Post Mortem on Time Trial Predictions

[JHPGT3]

First of all, congrats to all TT participants and to the "Top 10". And congrats to Robert for getting the times posted by now. Incredible job!!! I was really looking forward to this TT event and was totally bummed that I couldn't participate due to a mechanical failure at the track.
Anyway, it looks like I may have to go into the TT handicapping business if retirement fails . Seven of my ten came thru with flying colors: Dawson, Ehrman, Simone, Clements, Miller, Copp, Risvold.
What happened to my other three? Robert??? What happened??? I didn't see U on the list. Where art thou??
Jae Lee became the "track wrench" (not "wench", JaeSan), when he couldn't get his car finished in time for the event. Otherwise, he woulda been right there, as we all know. And yours truly was running consistent low 1:47s with POC in massive traffic (69 cars) when the crank pulley decided to part company with the crankshaft. I'll show up as a DNF in the POC race, but they'll still post my best lap (1:47.19) of the nine I completed (out of 20) And would you believe Bob Ehrman wouldn't loan me his pulley for the TT?? Darn!!
Aubrey decided to do something really dramatic, I understand, with his new CupCar. Thankfully, he's OK, and I'm sure he'll be Top 10 in a future event.
So, there you have it: 70% actual batting average + if you count me with a 1:47.19 (in the TT format without traffic, Billyboy, I woulda, coulda, shoulda, had YOU!!! and really "surprised" Greg ) + Jae -- if he'd gotten his car ready woulda given the handicapper a 90% number.
Two impostors snuck into the Top 10 with Jae's and my absence.
So, congrats to Mats Lindstrom --the Handicapper will be looking closely at you in the future --I see you have been improving your times at an alarming rate!!
Congrats to "Straub" --sorry I don't know you. I think this was your 2nd SDR/PCA TT event with the first going back to 2003. Come see us more often, please.
OK Boyz, get ready for The Streets!

[jsimone]

JHP, It just wasn't the same without the third member of the Simone Posse on the grid, we missed you. I need to take you with me to the horse races at Del Mar this year with your handicapping talents, you can really pick 'em. I'm sure the Killer Bee will be back for the sting at the next event !!.

Great job to Robert, Jack and the entire crew, once again another great well run event. It was really good to see that Aubrey was OK as well, that was scary !

[Robert]

Believe me, I wanted to be there. My transmission got stuck in 3rd gear on Saturday morning when I was getting off the track, driving through the hot pit to exit. Prior to that my best was a 1:53.87 that morning, which was between Mats' and Jad's timed run times, so it may have been exciting. Oh well, I suppose a TT is partly about speed, partly about endurance, i.e., getting your car to last until timed runs.

[Otto]

Bill Dawson does need special mention. He reportedly ran 1:43s during the weekend and was 5th in the Enduro against all those sophisticated Cup cars. The TT needed to be only a Sunday drive for him to have everybody covered. Our TT world will never be the same after that performance. Way to go Bill!

[jsimone]

Mr. Dawson is the Man !

[lowyder993s]

Yeah...what they said!!!

[Pete Millikin]

I took a quick trip down memory lane with last year's results and noted the guys in the top 10 with the biggest improvements were:

Bill D 3.31, Alan S 3.36, Mats L 4.62

Congrats to all

I'm sure the conditions last year were substantially different but almost everyone in the top 10 improved at least 1 second over last year. These guys were in the top ten and improved a bunch.

Memo to self - Find out what the he** Mats ate for breakfast

[Jad]

One thing he ate was Hoosiers He has decided to run Hoosiers instead of the official KP tire, the Toyo RA1. Yes I am bitter, he has beaten me by a total of less the .2 second combined in the TT this year I thought a 1:53.xx would be plenty good to win in KP, but noooooo......

[Red Rooster]

This is getting to be a real tough crowd for no talent drivers like me to hang with... I can't believe how "on-your-game" you have to be to even get a decent grid position in the SDR-TT

I had a total blast and once again lucky not to let JP down in his predictions

My tip 'o the cap to Bill Dawson. (aka "energy boy Sr".) 1:43's...way to go!!... beating up on new Cup Cars like it's no big deal !!!

[kary]

Well done all!!! It is quite a track to run a good time on.

Bill that is an awesome set of times you posted throughout the weekend....maybe you want to get a G2X data acquisition systems and see if you can break 1"40 ??

I have been analyzing my data from the sessions and can see where I need to improve, nonetheless it was great running with you guys even though you were in my with my street engined skinny tired momentum car

[Otto]

Jad, it was an incredible display of speed and competitiveness by the whole KP contingent, worthy of the price of admission. I used to be able to run close to you guys but after seeing those results and how developed your cars are, down to no passenger seat for most of you, I will have to be content if I can see your exhaust pipes, with binoculars that is.

By the way, for those who heard my sad story about not being able to join the fun, closer inspection at the body shop with good lighting on hand revealead that the rear torsion tube of my car has a bend on the left side which appears to have been getting worse every event that I drove after my backwards drive over the apex of Turn 9 at Willow last June. I'll be searching the used-parts bin for a torsion tube and hopefully that will be the extent of the damage.

[jsimone]

Otto, as we talked about it at the track Saturday, it looks as if my predictions were accurate about the damage to your chassis as being suspect. Good that you found the problem, now get that car fixed and join the fun!!!!!

[Otto]

Yes John, your analysis was very helpful. The stress of the impact hopefully dissipated at the torsion tube and did not cause the mounting points to shift or detach. We'll know when we try to fit a new torsion tube. Regarding that sheared camber/toe adjustment bolt, the thought has crossed my mind that it could have sheared under stress right before the spin and been the cause of it, as my car suddenly lost rear grip and swapped ends in a heartbeat. That adjustment bolt is often actuated when aligning the car so maybe it weakens over time. I will change the bolt on the other side as a precaution and maybe other 944 owners should do it too.

[jsimone]

Otto,
Good call, I think you might be right about the bolt failing just before you spun, it kind of makes sense. I'd change out all the bolts that are common to securing the rear suspension, you never know what bolt could be the next weakest link !

[JHPGT3]

JHP, It just wasn't the same without the third member of the Simone Posse on the grid, we missed you. I need to take you with me to the horse races at Del Mar this year with your handicapping talents, you can really pick 'em. I'm sure the Killer Bee will be back for the sting at the next event !!.

OK, POC has now posted results and you can see that The Handicapper/AKA Killer Bee did a low 1:47 while warming up in the field of 55, and before he DNFed due to his pulley coming off the end of his crankshaft.
Since he was signed up for the PCA TT and we know he woulda run 2 secs faster without traffic (as he always has in PCA TTs), how bout 1st Place and 20 pts for the Old Boy!! C'mon:
2nd Place and 15?
A hanky for his tears, you say?
This is a tough group.
http://www.porscheownersclub.com/events ... E36-2.html