Jump to content

Mally's Stock Cars, Bikes,Life, and Yaris happenings.


Mally

Recommended Posts

Yes, and no.

On tarmac car is faster with weight as low as possible/allowed. Colin Chapman and all that.

On shale we find weight is good, more grip and as you say if you are good on the bends it keeps going fast.

This is fine until towards the end at some tracks, Kings Lynn is one, we are fast for 3/4 of the race, then when it drys out and all the top shale has gone it's a bit like smooth tarmac, so we tend to be slower, where others speed up.

Different driving styles, different makes of chassis/suspension, and people set the car up/guess, to suit themselves.

Then it pisses down in the middle of the race, which is why anyone can win on shale on the right circumstances.

Mildenhall is pretty much a circle, Kings lynn has two straight bits. Different diff ratios. Gearing plays a big part.

You have to be careful with weight, they weigh at big events.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Car is weighed, not car and driver, anyway we want extra weight so we store it all up.

Jim couldn't do that he'd count 3 at least before he got to the start.

 

53 years ago when I started I just blew the tyres up, same diff every track, same set of tyres until they burst, never did the tracking, just fuel and water, never won.

Well, won twice in my life in a Stadium. I did win in Autograss racing at times.

My son is wiser, has more cash and is a better driver.  Car is well prepared because I have nothing else to do all week.

Surprising how many forget to tighten wheel nuts or run out of petrol. Done both those.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I watched Superstox at Foxhall last Saturday. I was wondering how they differ to F2?

 

Used to watch Superstox at Great Yarmouth years ago. Always thought they were cheaper, they tend not to bump as much as we do.

There used to be a big gulf between Brisca and Spedeworth, Spedeworth was a breakaway from Brisca many years ago IIRC.

These days Deane Woods owns Spedeworth and also promotes Brisca, so the rules have become closer in recent years.

Have just read quickly through the Spedeworth rules, it seems Cortina front uprights are banned, we run them on our car, never had a problem in 10 years. We have large Aerofoils, they have a tiny wing, different control tyres.

There will be lots of minor things but unless you are involved in it you never notice.

It took us a year or two to master our rules, its a 125 page book. 

You just buy a car off someone who's good and pick their brains.

By the time you are good enough to win you have sufficient knowledge to hopefully pass Scrutineering.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Can't the driver just go for a big shit and eat less to shave that 2kg off? Or does location of that weight play a part too?

 

Location of weight pays a big part. We have scales and weigh pretty much every week.

Weights are closely checked at big events.

There is a max % inside weight and cross weights, dunno what they are I'm only allowed to carry the scales.

No ballast weights are allowed, been a few banned for that.

Ste changes his cross weight for different tracks and knows how to tweek it at the track if it's not going round as he thInks it should.

We did hire the old car to Ben Howard, F1 Williams mechanic. He has his own F2 now.

He looked at the bald inside tyres, wobbled the steering wheel for play (quite a bit).

Jumped in and did very well. Tried to buy it but at the time we weren't selling.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Mildenhall Sat. Massive crowd, still queuing to get in after the second heat.

Queue over an hour for fish and chips, so didn't bother.

Heat 1 finished 4th, so qualified ok.

Final, going well when two others decided to come together as Ste was passing on the inside. Got dragged on the infield and lost time, finished a lap down. 

Grand National finished 3rd. Had fastest lap in every race, so reasonable night really.

Belle Vue, confident, usually do well here.

Heat one, in fence, miles behind, failed to qualify.

Consolation, finished 4th, bit better.

Final, heavens opened, tracks a bog, cars everywhere, got tangled up, broke top wishbone, out of race.

Grand National, bent another top wishbone, continued slowly, finished 10th.

Not happy.

Photo of bent wishbone, happens often, but not usually to us.

 

post-20532-0-19893600-1553526728_thumb.jpg

 

Here is a photo of 2 types of wishbone, which is strongest, narrow or wide?

 

post-20532-0-57489700-1553526879_thumb.jpg

 

The bent wishbones are as supplied by manufacturer, our replacements will be made of thicker material. 

 

Next meeting Stoke 30th March

post-20532-0-62342700-1553526879_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Stoke today.

Heat 2 finished 5th, should have been 4th, passed someone at the flag, but it seems their transponder is further forward than ours. Note to self, move transponder forward to exact specified position.

Final, going well, running first or second, yellow flag for loose wheel rolling round the track.

Line up and in first place with 5 laps left. Big bunch of Red tops behind, there was a decent gap before the yellows but now they are closed up.

Anyway, no problem, shot off and maintained lead to the flag. Won the Final. It's a World qualifying round too.

Took a photo  which failed, will try a F/B link to a video https://www.facebook.com/groups/1004502799730906/

Closed to members so may not work unless you join.

