Half-fast

Track day report:
Car: 1996 200SX SE-R
Track: Summit Point - Shenandoah Circuit

Well, Sunday was a beautiful day. The sun was out, Hanna had passed by, what a day to be at the race track… sadly… the track day was on Saturday. Three inches of rain must have fallen from the morning through about 2pm.

I got to the track late (damn girl friend), and knew the rain was coming. I was planning on switching out the R-comps for my Falken Rt-615’s as they had some tread. I figured they would be just fine, boy was I wrong.

I pulled the car off the trailer and went to registration. There I found out I was placed in the advanced group (very cool), picked out my t-shirt, and went to prepare the car. When I returned, my girlfriend had already cleared the car of all my track gear (okay, she is now forgiven), and short of the tire swap and general looking over, I was close to ready.

I jacked up the car and gave it the traditional wheel shake.. hey, there is something loose!! I removed the LF tire and found the jam nut on the coilovers had loosened. I grabbed the spanner wrench, gave it a pull and all was well. After checking the RF (loose too), I realized that would have to be something I needed to add to the check list for each event, and maybe more than once an event. After a good coat of anti-fog on the inside glass, I gave the car the good to go. Rushed the car through tech, and off to meeting to get the day started. While the instructor group took the track we got the flag talk, and talked about “survival” being the theme of the day. I was up next and had to get right to grid the moment the meeting was over.

Session 1:
It’s raining pretty steady now.. On the out lap, a Civic loops it in front of me (hum, must be slick out there). I quickly realized just how slick it was. Every turn the front end pushed out. So bad that I couldn’t get anything that resembled speed. I make the observation Falken’s suck in the rain. I was even caught and passed by a rear wheel drive Mustang. Near the end of the session the anti-fog started to give it up, and the front glass was starting to fog (crap!). I am thinking about coming in the next lap and the checker comes out (thank God!).

Out of the car, cover it with a tarp and off to class. We jabber for a while talking about nothing really except the conditions. On returning to the car I give the windshield another coat of anti-fog, torque the lugs again, and head to grid for session 2.

Session 2:
…goes much like session 1, but the rain and the push gets worse. I am slower now, I think an elderly person in a wheel chair got a point by from me. I am thinking about going home. Man I am glad I stuffed a paper towel in the door pocket, or I may have missed pit in due to the fog buildup. Did I mention Falken’s suck in the rain?

Session 3:
…goes the same accept the anti-fog finally takes hold. I am feeling pretty bad now. I have been passed by several cars some on r-comps that I know I am faster than, but the car just isn’t letting me do a thing. An E30 BMW loops it after hitting a puddle almost collecting a bridge piling.

Session 4
While doing my pre-session check prior to going out, I see the left rear tire is almost on the rim. I hobble over to the air pump, fill it up, return to my paddock spot and pull off the tire. No visible issues, so I assume the valve stuck when I checked the pressure (what else could this day bring?). I add another thing to my session prep check list. In my desire for better (I say better, I really mean some) turning ability, I turn down the shock dampening up front to about 50% of the adjustment range, and take to the track again. During this session the rain starts to let up, and the shock dampening change seems to be helping. The car turns better, but not great, and I think I got a point by from the wheel chair dude this session (redeemed..)

Session 5:
Things are starting to look up. The rain has stopped, and several other groups have been out there drying things out. On the out lap, I can see there are several dryer areas, and I can already feel the car hooking up better. Matter of fact, during the out lap, I almost loop it because, of all things, the front hooked up, and the rear broke loose. I was most surprised as this was the first time the car has done anything but push. This session I not only blow buy the wheel chair dude, I get points from several other cars. Of course, the session ends far too soon.

Lessons learned this event:
Falken’s suck in the rain (did I already mention that?)
A bigger rear swaybar is required. I knew that, bit haven’t had the money till now, a progress is in the mail as we speak.
Soften shocks when wet.

Maybe by spring I will have this car ready for race drivers school..

Niburu

Falken 615's are well known to suck in wet conditions, you'd have been better off with just street tires - if you had any for the car.

Half-fast

I wish I did have street tires. Not sure that I really want to pay the money for them though. (see pic and you will understand why). I am looking at wets.. Maybe full tread toyos. They work well for the Miatas..

I am the Nissan

Axelerate

They are street tires and they work just fine in the rain.

I've never driven Shenandoah in the wet, but I hear no matter what tire you use, it sucks.

FlimFlam

Did you buy that 200sx from some guy named Adrian or something like that out of NOVA/MD? It's an ex-Showroom Stock car isn't it?

I tried to buy that car..haha.

Half-fast

I bet it's the same one. His name was Apollo. It's Ken Payson's SSC car that took a 3rd and a 5th at the runoffs on 01 and 02.

One bonus was it came with the 02 Nissan motorsports calendar. The June picture was of this car. It's a fast car, I just hope I can do it justice..

Oh ya, I almost feel dirty for what I paid.

FlimFlam

Apollo! Yes. I knew it started with an "A". Close enough.

Yea, I know it was stupid cheap. I almost bought it as a back up track car/daily driver.

Good luck with it.

Half-fast

Thanks.. It's been a fun car so far. I am planning another track day in October. By then the RSB should be installed, and I will see how it feels.

ClassicJDMCars

so can i buy cheap wow gold from you? Cause, i need sum.