Web Site Changes
20 Dec 2001, took down some space-consuming old stuff and prepped this site for dedication to the physics of racing series. First installment for the new stuff: part 27, Word Doc, PDF file, ZIP file containing HTML conversion (weird, I know, but there are zillions of little gifs for the equations and it takes too much time to upload them all to angelfire).
Thunderhill Track Day Videos
April 7 and 8, 2001, Shelby Club Day at Thunderhill Raceway Park in Willows, CA (google them up for track data). [videos removed 12/20/2001].
First three hot laps under sunny conditions. Was able to keep up with a GTA slash Winston Cup car for a while, but had to let one get by eventually.
Dicing with a race-prepped Ferrari. This was a lot of fun. Notice how i catch him up in the slow bits. I probably have better braking. I passed him in another session, but decided to stay behind and play with him in this session. I caugth him up twice in this video.
Physics of Racing Articles
(Fabulous HTML conversions by Peter Ogden of Australia)
http://www.esbconsult.com.au/ogden/locost/phors.htm
This is a clicky that might work...
Links
Funny, funny automatic complaint-letter generator
Physics of Racing Series (parts 1 thru 12)
Open Road Racing / Rallying
My Scheme programming and Windows
Pocket Scheme by Ben Goetter
A Strange Car
Mallett Cars, Ltd.
Official Northwest Autocross Results and Info.
Narcissistic News
HIGH DRAMA! -- Class WIN for the Season! It was two outs in the bottom of the ninth, and I needed to beat Mike Gruber by eight tenths of a second (that's a lot) to win the season. By my good luck, the course had a long straightaway where the power of my car (Mallett 435) could beat Mike's (Supercharged MR2) if I could just keep the tires on the ground and the front part of the car pointed forwards. I said "Hail, Mary" and held on, diving into the sweeper at the end a little harder than I thought I could get away with. I had easily my best run of the season, licking every apex cone with the tires, front and back. Somehow, I did it.
Over the entire season, comprising some 1,200 seconds of driving, I managed to beat Mike by a total of about one tenth, overall. Boy, was he pissed! He had been slowly accumulating points on me since event #4 (of eight), until he thought he couldn't be beaten. Then, the event organizers spring a surprise on him: a four-run event (unusual for our region), with a long straightaway, favoring the power cars, like mine, over the narrow, quick-transition cars, like Mike's (though he's got plenty of juice, if you ask me). This entire season was great competition among Mike, Doug Braun, who, with his Pantera, has owned this class for a long time, and me, a comeback kid. More narrative below...
Street Mod (top) 1 T Brian Beckman 161 98 Mallett Vette 66.165(1,0) 51.736 50.750 49.809 100.000 2 T Mike Gruber 2 88 Toyota MR2 s/c 62.024(2,0) 50.610 50.811 52.616(1,0) 98.417 3 T Doug Braun 4 73 DeTomaso Pantera 52.232 50.828 72.837(0,2) 56.665(2,0) 97.995 4 Greg Downing 10 89 Mazda 323 GTX 53.408 52.312 51.406 51.771 96.893 5 Guy Selle 47 71 Datsun 510 58.547(1,0) 53.984 55.157(1,0) 52.731 94.459 6 Mike Masson 510 72 Datsun 510 56.954 54.220 53.648 53.887 92.844 7 Babera Fritz 99 99 Ford Mustang GT 57.834 77.402(0,2) 55.569 70.905 89.635 8 Adam Fritz 66 99 Ford Mustang GT 65.955(4,0) 55.672 56.329(1,0) 57.712 89.469
There are many bits and pieces of sports psychology going on here. Mike and I BOTH spin in our first runs. In my case, I'm trying desperately not to "go for broke" too soon, and I'm not doing a great job of it. Presumably, Mike is doing about the same thing. After the double spins, we're both on ordinary, everyday, three-run strategies: get a clean run, then go nuts, then correct mistakes.
Mike has me by more than a second in the second (virtually, the first) runs, and this is a hopeless amount for me. I go black during the interim between runs. I dig deeper and find just a tiny bit more (discipline, finesse, planning, visualization, ZEN) and I'm really close on the third (virtual second) runs. I know the key to the whole thing is the long straight: I must ABSOLUTELY not PUSH getting into that straight, and I must ABSOLUTELY hold the gas pedal down until the ABSOLUTE last moment, then stay JUST OUT of the stupid ABS, then carry as much speed into the hairy sweeper at the end of the straight as I possibly can, being really careful not to PUSH anywhere and not to miss ANY apex cones by more than an inch. Only a fellow autocrosser can know, first-hand, how hard it is to enter a corner slowly enough so as to guarantee a good exit and how hard it is to get the apexes, especially on the right-hand side.
