Sheidler wins DC Pro!

Vernon Head · Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2006 10:36 am Post subject: Sheidler wins DC Pro!

Looks like it rained on Sunday and everybody had to stand on their Saturday runs. Congrats to F125 winner Alan Sheidler, who beat 2nd place Brian Garfield by .6 seconds. Anyone care to comment?

Brian Garfield · Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2006 8:58 pm Post subject:

Awsome race. My congrats to Alan as well (publicly) for a job well done. It is my home lot, but the courses were the best I've ever seen in a Pro and were a blast in the shifter for sure. A good class was present and the group was a ton of fun!

I'm glad I took the opportunity to run in the rain against my original intentions. It was eye opening and really a blast.

The points are spread out all over now going into the Finale which will make it that much more fun and interesting. Lisa and I look forward to getting together with everyone in Topeka!

Brian

Alan Sheidler · Joined: 09 Aug 2001 Posts: 473

Thanks for the kind words, Vernon.
The FedEx Field lot is sloped and undulating, but with a relatively consistent aged asphalt surface. I recognized right away that the corners of importance were those which were off-camber. Those who did not give sufficient respect to the downhill turns paid the price with outside cones or wasted distance. Although grip was good, the pavement slope really determined the best line, rather than normal thinking regarding apexes, etc.
We were all having a blast starting uphill and then running over the rises and declines in the lot. There were 3 short slaloms on each side which were all flat out, running up through the gears.
Jeremiah and I would liked to have given the wet Sunday runs a go, but there was not much to gain, and cleaning up the kart after a rain run (and following the 10 hour+ drive home) did not appeal. We let the guys with no rain experience (and Lefty MacLeod) go to school while we watched from under umbrellas.
Brian and I have a tie at the front for season points, since he blew me away in Peru Wink

. With three Pros left to go in the Western states, there could be a new series leader in a month, though.

Nut McClintock and the Traveling F125 Road Show just returned from the Tour in Milwaukee. The surface there is similar to DC in composition and grip, but it is very flat by comparison. Mike, JT, Keith Roberts, and I went with the idea of testing, experimenting, evaluating, and having fun. The last part almost took over, but we got some valuable setup information.
I was the lead guinea pig, and my times show it, being all over the place. I even took a run on Sunday in F125L newcomer Neva Hoover's Trackmagic/Suzuki. Power was ok, but her husband Brian has some serious changes to make to the chassis before it will work well for autocross. Since it came from long track usage, that should not surprise. Dang, I wish I had not spun it... knowing the actual time possible would have been good.
I'll be off most of the next two months with other commitments. When I get back, I'll expect co-driver JT to be wiping the lot with me. Look out in September, he'll be ready, whether I am or not!
BTW, the guiding theme for the weekend was "Change in Plans". Saturday night, it was proposed that we all do something different by not walking Sunday's course, even once. All four agreed. That was an additional challenge, to be sure. Shocked

Alan

Daniel Morency · Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2006 6:16 am Post subject:

Alan,

what kind of changes are you talking about to take a road race chassis and make it more suitable for autox?

My KT100 powered autocross kart was also a former road race kart. I do love having the front brakes for autocross!

Thanks

Dan

Alan Sheidler · Joined: 09 Aug 2001 Posts: 473

Daniel Morency · Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2006 10:36 am Post subject:

I've already update my kart with ackerman steering as well. My coyotes came with it and my daughter's coyote didn't have it. It was a huge difference.

Our karts are not that stiff and we have the rear torsion bars at full soft for autocross.

We have played with wheel spacing on the rear and front for the beszt bite and balance. My son always feels like it is a bit too loose.

I'm running straight front end geometry right now and will be adjusting a bit of toe out before our next race. Is 1/16 inch toe out a good place to start?

Thanks

Dan

Chris M Johnson · Joined: 14 Oct 2005 Posts: 568

While you may feel that you were racing on a hill, I assure you its an optical illusion brought about by the terracing in front of the stadium.

The lots around Fedex are as flat as a board. Wink