Spire GT3 RGB Racer
Discussion
SpudLink said:
Thanks for sharing.
Bad luck with the collision. I guess 2nd isn t so bad under the circumstances.
Video editing suggestion: if you have front and rear video, edit the into a single picture-in-picture video, then add the commentary.
That's my plan for race 2, my front camera decided not to record for race 1. Bad luck with the collision. I guess 2nd isn t so bad under the circumstances.
Video editing suggestion: if you have front and rear video, edit the into a single picture-in-picture video, then add the commentary.
Hi everyone
Little update from snetterton weekend just gone
Decided not to do the Friday test here for a couple of reasons. Firstly we have Anglesey next in only a few weeks time, which is a triple header, so very important for championship points meaning reliability is key... I decided not to abuse the car for an extra day... And secondly, the test day was 425 quid for 4 sessions and they are notoriously crap with red flags every 5 minutes.
Turned out this was the correct choice as the test day didn't appear to go great for those who did it. It was also mega warm (for the UK) around 27 - 28 degrees and further compounding my feelings that it was a day of abuse the car and frankly I didn't need.
Now the last outing was castle combe, and I hated it. I did well mind you, but I wasn't comfortable in the car and definitely made a few backwards steps setup wise. For snett I decided to go back to how the car was at croft at the opening meeting of the season, and cross my fingers..
So I arrived Friday midday and started setting up, had a few beers in the sun .. quite enjoyed the relaxed approach for once!
So qualifying came around, everyone had been complaining that the track was greasy, which is to be expected in that heat. I had a reasonable idea of what laptimes I needed to be doing so I went out and felt relatively comfortable. Greasy and warm, so not fast relative to old laptimes in better conditions, but good enough to get pole by 0.64s.
The two races were relatively straightforward, lead from start to finish. The margin was bigger in race 2 on sunday after a some setup tweaks, but it wasn't easy. The car got quite flighty as the races went on and the tyres and brakes got hotter and hotter and I was struggling a bit with some locking and instability, so I have a few ideas about how to improve things on that front.
I will get some videos up but they probably won't be all that interesting given I was out front being chased both times.
All in all, saved 425 quid and a day's wear and tear, pole, two wins and two fastest laps - can't complain!!


Little update from snetterton weekend just gone
Decided not to do the Friday test here for a couple of reasons. Firstly we have Anglesey next in only a few weeks time, which is a triple header, so very important for championship points meaning reliability is key... I decided not to abuse the car for an extra day... And secondly, the test day was 425 quid for 4 sessions and they are notoriously crap with red flags every 5 minutes.
Turned out this was the correct choice as the test day didn't appear to go great for those who did it. It was also mega warm (for the UK) around 27 - 28 degrees and further compounding my feelings that it was a day of abuse the car and frankly I didn't need.
Now the last outing was castle combe, and I hated it. I did well mind you, but I wasn't comfortable in the car and definitely made a few backwards steps setup wise. For snett I decided to go back to how the car was at croft at the opening meeting of the season, and cross my fingers..
So I arrived Friday midday and started setting up, had a few beers in the sun .. quite enjoyed the relaxed approach for once!
So qualifying came around, everyone had been complaining that the track was greasy, which is to be expected in that heat. I had a reasonable idea of what laptimes I needed to be doing so I went out and felt relatively comfortable. Greasy and warm, so not fast relative to old laptimes in better conditions, but good enough to get pole by 0.64s.
The two races were relatively straightforward, lead from start to finish. The margin was bigger in race 2 on sunday after a some setup tweaks, but it wasn't easy. The car got quite flighty as the races went on and the tyres and brakes got hotter and hotter and I was struggling a bit with some locking and instability, so I have a few ideas about how to improve things on that front.
I will get some videos up but they probably won't be all that interesting given I was out front being chased both times.
All in all, saved 425 quid and a day's wear and tear, pole, two wins and two fastest laps - can't complain!!


Hi all
Anglesey went drastically wrong and unfortunately I now have a very outside chance, extremely unlikely, to retain the title.
So.. on Wednesday I had a problem with a trapped nerve and my lower leg/foot went dead. Had the most uncomfortable drive ever Thursday night to the track not remotely convinced I could drive. Got the car out of the truck and sat in it..my foot at rest was pressing the accelerator and I couldn't pull it back.
Tried again Friday morning and the natural rest position was basically on the pedal, but still not full range of motion and pins and needles / numbness.
Went out and managed to drive semi ok but lacking the usual finesse.
Then in the second session I was following a Porsche and it's bumper came off and hit me square on.
Got back to the truck and luckily just some marking on the car and a mirror to repair.
Then the gazebo promptly dismantled itself in the wind, and a bit later it started pissing down.
The weather got worse and whilst there were things I wanted to try, I was knackered and couldn't be arsed working on the car in the rain and wind.
