ECK Racing #39 - LRRS 2013 Round 6 Report

[The Snowman]

Chuck Sucks!

Too many changes to the bike, especially not having a spare set of familiar brake pads, cost me dearly in lap times and placements. I couldn't muster a lap in the teens to save my life.

The brakes just escalated everything else, like my trying the newer Pirelli V2 DOTs, as opposed to the Diablo Superbike slicks, that I'm accustomed to riding. I found myself not carrying enough corner speed and forcing myself to drive out harder, causing the rear to slide all over the place.

And last, but not least, I left the 45 tooth rear sprocket on from NJMP, because it seemed to work well during track days, and most others run this configuration. It didn't work well for me at all. I ended up swapping sprockets after my first race back to a 46 tooth.

So, not much to tell for results:

GTL, 8th of 16 starters, best lap 1:21.101
LWGP, 13th of 18 starters, best lap 1:20.867
LWSB, 12th of 16 starters, best lap 1:21.178

Not the way I wanted this to play out. I'm still in the top 10 overall for the season in GTL and LWSB (currently 8th place in both), but would like to have come closer to the top 5. I'll need to give it everything I have for round 7.

Thanks goes out to Annalisa, my sponsors listed below, and to all the friends who race or come out to see us race. Shout out to the Butler family for hosting yet another awesome gathering between race days.

[Rambunctous]

I guess its one change at a time to see the result. TY for the report.

[Chippertheripper]

I gotta say, it was good to see ya and chat a bit chuck.

[The Snowman]

I guess its one change at a time to see the result. TY for the report.

Let's take this one at a time:
1) I had intended on replacing the front pads after round 6, but I got caught with pads too worn to be safe and no spares (a dumbass mistake). I opted for pads I tried and liked when I was 4 seconds slower. This was a mistake. They had noi initial bite, like the CL pads I know and love.
2) I had the 15/45 set up for NJMP and had 2 track days under my belt with it at NHMS the previous Mon/Tue. It felt pretty solid, but I had never tested it while chasing someone down. Found that out the hard way. Also, since I was braking much differently, I wasn't carrying enough corner speed to get a good drive. It was just exaggerated by the smaller rear sprocket.
3) The new tires. I had already committed to trying these, since I felt pretty confident the rest of the bike was working well. Again, the difference in braking bit me in the ass and I was forced to try and squeeze as much drive out of these as I could, carrying less roll speed.

Needless to say, new CL pads are on the way.

I gotta say, it was good to see ya and chat a bit chuck.

Same here. Online personnas aside, always a good face to face with ya.

[Chippertheripper]

Yeah, I have my own schtick I gotta get around.

[wheelieman14]

Nice race report, wish I was there... FWIW, I think for the most part that 15/45 gearing is best at NJMP & 15/46 gearing is better at NHMS. I've hit around 129 MPH at NJMP on my SB SV with 15/45 gearing running 160/60 tires. For Loudon, 15/45 might work well for some people, but I had lots more confidence running Pirelli 180/55 rear slick on 5.5x17 rear wheel with 15/46 gearing. Perhaps a 160/60 can still turn decent lap times with 15/45 gearing at Loudon, but unless there is a strong reason to run DOT tires, I much prefer to run slicks front & rear - with a totally dry track. More rubber on the ground = generally better traction. Personally, I know I need to carry more speed from T7 through T10 without taking an extra downshift for T9, even if it means taking 2 down shifts entering Turn 11.

[The Snowman]

I don't downshift into the bowl, so I carry 4th gear from just before T5 until I downshift into 3rd into T11. I end up close the rev limiter as I let off the throttle into T9 and again just before I brake/downshift into T11. And I don't swap wheel sizes. I run a stock rear wheel with 160 tires.