Heartland Park Touring Laps - August Edition

sliboa · Post by **sliboa** » Sun Aug 12, 2007 3:50 pm

Minidave wrote:But I think his classes start the day after the event, so he should be able to make it.

Sorry, I should have said that classes start the 20th of August.

Minidave wrote:I think I'm out of town on the Oct date, I'll have to check my Outlook calendar..............

I don' think you can use that excuse

. I seem to recall you saying

Minidave wrote:No, no, no, you have it all wrong - you need to make your calendar fit the events!

I think I should be able to make the September event, unless we happen to have a test scheduled that day. I'll go ahead and send an email to reschedule for the September event and sort of play it by ear as that date gets closer.

Minidave · Post by **Minidave** » Tue Aug 14, 2007 3:37 pm

Well, I checked my calendar, I get back to work after a two week absense on the Monday of that week in Oct. Might be a bit tricky getting off two days later, but maybe I can wrangle a half-day. Weather might be a bit iffy by then, so who knows. But - I made the calendar fit the events, so I'm sticking to my words!

I've already reserved the Sept date and got my day off arranged, so I'm planning to do the last two for sure. Next year, I'm gonna try and do the whole schedule.

By this time in 2008 they should have the new track at KCI up and running, I'm looking forward to that too!

petek · Post by **petek** » Tue Aug 14, 2007 4:30 pm

I'm in for September.

hctiev · Post by **hctiev** » Tue Aug 14, 2007 10:58 pm

I'd be up for the new track by KCI, but I seriously doubt they'll be able to beat the price of $60.

Not to steal this thread but I know that everyone is gearing up for the track and those of us who are new (read: Novice) probably have a ton of questions for those of you who are more experienced in both SCCA and/or track time. That being said - I'm considering some minor brake upgrades - most likely steel braided lines, new pads and Dot 5 fluid. Any recommendations, preferences or suggestions? This is a daily driver so I need to remain street functional.

petek · Post by **petek** » Wed Aug 15, 2007 1:31 pm

If it were me, I'd burn up the current brakes before going with new stuff.

Come to think of it... that is precisely what I'm doing!

Check your rotors if you are needing new pads. I know that the rotors on my MINI are fairly well worn and will need to be replaced when I change the pads.

Steel braided lines (IMHO) are more bling than anything else. I seriously doubt that you'll feel any difference between good stock lines and the steel braided lines.

DOT5 fluid has a higher boiling point but again, (IMHO) I doubt that you'll ever be driving a non-race MINI long enough to actually need the fluid.

dimini · Post by **dimini** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 10:39 pm

August passed us without Touring Laps. Darn! On the other hand, I discovered a leaky CV boot and could not get it serviced before the 15th anyway. Not to mention, it was probably 106F out there on the track. So, I feel better about HPT canceling on us rather than me having to forfeit.

I'm signed in for Sept. HPT and looking forward to it. As for the track near KCI. If they have budget public offerings, I'll be all over it. But on the private membership side, like $85K... too rich/exclusive for me. I'd love to go watch the handful (can there be more than a half dozen?) of Kansas Citians with super exotics having fun out there.

hctiev · Post by **hctiev** » Sat Aug 18, 2007 10:44 am

I'm confirmed for September. With an extra month to burn, we should be able to get a few more of us out there? I know people are reading this thread and holding back - come on and sign up. Heck, this is going to be the first time for a lot of us.

Minidave · Post by **Minidave** » Sat Aug 18, 2007 11:27 am

I put up another thread with some vid of the new track configuration, check it out............in fact, I'll just put it here as well.....the laps start at about 3 min 20sec into the show............

HPT laps

I wonder if Jeff Wood will be back in the states by then, I'd love to have him come up with his GP again, sorta sets the standard for the rest of us. Plus I know he's scheduled for a Phil Wicks event, I think in Oct, I'm sure he'd like some more track time before he does that.

Jeff Wood · Post by **Jeff Wood** » Sat Aug 18, 2007 4:10 pm

Dave everything looks good right now for me to be there in Sept. I didn't go to Germany last week. I ended working in Kinston, NC all week.

Minidave · Post by **Minidave** » Sat Aug 18, 2007 10:07 pm

Cool, plan on it then............

hctiev · Post by **hctiev** » Sun Aug 19, 2007 8:45 pm

Come on September!!!!!

