Do I need $$$ parts to run well in CMC?

[GlennCMC70]

I've gotten wind of some folks who have been sitting at home and not attending events due to thinking they need 17" wheels/tires and 13" brakes w/ 4 piston calipers in order to run. I can assure you this is not the case.
I would guess about 75%-80% of our CMC'er are on 16" wheels/tires and OEM brakes (12" rotors/2 piston calipers).
I myself am still running the small stuff (and likely will for all of 2012).
This year in CMC we have one of the highest number of new drivers I have seen in many years. There is someone to race for everyone. The $$ parts can be a deciding factor when all else being equal. I see very few drivers who lap times are a result of not having 17" wheels/tires and $$ brakes.
I want to encourage everyone to load your stuff and come to MSR-C. I am 100% certain you will have fun. Lots of new faces and skill levels all over the map. You will not get faster sitting at home. Come out and race.

Plus - MSR-C is not a HP or brake track. To prove it, I ran a 1:24.3 at MSR-C in 2007 or 2008 w/ 230hp on 16" rubber and stock brakes. I don't want anyone to think they need the "good" parts in order to run and do well. You don't.


Thoughts? (like I need to ask....)

[Fbody383]

I see very few drivers who lap times are a result of not having 17" wheels/tires and $$ brakes.
Thoughts? (like I need to ask....)The advice I have been slow to take is to make more setup changes and find out what makes the car faster (or slower).

The inverts, especially, can come down to traffic managment as much as lap times in determining finishing order.

I guess I'm going to have to "pretty" the car up and come race... if you've EVER driven laps at Cresson more than twice, you're already one ahead of me. Should be like shooting fish in a barrel.

I would throw the rookie plate on but last time I ran there, Glenn tried to knock it off.

[jdlingle]

Ive only run it once in a DE without a cage and Ill be there. Well, considering I get my oiling and heating issues resolved. Watching you guys race there last year was nuts!!!:D

[rleng1]

I'm there. I'll be keeping it on all fours. Don't go wide into turn 1, unless you are 4 wide.
Francis, I have all colors of duct tape. Bring it.

[David Love AI27]

SEAT TIME makes speed.. thats why there is home track advantage..

its about being at the track and having a good time...

[BryanL]

I agree. 17's and 4 piston brakes aren't going to make much difference and certainly wouldn't move me up to a trophy girl. I wasn't any faster when I switched to 17's. I would rather be on 16's with good tires than 17's with old tires, too. I think the 4 pistons are great for longevity and consistency at a track like ECR but not the rest of the tracks we run on.

I would rather be running on track PERIOD than sitting at home with a car that is ready to go. But then again I love this stuff for the fun of it. I'm not upset if I leave the track and didn't get a top 5. My goal is always to drive the car into the trailer, finish the races, and learn something/ improve on track. None of that includes the rest of the enjoyment of hanging out at the track. Maybe I'm different but I'm just happy as can be when I pull out with the car in tow and love that feeling driving to a race. Can you tell I'm ready to get all my other projects out of the way and have time to focus more on racing?

[BlueFirePony]

...Can you tell I'm ready to get all my other projects out of the way and have time to focus more on racing?I feel ya brother!

[ShadowBolt]

SEAT TIME makes speed.. thats why there is home track advantage..

its about being at the track and having a good time...

David is right on this one. Jay and I took seven seconds a lap off our times from the first year at MSRH and the next year at the same track with the same car (no added go fast parts). We did not do any DE days and just running five race weekends (even splitting time in the car) took us from way behind the rest of the field to running in the pack. While it was the back of the pack we are still talking about seven seconds on a short course. Seat time, seat time, seat time.


JJ

[RichardP]

We did not do any DE days... Seat time, seat time, seat time.


Those two statements seem in conflict. I don't get why many racers don't do more DE events???


Richard P.

[Fbody383]

Those two statements seem in conflict. I don't get why many racers don't do more DE events??? For me it's time and cost... I allocate both to race weekends first.

I took Jerry's statement to say that even with ONLY race session time, they saw improvement. I was greatly surprised by my drop in times between race 3 and 4 at Houston just after getting the rust off (figureatively and literally) and small mechanicals dealt with.

[BryanL]

Those two statements seem in conflict. I don't get why many racers don't do more DE events???


Richard P.

I don't get why DE eventers don't do more races? (still don't know where the smiley's are)

[ShadowBolt]

Those two statements seem in conflict. I don't get why many racers don't do more DE events???


Richard P.

I was saying that with only race time we improved more than I would have thought. Correct David!

Richard you forget the one reason most of us don't do DE's..........wait for it............We are still married!

Six weekends away from the house is all I can get away with. We have a life and a business away from the track.
I'm sure if I was single I would be at the track at least three times more than I am now.

JJ

[evarner]

Those two statements seem in conflict. I don't get why many racers don't do more DE events???

And don't be afraid to do them in the rain either!!!

[AllZWay]

Richard you forget the one reason most of us don't do DE's..........wait for it............We are still married!

Six weekends away from the house is all I can get away with. We have a life and a business away from the track.
I'm sure if I was single I would be at the track at least three times more than I am now.

JJ

Plus kids and their sports... I just barely have time to do what I do now. I wish it was actually less.