Between now and the 750 class meeting in Feb, Declan has asked if a list could be drawn up on what people would want to see from such a system.

One suggestion has been that novices park next to their "helper" for their first meeting and second meeting.

This will help people get through signing on, scruiteneering, drivers briefing, making sure the wheels are bolted on etc. This would create a logistical issue at some circuits and the potential for non involved people to have to move their kit for it to be accomadated.

Suggestions please........

Simon,

What about a simple check list of what to take for a first meeting.

It may sound obvious but we brought a truck load of stuff we didn't need and forgot really simple items. Experience (albeit limited) has ironed out this.

Andy P

Hello Andy.
Have you still got your XT Or did you sell it in the end?

Hows the racing going?

quote:

---

Originally posted by pointy
Simon,

What about a simple check list of what to take for a first meeting.

It may sound obvious but we brought a truck load of stuff we didn't need and forgot really simple items. Experience (albeit limited) has ironed out this.

Andy P

---

Hi Simon,

Im a big fan of the buddy system idea, I was fortunate when I started in that my Dad had years of competition experience so he helped considerably, but even with that if it hadnt been for the likes of Tim Gray, Des and Al, Graham Walker etc etc I would never have progressed.

Dad and I are always happy to help anyone with advice or work on their cars so would happily be involved in the buddy scheme.

Perhaps a system whereby for as long as the novice cross is on the car the driver is supported by an established competitor, as even after that point once the link is established it will probably continue.

How would the allocation be decided? Names out of a hat or would the novices be able to choose their mentor?? For example I imagine Procomp would be a popular choice so maybe the established competitors would have to specify how many people they would be willing to look after??

Regards,
Matt

Great Idea. would certainly help ease some of the worries that us new starters would encounter. Last season at Mallory I went through scruteneering with Samir which helped me a bit.

I have an offer from Gary, which I'd defo like to take up...

Great ideas starting to come through.

I can spend some time coming up with a simple 1st time at a meeting checklist and post it here for you all to view/add to or remove.
Perhaps those interested in buddying can post here with their home postcode or locataion and when novices register an interest they can be directed to closest buddy thus keeping potential travelling cost to a minimum.

Just a couple of thoughts


Andy

Initially I thought the top 10 would be allocated a new driver each.

However, that would mean someone having me over being helped by TMC, the Dudleys, procomp and Graham Walker etc.

I will chat with Graham as there are few who have more passion and knowledge than him. He may be interested in doing the beginners stuff in a more official capacity.

AndyP, please get the list together.

I have copied below a set up sheet that I have customised for our series.
Loads could be added, but its good practice for anyone to keep notes from the beginning.

L R C Settings Sheet

Circuit _______________________ Driver _______________________________
Date ______ Time _________Front Toe In/Out _____________________
Lap Record _______________Front Roll Bar ___________________
Weather ________________ Chassis Rake ____________________
Temperature______________ Car and Driver Weight_____________
Session Qualifying Race ____ Fuel Level ______________________
Front Cross Weight ________Rear Cross Weight________________
Diagonal LF to RR ________ Diagonal RF to LR ________________

Left Front Right Front

Tyre PSI Cold _____ Hot _____Tyre PSI Cold______ Hot_______
Tyre Temp Cold_____ Hot _____ Tyre Temp Cold______ Hot_______
Shock Compression __________ Shock Compression _____________
Shock Setting_______________ Shock Setting__________________
Spring Rate ________________ Spring Rate ___________________
Camber ___________________ Camber ______________________
Caster ____________________ Caster _______________________
Ride Height ________________ Ride Height ___________________
Corner Weight______________ Corner Weight__________________

Left Rear Right Rear

Tyre PSI Cold______ Hot_____ Tyre PSI Cold______ Hot_______
Tyre Temp Cold______ Hot_____ Tyre Temp Cold______ Hot_______
Shock Compression __________ Shock Compression _____________
Shock Setting _____________ Shock Setting ___________________
Spring Rate ________________ Spring Rate ____________________
Ride Height ________________ Ride Height ____________________
Corner Weight_______________ Corner Weight__________________

Tyre Set ____ Diff Ratio _____ Engine Temp______ Brake Bias______%
Fastest Lap Time __________ on Lap________ Max Revs__________

Lap Times 1______2______3______4______5______6______7______
8_______9______10______11______12______13______14______
15______ 16______17______18______19______20______

Car Set up Notes____________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________

[Edited on 13/1/08 by simes43]

Ok,

First draft of a check list, and please add items you think or delete if unimportant.

