[WA] Drift Summer series final round

Discussion in 'Post Event Discussion' started by Zzz, Apr 21, 2008.

  1. Zzz

    Zzz SidewayZ

    Well, I competed in the 3 round summer drift series at barbagallo raceway over the past few months. Each round marked a new era of motoring for me as I changed car/engine each time, lol. First round was in the Z, second was in the ae86 with its' NA 4AGE goodness, and the final round I was still in the 86, but this time with the supercharged 4AGZE.

    I barely completely the engine conversion in time, actually took it for the first test drive 2 days before the event, and hence the 3rd round was a series of ups and downs. The day has a couple of sessions. You start with a 40 minute practice session, then a 30 minutes qualifying session, followed by the battles. I got out for my practice session after passing scruitineering without any problems and straight away it became apparent how differently I was going to have to drive the car. It had HEAPS of power, it was awesome, the first time I planted my foot on the track the car spun around straight away which was unexpected, but it was just showing me how capable it was, lol. Anyway, after 3 laps the idle started hunting and then I lost all throttle response! so I figured one of the intercooler pipes must have popped off. I pull into the pits to find that the straight sections of the PVC pipe (yes dodgey I know! but I was behind time as it was!) between the S/C and the intercooler had flattened themselves! So the pipe must have gotten hot enough to be flexible under boost, then when the motor sucked into vacuum as I took my foot off the gas they sucked together before becoming rigid again. Anyway, I was lucky enough to have a friend who wasn't competing that day but ran the some motor as me there. He offered me his metal piping and intercooler to suit. So we spent an hour and a 1/2 putting his stuff into my car. So I went out to qualifying and made it literally by minutes! (at least I had made it!) Anyway so I did another 3 laps or so then lined up for my first qualifying lap. Did that, it was pretty average, but when I went to line up for my next practice run I was instructed to go into the pits... wtf? Anyway I drove into the pits and they told me that one of the judges noted that my wheel was shimmying most likely from a damaged suspension component, he had a quick feel and said he thought it was my tie-rods. I thought I had been black flagged so I drove up to the working area pretty pissed off that I had only gotten 7 laps for my entry fee ($140). I grabbed a scruiteer and had a bit of an argument, he got me to jack the car up so he could test it. It was literally like 1 mm of play in the steering, so he cleared it as safe and let me get to the battles (but in group B as I had only put down 1 fairly average qualifying lap). They had held back my battle a little, and I literally made it within seconds of becoming a forfeit. Problem was I was still way behind the car and really had needed that extra time in practice and qualifying to get used to having power all of a sudden! Anyway I went in the battle and somehow won, so I was through to the top 8. So now I was up to a total of 10 laps in the car, I was feeling a little better, but still quite nervous, during the first battle I actually had to lift off the throttle a couple of times, which was a very new experience for me as in all of my previous cars I had always been well underpowered and struggled to keep the cars sliding. I also noticed I had moved up the speed range yet again! I was now sliding some of the longer corners in 4th gear! Roughly around 140-150km/hr. The second battle put me up against a more experienced competitor, it felt like a relatively even battle, although I was still didn't have control of the car like I used to. When we got back I got the thumbs up as having won the battle, so I was pretty stoked cause that made me in the top 4 of group B! Anyway I got the car parked and was ready for a short break before the next battle when there was an announcement over the PA for me and another guy to report to the control center. I was told that they had changed the decision and that I had lost the previous battle. I was a little annoyed as if it was that close they should have called a re-run, but anyway not annoyed enough to challenge it as I had been facing the possibility of not being able to compete at all twice!
    So I went out for an expression session as well which got me a couple extra laps again to just try and get better with the car. Overall I had a good day, but there was a lot of extra work and frustration caused at the start of the day that made the day a little worse than normal. Still, I got to see the potential of the car. It will be a great competitor once I am able to control it to the same degree I could with the old engine (ie when I was used it it from driving it every day). Its an odd car to drive with the S/C but with a bit of time daily driving, I'm sure I can get used to the power-delivery and will be a whole lot better next time I hit the track. Ive had a quick look at the video I took from the car on Saturday and unfortunately it looks like you can't see much but my A pillar :( If there is anything thats worthwhile Ill upload it, but there is other stuff online already anyway.


    As for my individual results:
    First round: 2nd group B
    Second round: Illuminated 1st battle, but in group A (top 16)
    third round: Top 8 Group B

    As always... the bit everyone is here for:

    Vids:
    Round 1 (z32) Clicky Clicky
    Round 2 (ae86 NA1.6L)
    outside: Clicky Clicky
    on car: Clicky Clicky
    Round 3:
    None yet... maybe later :(

    Pics:
    Round 1:
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    Round 2:
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    Round 3:
    Only Pic I have :(
    Was on the track for a lot less time than normal :( If anyone here was there and has any pics of me please post them up :D
     
  2. Zzz

    Zzz SidewayZ

    Got me a new pic of the weekend!

    [​IMG]

    more power = more smoke :)

    I like... :cool:
     
  3. Zzz

    Zzz SidewayZ

    More picys!

    OK, its not exactly thousands more, but 3 total is better than none!

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
  4. Z32 TT

    Z32 TT Active Member

    Man thats crazy stuff. good work! can you drift the whole course yet??
     

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