[FTS]

... the UTCC event, I mean. I was at VIR with all the NASA group for the Pirelli Ultimate Track Car Challenge (UTCC) on Friday, which is basically a time trial with NASA track rules. This was my first time doing TT with NASA, and I was excited, not to mention the opportunity to meet some named drivers (James Clay, Mark White, etc.) and the editorial staff of GRM. So, it was an 'event' for sure.

However, the on track behaviour of participants was, ... umm, not totally surprising, but not within my comfort zone, let's say. I knew I don't like wheel-to-wheel racing, that's why I focused on autox initially and why I am interested in time trials; but this experience confirmed it. During drivers mtg, were told to use our heads and only run ~85-90% just to make our adjustments preparing for the timed sessions. I don't think some people really heard that.

It was pretty cool nevertheless, starting behind a pace car, I was 37th out ~65 cars for the warm up session behind a Viper ACR and I thought I can let people by and wait for the right opportunity to do 2-3 flying laps. Boy was I wrong; that opportunity was almost never to come until on my very last lap I got a semi-clear lap with 2:21, which placed me 32nd for the time session and into the slower group 2, which was just fine with me. People were making every effort to ride bumpers to pass when they really did not have much chance to run a clear lap, but they are more experienced than I and probably know something that I don't. Also to note: it was open passing with or WITHOUT a point-by. I was definitely driving with my eyes on the mirrors until I got used to it until the last few laps. There were a lot of break downs during the warm up session, including the Viper ACR, a Panoz, Celica, etc.

The timed sessions were only 20 mins, so I figured we'll only get about 5-6 laps to do our best times, so I really had to time it right. In the mean time, the temp was at 98 deg and humidity, well...you all know. During the first time session, I thought, with the heat, we won't be able to do any good times in the afternoon, so this was it for me. Well, it was tough, my rotors were end of life and missed my braking zones, and had a uncontrollable understeer on T1 and 11, which killed my chances of any good times, my turned out to be 2:20:8, which was 2-3 secs lower than what I was hoping to be able to do. With the heat becoming unbearable and not much chance of doing any better times, I packed up, turned on the AC and headed back home.

Overall, it was quite fun, I'd do it again; I just need to be better prepared. So, here are few clips from my runs and few pics:

Pirelli UTCC 2010 on Vimeo

Pirelli UTCC 2010 on Vimeo

[Trak Ratt]

Nice! Sounds more like a cluster fuch rather than "time trials"

PCAP used to do time trials at summit. Cars were spaced so only 3 or 4 were on the track at one time. You got 3 laps to do what ever you could. Worked well but took a lot of time.

[Landjet]

Fatih, I wish you well in whatever you choose to do, BUT, if you are going to run with this group, you better be prepared for sheet metal damage and having your car in the body shop for a few months. I've watched them before and they have no respect for other people's cars, and not really any for their own either. Good luck. I'm sticking with DE's.

[Potomac-Greg]

With that much speed and door-to-door action, it seems like too much risk for a street car. IIRC the TT rules do not require any safety specific equipment (maybe a firesuit?). Anyway, with machinery like that on track, running for best time, I'd want a full cage and all the protection I could find.

Probably fun though.

[FTS]

I sincerely hope that Potomac brings back time trials to us, I really enjoy them and I think the interest level will be much higher now than it was back then.

Due to how I stitched the clips together, the event might look like it was worse than it really was, but it wasn't that bad. The warm up session was not very good as all cars were on the track at the same time for 25 mins, and speed difference between specially prep'd cars and the ones like mine were huge, so I rode my mirrors to get out of the way mostly.

However, for time sessions, we broke into two groups, which made it easier on all of us. The one thing that frustrated me was when I let the BMW X6M and the blue Evo pass me, I was at a great track position to start a flying lap, so I gave plenty of room to them and myself, and no cars behind me. Then I started the lap that I thought would be my best effort; the X6M and Evo were really racing I think, going into turns side by side and I was about 20-25 cars length behind, still hitting my corners and speed. Then on the second half of the back straight, the Evo gave up and slowed down. I was coming hot, so I started flashing high beams to let him know and have him slow down enough so I can take the Chute (T12-14) on my line, but noooo, he just slowed down enough that I had to wait for him through those turns and screwed my lap completely, he finally let me pass going into hog pen So, I started another hot lap, and he comes flying trying to pass me into T1, I did not give him the room, but he was riding my bumper, so I let him into T4, my lap got screwed again

Oh well, it was still good to be a "also-ran."

So, for the results, it looks like the Dodge Viper ACR took first place with 1:54 in a rare instant that it actually worked. Mike Levitas got 2nd place with 1:55 in his 911 RSR orange car and did 2:05 in the GT2. The TPC Turbo Cayman S of Accumoto finished with a 2:09:9, that darn Evo did 2:05, and Scott Good with his 944 S2 finished up with a 2:14.

[racer]

I would doubt PCAP wants to use up a "DE" day for a time trial. Perhaps if it was a standalone day/event. But then that becomes expensive and as mentioned, a time suck for most people. Kind of like spending a whole day in a parking lot for 3-5 minutes of driving (AX).

[Trak Ratt]

Originally Posted by racer

I would doubt PCAP wants to use up a "DE" day for a time trial. Perhaps if it was a standalone day/event. But then that becomes expensive and as mentioned, a time suck for most people. Kind of like spending a whole day in a parking lot for 3-5 minutes of driving (AX).

X2 as would I.. not (??) L and I timed them for several years and it took half a day away from the DE.

[FTS]

Originally Posted by racer

I would doubt PCAP wants to use up a "DE" day for a time trial. Perhaps if it was a standalone day/event. But then that becomes expensive and as mentioned, a time suck for most people. Kind of like spending a whole day in a parking lot for 3-5 minutes of driving (AX).

But looking at the organization of NASA, it is doable without intruding in other runs and does not need to be like autox, 3-4 mins. There is a way to do it safely, time-wise and insurance-wise.

[Chopper Dropper]

Sorry Fatih, but it has to be insured seperately from a DE. We had 2 cars on the track at a time seperated by half a lap or so. Out lap to timing loop just before the bridge, flying lap to the bridge and quick duck in to the pits. Getting the line up in groups according to approximate time was a severe headache and lost all Sunday afternoon for one and a half laps to find what you can already find with a lap timer!!
Dirk

[Landjet]

Besides, you can do this with NASA or the SCCA.