M.S.A Licence
750 Club membership card
Transponder or money to hire one
Watch
Details of meeting
Race wear (sounds silly but)
Trolley jack or quick lift
Tools (dont go overboard just the essentials)
Multimeter
Cloths or Industrial tissues
Jerry can x 2
Oil
Spares.... (Again sensible.. list below)
H.T leads
Spark plugs
Oil pump
Carb
Alternator
Various gaskets
2" gaffer tape
Distributer cap
C Spanner
Tyre pressure gauge
Foot pump
Tie wraps
Latex gloves
Radiator cap

Obviously there will be eqt for camping but that will be down to the individuals
Simes I have printed off your set up sheet thats just what I needed.

Andy

A couple of years ago I believe someone drafted a booklet for novices coming into the series full of useful info, checklists, advice etc etc. Im not sure if it ever got formalised and finished but I'd be happy to try to put something together that could be sent out with confirmation of registration by the club if they agree? What do people think?

Matt

That's an excellent list. The first two items in particular are ones i still have nightmares about forgetting.

There's probably only one other thing i'd add to it which is a few kilogrammes of ballast (i use roofing lead sheet folded into squares).

The scales at each circuit read differently, but the scrutes won't entertain questions about that, so it's best to check your weight yourself each meeting and pack some extra ballast in case you show up light. At Donington once i checked before practice and was 8kg underweight, despite having used properly-calibrated professional corner weight scales to set the car up at 620kg (empty of fuel) just hours before. It's not worth the risk.

By the way, it's good to see Matt (TMC) back on here. I think Matt & his dad still hold the official title for Most Helpful People in the World. They took me under their wing when i first started and their assistance ever since has been immeasurable.

Thanks Rob/Matt.
I can add any number of items as this is now a word document which as Matt said could be either made into a booklet, or printed off and laminated, and made into a "Novice Pack" along with Simons set up sheet, and any other relevant details we all decide would benefit new drivers.

Any more items/ideas post them on.

Andy

Hi i think you have kind of hit the nail on the head Simon when you mentioned some one doing it in an official sort of way.

One of the biggest problems the new comers have once they have the basics sorted and got used to what times and procedure ect is that they receive so much conflicting advice from different people that they simply do not know which way to go. There are some very different setups on camber tyre pressure's toe and tracking ect ect. being used by different people. In the same way that the different chassis ie St/aries and the luego/viper chassis need different setups to work well.

Having one person as such may well be the answer as it would possibly be of more help to the new comer having one person to listen to rather than having conflicting advise all well meant but leaves them with more problems in trying to decide which way to set the car up ect.

Certainly having lists compiled of tools and essentials ect to bring along is a good idea. As well as setup sheets that can be compiled into a folder for the different circuits.

And maybe if no one person can take on the newcomers role ect then a list of people who are prepared to help ect. Although i would suspect that list would be every one attending a meeting.

Cheers Matt@P

Added the @P as theres now two MATT'S here and i wouldent want confusion

Interesting.... weighing my car before a race? Thats summat I completely overlooked. How do you go about doing this?

quote:

---

Originally posted by andrews_45
Interesting.... weighing my car before a race? Thats summat I completely overlooked. How do you go about doing this?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by procomp
Hi i think you have kind of hit the nail on the head Simon when you mentioned some one doing it in an official sort of way.

One of the biggest problems the new comers have once they have the basics sorted and got used to what times and procedure ect is that they receive so much conflicting advice from different people that they simply do not know which way to go. There are some very different setups on camber tyre pressure's toe and tracking ect ect. being used by different people. In the same way that the different chassis ie St/aries and the luego/viper chassis need different setups to work well.

