- :
- 2011 Mazda 2
Just wanted to share this with the community. Hopefully perk up peoples passion for racing small cars: http://bspec07.wordpress.com/
<em>5 May 2012
Batangas Racing Circuit
Full Track
</em>
By 6:45am, we were already at the track, I wanted to get alot of track time before the driver's briefing at 9:30. I have not been inside the Mazda, much less driven it before today so I am hoping for few good practice laps to reunite with the car and track. From the last competition in Clark, we put in fresh engine oil, transmission and gear oil; adjusted the front camber to -1.2 and rotated the tires.
The sun was up and the track was dry from yesterdays downpour. With two hours left at free practice, I started putting in laps. I felt confident with the car setup after free practice, however, I noticed the rear end slipping a bit - I was fine with that.
After the driver's briefing and some mishaps during practice (particularly a burning EG), I was aiming for mid bracket F and hopefully get on pole for Grid. For Grid C (where I compete) the fastest from Brackets E and F are reversed, so the 5th fastest will be on pole. I lapped three times and was happy to get 2.15.115 out of the three, wen't straight to cool down and save my tires. It was not the fastest and was taking it easy (Bracket F was 2.12.00 - 2.45.00), hopefully to get revered in the first five for the pole.
After lunch, we were called out to get the grid positions, not surprisingly, my plan to get revered was off the mark and I get 6th position on the grid. But, there was a bonus, it started to rain - we love it when it rains. The rain started trickling down and just when you thought it was going to stop, it poured down just enough to wet the track and place standing water all over the tarmac. After all the work that the boys of Speedlab and Liquimoly put in, its time do my part. The race was for 7 laps in the wet.
I never knew how wet it was until the parade lap, rain and spray was all over the place. My thinking, try to get ahead as quickly as possible so I don't get trapped in a crowd of cars. Coasting to my grid spot, I started relaxing myself and focus on the task at hand. As the red lights go on, I put the Mazda into gear and steadied my rev, when the lights went off, I let go of the clutch and went for the right hand side. I felt I could fit snugly between the orange Honda on my left and a meter of grass on my right and beyond that the pit wall.
It was a god start, I got ahead of two Hondas and manage to get through the first corner now on third (one of the grid spots was empty and the car started from the pits). The blue Toyota was quick, coming to the straight after turn 2 it had better straight line speed than my Mazda, but it was heavy - the silver Honda still ahead.
Coming to R-Bend it was braking earlier than me, I had more speed in me and managed to catch up but the rest of the pack was still close and the orange Honda was trying to overtake from the inside. I was still baking late and managed to beat the orange Honda to the apex and close the door, still on second, I was on the perfect spot for the coming left-hander, the Yokohama Hairpin.
The Mazda was tight on the corners and I was able to outbreak the blue Toyota and get on the inside of the hairpin first, passing with more speed than it, I got away quickly and now on second.
At the end of the first lap, the silver Honda was still ahead. The guys at the pits are shouting on the radio "open your DRS now!" [are they serious] and kept on laughing, theyre good friends of mine, my teammates from Liquimoly trying to calm me down seeing as I am pushing the car harder and harder. After the last corner, on the straight, I tucked in behind the Honda and prepared to go on the inside of turn 1 but he had out braked my Mazda and got away cleanly.
For 4 laps, I tried to catch up but the silver Honda was quick. My tires were giving out so I backed off a bit, seeing that behind me, three cars were battling for position.
On the final lap the silver Honda was well away from my reach, at the last corner, I was too tight on the turn and my right front tire got on the apex were a pool of water was - it was deep. My wheels spun and I lost revs, the orange Honda was on the outside and it managed to catch up, crossing the line, I was just a bumper ahead, whew.
Car #7 (Mazda2)
Through the pits, we stopped and gave back the transponders. It was then where I found out that some of the cars went off and one hit a wall. Overall, the Mazda handled very well and can easily recover from potential spins and slides (at two instances, I was sideways on the weeper but it was a good feeling knowing that the car was agile).
At the end of the day, it was a day to share with good friends. See you next race!