Grand National, Start 1 lap down as final winner, but get double points if you win any.

24 cars in race, finished 9th for 1 lap handicap.

Good night all round, 30 points and £50 prize money

Next meeting Sheffield 14 April

 

Edit, if anyone is interested enough to join love f2's, there's an interview and a video of Ht2, Final and GN

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Sheffield today 14 April.

Only 2 formula today so rapid turn round, 1 race and you are on again.

First heat, broke half shaft, got a bumper on the back wheel and it fell off.

Sometimes get away with it with an LSD, but today its a welded diff.

So in the Consolation heat. Rapidly to the front and stayed there despite 2 restarts for yellow flags,

No photo of the trophy as to far to walk from pits to start line and didn't do lap of honour as need to cool car and refuel quick.

 

Normally when you win a heat you must start at the back of your grade for the rest of the meeting.

But today its a World Qualifier and they draw for grid.

Drawn inside pole in the Reds, that's better than the back!

Up and over early on, landed back on wheels seemingly undamaged and kept going.

Was in second place until the last lap, then passed by Dave Polley.

Turns out the up and over damaged the wishbone and buckled a wheel, but it held together, so 3rd in final is good.

Grand National, have to start at the back in this, bit roundy-roundy, but finished 4th.

So good day only a little damage, won £45, 2 trophies and 29 points.

Must be well up in the World Qualifiers now. Keep getting asked if we are going, but we don't have a tarmac car...........

Next meetings Easter. 19th Northampton, 2Oth Stoke, 22nd B Vue.

It was said that we are missing Belle Vue because on a ferry 25th to race in Holland.

It now seems we have booked B Vue, so there is a possibility of midnight oil.

Neighbours won't be impressed if that happens.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Northampton 19 April. Meeting run by Autospeed, who normally promote around Cornwall, Grand parade, extra prize money. World Qualifier.

Parade.

 

post-20532-0-30348100-1555714354_thumb.jpg

 

In heat 2, heat one dry track but dusty, so watered for our heat.

Result of watering, end fell off axle, that's a first for us.

 

post-20532-0-82311300-1555714514_thumb.jpg

 

post-20532-0-78289900-1555714577_thumb.jpg

 

Unsure if to weld the bearing housing back on, or change the complete casing, we have all the bits, but not assembled.

Decide to swop the axle. Have about 30 to 40 mins,

Good job we did, as the half shaft had broken in the other side as well when we took it out to use it.

So broken axle off, spare diff in new casing, new half shafts in new casing, drain diff oil out of end of axle, pour into new casing filler hole. 

Axle under, tie bars on panhard on, couple of guys put the prop on for us, shockers on, wheels on.

They have all gone on the track!

Oh brake pipes broke, put new on on but not bled.

 

Are you going or not says the gate man. Yes who needs brakes.

Get to the gate its shut, locked out. 

Turns out the gate man who spoke to us is Manager gate man.

Who told you to shut the gate? I'm in charge, European Champion here, let him on!

 

Have complained many times about people getting priority over us, but when the shoes on the other foot...........

 

So on for the Consolation race and won it!

 

post-20532-0-63406000-1555715300_thumb.jpg

 

Came 6th in the final and 5th in the Grand National,  24 points, World Qualifier, and won £50.

 

Quite a bit of damage to sort in the morning, Stoke tomorrow.  Today now it seems.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the comments, damage is all part and parcel, but at the moment we are getting high points in spite  of things going wrong.

Were never able to do that previously.

Spent 4 hours Saturday morning repairing  damage, and 30 mins looking for the Van keys to set off.

Keys were found down the pit, we put the boards on and eventually realised it was the only place we hadn't looked!

Heat one, steady race, finished 5th, so qualified for final. nothing to do but put fuel in and eat ice cream.

Final was good. Much passing and re passing. It's good to watch when it's fair and square, Many drivers have respect for each other and it often shows in the racing. Came off best on the lap that mattered and finished 3rd, trophy and parade lap.

 

post-20532-0-87101400-1555801558_thumb.jpg

 

Grand National another good dueling race, ended up 4th, could have been 2nd 3 length from the flag.

Decent meeting all round, good crowd, the F1 draws them in. No damage to speak of. Trophy, £30, 29 points.

Mega points recently, our normal average is around 12.

Day off Sunday, go Huddersfield A/J if I wake up.

Belle Vue Monday.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Belle Vue 22 April.

F1s on first, dust bowl, couldn't see a thing. So they drowned it in water.

F2 heats are running 2/3 format. Not enough cars for normal heats as it's the 3rd meeting in 4 days, always a lot drop out.

So everyone races in 2 out of the 3 heats, all in final, no need to qualify. No double points on final in this case.

We are drawn ht1 and ht2.