Having one person as such may well be the answer as it would possibly be of more help to the new comer having one person to listen to rather than having conflicting advise all well meant but leaves them with more problems in trying to decide which way to set the car up ect.

Certainly having lists compiled of tools and essentials ect to bring along is a good idea. As well as setup sheets that can be compiled into a folder for the different circuits.

And maybe if no one person can take on the newcomers role ect then a list of people who are prepared to help ect. Although i would suspect that list would be every one attending a meeting.

Cheers Matt@P

Added the @P as theres now two MATT'S here and i wouldent want confusion

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by pointy
Ok,

First draft of a check list, and please add items you think or delete if unimportant.

M.S.A Licence
750 Club membership card
Transponder or money to hire one
Watch
Details of meeting
Race wear (sounds silly but)
Trolley jack or quick lift
Tools (dont go overboard just the essentials)
Multimeter
Cloths or Industrial tissues
Jerry can x 2
Oil
Spares.... (Again sensible.. list below)
H.T leads
Spark plugs
Oil pump
Carb
Alternator
Various gaskets
2" gaffer tape
Distributer cap
C Spanner
Tyre pressure gauge
Foot pump
Tie wraps
Latex gloves
Radiator cap

Obviously there will be eqt for camping but that will be down to the individuals
Simes I have printed off your set up sheet thats just what I needed.

Andy

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by simes43

With Matt's (TMC) booklet what level of advice are we looking to contain within it?

Example:Tyre buffed to 4 mm, but they must be heat cycled before used etc

---

I believe there maybe room for both. One frustration that I had when I started racing karts was not knowing much about certain areas and ending up paying twice.

Using the tyres as an example. A539's work better after they are buffed down. If someone orders a set from Polley, knowing that they can get them delivered buffed for an extra charge it will save some cash/aggro and the car will work a little better.

Also, sending tyres that have been used to be buffed at a later date can cause delamination.

When a set of buffed a539's can last all season, they might as well be right from the start.

True, there is no harm in getting everything right from the beginning, and a car that is set up and works properly from the start is only going to be a benefit.

Anyone else have suggestions of things that they had to discover that would have helped at the start?

Here's another: Using the car in front to help "tow" you down a straight. Seems obvious but until you try it you dont know how much of a benefit it is.

Matt

So,

Perhaps a small A5 type folder with Admin contact names on first pages, checklist on page 2, setup sheet on page 3, Suppliers on page 4, etc etc.

Any more ideas... I can make one up and bring it to first meeting,

Simon what do you think?

Andy

Hi yep wasting money is definitely important to newcomers. Had a guy in on sat after the show and couldn't believe he missed the piston offer. A £75 saving could have been made.

Found the previous setup sheets and info that was available by DES&Al
LINK HERE Some of it maybe of help maybe.

Graham would be an ideal candidate for the position. ( Anyone told him he has a new job )

So plenty of good ideas floating then. Is Declan looking at collating it all together etc or leaving it open till say after the AFD's. Robin could obviously provide a list of newcomers. Although some may already be experienced. But i think through the year there should be 2-3 newcomers with no experience who would i am sure appreciate this new scheme.

Cheers Matt@P

quote:

---

Originally posted by TMC Motorsport
True, there is no harm in getting everything right from the beginning, and a car that is set up and works properly from the start is only going to be a benefit.

Anyone else have suggestions of things that they had to discover that would have helped at the start?

Here's another: Using the car in front to help "tow" you down a straight. Seems obvious but until you try it you dont know how much of a benefit it is.

Matt

---

Yep

Perhaps the using the tow could go under a section called "Improving your skill" which would then encapsulate (nice long word) using a tow, watching for blue flags, awarness of other competitors heating up the brakes on the warm up lap (or betwen collection area and grid)
When to check the oil and water gauges during race, what to do at the end of the race (i.e how to cool down the car and yourself, etc etc.
Keep the ideas coming.

