PCA Club Race
Racing into Spring
Lime Rock Park, Connecticut
April 25,26, 2008
Racing in Style
By: Frank Celenza DDS
Racing into spring is the Connecticut Valley PCA Club Race weekend at Lime Rock Park, and as usual I arrived with great expectations, and a lot of unknowns. First of all, I'd be driving two different cars this weekend; my own aging 924DP, now classified in GT6, and teammate Phil Paisnel's Boxster in E Stock, which was graciously offered to me as co-driver in the one-hour Friday enduro. I had driven this car last summer with good results at the Mosport CanAm Challenge, and I knew it was strong and dependable. It had since been upgraded as well with a new exhaust and some trick suspension pieces. As for my car, well; it hadn't run since the Zippo at Watkins Glen in September, and we knew it had some issues. For one, the driveshaft/clutch junction was known to be very worn. Further, I had so many sets of tires laying around that I couldn't see buying another new set, against the advice of my team and crew.
This club race is our home event, and the DeMan Motorsport outfit was to have a very big presence this year. They were co-sponsoring the event, and guests were expected. When I arrived in the paddock early Friday morning I was delighted to see everything in place and prepared. We had brought no less than 12 cars, to compete in both the DE and the Club Race, and had three big rigs positioned around our paddock stall with awnings and pup tents. Behind the toter home were tents under which catered meals were being served overlooking the esses. We had really arrived in style!
The drivers' meeting concluded, the weather was beautiful and it was time to see what my car had left in it.My plan was to run the minimum number of laps to arrive at the setup that I needed, preferring to save the car for the sprint race late on Saturday. It was very questionable if it would last, so I'd have to use my time (and tires) wisely. This suited me fine, as I figured I'd get track time in the enduro in Phil's Boxster anyway, and with the cost of race fuel now I decided to stop wasting track time and be somewhat more professional in my approach. Over the last few seasons I've come to notice how top drivers are able to hop in a car, run a few laps and figure them out very quickly; dialing setups and getting them up to speed in short order. This time I decided I'd get right down to it and even sit out a session or two, saving the car for the race. Little did I know how close I was about to cut it.
So, I went out for the first session, and my now familiar car was just like always; loud, stiff, eager and pretty fast. It was immediately apparent that some drivers had been here testing the day before, as a few cars were right up to speed, but I wasn't going to get caught up in that and I stuck to my own game plan. I'd say William Richter and Peter Downs fell into that category. I hadn't really stood on it just yet, but I felt the car was handling beautifully, and I pitted to check tire pressures after only a few laps. Back in the paddock I debriefed the crew and asked to soften the car as the track was really bumpy in places and I was getting tossed around, even banging my helmet a few times. A few turns of the shock adjusters all around, and correcting the tire pressures was tried. The brakes were squeaking, but that's because I hadn't really gotten any temperature into them.
Next warm-up session and the softer ride was immediately to my liking. As the tires came up to temperature I could really feel the traction limit nicely, my Michelin Slicks were really feeling good, even if old. Coming off the downhill turn I got into a slide that caught my attention, but a quick steering correction launched me down the straight nicely. I dialed the rear sway bar two notches softer for more rear grip and ran only a few more laps, pitting again to check pressures. This is when the clutch acted up. I couldn't get the car to move from stationary without a terrible grinding sound. I tried it a few times, got it going and went back to paddock and told the team owner Rick DeMan. He conferred with my crew chief Joe Cassano and they told me it was done. That was awfully quick, I thought, and then went off to sulk for awhile.
Two more sessions for my group, and then a fun race, but I sat out, thinking the clutch was no good. It hurts so much to see your competition getting track time and having fun, and I was thinking that this feeling was becoming too familiar to me. The crew explained to me that the drive shaft on my car, actually a torque tube, inserts into the clutch plates with a splined shaft. These splines were badly worn, and soon they were just going to round off and the clutch would spin freely. When I asked them why we can't just weld it I was sent back to the trailer and told not to ask any more dumb questions. Oh well, as bummed as I was, at least I'd get to drive the Boxster in the Enduro later on.
So, the enduro gets set to go, and we've got three cars in it, all Boxsters. Rick DeMan is going to take over from John Frank, and I hear John tell him that he's going to pit as soon as the 15 minute minimum is reached. I tell that to my driver, Phil Paisnel, and we reason that they're putting Rick in early to try and win the thing. Phil tells me that he's going to do the same. Further, he tells me, he's mounted a set of sticker Hoosiers, gotta give you new tires, Frank. So, we were going to follow their lead, but one disadvantage we'd be facing was that we had no radio, as we couldn't sync Phil's new apparatus in time with the rest of the team, so we'd just be out there on our own.
