Team Sport Crawley, Sunday 5th Feb 2012

A very interesting experience for all of us having never raced on an indoor circuit before. We had no real idea what the grip levels would be like on a wooden surface. Whilst it was very easy to lose traction an get sideways it was also very easy to control and on the downhill section of the three storey track you could powerslide the kart from the top level to the bottom building much more speed than on any of the flat or uphill sections. The biggest problem for us was that we take karting very seriously, however this was just a practice session, and as a result we could barely complete a lap for someone having spun out and inducing a yellow or red flag. This was frustrating as you knew you were about to complete a hot lap but then had to slow down and throw the hard work away for a yellow light. The marshalling was also quite inconsistent and a number of mistakes were made, at one point I found myself hurtling toward a marshal standing in the middle of the track helping a spun kart although the yellow lights had not been turned on! All in all it was a very good event, and well worth the money, just £33 for an hours worth of racing.

Lap Times:

Savage – 55.328

Sparky – 56.290

Gaz – 57.174

Daz – 57.556

Louise Cook Back From Monte Carlo

Local girl Louise cook is back after 5 days in the Production WRC Monte Carlo Rally, running part of the rally on a set of £45 tires from a local garage. She came 2nd with a lot of other drivers failing to finish and was congratulated on stage along with Sebastien Loeb. Her favorite cheer from the whole event was coming out of the Prince’s Palace and hearing “GO MAIDSTONE”.

Louise has been rallying since the age of 19, although she got her of driving when her late father, Robert Cook, bought her a battery powered car on her 6th birthday which she used to put her pet rabbit in the back of and drive round and round for hours until the battery went flat. Robert may have regretted this gift, after Louise wrote off the conservatory twice, two garden fences and took the front axle off it.

Louise has always managed to stay in the limelight in the local papers and appearing on the local news. She came up with a number of sponsorship campaigns, Promotion 50 and Promotion 500 where rather than having one big sponsor Louise was able to raise enough money for BRC / PWRC events by having a large number of sponsors each giving a small amount.

She certainly has her head screwed on and the hunger for success and we feel sure that she will go all the way and achieve her goal of becoming the first female world rally champion.

Daz and Mark head to head 18 Dec 2011

What was meant to be a full on race soon became a friendly drift session between Darren an Mark at Buckmore Park today. The track was very damp  and on slick tires any serious racing is out of the question so instead the focus became who could seamlessly drift on and between each corner from Hairpin Two to Paddock Bend at the bottom of the hill.

Hairpin Two commonly has us in a slide let alone in the wet, especially if you stray over the tarmac change on the outside of the corner. So hairpin two was reasonable simple, bang the brake on entry, turn in and slide round only getting back on the power on the exit to take the kart up the straight sideways. Then by banging the brake on approach to the Esses and turning in extremely early we were able to slide the kart whilst still clipping the first apex, then mid way between the two corners that make up the Esses the kart suddenly grips throwing it in the other direction so your  facing into the 2nd corner of the Esses and down the hill. Again locking the rear wheels and turning in early to Symes Sweep followed by a mix of power and hard braking to lock the rear wheels  enabled us to continue the drifting all the way down the hill into Pullmans.  The slide through Pullmans left us approaching Paddock bend on the right hand side of the track  so when the kart regained grip it was a case of getting as far left as possible and initiating the next slide through Paddock bend and comming out the other side with 2 wheels on the curb.

It was great fun up until the point that you could no longer feel your fingers from the cold. Infact the cold took its toll on Mark so much that he even pitted in to warm his hands for a few moments before rejoining the race. Darren stayed on track but was suffering enough for his mind to wander off the racing and reduce pace for a few laps.

Lap times as follows:

Darren Long 1:10.221

Mark Holt 1:12.827

 

Never a Truer Word Spoken

“If everything seems under control, you’re just not going fast enough.”
Mario Andretti

“A careful driver is one who honks his horn when he goes through a red light.”
Henry Morgan

“You should never feel comfortable. There is something wrong if you are. You should always feel under threat, on the edge of your seat and pushing yourself. Win one and you want to win more. It’s never-ending.”
Damon Hill

“It didn’t handle very good when it was upside down.”
Curtis Turner

“If you no longer go for a gap that exists, you are no longer a racing driver.”
Ayrton Senna

“Money makes the world go around and in Formula One it greases the wheels too.”
Roger Horton

“If in doubt, flat out.”
Colin McRae

“Sometimes Grand Prix drivers look absolutely awesome, on other days they look like they couldn’t drive sheep, and its a sheep day today !”
Martin Brundle

Performance Cars of the Stars

When you think of movies featuring high performance cars you may think Fast and the Furious or Gone in 60 Seconds. However here are a couple you may not remember…

Condorman 1981

In Condorman (1981) Michael Crawford played a comic book artist who successfully fends off hostile agents and earns the respect of the beautiful Natalia (Barbara Carrera), who requests his assistance for her defection. In one scene from the film Condorman is chased in his Nova Sterling kit car by a selection of black 911 Porsches and a flat nose 930 chase him through some mountain roads.