Andy

Ok,

I had a play with what could be the Contents page and listed under each heading what could be filed behind the pages...Capitals will be the headings on page 1.. Lower case will be the pages within the directory.
All pages can be A5 (nice and small) and laminated.

Locost Novice Pack

PAGE 1
IMPORTANT CONTACTS.
750 club, locost representative, M.S.A numbers.

PAGE 2
PRE-MEETING CHECKLIST
M.S.A Licence
750 Club membership card
Transponder or money to hire one
Watch
Details of meeting
Race wear (sounds silly but)
Trolley jack or quick lift
Tools (dont go overboard just the essentials)
Multimeter
Cloths or Industrial tissues
Jerry can x 2
Oil
Spares.... (Again sensible.. list below)
H.T leads
Spark plugs
Oil pump
Carb
Alternator
Various gaskets
2" gaffer tape
Distributer cap
C Spanner
Tyre pressure gauge
Foot pump
Tie wraps
Latex gloves
Radiator cap

PAGE 3
IMPROVING YOUR SKILL
Getting a tow, Warming the brakes/tyres, cooling down after a race, Driver awareness

PAGE 4
TECHNICAL TIPS
Massive amount of information could go in here but lets not overload. Ideas please. This is were you would put you crush spacer in the diff bit from procomp

PAGE 5
SET UP FORM


Circuit _______________________ Driver ________¬¬¬_______________________
Date ______ Time _________Front Toe In/Out _____________________
Lap Record _______________Front Roll Bar ___________________
Weather ________________ Chassis Rake ____________________
Temperature______________ Car and Driver Weight_____________
Session Qualifying Race ____ Fuel Level ______________________
Front Cross Weight ________Rear Cross Weight________________
Diagonal LF to RR ________ Diagonal RF to LR ________________

Left Front Right Front

Tyre PSI Cold _____ Hot _____Tyre PSI Cold______ Hot_______
Tyre Temp Cold_____ Hot _____ Tyre Temp Cold______ Hot_______
Shock Compression __________ Shock Compression _____________
Shock Setting_______________ Shock Setting__________________
Spring Rate ________________ Spring Rate ___________________
Camber ___________________ Camber ______________________
Caster ____________________ Caster _______________________
Ride Height ________________ Ride Height ___________________
Corner Weight______________ Corner Weight__________________

Left R¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬ear Right Rear

Tyre PSI Cold______ Hot_____ Tyre PSI Cold______ Hot_______
Tyre Temp Cold______ Hot_____ Tyre Temp Cold______ Hot_______
Shock Compression __________ Shock Compression _____________
Shock Setting _____________ Shock Setting ___________________
Spring Rate ________________ Spring Rate ____________________
Ride Height ________________ Ride Height ____________________
Corner Weight_______________ Corner Weight__________________

Tyre Set ___¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬_ Diff Ratio _____ Engine Temp______ Brake Bias______%
Fastest Lap Time __________ on Lap________ Max Revs__________

Lap Times 1______2______3______4______5______6______7______
8_______9______10______11______12______13______14______
15______ 16______17______18______19______20______

Car Set up Notes____________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________


PAGE 6
Mentor list A list of those driver who are willing to Buddy and perhaps others who are willing to be approached for help…..again up to individuals if contact at meetings or phone numbers and contactable at weekends..(a discussion point)

PAGE 7
Trackday guide and circuits…exactly what it says,


Sorry this bit is long but it gives you an idea of what can be done.
Thoughts please.
Matt C/ Simon Could this work?

Andy

[Edited on 14/1/08 by pointy]

[Edited on 14/1/08 by pointy]

[Edited on 14/1/08 by pointy]

[Edited on 14/1/08 by pointy]

[Edited on 14/1/08 by pointy]

Spares.... (Again sensible.. list below)
H.T leads
Spark plugs
Oil pump
Carb
Alternator
Various gaskets
2" gaffer tape
Distributer cap
C Spanner
Tyre pressure gauge
Foot pump
Tie wraps
Latex gloves
Radiator cap

I know who to come to when my car breaks!