The race starts, our Boxsters are running nose to tail, somewhere mid pack, pretty much matching lap times. After 15 minutes or so, the signal goes out to bring the first one in for its mandatory 5 minute stop, and Rick straps in. One lap later and Phil appears in the pit for me to jump in. We're timing the stops and I know that I'll go about one minute after Rick leaves. I'll need to get acclimated to this car in a hurry, as I've not yet even driven it. I scan the dashboard and immediately realize that I won't know how to read this digital thing. The mirrors are adjusted, I'm belted in, the position is good and I'm ready to go. Joe signals me out and I'm thrust into battle.
Now, I recalled that this car is not that different from my own, in terms of speed and power, lap times were very close to what I'm used to, and since I drive a Boxster S on the street I know the balance pretty well. So, I'd say that within two laps I had this car up to race pace, once I got comfortable with the shift and braking points. And it sure is a lot easier to drive than my race car! Power steering, power brakes, everything was so light to the touch, it was all so comfy, and roomier. The doors even opened for access!
I was passing others and moving through traffic when I noticed Rick approaching in my mirrors. Now, we'd had a short discussion about how we'd look after each other out there and try to have some fun together, especially as we were both driving cars that we didn't own. But I guess he forgot about that as we approached Big Bend door to door with him on the outside and two other cars in close company. I gave him room but then saw that I could get back inside him. The cautious side of me won out, and then he took that spot and motored off, having weaved through all four of us around one corner! This deposited a black 944 Turbo between us that I'd spend the rest of the race chasing. Down the hill into diving turn I was gaining on him and setting him up for the straight when I had to back out of it because he was slow and blocked my progress. I'd lost my momentum and then couldn't out gun him down the straight, but I knew that's where I'd get him next lap.
So, next time around I start the run all the way back at Climbing Turn, and distance him just enough that I'm not too close, and have enough room to slingshot him off the down hill. Around West Bend and down the hill I've got it timed perfectly and then out onto the straight it should have worked, but he wasn't nearly as slow this time and when his turbo spooled up I couldn't do it. Try it again next lap, a little closer this time; foiled by some traffic. We spent laps doing this, sometimes he'd deposit a backmarker between us and I'd take a few turns to get through and catch back up, other times I'd follow his lead and go through with him. Down the Main Straight one time we went deep into Big Bend with Luis Viera trailing and I saw him spin under braking in my mirrors trying to keep up. It was good clean racing, and it seemed like a long stint. Which made me realize that this thing had to end sometime soon.
Onto No Name straight we came upon a gaggle of cars, and as we turned for the Uphill, the Turbo went for the outside, and that was my opening. I grabbed a downshift and passed him and a lapper up the inside, then put another between us on the downhill, then it's past start finish with the checker waving, I'd put him away on the last lap! For my efforts, I'd posted a best lap of 1:02.6 which I thought was pretty respectable. More importantly, I'd gotten a lot of badly needed track time. The day was over and now it was time to contemplate my own car's dilemma.
It was another pre-race sleepless night, mulling over possibilities and potential predicaments. I felt that the car was fine once it was moving, the only really stress to the clutch was when I pulled away from a standstill. But I was told that was not so. What if it fails under drive while on the track? You could over rev and blow the motor, or maybe get hit from behind and crash it. At the very least, you're going to have to be towed in, and you'll ruin the session for your fellow racers. Somewhere around 4:30am I think I arrived at a strategy. I was going to sleep in, miss the first session altogether, and then try to get out for a few laps in the second session just to see if the car had any life in it. If so, I'd be ready to qualify, in a minimum of laps of course, and then race it. It was worth a shot.
So, I arrived at the track and told the crew what I intended to do. Frank, you're a dentist, if you tell a patient not to chew on the right side for a week don't you expect them to listen? Joe always likes to give me dental analogies. But I further detailed the plan. I explained that I was going to go out for the session from the paddock, letting my group take to the track first so that I wouldn't have to go through the whole process of pre-gridding and declutch the car a handful of times to position it. And I got the crew to agree; they figured that by the time I went around the paddock I'd realize that it was shot, and I figured if that's the case then I'll be satisfied.