 

The Wraith 1986

 

In The Wraith (1986) Jamie is beaten to death by Packard and his gang but a mysterious power creates Jake Kesey played by Charlie Sheen, an extremely cool motor-biker who has a Dodge M4S  prototype sports coupe which is invincible. In fact, one scene where Rughead attaches the “digital radio killer” was shot with the original Dodge M4S prototype, the car that the Wraith props were made from. Jake befriends Jamie’s girlfriend Keri Johnson, takes Jamie’s sweet brother Bill under his wing and takes revenge on Packard and his gang in a series of races through the Arizona desert and explosions that lead to their deaths.

Acceleration

A quick tip on acceleration…

Smooth, progressive accelerator inputs are more important in more powerful cars as there is a greater likelihood of wheel spin. Engine braking is just as important as acceleration, so bear weight transfers in mind when lifting off. ‘Lift-off oversteer’ can result if you come off the gas mid way through a corner.

Driving in the Snow

With Christmas getting closer the potential for snow driving is becoming greater so in advance here is the Weekendtoyz guide to driving in the snow…

This post is more aimed at general road driving however does have some relevance to rally driving or racing in bad
weather conditions. Also it continues the section on avoiding accidents.
In general the best advice would be not to drive in the snow unless it’s absolutely necessary
however if you do the main thing is not to panic, not to go too fast and not to drive to close to
other drivers.
Its worth remembering that the wider the wheels the less grip you will actually have on the
snow. This is because a wider tire spreads the weight of the car out over a larger surface area
and is less likely to penetrate through the snow to the tarmac underneath than a tire with a
smaller surface area. You could be in a sports car with wide wheels, all round drilled and
vented brake disks but there’s no way you’re going to stop quicker than an old ford fiesta with
front disks, rear drums and skinny wheels and tires! In other words, keep your distance.
You need to be able to feel the road conditions through the car, on an icy road the steering
wheel will feel lighter than normal. You may feel the back of the car getting light as it over
steers or the front of the car slide as you get under steer into corners.
People seem to just panic and hit the brakes as soon as they start to get a bit of under steer
or over steer. This is the worst thing you can possibly do as you will lose any remaining
traction you did have and continue to hurtle towards the kerb, or static object of some
description. Chances are you’re not moving that quickly anyway so you have time to think
about the situation. You need to analyse the situation, for example you have turned the wheel
but the car is still going straight. Ok so you’re in a state of under steer, in a front wheel drive
this will have probably occurred because the driving wheels have started to spin. Taking this
into consideration you should lift off of the accelerator, be careful not to turn the steering
wheel further into the corner, it won’t help, and in fact it will make the situation worse as the
more the wheels are turned in, the more traction is required. The wheels should gradually find
grip as the car decelerates and very suddenly the car will start to turn.
Still hurtling toward a static object? Ok don’t panic, keep the steering wheel pointing the
direction you want to go, again without turning it too far. Give the handbrake a very quick tug,
keep the button pressed in as not to accidentally lock it on. The back wheels will lock and put
the car into a state of over steer. Our aim here is to get the front of the car to point in the
direction we want to go so feel free to tug the handbrake again if the angle isn’t tight enough,
we can then turn the wheels to face straight or counter steer if the car is pointing in at a tighter
angle than we want to be going, then very gradually accelerate. This should pull the car in the
direction we want to go.
This said there are situations in the snow where you are quite helpless. For example if you
were to lose traction down a hill it can be very difficult to regain it again before you have hit
the car in front. Once the wheels are locked you’re not really going to get any grip so
remember to keep pumping the brakes on and off, however in a modern car the ABS should
do this for you. Your only real options are to run the front inside wheel into the kerb to slow
you down or if the other side of the road is clear try to steer around the car in front. With any
luck the extra room you now have will be enough for you to regain traction.
It’s worth having a spade in the boot and making sure you have warm clothing. If you do get
stuck at least you have a chance of digging yourself out without getting frost bite.

Beware of Toxins in Automobiles

Written by Brian Turner…

Whether as a little kid or an adult, you became passionate about automobiles. There are many types of cars out there, it is easily to love all the types. An example is tuner and racing cars with their cool slick look and there aerodynamics that make them seem fast. Although, one must be aware of the toxins in cars. That’s what your parents should have told you when you got your first car. But they were probably as unaware of it as most lawmakers were before the 1990s when they passed landmark legislation to outlaw so much asbestos in the manufacturing of cars. Asbestos exposure has been linked to mesothelioma in later life. It may not even show up for dozens of years. But when it does, it is very hard to treat, and almost always fatal. So how does asbestos get into your body from your car? That’s a good question. And it first it doesn’t seem like there’s an intuitive answer. The answer, however, is that brake pads,clutch pads, windshields, steering wheels, and hood linings, as well as virtually every other part of the car are full of asbestos, or were, until the 1990s when the chemical was outlawed in manufacturing.

But just because there is asbestos in the car parts, how do I get asbestos into my system?