If the document can be kept electronic then size will not matter so much.

I would suggest carrying spares that could be damaged in a light frontal shunt, like car specific track rods and wishbones etc over Alternator, Oil pump, Carb as they rarely go wrong and can be expensive.

A can of tyre weld for the trailer is now a must for Team Wood. A puncture on the way to and from a circuit is a nightmare

Simon,
I dont break all those bits in 1 go (yet)
Ok I will add those bits to the spares.


Anything you think should be added to the headings or removed.

Electronic version good idea.
I am more than happy to put together a hard copy in a folder but need to go through each section and get the details.
Thoughts again please

Andy

[Edited on 14/1/08 by pointy]

[Edited on 14/1/08 by pointy]

[Edited on 14/1/08 by pointy]

Andy

Somewhere safe for the car keys eh?

or a spare set

Cheers
Rich

[Edited on 14/1/08 by Richd]

AndyP Heres an entry on tyres I have just hashed out for the technical bit. Have a read and let me know if it would have helped you.

Tyres

There is an abundance of theories written on tyres and their behaviour. The following hopefully gives you enough information to understand the basic principles and how they relate to the Locost racing series.

Buying and Buffing

Before ordering tyres, make sure that the supplier can offer a buffing service. Having an a539 scrubbed/buffed from new will help control the treads contact patch, helping with grip levels and reducing heat build up, giving a more consistently handling car. A set of new Yokohama a539's will last for a season, even when buffed to 4 to 5mm. The tyres will lose some performance over a year, but not by very much.

Remember to ask for the wheel weights to be placed inside the wheel to stop them being knocked off in the heat of battle.

20 to 30 minutes of medium pace running, split into two periods, will give the tyre a valuable heat cycle. Once run in, avoid swapping tyres front to rear or from one side to another, as the car can be unbalanced due to the different wear rates each corner experiences.

Also avoid, if at all possible, filling tyres with air on damp/wet days. Excess moisture will heat the tyres carcass far faster and potentially the tyres grip level will be lessened.

Tyre Pressure and Temperature

Having a good pressure gauge is invaluable, a temperature gauge can be handy too. It is good practice to make sure the tyres are at the right pressure before each run and to take the pressure immediately after each session. The information can be written down using the set up sheet provided

All chassis are different and the way they are set up is too. Working on starting from a cold reading, a pressure range between 20 and 30 psi will need to be tried and tested against the stop watch, starting from the lower reading. Too low a pressure could mean the tyre never reaches a high enough temperature, too high and the car will respond early in a race but become harder to control towards the end.

Try to find a balance between the two. By looking at lap times, if everything else is equal, then the times will reach a high point early or later on during a session or race. Early on, there is too much pressure in the tyre, late equals too little.

Knowing tyre temperature across the tread can help find the the optimum pressures and help diagnose handling issues. If the tyre is warmer towards the edges of the tread, too little pressure or the suspension maybe too soft, higher in the middle, too much pressure. If the tyre starts to go blue then it has gone beyond its operational temperature level.

The 750MC very rarely give the Locost class a warm up lap before a race, so its worth getting used to driving on cold tyres. Try to get used to driving on cold tyres as much as possible as knowing what grip levels you have and how easily the front can lock up is useful knowledge once the flag drops. A little spin of the wheels and a bit of weaving before the line can get a little temperature in the tyres, however, I never told you that! During practice it is worth warming the tyres for a couple of laps before you go for a hot lap. Use the out-lap to increase temperature in both the tyres and the brakes.

Its worth noting that a drop in tyre pressure will change the corner weight and any suspension change may require a rethink of the pressures to be used.

As you develop the car and yourself, it will be worth revisiting the tyre pressure subject again and again. More experienced racers will avoid using there tyres maximum grip levels early in a race so that they can race faster towards the finish when others maybe experiencing a lack of grip.


Wets

If new unbuffed tyres are going to be used, make sure that the outer wax coating is removed. A short test session will take this layer off. Failure to do so will turn most circuits into an ice rink.

