This weekend I was trying out profile 7 on my LRP SPX. This profile is supposed to use "timing boost" to increase the rpms on the top end, giving you some extra speed down the straights. I dropped my gear 2 teeth and decreased the motor timing to 10°, just in case using this profile heated up my motor more. During practice I timed my runs and tried to pull over soon after 6 minutes, and my motor temps were in the 150°F range, so I geared up 2 teeth for racing.
In round 1, I finished the race in 1st, setting the TQ, and my motor came off at 170°F, the exact temp I was aiming for :) The second heat of Stock Truck was up next and I wondered if my TQ would stand. It wasn't looking too good for me, as early on, the leader was on a pace a few seconds faster than my TQ time. But, with about a minute to go, he rolled in the center triple and took forever to get marshaled. I thought to myself, "Well, that's it, he can't beat my time now." Sure enough, his pace slowed to about a second slower than my time. Whew! Still the TQ :)
For round 2 the track was slick! Too much water was put down during the break between rounds! There were even puddles still on the track :( There was no way I would go faster to re-set the TQ :( And the track might be just dry enough for max traction for the second heat of Stock Truck. I was a lap slower this time since I had to drive around all the puddles and couldn't get on the gas too hard or attack the corners, for fear of looping it :( Luckily, for me anyway, the track was still too damp for the second heat of Stock Truck, and the winner was still slower than my time, and was never on a pace to beat it. Woohoo! I was still TQ :) Now, I've TQ'd before, but not against such a fast field. The top 5-6 guys were all capable of setting the TQ, it was just came down to who drove the fastest and cleanest.
The main did not go off as planned. I got a decent start, but a marshal stood up on the 1st lap, and blocked my view of the second turn apex! I lost sight of my truck! I was yelling at the guy to duck (along with several others), but it was too late. By the time I saw my truck again, it was pointed the wrong way, and I went from TQ to 6th :( I was so pissed, I drove my ass off, and made it back up to 3rd, when Nick stopped the race, because the scoring program crashed! I had a second chance to get back to the front! Woohoo! The leader was way out there, because of the marshal blocking the apex, and now we would be restarted! Nick re-set the grid in the race order at the time of the program crash, so now I would be starting in 3rd, as is seen on the OCRC YouTube vid of the race.
The re-start was clean this time and the marshal stayed seated :) I took the lead, then fell back again, to 3rd, in the 1st few laps. I then put a clean, out braking, inside pass at the end of straight, on Darin Halverson, and took over 2nd. I then switched on the afterburners to catch his brother Brian in the lead. He made a mistake on the lander of the step-up and got stuck between the pipes a couple of laps later, where I cruised by and took over the lead! I think we swapped the lead at least once, but I was leading on the final lap. I had about a 1 turn lead on Brian, when we both got caught up with Chuck Fowler, who had crashed on the step-up, because the marshal had flipped him over right in front of us. I got the best of it, since I still had the inside line to the next turn. I thought I had the win, but cut next to last turn before the line too close and rolled on my lid! DOH! Brian took the win, and I almost lost 2nd too! DOH! I should have left a little more room on that apex, and I could have coasted to the line :( Oh well, next time :(
SPX notes:
-R1 P7, 10deg, 72/26, 170°F
-R2 wet, swithed to P8, 10°, 72/26, 160°F, not hard on motor
-Main, P8, 10deg, 72/26, 160°F
-try 20° timing w/P8 next race
Stock Truck A Main
My brother qualified 2nd in the B main for Stock Truck. He had an awesome race! Swapping the lead back and forth with Ceaser for the bump-up spot in to the A. I thought he had the win, but he went too wide in the last turn, which let Ceasar sneak in to the inside to take the win and bump to the A.
Stock Truck B Main
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