Silverstone Race Report

[TheRon]

What great day ! Racing was great - very intense and very close but from where I sitting other drivers were considerate, left room on the exits of corners and didn't cut across you to get to the apex if they thought you might be there, there were also no locked-up lunges into braking zones.

 

Busy morning - sign on, new driver's briefing, then collect & apply series sponsorship stickers, then scrutineering, then qualification, then MR2 driver's briefing, then race 1 !

 

Quallified 26th out of 35 - I got distracted and tried to race everyone around me - . Pole is 1:10.06 - that's about a second quicker than last year !

 

Race 1:

 

I get a poor start and get swamped but there's some trouble up ahead and over the next few laps a few spinners to avoid . I take to the grass at one point to avoid a spinner at Luffield. No damage, car behaved perfectly, finished 20th = very happy Tim.

 

Race 2:

 

Another good race I improve my laptime by a second but still end up 20th again. First half of the race is a difficult battle with a green MR2 who can catch me on the straights but I can brake later and pull away in the corners. Once I shake him I get some clear space to try and catch the guys in front.

 

I'm getting mullered on the straights and I reckon I've got the wrong gearbox. Apparently imported MR2's had a slightly lower ratio final drive while my replacement enigne has a UK gearbox. When I change from 2-3 and 3-4 I'm dropping off the power band by about 500rpm. We'll see if I'm able to get this sorted for the next outing.

 

Results: http://www.750mc.co.uk/images/uploaded/01_Silverstone_01Apr_MR2.pdf

[scatty]

great vids and good little write up... its carnage in the first vid. love how you sneaked past a few after the first spin....

 

its certainly very busy at the start until everyone settles down....

[MilesH]

Great video and congrats on the results!

 

Irrespective of your concerns over the gearbox, it's good to see you didn't have any issues with this engine and it ran perfect! Can you get a second hand import box to swap over?

[Stumason10]

Well done Tim!! Racing cherry well and truly popped..

[Martin R]

Tim, well done. Good to get the first real one done i should imagine.

[Stumason10]

Does look like gear ratios or definitely the car in the first Vid you battle with the black one has more ponies.!

[TheRon]

Fairly sure it's the gearbox final drive now having read everything I can find on the internet and been outside to count the turns on the previous box I've got. The MR2 3GSE engine has an 'ACIS' system that effectively changes the inlet port lengths when you get to 5100 rpm and there's a definite kick in the back similar to the cam change on the 111R. When changing gear from 2nd to 3rd and 3rd to 4th I'm dropping from 7100rpm (the limiter) to about 4700 rpm and then I have to wait for the revs to rise before it takes off again.

 

Comparing the ratios at the top end of 3rd with the UK box I'll be doing 96mph while with the import box I'd be only doing 90mph so there's not a lot of difference but those 3-4 seconds coming out of a corner waiting for the ACIS to kick in is killing me down the straight.

 

The daft thing is - it will probably be cheaper just to buy a 2nd hand box with the correct final drive rather than get the 3rd gear synchro fixed on the box I currently have ! £150 and a long Sunday should see it done !

[DeanB]

Well done Tim. Be warned though, when you have the diff sorted, you will discover another little trick they have up their sleeves that you will need and so on and so on.....

Going racing, whatever the formula, is like having your own missile programme....!

Addictive though isn't it?

[russelld]

Tim,

 

That was great just to watch! When you get the car sorted it will shoot you up in the placings. Very well done.

[TheRon]

Race 2 now with rearward camera as well wihch shows the battle I had in the first half of the race:

[R.I.B.]

Wow, that looks like it's one hell of an adrenalin rush!

So many cars so close to each other but it's great that everyone's giving each other room.

Well Done Tim

[DeanB]

Tim when are you out next?

 

I think you will definetly run higher up when the diff ratio is sorted. No question. On that circuit you should be able to slipstream past on the National straight quite easily, but you couldn't because the guys in front had such better acceleration. It must have been mighty frustrating waiting almost the entire length of the straight to catch back up with them.

 

I also think you will go better on circuits with more corners and gradient changes. More opportunity for skill to out. The Silverstone National circuit is basically just three corners.

[TheRon]

Next two races are at Brands Indy on the 29th April. Not driven it for a while but I do love all of it !

 

Correct gearbox ordered - should be delivered Tuesday and I've got a new clutch ready to fit as well so all being well I should have this swapped over next Saturday.

 

I then need to have serious talk with myself before qualifying so I actually find some clear space and don't just try and race everyone else. My aim this first year was to try and get into the top ten a few times. Having now seen the competition that is going to be pretty tough to do.

[DeanB]

I agree that you can find speed by simply taking the time - a lot of time - to think everything through beforehand.

 

Good luck at Brands. There is bound to be time to be had through Paddock, at least until you creep in to the top ten, I reckon.

 

Don't underestimate the advantage the guys with experience have over you. When you start to acquire it the gap will disappear I bet.