To save money in the early days, a 4 or 5 mm tyre can be used in the wet and the dry. The tread depth of a new tyre would only really be used in monsoon conditions, which would mean a postponement of the event to when the level of standing water has subsided.

There is no substitute for having a set of both, just a little less initial outlay.

An increase in tyre pressure can help retain temperature in mixed conditions and open the tread pattern to increase the amount of water that can be shipped by each tyre.

Housekeeping.

Always check tyres for cuts and damage between sessions and check the tyre pressures once they have cooled for potential punctures.

Always write down the pressures you settled with after an event. Most circuits do not require much in the way of changes to pressure, however, some do!

[Edited on 14/1/08 by simes43]

[Edited on 14/1/08 by simes43]

quote:

---

Originally posted by procomp
Hi yep wasting money is definitely important to newcomers. Had a guy in on sat after the show and couldn't believe he missed the piston offer. A £75 saving could have been made.

Found the previous setup sheets and info that was available by DES&Al
LINK HERE Some of it maybe of help maybe.

Graham would be an ideal candidate for the position. ( Anyone told him he has a new job )

So plenty of good ideas floating then. Is Declan looking at collating it all together etc or leaving it open till say after the AFD's. Robin could obviously provide a list of newcomers. Although some may already be experienced. But i think through the year there should be 2-3 newcomers with no experience who would i am sure appreciate this new scheme.

Cheers Matt@P

---

Fantastic Simon,
I understood all of it and only practice and track time will enable novice to reap the benefits, but it is an excellent begginners guide and worth printing in full.

I had a look at des and Als site which I shall erm Borrow parts of.

Lots of work now.

Could do with other peoples input ref Contact numbers in section 1 and a list of Reccommended Trackday companies. Javalin, Book-a-track and MSN are 3 I have used, any others.

Andy p

Depends where you're located & you're availability, but i would heartily recommend the Trackzone sessions that Donington run on Friday evenings during the summer. They're much cheaper than going during the day and each time i've gone it's been 3 hours' open pitlane (though it does officially depend on turnout).

The downside is that although we can keep up with pretty much anything there through the corners, and most people will jump out of the way when they see a race car coming up behind them, we get murdered on the straights. Unfortunately the rules of the session state that you can only overtake on the straights, so it's a bit awkward for us.

I felt so ashamed once when rocketing up behind a Citroen Picasso MPV through McLeans & Coppice only to find that when he moved aside on the back straight i couldn't overtake him until he obligingly lifted.

Rob, didnt you then get a ridiculous tow and post something like a 1m27 lap??

As for all that is written above its shaping up really nicely. If it is done in time, perhaps a chapter on conducting a test day and what process to go through with each session would be useful? Maybe aimed specifically at the 750MC test at Mallory in March?

Matt

Rob/Matt C

Im beavering away with the info trying to get it done to pass on to our representative and if Simon W is ok I would like to present it to Robin knight as this could be used for all formulas of motorsport..!!!.but for now just keep the info coming for our class.

I dont want to create war and peace but an informative and helpful Folder/booklet (whatever) for a novice to have.

Andy p

Matt - it was a 1:28.4 and so that was some consolation for the humiliation.

It's just a shame that i don't have a big MPV towing me around all the tracks as i'd probably do a lot better than i do now!

Andy,

Im sure your work is going to be massively appreciated! How about posting a draft copy on here (pdf for download if possible?) for the experienced hands to take a look at and then add to if needs be? We will all have our own ideas of what should and shouldnt be included but we may come up with something new and useful.
It might also be worth including Robin from this stage as well and emailing him the same draft copy so he is aware of whats going on and can offer input from an official point of view.

