more could be said about the Cosworth’s power?
We pitted and I decided to check out my brakes. Here is what I found
The pads were gone and I had been braking with metal on metal, so I called it a day. I threw my stuff in the car and headed down the road to get some Taco Bell. Upon coming out of TB the STI from the track was sitting there parked next to my car, the owner ooogling into my window. I said “hi”, and he said “I’m glad I tracked you down here, I have to know, is it turbo or what?”. I told him of the Cosworth to which he replied “ Oh thank God, I was worried that a stock Miata was pulling me down the straights, I couldn’t keep up with you in the straights. On a dry day that car would crush my STI on this track” What more could be said about the Cosworth’s power?
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