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just another track day...
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Posted by damien [Email] (more from damien) on Fri, 20 Sep 2002 22:18:51 Share Post by Email
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I actually didn't drive that much. I instructed today at this SCCA hi-po driving school, and I loaned my 1998 900SE to a friend for his first time out at the same event. Location: Thunderhill Raceway in Northern CA. The car has a HOT ecu, Viggen IC, Saab sport exhaust, Abbott springs, SAS rear sway bar, TB transition smoothing, K&N, Sumitomo tires on 17" 9-5 Aero wheels, etc. Basically a decent mod list for the street but not track-prepared by any means.

First casualty: the tires. They were very good at their first track day 10k miles ago, but by now they have lost the edge. They have plenty of tread left, just no stick.

Second casualty: The car no longer has a 2nd gear synchro, and 3rd is going out. Why is everyone soooo intent on speed-shifting all the time? Power is simply not an issue when it is the first time out on track. Ugh. I tried to teach my buddy heel/toe downshift rev matching, but it didn't stick. OUch.

Third casualty: My fault. At the end of the day, they let the instructors hit the track in their own cars. So I repo'd my Saab and lined up with the other instructors, all of us grinning and drooling for our first seat time of the day (after riding shotgun in slow student cars - now time to show off!). I was coping all right with the lack of grip, slow steering ratio, and less-than-stellar braking and managed to keep up w/ several BMW's and a Mustang Cobra, so things weren't THAT bad. But a few laps into the session, I over-cooked the last corner before the main straight, put 2 wheels off *before* the track-out berm, and hit the berm from the dirt. This was basically like hitting a curb at 80mph. It ROCKED the car. I drove about 3 more laps until I was totally frustrated with the tires and the brakes had started pulsating.

Driving through the pits revealed a bad click-creak sound when I turned. Not much investigation needed- the left side aluminum strut-top was completely fractured (just inside the 3-bolts) and there was a bash-mark on the hood (inside only) from the displaced shock shaft. Since it seemed to handle repeated 100mph --> 50mph threshold braking OK, I judged it safe enough to drive home! And I realized that not all of the wallowing in corners was the fault of the tires themselves...the left front wheel was definitely "doing it's own thing" after the strut-top broke.

Anyway, better than being at work! Who can tell me if the LSD for Newgen Saabs is a good deal? DS



posted by 12.81.128...

thunderhill raceway

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