Saturday came, not a great qualifying but enough for second by 0.08s. Race 1 I had a great battle with Noah and Dan, definitely had the pace to win but Dan controlled the race well and maximised track position. Alas none of this ended up mattering as I failed ride height check as did a few others.
I added some rake after quali due to understeery and was too complacent that it would be ok, as it pitched the car a bit more on its nose and was a bit low at the splitter on one corner. I didn't think it was that marginal to begin with and still don't. The checking of these things is always questionable at best in terms of the floor being used and how flat it is. The scruits presented a spirit level across the floor as proof but it could be out diagonally or on a rise or fall etc... anyway I couldn't be arsed arguing.
So, race 1 was a disqualification, meaning starting from the back in race 2 with a delayed start via national flag... Basically penalised twice.
I came 2nd with two spins in the damp and intermittent rain on dry tyres. I left setup way too stiff for those conditions (complacency again) and it just didn't give me any feedback... Plus having a foot that had 50% range of motion and pins and needles throughout didn't help.
Still, got to 2nd and secured fastest lap for pole in race 3.
Race 3 I won by 4.5s from the front. Got driver of the day for the win and recovery on Sunday
Overall, happy I salvaged something but I was never fully on the ball.
DSQ may have knackered the championship but it's not over til it's over. I don't feel like I've anything left to prove, so I'll keep my head held high either way. It is frustrating that a simple mistake like that can turn the entire seasons worth of effort and expense on its head, but I don't have anyone to blame but myself. Still, it feels a bit unfair.
This is club racing at the end of the day, none of us are pros and I spend a hell of a lot of time and my own money to do this and there is no prize at the end, and no one is going out of their way to fail ride height. The fact that I won by 4.5s in race 3 after raising the front 10mm proves it made little difference, but it also proves that it was silly of me to not set it up safe to begin with, but it's easy to go down the rabbit hole of chasing tenths.
Video here
feature=shared
Anglesey went drastically wrong and unfortunately I now have a very outside chance, extremely unlikely, to retain the title.
So.. on Wednesday I had a problem with a trapped nerve and my lower leg/foot went dead. Had the most uncomfortable drive ever Thursday night to the track not remotely convinced I could drive. Got the car out of the truck and sat in it..my foot at rest was pressing the accelerator and I couldn't pull it back.
Tried again Friday morning and the natural rest position was basically on the pedal, but still not full range of motion and pins and needles / numbness.
Went out and managed to drive semi ok but lacking the usual finesse.
Then in the second session I was following a Porsche and it's bumper came off and hit me square on.
Got back to the truck and luckily just some marking on the car and a mirror to repair.
Then the gazebo promptly dismantled itself in the wind, and a bit later it started pissing down.
The weather got worse and whilst there were things I wanted to try, I was knackered and couldn't be arsed working on the car in the rain and wind.
Saturday came, not a great qualifying but enough for second by 0.08s. Race 1 I had a great battle with Noah and Dan, definitely had the pace to win but Dan controlled the race well and maximised track position. Alas none of this ended up mattering as I failed ride height check as did a few others.
I added some rake after quali due to understeery and was too complacent that it would be ok, as it pitched the car a bit more on its nose and was a bit low at the splitter on one corner. I didn't think it was that marginal to begin with and still don't. The checking of these things is always questionable at best in terms of the floor being used and how flat it is. The scruits presented a spirit level across the floor as proof but it could be out diagonally or on a rise or fall etc... anyway I couldn't be arsed arguing.
So, race 1 was a disqualification, meaning starting from the back in race 2 with a delayed start via national flag... Basically penalised twice.
I came 2nd with two spins in the damp and intermittent rain on dry tyres. I left setup way too stiff for those conditions (complacency again) and it just didn't give me any feedback... Plus having a foot that had 50% range of motion and pins and needles throughout didn't help.
Still, got to 2nd and secured fastest lap for pole in race 3.
Race 3 I won by 4.5s from the front. Got driver of the day for the win and recovery on Sunday
Overall, happy I salvaged something but I was never fully on the ball.
DSQ may have knackered the championship but it's not over til it's over. I don't feel like I've anything left to prove, so I'll keep my head held high either way. It is frustrating that a simple mistake like that can turn the entire seasons worth of effort and expense on its head, but I don't have anyone to blame but myself. Still, it feels a bit unfair.
This is club racing at the end of the day, none of us are pros and I spend a hell of a lot of time and my own money to do this and there is no prize at the end, and no one is going out of their way to fail ride height. The fact that I won by 4.5s in race 3 after raising the front 10mm proves it made little difference, but it also proves that it was silly of me to not set it up safe to begin with, but it's easy to go down the rabbit hole of chasing tenths.
Video here
feature=shared
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