Heat 1.

Absolute quagmire, cars everywhere, we are a lap down due to a spin.

Yellow flag, so line up single file. We are about 5th but a lap behind. Get told to go round to the back, this unlaps you, and is good.

Normally if you do that yourself the Steward will order you off. But if he decides to allow it for whatever reason all well and good.

So we are right at the back, but on the same lap as everyone else and the track is drying out.

Went round well and finished 6th. Very good, very lucky really.

Scraped a ton of mud off and went for ht2. Missed the gate, locked out. Only had 1 race in between.

Asked Pit Marshall can we do ht3 instead, Yes. So all good.

Washed the car a bit as we now had spare time.

Going well in ht3, up to 2nd at one point, then down to 3rd.

Last bend the two front runners decide to have a battle for first place, whilst this goes on we sneak through and pinch first place for us!

Another win, the cars not quite as fast as some, but as long as you are close it can work out well.

Final, put in the fence early on by the guy who almost won heat3 until we stole it. Wiped the front O/S suspension off.

I see this and run to the van to get all the parts out as only 1 race between again.

Unfortunate really as I missed a final win by Courtney Finnigan, who by virtue of winning a final from Blue, becomes the first Lady F2 Red top racer.

Anyway managed to get repaired and on in G National. Over watered again, much spins, finished 7th.

So £15 and 19 points, another good if somewhat lucky day.

Quite a bit of damage, mainly welding. Stes having 2 days off to fix it up.

 

Ferry for Holland Thursday, race Friday/Saturday all being well.

At the moment we are not on the booking list which is strange because they advertised the fact we were going on their F/B page 2 months ago.

Weldings done, change Gearbox and diff in the morning.

Not sure what gearing to use, never raced this Dutch track before.

People advise you, but you never know till you go round yourself.

It's field racing and thunder storms are predicted  :-D .

Link to comment
Share on other sites

How is the Minor coming along?

 

Minor is in almost daily use, I can change gear without crunching now, it's all come back to me..........If its rolling it will pick up in second, put it in first only when it's stopped.

Heater valve leaks, it was new when I bought the car!  Some of the 2 year old tyres are cracking, I've sprayed the rusty boot in primer and left it.

All good really.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Blauwhuis 26 April.

It's a field track, but a very good one, raised steps and banking for spectators, much concrete road ways, no mud. Racing started 5-30 pm.

Ht 1, Start at the back, 26 cars, 12 Qualify.  Finished a good 3rd, so in the final.

In Ht 2 a Dutchman entered the first bend flat out, looked to me like throttle jammed or he just thought "I'm having it".

Failed to make the corner smacked the fence full bore side on, car tipped well sideways.

2 Ambulances, 2 Police cars, I Helicopter and 1-1/2 hours later, the racing started again. 

Never got a report on his condition, but apparently he was 60 years old and his son continued racing so presumably not as bad as it looked.

Final 36 cars, start at the back. Finished 6th. Quite decent we thought.

By then due to the delay it was 11-30 pm so back to the hotel.

 

Day 2 The Kings Battle.  Not sure what it's all about, but Kings is a Dutch celebration of some sort, national holiday and all that.

Raining quite heavily before the meeting, but brightened up and track was fine.

Ht 1, Running fine, in third place and closing with 4 laps to go.

Diff went so no drive, race over.

We didn't have a spare 3.77, usually do but took a selection as were unsure of the track. Best we had was 3.54 so stuck that in.

Dave Polley then offered us a 3,89, which should be slightly better, so we took it all apart and changed it again.

Ht 2 From the back and finished 6 th so all good.

King of dirt final.

Haven't a clue how they work it out but we were gridded 12th out of 36 cars,

Got as high as 4th at one stage, much bumper work by them and us, very competative race, always a bit daft at big events.

Finished 6th at the end, Dutchman won, UK drivers 2nd and 3rd. There were only 3 drivers from the UK at the event so a good show by all,

 

Trophy for 3rd on first day, 100 euros start money,170 euro prize money, Free admission for us..

A vast improvement on UK payment schedule,

People are good, crowd was large, organisation second to none,

 

Trip cost just short of a grand for 5 people, Drawn 270 Euros, new diff costs £270 gears alone plus bearings,

Spent over 100 euro on celebration meal at a Bar in Sneek. Live music in the streets, can't fault the Dutch.

We may well be back.

Lucky in the Kings race, Bumper almost had the tyre.

post-20532-0-39401400-1556557512_thumb.jpg

 

The gap should be this much.

post-20532-0-38899400-1556557575_thumb.jpg

 

Sorry no Dutch photos, lost my camera in the van, and my phones a phone.

Busy week again next weekend.

Sat Mildenhall, Sun Northampton, Mon Belle Vue.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...