Matt

Matt,

great idea about posting however may need some assistance putting it on as a PDF file.
Starting to fit together but will need more ideas to fill the headings.
A good idea to contact Robin, perhaps he could give me the important numbers section.
Andy

quote:

---

Originally posted by pointy
Matt,

great idea about posting however may need some assistance putting it on as a PDF file.
Starting to fit together but will need more ideas to fill the headings.
A good idea to contact Robin, perhaps he could give me the important numbers section.
Andy

---

A little bit of input from hectic prior experience

Race Day for Novices

1. Arrive early, the night before if possible.

2. A good habit is to stick the finals paperwork inside your towcar window or the tent, camper, transit. This saves hunting around trying to find out what time you can be scrutineered.

3. Sign on as soon as you possibly can. Remember:
a. Race Licence
b. Club Membership card
c. Transponder Number (or money to rent one)

4. New to circuit briefing – Go to the earliest one you can (its all about giving yourself time to breathe before you venture out on track. – Be careful here, the briefing at Brands is a 250 metre run away from the paddock.

5. Have car checked over & fuelled up for qualifying before the scrutineering starts.

6. Scrutineering. As well as the car you will need your race suit and helmet checked. The first time you use the helmet it will need to be given an MSA sticker. Some will charge £1.25 or so, others will let you off it. Listen to what the scrutineer says regarding your car and act on it accordingly. They do occasionally check to make sure their advice has been taken.

7. Make a note of competitors close by in the paddock whom you know will be in the same practice session as you (If they start warming the car up you may want to get ready yourself – Don’t be rushed).

8. Listen to all the tannoy announcements, things can change.

9. As a novice you may feel you want to go out on track near the back of the pack – this will give you two or three laps to familiarise yourself with the circuit before you get caught by the quicker guys. If this is the case, let the marshall know in the assembly area, they will oblige.

10. At every stage, try and remain relaxed and above all, enjoy yourself.

I’ve always enjoyed myself, I don’t think I’ve ever managed to stay relaxed.

Oh, and don't forget your wife/girlfriend/partner/mother they are probably more nervous than you and will need a hug occasionally through all this.

[Edited on 16/1/08 by Richd]

[Edited on 16/1/08 by Richd]

Rich

All duly noted and will be incorporated within the pack.

Andy

I wished I had started using a video camera in the early days, if you can find a cheap one with a solid mount then its great to watch and work out how it all went right or wrong for next time.

You need a form and for the scruits to check it but its well worth the trouble.

Combining it with a record of your lap times and you can become a datalogging god overnight.

As a newbie who has absolutely no experience of circuit racing, I have been following this thread with interest.

Having passed my ARDS and mostly finished the car build , the main thing that has been bothering me is the first race meeting! How very timely...

Already some very useful advice on this thread, I think having a "novice booklet" would be invaluable in helping me be in the right place at the right time with the right bits on the day, & so try to enjoy myself.

Buddy idea is also a goodun - anyone want to look after me?

Cheers,
Rob.

Hi Rob

It has not been decided how the allocation will work and how official the buddy stuff will be.

However, the drivers rep and last years champion, Declan lives in Herts which maybe of interest.

Si

I have been watching this thread - I haven't contributed so far because I'm not really involved in Locost Racing anymore but Mr Woods u2u'd me asking if I would be willing to contribute something to the newcomer booklet idea. As I spent more of my life than was probably sensible building and repairing cars for Brett Townsend (6 years?), Locost racing is very close to my heart so I'm happy to help in any way I can.

Our first race was Brands Hatch in the first year of the championship and we were complete and utter novices. It was a combination of the worst day ever: - Brands Hatch in the pouring rain, which was bad enough, but we also had to go skip diving behind the industrial units to get scrap metal to panel over the back of the car (and borrow Ron Champions cordless drill to fit it - that shows how long ago it was :-) ) otherwise the scruitiners wouldn't let Brett race - and one of our best days ever: - the car lasted the race distance first time out and Brett went from last on the grid (14th or something in those days) to 7th at the end of the race after only ever having driven the car for the 3 laps of qualifying he only just managed to get in. So I know exactly what it's like to turn up knowing absolutely nothing with a car that fails sruitineering..........

