Jump to content
HybridZ

Pikes Peaks 2016


Recommended Posts

  • 1 month later...

So ended up participating in the Grassroots Motorsports UTCC at VIR (13 hr drive).  UTCC was a waste of time and money but stayed for the NASA TT over the weekend.  VIR is an incredible track - very challenging.  Hit 150 mph on the back straight but fought the car all weekend.  A rear gland nut came out so the strut was just sliding in the upright.  Wicked vibration in the front end.  Then cracked a rear spindle so went home early.  First DNF ever in nearly 10 years of racing this car but at least I noticed it and came in before bad things happened.  Really disappointed to only manage 2:04 but with car issues and traffic never really figured out the track.  Regardless VIR has to be a bucket list track for anyone.

 

From this realized that Z parts are getting hard to find.  Replacement spindles were not anywhere local and ended up spending more in shipping that the parts cost but now have in hand and half of them on the car.  Been fighting a front wheel that was chronically loose and finally found the outer bearing surface was worn on the spindle itself.  So upgraded to much beefier 280Z parts and installed one front and one rear new upright.  The other corners will have to wait for winter project. This shot the meat of race season so missed a couple races.  But thanks to encouragement of wifey just got back from another 13 hr drive to Pa for the Giants Despair hillclimb.  It was really run and well worth the drive.  Ended up first in class and 9 out of 108 overall.  There were like Indy cars and stuff here so some REALLY FAST cars.  I really enjoy hillclimb - by far my favorite type of racing.

 

I'll have to come back and add the video - for some weird reason my computer wont currently paste?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So, you broke a second spindle? Or are you referring to the earlier spindle breakage?

Just one rear. But the found that the bearing race one front strut was wallowed out so bad it cause vibration so change it too.

Edited by heavy85
Link to comment
Share on other sites

You know as well or better than me, but is your suspension bottoming out some? Would some bump stops promote component longevity? Those are hard dips on those courses! I sure don't have the balls for that. I still fly off into the grass with regularity.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 5 months later...

Weatherly hill climb last year.

 

 

Then ended up last minute trip down to Road Atlanta in December where managed a 1:34.  With the move this year Pikes Peak is still year(s) away however am now planning for Mt Washington in July.  Had to add three bars to the cage but that's done.  Need to figure out how to make the fuel pump automatically turn off when the engine dies and then should be legal.  It's a really, really yumpy road with one mile of total seven mile race distance being gravel.  Trying to figure out springrates as they say to run soft but am worried with bottoming.  It's going to take a long time to memorize the road but that's in progress now.  Mt Washington is one of the oldest races in the country and one of the most challenging hillclimbs anywhere.  Should be fun.

 

http://mtwashingtonautoroad.com/climb-to-the-clouds

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 5 months later...

I have that sick feeling.....I'm so sorry, bro. You got two wrecking balls swinging between your knees, for sure. I was terrified just watching that from start to finish. My heart is still pounding. No way I'll ever have the courage to do that. So glad you are ok.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

so sorry what happened. i give you credit for putting so much work into something and doing something that you know could put it all to an end. glad your ok! i can barely run mine on a paved road coarse. i would never have the courage to run on the side of a freakin mountain full speed!!! props to you, hope you get another one built soon. i run a s130 so there aint no parts of mine your gonna want, not many run them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That could have been around a million times worse had that happened at almost any other part of the course. That really sucks that it happened, but count yourself lucky that you didn't go flying off the hill. Really glad to see you're ok, or as you said it best, about as ok as you can be.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bummer for sure.  Glad all the work you put into safety was worth it but too bad it had to get used.  From the video it almost looked like the road had a drop going into the corner and compression braking was enough to lose the rear end.  And on a hill there's rarely any room for run off.

 

Cary

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cary - there is literally zero error on this hill.  The road is no joke barely two cars wide and the entire way up, all 7 miles (video is only of top half), there are either rocks, drop-off, or ditch right at the edge of the pavement/dirt.

 

The view of the passenger rocker/floor is scary.

 

http://forums.hybridz.org/uploads/gallery/album_1776/gallery_690_1776_529751.jpg

 

http://forums.hybridz.org/uploads/gallery/album_1776/gallery_690_1776_305632.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...