Wet weather racing

:omg:

:grin:

Cool picture!

Racing on wet pavement just never appealed to me.

Clem

Wet weather is the worlds greatest equalizer. We put three Merkurs within two tenths in 2002 in the rain.

Equalizer? Sure, if you all get to share in the fun...

We assign car numbers based on which heat you run...

Guess which heat ran in the rain?

:grin:

So all SM cars don't run in the same heat? That seems kinda silly.

Rain is fun to drive in though. Of course every time I decide to drag the Subaru out to an event, its completely dry :evil:

Nope, our region chooses to let you pick your own heat. I'm not a big fan of that myself, but I guess in the fun>>competitiveness environment we try to promote it makes sense...

I just need to pick my heats better :cool:

The only things to watch out for are hitting a puddle at high speed (it's like landing on the brakes) and hitting a puddle with two wheels (light cars with wide tires will have to countersteer).

Several years ago, I did the Phase I Evolution school in Biblical rain. I'm talking build a big boat, gather animals two-by-two, water at least ankle deep in parts of the parking lot, rain. Driving was a hoot, but shagging cones kind of sucked.

It also took about two days top down in the garage for my car to dry out, and that was after I shop vacced it.

I've had the pleasure of Aqua-X a couple times and while you won't win any trophies for FTD you will have fun, but not as much fun as the two track days I have done in the pouring rain. Road Atlanta and Rockingham, now that's an experience Nascar banking + high speed+ heavy rain = pucker factor of 11.

Sweet picture/car.

Rain may be the great equalizer, but snow is the great inverter. How else could Saturns win in STS and GS in the same day?

fun............ unless that torrential downpour catches you at the Glen on slicks doing 115+ mph braking into the toe of the boot.

In that case it was a contributor to the whitening of my hair.

I love the rain!

(Not streamed, because it kills band width. Clicking image takes you directly to youtube)

G

My last two autocrosses were in the rain. I think everyone slid off-course at least once, regardless of drivetrain layout. I was hoping my AWD would give me an advantage, but I guess bad weather doesn't make up for me and my car being slow.

LopRacer wrote: I've had the pleasure of Aqua-X a couple times and while you won't win any trophies for FTD you will have fun, but not as much fun as the two track days I have done in the pouring rain. Road Atlanta and Rockingham, now that's an experience Nascar banking + high speed+ heavy rain = pucker factor of 11.

You want pucker, try a hill climb in the rain. No cones and NO runoff. Just armco, trees, boulders and an occasional sheer drop. :omg:

I enjoy racing in the rain. It is amazing how much traction there is in odd areas. It is much more fun when you have a track with enough of a runoff area. I don't think I'd like being at the Glen in a downpour. Racing in the rain is kinda like taking a magnifying glass to your driving. Every little mistake or movement gets magnified. I ran an endurancekarting event last year. The first hour or so, it was dry, then it rained steady for about another hour, and finally dried completely. Being on the track for wet,dry, and in between sessions is a real eye opener.

I've done road racing in the rain. I'm always willing to go out in crummy weather, but I wouldn't exactly say I like it. ...especially not in an open car like my Spridget. Sort of like wearing a hair-shirt I guess.......if it doesn't drive you crazy, it'll make you stronger. The key is to use Rain-X inside and outside on the windshield. And same deal on the face shield. In the past, I've taped a kitchen sponge to the upper part of my glove so I could wipe my visor....you do what you gotta do, but I'd say it's not that much fun. My other racer (Escort GT) has a roof, but I haven't really driven that in rain yet....maybe that'll be different.

Me chasing an X1/9 and another Spridget at Summit in the rain.