Glory to ashes... this race season isn't going according to plan

I blew up the motor in my new race car at Summit a few weeks ago and didn't have enough left in the kitty to get another one in place for the endurance race at NJMP. A good friend was gracious enough to offer me a ride in his... so Friday we qualified 4th in class, 11th overall and I took the first stint. 90 minutes or out of gas, which ever came first.

I got a good start, pace was good for the whole time and I had us in 3rd, 9th overall when I came in on-time with fuel to spare. The car's owner hopped in and the pit went smoothly even though there was an impromptu splitter repair that had to be done from me straddling a curb on the start. He rejoined in 10th overall and despite not knowing the track well he got on a good consistent pace pretty quickly - holding 3rd/10th. He complained a little of spongy pedal but came in on time 3rd in class, 5 laps up on the next guy, did fuel and driver change and off we went.

5 laps in our 3rd driver complained of lack of grip up front and soft pedal and the pace fell off dramatically. We scrambled to fetch tires, bleeder bottle and welding gloves. Math said we could do two and bleed without losing our podium spot if we could do it in 4 minutes. Two of us ran back to the trailer to get extra tools - while we were there the track went quiet. First thought: AWESOME! We aren't losing time while we get ready to do a stop. Second thought: berkeley. Our car didn't come back to the grid.

3hrs and 10mins into a 4hr race the car lost all brake coming into turn 1 at 135mph and sailed off the crest of the hill, 100yrds across the grass, hit the tire wall, popped up in the air and rolled onto the roof, then over again, landing back on it's wheels.

Driver was fine (not in a good mood... but physically unaltered). Halo seat and stout cage FTMFW. The roof is a reflection of tubing, B pillars are both bowed outward. Car is repairable but it's bent more than this picture indicates. Sigh. The racing gods are fickle.

That sucks, any idea of what let go?

Kenny_McCormic wrote: That sucks, any idea of what let go?

Not really. We thought the spongy pedal was from heat soak in the pits combined with having to use them for a longer time as the tires fell off but... the splitter was damaged too and that could have crushed a brake duct, or something like that. Driver said the pedal came back after a few laps off the pace so we were prepping for a tire change and a quick bleed. Live and learn I guess.

This stuff absolutely fascinates me! I'm sorry your team took such a big hit but thank God for safety equipment!

That sucks; I'm sorry! Glad everyone's basically okay.

Just for my mental database, what technique do you use to bleed in a circumstance like that? Gravity's too slow; driver pumping the pedal? Hook up a pressure bleeder?

Trying to think what provides the best combination of speed and relative foolproofing for a fraught situation where nobody's going to do their finest wrenching...

They always go out in the super high speed areas.

It's just a tough sport, it is. Glad the driver is OK. The car you've been kind enough to advise me about is the same color, not that that's relevant to anything.

So brakes were going, then started coming back... Then just went?

Ouch! Major suckage there. It doesn't look too bad in the pictures considering it went over.

I'm scared to ask what is stuck through the grill. Did it take out the radiator on its way through?

Sounds like a rough season, but I'm glad to hear everyone's OK. Considering what it went through, the car looks in very decent shape...

There's always next year!

Ouch. Glad he's OK. Major suckage about the car, though.

jdbuilder wrote: So brakes were going, then started coming back... Then just went?

Brake fluid doesn't "instantly" boil, the heat does take a couple seconds to transfer into it. What usually happens is if you are on the ragged edge of the fluid completely boiling, you do an aggressive brake into a corner then onto a straightaway, voila! No brakes whatsoever at the end of the straight as they had time cook all the way down the straight.

Toyman01 wrote: Ouch! Major suckage there. It doesn't look too bad in the pictures considering it went over. I'm scared to ask what is stuck through the grill. Did it take out the radiator on its way through?

it's the plastic strip from the bumper and I'm not sure why it's there. it was probably just laying around and someone thought it looked worse sticking out. radiator was fine.it drove into the trailer. crabbed a bit though :(

Glad everybody's OK. Glad you were not behind the wheel when everything went south

In reply to HiTempguy:

Ah ha, didn't think about delay in temp transfer, I appreciate the explanation

Scary stuff. Glad everyone is OK.

ransom wrote: Just for my mental database, what technique do you use to bleed in a circumstance like that? Gravity's too slow; driver pumping the pedal? Hook up a pressure bleeder?

Driver pumping + someone topping up fluid + speed bleeders is one way. Fairly foolproof and simple.

GameboyRMH wrote:

ransom wrote: Just for my mental database, what technique do you use to bleed in a circumstance like that? Gravity's too slow; driver pumping the pedal? Hook up a pressure bleeder?

Driver pumping + someone topping up fluid + speed bleeders is one way. Fairly foolproof and simple.

that is what the welding gloves are for :-)

Ah crap, I didn't know you were down there GPS, or I would have said Hi! I was the one in the completely stock blue Rx-8 with worn out street tires... I felt like someone who snuck into a black tie event with a t-shirt on :) I was seriously outgunned during the open lapping time..

I saw the accident :( Sorry that happened to you guys.. Glad everyone is alright!

Sorry for the loss but glad you guys are okay.

Was it an SCCA race? If so,my dad does tech at NJMP with the "Men In Black". Next time you're there say hey. His name's Matt.

Glad everybody was OK.

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote:

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote:

Toyman01 wrote: Ouch! Major suckage there. It doesn't look too bad in the pictures considering it went over. I'm scared to ask what is stuck through the grill. Did it take out the radiator on its way through?

it's the plastic strip from the bumper and I'm not sure why it's there. it was probably just laying around and someone thought it looked worse sticking out. radiator was fine.it drove into the trailer. crabbed a bit though :(

With the bumper strip sticking through the grill the car looks like its being lobotomized.