Let this be a lesson, because it doesn't get any closer than this. That's how I won the season: slow in, hard out. I made a bunch of mistakes earlier in the season. But, with some lucky course design, the basics paid off.
Points battle too close to call! Just some quick, late-breaking news until I can get the official results copied here. There have been two SCCA events since the Enduro. The finishing orders, among the contender's for the year-end championship in Street Mod, were:
Mike Gruber Brian Beckman (lost by a cone) Doug Braun
Doug Braun (on Hoosiers in the rain!) Brian Beckman Mike Gruber (lost by a cone)This leaves each of us with 398 points, Mike ahead of Brian by 0.06 points, and Brian ahead of Doug by 0.60 points. It doesn't get a whole lot closer than this. There are two events to go for the year, and it's still anyone's season.
Back to my winning ways! This was an "Enduro", in which all runs are taken at once, lap-style. It's very nice to set up a rhythm and then have the time to choose where one takes chances instead of having to just go completely nuts on every run.
I ran out-of-order, in Open Street (a local WWSCC class) in the morning, when it was cool and damp. The rest of the class ran in the hot afternoon, when the asphalt was potentially more sticky. However, I have seen the Kent lot behave backwards, so that the lot is faster when the air is cool. Be that as it may, my competitors had little luck convincing the event chair that I had an unfair advantage and my win will stand.
OS 1 T Brian Beckman 6 98 Mallett Corvette 45.091 44.826 44.635 100.000 2 T Geoff Clark 21 79 Mazda 626 47.847 50.494(1,0) 47.699 93.576 3 Guy Selle 47 72 Datsun 510 48.189 47.850 48.261 93.281 4 Perry Hartman 147 72 Datsun 510 49.477 DNF DNF 90.214 5 Bob Wheeler 94 91 Honda Civic 52.624 53.186 51.901 86.000 6 Kailee Wheeler 144 92 Mazda MX3 54.735 55.018(1,0) 56.714(1,0) 81.547
The pesky BSP guys ran about 1.5 seconds faster than me (AGAIN!) in the afternoon. It's hard to say how much of the difference was driving versus course conditions, but, all things being equal, they have been beating my times rather consistently. I will have to work harder on my driving to catch them. After a little time spent being overaggressive, I've got it toned back down again and will just approach from the basics: looking ahead, anticipating, being smooth on the controls. I do know I need to get better at "tossing" the car in very slow transitions. I am certain that some of the faster guys are better at this skill. So, I was ninth fastest (out of 103) for the day.
Top Times 1 Ron Babb MB 40.936 2 Karen Babb WMOD 41.057 3 Chris Imbeau PC 42.605 4 L. J. Moffet IA 43.194 5 Mike Lillejord PRO 43.932 6 Kevin Dietz PRO 44.012 7 Glen Hernandez PRO 44.049 8 Val Korry IA 44.300 9 Brian Beckman OS 44.635 10 Bret Dodson PRO 44.761 11 Larry Imbeau PC 44.781 12 Angela Lord IA 44.806
A class win in my first hillclimb! Just four tenths shy of a course record for my class at 121.96 seconds, my best run was spittin' distance from the coveted two-minute mark. Very few streetable cars have made the hill in less than two minutes. For that matter, very few non-streetable cars have done that, either.
I just got back from the Larison Rock hillclimb, hosted by the incredibly nice folks of the Northwest Hillclimb Association (NHA). This was the 13th annual running of the event. It's a beautiful spot just outside of Oakridge, OR, about halfway between Bend and Klamath Falls on Highway 58.
I went with the goal of merely surviving, since hillclimbs are a step up in risk from autocrossing. If you go off the road, you are DEFINITELY going to wreck your car. Hillclimbs are also faster: although this one was among the slowest of the climbs hosted by NHA, there were at least three good spots for third gear. Formula cars have been routinely clocked over 85 mph, and many street cars are going nearly 80.
The road has 23 turns, many of them blind and off-camber. It is essential to memorize the course and pre-drive it mentally. Just like autocross, only faster and riskier. COOL!