(this is actually a smooth way to bumb this thread back to he top).

sliboa · Post by **sliboa** » Sun Aug 19, 2007 9:15 pm

I sure can't wait for the next track day to get here. My newly purchased helmet is sitting on a shelf, collecting dust.

petek · Post by **petek** » Sun Aug 19, 2007 10:54 pm

Nothing says you can't wear your helmet during your daily commute.

sliboa · Post by **sliboa** » Sun Aug 19, 2007 11:18 pm

petek wrote:Nothing says you can't wear your helmet during your daily commute.

While I'm sure I'd get some odd looks, I'm not so sure that'd be legal. I'm also not sure if it would help if I happened to be pulled over for speeding.

MiniGeoff · Post by **MiniGeoff** » Sun Aug 19, 2007 11:38 pm

sliboa wrote:While I'm sure I'd get some odd looks, I'm not so sure that'd be legal. I'm also not sure if it would help if I happened to be pulled over for speeding.

I'm sure it's legal. I mean it's a DOT approved helmet, and if it was a motorcycle you'd be wearing it.

Now it occured to me when I was buzzing around in my Scroth harness today that it might look poorly if I got pulled over.

"Why do you have a racing harness son?"

"Uh, for racing officer?"

One ticket for street racing, coming up!

Minidave · Post by **Minidave** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 7:55 am

I just bought the harness as well, what do you think of it?

I haven't driven with mine yet, I was thinking I should use it for a few days on my commute as well, just to break it in and get used to it..........but I also wondered if it might not get some looks........

sundance · Post by **sundance** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 9:24 am

Minidave wrote:I just bought the harness as well, what do you think of it?

I haven't driven with mine yet, I was thinking I should use it for a few days on my commute as well, just to break it in and get used to it..........but I also wondered if it might not get some looks........

From a long time harness user I'd say I wouldn't recommend it for around town driving because when adjusted properly you really can't move or turn your head to look behind you. Plus you won't be able to reach anything but the steering wheel and the shifter i.e. you can't reach the window controls, radio etc. It's a restricting feeling at first but it's comforting on the track because you focus on steering instead of hanging on to the steering wheel.

MiniGeoff · Post by **MiniGeoff** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 12:28 pm

Minidave wrote:I just bought the harness as well, what do you think of it?

I haven't driven with mine yet, I was thinking I should use it for a few days on my commute as well, just to break it in and get used to it..........but I also wondered if it might not get some looks........

I like it. I find it more comfortable then a normal seat belt. I still haven't got it adjusted just right, so I get it out occasionally to mess with it, normally after I've had to move my seat for some reason or another to make sure it's all close to being back to where I want it.

sundance wrote:[From a long time harness user I'd say I wouldn't recommend it for around town driving because when adjusted properly you really can't move or turn your head to look behind you. Plus you won't be able to reach anything but the steering wheel and the shifter i.e. you can't reach the window controls, radio etc. It's a restricting feeling at first but it's comforting on the track because you focus on steering instead of hanging on to the steering wheel.

I normally only use it around town on a lark, not as a daily occurance, or when I'm out just crusing some off the beaten path roads. I will concur about the lack of mobility. While with auto climate control and wheel mounted radio controlls, it's not a big deal for that, I have found that in heavy traffic when you need to see behind you it does cause some issues. I certainly wouldn't want to use it during rush hour.

On a different subject as relates to track time, what's the opinion on gloves? I've got a pair of racing gloves in the stuff I got from my father-n-laws Solo II time, but I don't particularly like them, and I wondered if other people with track time think that some type of glove is important, or if it's just preference.

Minidave · Post by **Minidave** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 1:56 pm

Good question.

We didn't wear any at the last event, it was just too hot.

petek · Post by **petek** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 8:50 pm

Helmet: I can't say if it is legal for a MINI but I know it is fine for an open car (Cobra)

Harness: I'd like to "try on" one before I buy one... somebody let me sit in their car next month.

I *know* I like the 5 point harness in my Cobra for track events. I tighten the belts up to the point that I can't move anything but my arms and legs... and then tighten everything up again after the first time around the track.

Gloves: when I tracked my Cobra I wore a full racing suit, shoes, and gloves. I don't like driving with gloves. It is not a grip problem but more something like loosing a little bit of feeling between a bare hand and a gloved hand. That said, I will always wear gloves when tracking an open car!

hctiev · Post by **hctiev** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 10:05 pm

Has anyone tried the CG-Lok? Also, can you use a harness in SCCA stuff?

Minidave · Post by **Minidave** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 8:17 am

Guess I'll start a new thread for the September event........, see if we can recruit some more "victims'

hctiev · Post by **hctiev** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 9:43 pm

Go for it.