Thanks guys, more power to the Mazda. ~Uly
<em>5 May 2012
Batangas Racing Circuit
Full Track
</em>
By 6:45am, we were already at the track, I wanted to get alot of track time before the driver's briefing at 9:30. I have not been inside the Mazda, much less driven it before today so I am hoping for few good practice laps to reunite with the car and track. From the last competition in Clark, we put in fresh engine oil, transmission and gear oil; adjusted the front camber to -1.2 and rotated the tires.
The sun was up and the track was dry from yesterdays downpour. With two hours left at free practice, I started putting in laps. I felt confident with the car setup after free practice, however, I noticed the rear end slipping a bit - I was fine with that.
After the driver's briefing and some mishaps during practice (particularly a burning EG), I was aiming for mid bracket F and hopefully get on pole for Grid. For Grid C (where I compete) the fastest from Brackets E and F are reversed, so the 5th fastest will be on pole. I lapped three times and was happy to get 2.15.115 out of the three, wen't straight to cool down and save my tires. It was not the fastest and was taking it easy (Bracket F was 2.12.00 - 2.45.00), hopefully to get revered in the first five for the pole.
After lunch, we were called out to get the grid positions, not surprisingly, my plan to get revered was off the mark and I get 6th position on the grid. But, there was a bonus, it started to rain - we love it when it rains. The rain started trickling down and just when you thought it was going to stop, it poured down just enough to wet the track and place standing water all over the tarmac. After all the work that the boys of Speedlab and Liquimoly put in, its time do my part. The race was for 7 laps in the wet.
I never knew how wet it was until the parade lap, rain and spray was all over the place. My thinking, try to get ahead as quickly as possible so I don't get trapped in a crowd of cars. Coasting to my grid spot, I started relaxing myself and focus on the task at hand. As the red lights go on, I put the Mazda into gear and steadied my rev, when the lights went off, I let go of the clutch and went for the right hand side. I felt I could fit snugly between the orange Honda on my left and a meter of grass on my right and beyond that the pit wall.
It was a god start, I got ahead of two Hondas and manage to get through the first corner now on third (one of the grid spots was empty and the car started from the pits). The blue Toyota was quick, coming to the straight after turn 2 it had better straight line speed than my Mazda, but it was heavy - the silver Honda still ahead.
Coming to R-Bend it was braking earlier than me, I had more speed in me and managed to catch up but the rest of the pack was still close and the orange Honda was trying to overtake from the inside. I was still baking late and managed to beat the orange Honda to the apex and close the door, still on second, I was on the perfect spot for the coming left-hander, the Yokohama Hairpin.
The Mazda was tight on the corners and I was able to outbreak the blue Toyota and get on the inside of the hairpin first, passing with more speed than it, I got away quickly and now on second.
At the end of the first lap, the silver Honda was still ahead. The guys at the pits are shouting on the radio "open your DRS now!" [are they serious] and kept on laughing, theyre good friends of mine, my teammates from Liquimoly trying to calm me down seeing as I am pushing the car harder and harder. After the last corner, on the straight, I tucked in behind the Honda and prepared to go on the inside of turn 1 but he had out braked my Mazda and got away cleanly.
For 4 laps, I tried to catch up but the silver Honda was quick. My tires were giving out so I backed off a bit, seeing that behind me, three cars were battling for position.
On the final lap the silver Honda was well away from my reach, at the last corner, I was too tight on the turn and my right front tire got on the apex were a pool of water was - it was deep. My wheels spun and I lost revs, the orange Honda was on the outside and it managed to catch up, crossing the line, I was just a bumper ahead, whew.
Car #7 (Mazda2)
Through the pits, we stopped and gave back the transponders. It was then where I found out that some of the cars went off and one hit a wall. Overall, the Mazda handled very well and can easily recover from potential spins and slides (at two instances, I was sideways on the weeper but it was a good feeling knowing that the car was agile).
At the end of the day, it was a day to share with good friends. See you next race!
Thanks guys, more power to the Mazda. ~Uly
