Actually, what I found was the opposite. In this particular run group, the cars were prepared enough and drivers experienced enough that they looked for learning opportunities. I became marked as "The Fast Miata" and ended up being the carrot of choice. Had several people in faster cars ('Vettes, 911s, M3s) that would purposely point me by so they could follow me through the turns and learn the lines/speed -- even if it meant they held back on the straights. They would come up after the sessions and thank me -- it was funny. I never experienced that in the lower-level run groups. I think I should be charging for the instruction. LOL.

Here's a guy that's REALLY fast. Very similar car, although he's added aero (wing, air dam/splitter):

 

I know what you're wondering. "Where the Hell has Hornet been?" Well, probably not, but I'm going to fill you in anyways. I've been off playing with NASA.

Picture of the event. 220 cars entered. Supposedly, largest event ever held at MSR-C.


I competed in TTD. My first NASA event and first competition. Here's the car all stickered up.


So, how did I do? Pretty darn good. Won TTD both days:
http://timingscoring.drivenasa.com/N...%203-14-15.pdf
http://timingscoring.drivenasa.com/N...%203-15-15.pdf

Set the TTD Track Record on Sunday:
http://timingscoring.drivenasa.com/N...ession%201.pdf





Also won 2 contingency tires (4 in class). One more in class and I would have won a full set.

Here's the record lap. It's within a few hundredths of my PB, so that's good -- didn't leave much:

So, turns out I don't suck at this. That has me thinking I should take it more seriously. Right now, I've got all kinds of wasted points, like R-package spoilers instead of real aero. And I can still cut weight from the car and stay in class. Treasure Coast lightweight hardtop perhaps?

Enough seriousness. Let's laugh at the asshat....

I found NASA Time Trial to be a fun group. Almost without exception, the drivers are fast and courteous. It's open passing, and the driving is cooperative so that everyone can get the max out of themselves and their cars. Unfortunately, there's always "that guy." In this case, he drove a Porsche 935 stuffed with an LS motor running in TTU class but driving slower than the TTE entries. Just watch ....


He finally spins about halfway through which lets me and others get some laps in. I manage to DQ myself at the end by overcooking Big Bend just a bit though.

Another video of "that guy."


Got tired of being behind him so let Kim Whitener and Nathan Wainwright take over while I slowed way down to open a gap for running. That worked great and by the time I caught Nathan, "that guy" was in the middle of a spectacular spin to the inside of Ricochet.

Here's some vid of me shot from Nathan's car. He was second in TTD:

I HAD FUN!

 

Rick,

You did great out there! Turns out all of that track time you have been getting has really paid off. Setting the TTD record is awesome, but knowing that you could add a wing, front aero, and shave some weight while staying in TTD makes me believe that next year you can set the record in the low 1:24's in TTD.

How much weight can you take off in TTD while staying in class?

Again, awesome job!

Also, apparently my weight is only good for about a second. With me in the car, Rick still hit 1:26's.

 

Enough about your car...tell me more about that beetle that was 4 seconds behind you.

 

At least 50lbs. By the way . . . GET . . . A . . . ROLL . . . BAR.

Am I getting repetitive?

Your wish . . . . Apparently, a new Beetle with the GTI drivetrain. Here's a vid from him (also complaining about our friend in the Red Porsche around 12 minutes in).

 

Oh, damn it. I was hoping it was some tricked out old school beetle.

 

Sorry. Still kind of cool, don't you think? But, yeah, not on the level of a real Beetle.

 

Nice Rick, congrats!

 

On Sunday it was like "Hey Rick long time no see...". Rick basically replies "Where's your rollbar noob!?!?"

At the track, you were literally getting strangers to tell me I need a roll bar. LOL I'm getting a rollbar as fast as I can. If everything goes the way it should, I will be getting a real engineering job in a couple months. Even if I had a rollbar at this very moment, it's not like I would have the time/money to do a track day in the middle of my last undergraduate semester.

The weekend seemed too fun to not be involved though...

Anyone wanna donate a rollbar in the meantime?

 

You planned poorly if you are overloaded in your last undergrad semester

I will graduate in June and plan to hopefully do 2 track days. One the week before finals. I also am taking minimal credits and got most of my hard classes done last year.

Congrats on graduating though!

 

Thanks!

Not poor planning here, I only need to do my last undergrad design project class to graduate.

What makes me busy is that I am starting my Masters before I get my undergrad. I'm taking a graduate level Classical Thermodynamics course, and a Graduate level Controls course. Let's just say these are not easy courses.

 

Ahhh, going the masters route. Good choice. I decided to start working and consider a masters in the future. I'm over school by now.

 

do they teach you about getting a roll bar, noob?

 

Don't feel bad, I told Rick the same thing when I met him at COTA. It was his street car, though lol.

 

HAHA. Yep, I remember that. The first and last V8 Supercars race in the US. I hadn't yet done my first track day at that time.

I really enjoy going to the track. Reminds me of tactical flying, although 2 dimensions instead of 3.

 

Hornet how is your NACA headlight duct been? Noticeable AIT changes? Thinking of going that route.

Good work man, I'd love to get a chance to race with yah if I ever make it out to Texas in your more sane temperature seasons.

 

NACA headlight lid works as advertised. Never ran the car any other way, so can't speak to whether there's a change, but AIT's are always ambient. And it looks cool and menacing!

 

What a difference 9 months makes. 6/14/2014 vs. 3/27/2015:

1995 Miata MSR-C 3.1 6/14/2014 vs. 1995 Miata MSR-Cresson (2_33.041) by VJ MSR-C 3.1 | YouTube Doubler | Mashup Helper

 

You absolutely ran off and left yourself. Awesome. Same setup right?

 

Everything was the same except for:

1. Rivals vs. RC-1s; and
2. A much better driver.

I think I had a bit more power back in 2014 too, since I've made my spark map more conservative. Can't wait to see what another 9 months brings!