When my run group headed out, Joe was in the pit lane watching and he radio'd to me that it was time to roll, so I went out from the paddock and headed for the pre grid. The car made a terrible grind for an instant as the crew pushed me off and then it caught and seemed fine. I idled around to the track entrance and was just about to head out when the very last marshal stopped me to check my wrist band! I had to stop and show him, then declutch and head out without a push; just what I wanted to avoid! But the car did it, grinding badly again, but I was under way. Down the pit lane, out onto the track, taking care as the others were up to speed, I took two laps or so to feel the car, warm the tires and brakes and then got up to speed. Everything seemed fine and I was settling in when I was black-flagged at the downhill station and had to pit. I brought it to the box and a scrutineer approached my window.
` Well, it seems you've been busted, he leaned in. Maybe it's the wind direction or the weather, but the track officials are measuring noise levels this morning and you're a few decibels too loud. You're going to have to park it and fix it, I'm sorry.
With all that I had going on, now I'm pulled in for noise! It was unbelievable. Back in the paddock, it was quite a scene. Apparently, the list of cars breaking the noise barrier was 20 long, and mechanics all over could be seen packing baffles into mufflers and silencers, we had four cars of our own being tended to!
But it turned out that this twist determined my final strategy play, in what was certainly becoming a very challenging weekend. Rick advised me that we'd change the baffling a bit, but my exhaust had so many leaks in it that it likely wouldn't matter. Just go out for the race, don't qualify the car, start it from the back row. The reasoning was that if I went out to qualify and was over the noise limit again, they'd send me home. At least let's start the race and then see what happens. So, I get to sit out another session while everyone else gets practice, and then I'm thrust into a race from the very back to see what I can do. I kind of liked that plan, at least I'd get to do some passing. Provided the clutch held up, of course, which no one thought it would. Except me.
Race time approaches, with lots of friends and family on hand that I'm just dying to put on a show for. The call for cars goes out but again I don't want to position my car in a traffic line or even have to back it up, so I wait to pre-grid it and arrive there telling the marshal that I'm just going to park in the back and I'll roll out last behind the other cars. They check my number, wrist bands, and radio in to see who I am (because they hardly ever saw the car up here) and finally approve of my participation. I was happy to have taken the time to mount my video camera; the in car video could be a keeper.
Five minutes to go, then three, I turn on the camera, cinch my belts tight, gloves on, one minute and then out goes the field. As the last cars move I engage first, ease the clutch and then dump it with that ugly grinding sound and it chugs away. I might have to do that just one more time if the pace cars stops to group the field, which it did, but I timed it so that just as I queued up they rolled again and I didn't have to stop! Around for the pace lap, I'm weaving and skidding the car off the back of the field to warm the slicks, then we come off the downhill, I'm eyeing the starter and Green green green! comes over the radio, courtesy of Joe. I'm right on the power and can't see an opening down the inside or the outside, so I elect right up the middle. And what a run it was, as I slotted right through at least 5 cars before finding a hole up the inside into Big Bend where I outbrake another. At least a half dozen cars disposed of, right there at the start! From then on, it was pass at will; dive bombing into Big Bend, ducking inside the Left Hander, and on the approach to the Uphill. To eliminate a downshift and then another upshift I was carrying fourth over the uphill and then down the Back Straight, so I wasn't that fast entering West Bend, but coming off I'd get even on the Downhill. The car was awesome, and I was taking care to make sure it lasted. I was careful to downshift smoothly 5-4-3 into Big Bend, for the clutch's sake, and it seemed to be holding up fine. Upshifts came on No Name (3-4) and Main Straight (4-5). It was a minimum number of shifts per lap, thankfully, or it likely wouldn't have lasted. My feeling coming in was that Lime Rock is not that hard on the drivetrain anyway, surely Watkins Glen and certainly Sebring would have broken it. I could see the spectators on the hillside over the esses and knew I had friends up there, as well as atop our transporter. I was surely putting on a driving show for them as I tore through the field. In the end, I came from 24th on the grid to 7th overall, and as no one passed me, counting 14 lappers that makes 31 passes in 20 laps!
Back in the paddock, there was back slapping and high fives all around. We'd pulled it off in style, and it had to be one of my best runs ever in this car. It couldn't have ended any better, I won my class, and I've got it all on video.
I have to say that it was one of my most satisfying race weekends ever. I felt I'd done some of my best driving, using track time wisely, and taking it all on with almost no practice. I'd had a great time, and made no mistakes whatsoever, I'd played the mechanical side correctly, and I never put a wheel wrong, in two different cars including one very delicate one. In short, a very professional and immensely satisfying performance.
Yours in sport,
FastFranz