Shakedown Run #2: VIR with TrackDaze

Another good run for data collection on the MRS2.

We have some work on the car before we track again. Here's my list at the moment:

• An ignition issue surfaced. After 15-20 minutes, it would start skipping over 5500 rpm or so. It did it with 1/2 tank of fuel, so believe that we're not running low. I ran to the Advance and bought a new coil. I installed it, and ran for 15 minutes (my last run). I didn't experience the issue. In spite of that, I think we should change the wires and plugs just for good measure
• We have an oil leak that we need to fix before the June race. It looks like we're losing oil from the front of the engine - maybe from the oil cooler lines or something like that. I didn't climb under the car to look. I simply added more oil. At this point, we're losing about 1/2 quart per hour. I'm guessing it will be the front crank seal or cam seals - but that's just a guess.
• We need to replace the muffler. In my last run, the car got really loud. When I returned to the pits, I saw that the one remaining pipe exiting the muffler was gone. The baffling inside was misplaced. Some holes have broken through the body of the muffler. It's a mess. After lunch, I went back to the car, and the missing pieces of muffler were lying on the car. I assume one of the corner worked picked it up off the track and brought it back to me:-)
• We need to check the axles. I put the crappy old tires on the car and drove it from the paddock back to the storage area. On the way, I heard a bunch of clacking in the rear. It was quiet under power and noisy off power and at partial throttle. My theory is that the axles are bad and that I didn't notice the noise on track because I spent 90% of the time on the power. It could just be the crappy old tires, but we need to check the axles.
• The clutch hydraulics are leaking occasionally. The master is most likely the case, since it is a rebuild. The reservoir was nearly empty in the morning. I topped it up. The pedal was fine all the second day.
• I had trouble securing the battery with the rubber mount that I had. I know we want to move the battery to the front, but I think we should do it before we run another school. Right now, the battery is held down with a Harbor Freight racheting tie-down strap. It works, but is less than ideal.
  

In total, I put at least 4 hours of hard use on the car. The brakes are great. There's some skill required to apply them without premature lockup. You have to roll them on somewhat slowly to transfer the weight. Otherwise, you lock them before they get a chance to bite. In my Mini, you can hammer the brake. The car is noseheavy and has ABS. The MRS2 is just different. The mass is behind you, and there's no ABS. It has taken me some getting used to. Right now, we're running the Carbotech XP9 compound on the front and the XP8 on the rear. The 9's are more aggressive. Next time, I think we should do 8's all around. They're cheaper too.

This time, I got enough seat time to really get acquainted with the car's handling, and I am pleased to report that the car is a blast to drive! It is really quick in the corners. In the corners, you think, and it just goes there. It will rotate nicely off throttle. In slower corners, it has a tendency to understeer a little. One technique I really enjoyed on the slower corners was to bang the car into the inside curbing which tends to kick the tail-end out when exiting the corner. Turns 4, Oak Tree, and the right-hander at the top of the roller coaster are prime candidates for this "technique."

She's coming along.