The asbestos actually leaks out when hot weather causes the chemicals to come off of their attendant parts. Furthermore, people that work on their cars for long periods of time and are not fully protected inhale asbestos. They might be out in the garage 10 hours a day working on their car, and their son and daughter might get exposure too if they’re helping their dad fix their car.

Plus, there are a lot of other terrible chemicals in cars today besides just asbestos.

CNN recently did an article that listed the toxins in cars. This is no far-out theory that only a few people know about. This is now common knowledge, and it shouldn’t surprise consumers that yet another company, or an entire industry, is doing things that are harmful to peoples’ health or the environment.

The report that came out was called “Toxic At Any Speed”, and it was released by the Ecology Institute. That new car smell that you like and love so much when you first get a car is actually toxic benzene that is coming off of the car in the interior. If your baby or infant is inhaling it from the cozy space of their car seat, that can be a problem. Pets are another victim of this smell and parents can even get sick from it. The smaller the body is, the more toxic it is. Immune systems aren’t developed in babies yet, and the toxins can get into their system and cause problems. Watch out the next time you purchase a car, and make sure it is not on the Ecology Center’s list of worst offending cars. Some cars were better than others, but some cars had much higher levels of toxins.

ARK Performance, Hyundai Join Forces on Veloster SEMA Show Car

Hyundai has teamed up with ARK Performance to build a rally-inspired Veloster for the 2011 SEMA Show in Las Vegas. The car will join other modified Velosters (and Genesis Coupes) on display in Hyundai’s booth Tuesday, November 1 through Friday, November 4. The car will feature a modified engine and suspension along with custom interior pieces and body work.

“The Hyundai Veloster is an ideal car for enthusiasts with its distinctive design and dynamic architecture,” said Ted Lee, owner, ARK Performance Inc, in a press release. “At SEMA, our ARK Performance Veloster will bridge the realm between an affordable sports car and an extreme motor sports vehicle. From the first Tiburon, to the Genesis Coupe, and now with the Veloster, ARK Performance continues to uphold the torch as the pioneer of aftermarket performance manufacturing for Hyundai.”

ARK Performance plans to breathe on the Veloster’s 1.6 liter four banger with a twin-scroll turbocharger that blows through a custom intercooler on its way to the intake valves. Exhaust gasses are spent through a custom turbo manifold and dual exhaust system. The engine is expected to make 210 horsepower – a 34 percent improvement over the stock engine.

The suspension is set to a receive a coilover setup, new control arms, front and rear sway bars, and a front strut bars. A big brake kit with six-piston calipers will peek from behind Yokohama Advan RZ Gunmetal wheels shod with Nitto NT05 tires.

A custom rally-style roll-cage will be fitted to the interior that will be upgraded with Alcantara trim seemingly everywhere, and an aftermarket audio system complete with new speakers, subwoofers and amplifiers.

New exterior lighting, front and rear bumpers, side skirts and a rear spoiler will also make their way onto the Veloster. Wide-body fenders – front and rear – will house the new wheel and tire package. The exterior will be finished off in a custom bright green and flat grey paint scheme.

Read more: http://wot.motortrend.com/ark-performance-hyundai-join-forces-on-veloster-sema-show-car-122121.html#ixzz1abitfjrO

Government plans to raise speed limit to 80mph

Transport secretary to announce proposed increase in speed limit from 70mph to 80mph at Tory conference

The increased speed limit represents a victory for Philip Hammond over the climate change and health secretaries. Photograph: David Jones/PA

The government plans to raise the speed limit to 80mph from 70mph in a victory for the transport secretary, Philip Hammond.

Hammond said on Thursday he will launch a consultation later this year with a view to introducing the new limit in 2013.

The new policy is part of a determined bid to shift the government on to the side of the motorists after successive governments appeared keen to discourage driving.

Hammond is expected to couple the increase with an expansion of 20mph limits in many urban areas.

But the motorway proposal is expected to receive stiff opposition from road safety campaigners and environmentalists who point out that cars are far less fuel efficient at the higher speed.

Hammond said: “Britain’s roads should be the arteries of a healthy economy and cars are a vital lifeline for many.” he blamed Labour’s “shortsighted and misguided war on the motorist” for penalising drivers.

“This government has already scrapped the M4 bus lane, cut central government funding for money-making speed cameras and announced new measures to crack down on boy racers and reckless drivers while standing up for the decent majority,” he said.

“Now it is time to put Britain back in the fast lane of global economies and look again at the motorway speed limit which is nearly 50 years old, and out of date thanks to huge advances in safety and motoring technology.

“Increasing the motorway speed limit to 80mph would generate economic benefits of hundreds of millions of pounds through shorter journey times. So we will consult later this year on raising the limit to get Britain moving.”

The existing 70mph limit was set in 1965. The government argues that cars are significantly safer since then, with a fall of 75% in the numbers of people killed every year on British roads since then. It insists road safety is still a top priority for the government.

It also says that up to 49% of drivers are currently breaking the top speed limit.

The change was due to be announced at the Tory party conference in Manchester this weekend but was brought forward after news leaked.