Pride goeth before the fall! Ok, ok, so I got beaten by Mike Gruber in his Supercharged MR2. Great drive by Mike! I got loose in a fast left-hander on a patch of gravel, and was heading for a certain gate penalty. It's possible I was applying too much power too early in the corner. In any event, I decided to do a 360 and make the gate, and that left the door open for Mike and Doug Braun in his Pantera to beat me. Mike got me by 4 tenths or so, and Doug didn't improve, staying about 2 tenths back. I was trying very hard to beat the BSP times, which were more than 1.5 seconds faster than my best. This is a more typical situation for me than last week, but I know what I need to do: smooth out, especially with the brakes, and look further down the course. I was really working hard on both things when I had my little moment. Next week, Bremerton, where the Kumhos stick better.
SM Street Mod 1 T Mike Gruber 2 88 Toyota MR2 s/c 63.190 62.166 61.117 100.000 2 T Brian Beckman 161 98 Mallett Vette 62.949 61.569 67.890 99.266 3 T Doug Braun 4 73 DeTomaso Pantera 68.286(3,0) 61.634 61.715 99.161 4 Guy Selle 47 71 Datsun 510 68.597(1,0) 65.811 66.905(1,0) 92.867 5 Geoff Clark 21 79 Mazda 626 71.406 70.735(2,0) 67.076 91.116 6 Denny Organ 14 Ford Mustang 72.459 68.628 68.349 89.419 7 Bill Thatcher 77 77 Pontiac T.A. 71.917(1,0) 87.516(4,1) 70.204(1,0) 87.056
Fastest Among All Street Cars! The one car that beat me is a Griffith Formula car, driven by two Nationally competitive drivers. Many of the other Nationally competitive drivers were in California for the weekend, but I beat several drivers that I normally don't beat. Great day for me!
Here are the top 30. There are some well known names in the autocross community, here:
| Rank | Time | Class | Driver | Car |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 42.359 | WM | Susan Hagaman | yellow '83 Griffith GR2 |
| 2 | 42.642 | MA | Kenny Richins | '83 Griffith GR2 |
| 3 | 46.81 | OS | Brian Beckman | Pewter '98 Mallet 435 Corvette |
| 4 | 47.071 | PRO | Fast Mike Lillejord | Black '93 Mazda RX-7 Twin Turbo '93+ |
| 5 | 47.567 | OS | Mike Gruber | Copper '88 Toyota MR2 Turbo/SC |
| 6 | 47.654 | IA | LJ Moffet | Very Purple '89 Chevrolet Corvette (85+) |
| 7 | 47.7 | PRO | Alan Dahl | '99 Mazda Miata 1.8L |
| 8 | 47.958 | IA | Angela Lord | Very Purple '89 Chevrolet Corvette (85+) |
| 9 | 48.357 | IB | scott west | gold '81 Mazda RX-7 nonturbo |
| 10 | 48.559 | PRO | Jerry Jenkins | '94 Mazda Miata 1.8L |
| 11 | 48.945 | IA | Steve Downing | '89 Porsche 911 (nonturbo 2WD) |
| 12 | 48.99 | IC | Stacey Molleker | '99 Plymouth Neon |
| 13 | 49.158 | MA | Jim Boemler | Red '95 Kart F125 |
| 14 | 49.279 | IA | Peter Wong | Blue '97 Dodge Viper |
| 15 | 49.341 | SC | Tom McCullough | '93 Toyota MR2 (NOC) |
| 16 | 49.367 | OS | Racer X | Chevrolet Corvette (85+) |
| 17 | 49.368 | SD | David Jensen | blue '95 Plymouth Neon ACR |
| 18 | 49.377 | IC | Chris Grivas | Black '93 Honda Civic del Sol |
| 19 | 49.404 | IB | Paul Lammer | '81 Mazda RX-7 nonturbo |
| 20 | 49.443 | PRO | Bret Dodson | '96 Mazda Miata 1.8L |
| 21 | 49.509 | IC | Quinn Campbell | Blue '84 Volkswagen Jetta GLi |
| 22 | 49.579 | WIC | Laura Molleker | '99 Plymouth Neon |
| 23 | 49.693 | SD | Milton Horst | Green '96 BMW 318ti (95+) |
| 24 | 49.76 | SC | Brian Norton | Red/White '91 Toyota MR2 Turbo/SC |
| 25 | 49.765 | IB | Rob Schnell | Gray '84 Mazda RX-7 nonturbo |
| 26 | 49.837 | SA | Don Lillejord | Black '93 Mazda RX-7 Twin Turbo '93+ |
| 27 | 49.837 | TO | Mark LaCombe | Gold '79 Ford Fiesta |
| 28 | 49.867 | IB | Randy Ayers | White '78 Datsun 280Z |
| 29 | 49.88 | IB | Scott Chytil | '81 Mazda RX-7 nonturbo |
| 30 | 49.932 | SA | Scott Main | Red '97 Chevrolet Corvette (85+) |
The second win in as many tries in SCCA Regional competition. It took me to my third run to beat Mike and Doug, who are very tough competitors. I was 23d fastest overall, out of 178. Not as good as last time, but enough to win. What the hey!
