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I am happy to report that I am signed up for Global Time Attack's Super Lap Battle at Buttonwillow. As usual, they'll be running config #13CW. This is what I consider to be my home track and home config. I'll be in the Unlimited Class since I want to run slicks.
I'm quite sure I have no chance of winning, but that's not really the point for me. This is a vibrant, highly competitive environment, and it's fun to be a part of it.
8 of the 12 cars so far in Unlimited are RWD. If the past is any indicator, the Miatas and S2000's will run away with it. There is a Corvette signed up that I've never heard of. When those are built right, they put down incredible times. There is a BMW E36 M3 in the Class. Those guys used to run some pretty quick S2000's. Curious to see how they do in a BMW. Jason Sharek's Mercedes C63 is signed up. It's an amazing build put together by Michael Essa. We always have fun duking it out. Anyway, lots of interesting competition to consider.
I have podiumed at SLB before, but each year, the competition seems to step it up more and more, so my best bet is to focus on putting together clean laps. I know that sounds basic, but sometimes you just gotta go back to basics. I've put in enough laps at Buttonwillow to know how to get around the track cleanly. The question always is: can you put it all together in one lap? Looking at last year's SLB results, I could easily have podiumed. And if I ran my current personal best time, could have gotten 2nd.
My long time goal has been to hit a 1:46 at Buttonwillow. I know that in the correct conditions it's possible because I've been in that territory until the DCT double-upshifted. I was hoping that carbon doors could be on the car for SLB. I thought maybe that could be the extra kick that puts me over the top for a 1:46, but the fabricator just isn't far enough along.
Other thoughts:
-In previous years, SLB was run a week or two earlier in November and the weather would still be quite warm. It would get into the mid-80's.....blah. But this is the first year that they've been able to acquire a weekend slot and it's a bit later than the previous events. In my experience, mid-November is when it finally cools off, and the event is Nov. 16 and 17. So, I'm hopeful that the weather will be cool----or at least significantly cooler than mid-80's......(One year, I went to Buttonwillow by myself for a semi-exclusive day----November 16, 2015. The high was 58ºF that day. So, I'm hopeful!)
-I have good tires. Remember all the stress about getting tires mounted at the Buttonwillow tire shop on Friday? I had new Pirelli DH mounted. I've never attended a GTA event with such good tires. I will be working hard to sort out when is the right time to run them. If you've followed my thread over the years, you know I have struggled to find clean laps at SLB---meaning a lap where someone isn't impeding my lap with a broken down car, or a car fire, or fluid on the track, or someone in an AWD car put on their hero tires and is screaming past me or the start/finish guy throws a Yellow flag for no reason.....shall I continue?.....haha which seems ironic. Isn't a TT supposed to basically guarantee clean laps? Anyway, as far as tires go, there will be no excuses in the tire department this year.
-The car feels good. I've been experimenting with some different aero settings. I believe they've been working for me. I like the feel. I'll stay a bit vague on what I've been doing for now. It's not that big of a deal, but I've been messing around with it.
-They will be live-streaming the event. So, if anyone is curious, you can watch it.
Anyway, I'm looking forward to putting down some TT laps in less than 3 weeks!!
Stay tuned!
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