rF2 Caterham Academy Class @ Watkins Glen Nascar - Friday 21st May

[Stuart Thomson]

I mentioned to Wayne & Jeffrey over TS that the slipstream causes a lot of issues until people get used to the magnitude of the effect.

Many things were discussed over TS, in fact - including some things that have a bearing on some of the complaints above, and how seriously (or not) I take them.

Paul, you are always welcome at my events.

 

[Paul Wright]

Stuart, your support is greatly appreciated. I suppose it's one of the great assets of racing these that is also their downfall, namely the slipstream that can be gained in the pack.....if anything, i'm hoping that the effect will be lessened slightly this week, due to the nature of the track as compared to WG, but that's not to say this was in any way a bad choice of track - far from it, the racing was particularly good, but obviously there's some of us newbies who're still getting to grips with the high level of racecraft required.
On the positive side, it was great to spend the hours in the practice server with Jeff, Jose and Luca.....i learned there that the slipstream, while helping the speed wasn't the be all and end all, as it contributed to some fairly hairy moments, but we all (i hope) had lots of fun.....

....long may it continue I'm already looking to the end of this season with a nagging sense of dread of the empty friday evenings.....is season 3 planned yet? haha

All the best....Paul

 

[Stuart Thomson]

We've got 2 different Series going on at the moment: -

1. the Club races where we always use the Academy Class - that will continue every other week on various types of track, and
2. the Season races where we are slowly going up the classes (Currently @ RS140)

The Glen was a Club event, so it was the Academies last week. This week is back to the RS140s at Interlagos which is the 3rd of 4 events. When that season is finished, the Club events will still be there, and then we'll be changing the car again for the 3rd Season.

I'm still doing some fact finding on the next Season car - I've / we've got a few options.


We have the options of:-

1. the Superlight, slightly more bhp (150hp vs RS140hp), but obviously with the lower weight of 585kg vs the RS140's 610kg (Power to weight has 2 variables, after all )
2. RS165 - the same weight as the RS140 (610kg), but with 25 more hp.

On a bhp/tonne comparison, we have the RS165 @ 270bhp/tonne and the Superlight @ 256bhp/tonne. The Superlight may well make up that difference under braking though, with less inertia to overcome.

There is an RS150 - the same chassis/weight as the RS140, but just 10 more hp. Not particularly 'different' from the 140, not that interesting IMO, and probably worth skipping this one.

I'm doing some time trials testing between the other 2 when I get a free minute or two around a couple of known tracks. Once the decision is made, I'll be picking the tracks and letting you know, but it's pretty much certain that, (unless they are virtually identical in times), whatever car gets the nod for Season 3, the other will be the car for Season 4.