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It's a wrap
2019 season is now over for me.
Some broad stroke conclusions are that I got faster and the range of my experiments got narrower.
I graduated to expensive but rewarding tires. The Hoosiers 265/35/19 front and 295/30/19 rear were able to get the performance objective I had for 2019.
My best lap at NYST was satisfying in a sense that I was pushing my car and my skill to a level that allow me to experience driving at the "limit". Limit is not defined universally but defined what feels to me as the edge based on my experience and skill
Objectively speaking, 1:35.7 for a 3500 car is fast. But my theoretical lap was 1:34.6. So I know I can break 1:35.
After the day I did 1:35, I wanted to see if I can make the car turn flatter. So the for the next track day, I adjusted the rear Hotchkis to the stiffer settings (90% stiffer than stack, I was on the middle hole for two seasons which is 70% over stock) That did not go well. The tail was too happy and than I broke the sway bar.
I ordered the H&R non-adjustable solid bar kit rated at 50% stiffer over stock.
But only the rear bar came in time for the last track day. So I did two adjustments. First, in anticipation for the H&R front being 50%, I moved the Hotchkis front to the softest settings on the passenger side (from 70 to 50) but I could not move the driver side because it interferes with the light adjustment arm. The net result is about 60% stiffer than stock
Then, on the rear I clicked my shaft and canister HS damping one click stiffer.
I also adjusted the rebound +1 to make it a bit slower.
So this is how a started my last track day on the third day on my now well used and loved Hoosier set.
The car was tail happy and the Hoosies were up to 43PSI hot and temp @ 150 were not that hot.
For the last two sessions on my last 2019 track day, knowing that I am going to cord the fronts, I did one more set of adjustments.
I clicked the rear damping -1 to make the rear a bit sadder (planted) but I left the rebound on the +1 from my best lap (from 12 to 13)
I took the PSI down to 38 hot (Hoosier said 42 hot for 3000+ Lbs car)
The car now on the H&R rear is then same damping as my best lap, but softer sway bar settings and +1 on the rebound and the last life left on the tires
The results was nirvana. I pushed the car as hard as I wanted, it was balanced and great and a joy to drive.
So I ended the year on a good note. Once the front H&R bar shows up I will install it and put the front Hotchkis for sale.
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