SM Street Mod 1 T Brian Beckman 161 98 Mallett Vette 49.530(1,0) 47.174 45.742 100.000 2 T Mike Gruber 2 88 Toyota MR2 s/c 46.824 47.883 46.967 97.689 3 Doug Braun 4 73 DeTomaso Pantera 48.443 46.962 47.119 97.402 4 Guy Selle 47 71 Datsun 510 50.438 71.856(0,1) DNS 90.690 5 Geoff Clark 21 79 Mazda 626 55.714(2,0) 50.438 52.421(1,0) 90.690
I missed the first SCCA Regional event of the '99 season due to its running till 8pm. But, at the second event, I had a very good run and a surprise win. I was also 9th fastest overall out of 194, beaten only by karts, Scotty White, a former student of mine(!), and Mike Lillejord, who is on a National Championship trajectory this year.
SM Street Mod 1 T Brian Beckman 161 98 Mallett Vette 49.492 48.624 50.295(1,0) 100.000 2 T Doug Braun 4 73 DeTomaso Pantera 69.701(2,0) 48.830 48.813 99.613 3 Mike Gruber 2 88 Toyota MR2 s/c 50.030 49.203 49.038 99.156 4 Craig Ranta 296 78 Porsche 911 50.434 52.700(1,0) 50.810 96.411 5 Guy Selle 47 71 Datsun 510 52.670 51.830 51.595 94.242 6 Geoff Clark 21 79 Mazda 626 53.763 52.649 54.853(1,0) 92.355
The second outing of "me & my Mallett" produced great results as i'm learning the car & remembering a bit more about how-to-drive :-) I beat both Vipers present in raw time, though lost slightly on PAX time due to the .882 (BMod) PAX i must eat according to SCCA rules. This is not a problem, since if i'd beat John on PAX, he'd be much more angry at me than he is (just kidding: this is all in fun). It's also not a problem for next year, when I'm planning on running R-rated rubber in the Regional Street Mod class for cars with cams & strokes, etc.
The Mallett was the fastest car on street tires by far (1.3 seconds to John's Viper RT/10), in raw time.
I might also have had a much more difficult time with Peter (who was on R-rated tires) if the track had been drier when he ran (it was damp for Peter and dry for me).
====================================================================== Name Car Class Raw Time PAX PAX Time ====================================================================== Brian Beckman Mallett 435 Street Tire 58.445 .882 (BM) 51.548 Peter Wong Viper GTS ASP 58.592 NA NA John Scarrow Viper RT/10 Street Tire 59.786 .859 (ASP) 51.356 ======================================================================
See ya in the Springtime!
I took a new Mallett 435 to the SCCA autocrosses today (4 Oct 1998) for its first run at true anger. I ran it in Street-Tire class on the stock Goodyears (275-40-17 F, 315-35-17 R). This was just my first sorting-out run with it, so I wasn't looking to win out of the box. I was very pleased. Numbers first, followed by some narrative:
Num. Car Raw PAX Final #209 SVT Contour 74.595 .794 59.228 #161 Mallett 435 71.194 .882 62.793 #12 MR-2 Turbo 76.288 .809 61.717
So, my raw times were 3.5 to 5 seconds better than the next best car on street tires. A stock C5 was running 73s about the same time of day on street tires in another class.
Later in the day, after the track had dried, warmed up, gotten some of the dirt and dust blown off, and gotten a little rubber down, the ASP guys ran. Here are their numbers:
ASP A Stree Prepared 1 T Doug Hebenthal 181 93Porsche 911 RSA 64.396 2 T Randy Wells 10 72Porsche 911 S 65.983 3 T Peter Wong 29 97Dodge Viper GTS 66.624
So, I got my butt kicked, no two ways about it. There's another event on the 18th. I'll run the full-tread tires again, in Street Tire class, and try to get as close to the Viper as I can. I'll run in the afternoon, then, so there will be some chance of evening up the course conditions.
The full results can be found on the WWSCC home page.