Things are different nowadays because you've got places like this to ask questions and people who've been there and done that to answer them so I wonder just how much actual technical information needs to be included....... after all by the time you get the booklet you've probably finished building the car and you really just need to get out and race it to see what needs sorting out - and there will almost certainly be a lot but you need to be out there to find out exactly what and the best Locost Racing resource is, and always has been, the Locost paddock - you'll find some great people there and 99% of them will go out of their way to help you in any way they can

The what to take with you list is a great idea (no ones mentioned trying to cover your car with a tarpaulin while towing it on a trailer yet though - trust me its just not worth the effort ) - another would be simple maps of circuit paddocks showing where the scruitineering bay/weighbridge/race control/toilets are because it's not always obvious (Donnington and Brands spring to mind here especialy) Simons tyre stuff is good and I'll contribute something to explain why your car has just overheated and what you need to do about it - I would argue that finding your way around and actually being there (even if your car is rubbish) is much more important at first however

With Rob Palin writing a section on aero and Dave's keeping it cool piece, combined with RichD and AndyP's work the booklet will hopefully start to take shape over the next few weeks.

In regards to how technical the booklet becomes, I agree that it should not become a bible.

I do believe that new drivers/ builders will appreciate having a basis to work from when it comes to spending money once and correctly.

Using the transmission as an example, a reconditioned GT box with a 4.1 diff (using a procomp crush replacement thingy)is a very good compromise and set up. The pair will be near enough spot on everywhere we race.

RichD, AndyP

Here's a section on braking for the file. It will probably need some work as I wrote it!

Brakes

The braking system on a Locost consists of some old style rear drums and a pair of solid discs utilising the ubiquitous M16 calliper. The system is excellent when set up correctly.

Apart from the benefits of unsprung weight, there is no reason to wish for an upgraded solution.

Pads and Fluid

Before an event, pads should be brought up to temperature and allowed to cool before being used in anger. Two popular types, EBC’s Green Stuff and Mintex’s 1144 have , especially in the case of the 1144, require a complete cycle of running in instructions be adhered to before the pad will be fully operative. Failure to do the heat cycle step will usually render the pads ineffective.

An upgrade in fluid is a must, however avoid using the very high spec blends as they are usually designed for full race car brake applications. The high end stuff eats everything in its path and requires braking systems to be junked at the end of each system. Castrol Super plus (make sure it’s the plus)brake fluid works well for our application.

Expect to change the pads two or three times a year and change the fluid at the same time.

The disc width size rules renders removing the face to 11cm from a standard 13 cm a as real nice to have. I would leave the discs alone and concentrate on other areas as some pads will thin a disc quickly enough.

One reason that many find their braking system far from optimal, is that they have not employed a bias bar or lever into the system. For the car to stop in a balanced manner, a 60 to 40 or 70 to 30 or 80 to 20 brake bias percentage split needs to be introduced with the higher number applied to the front. A trip to an MOT centre is must to get the balance right and to get an idea on what amount of change a twist on the knob will create. The MOT centre will also be able to tell you how much braking each wheel has individually and in relation to its same axle partner. This test should be carried out after corner weighting the car.

Increasing bias to the rear when its wet can be beneficial , although probably only worth trying at a test day. At no point wet or dry should the cars rear brakes lock before the fronts.

Standard FOMOCO rear shoes should be used. There is no need to upgrade these items as they are hardly used in comparison to the front pads. Keep an eye on them as they can be easily forgotten!

The final piece of set up relates to pedal position. Aim for the accelerator pedal to be at the same height as the brake pedal when it is at full working level compression (which is not very much with the un-servo assisted system deployed). This adjustment will allow you to move your foot across to the accelerator after breaking has been completed in a smooth movement.


On the track

Without a warm up lap, the brakes need to work from the beginning of a practice session or race. This renders most expensive pads incompatible with our style of racing as they need a high temperature level before they start working effectively and are often designed for heavy cars (weight and aero) that will often be using slick tyres not our hard as nails a539.

A trick to generate heat at the start of a session is to apply left foot brake pressure and add a little handbrake when trundling down the pit lane or when travelling to your grid spot. This will go someway to avoid cold brake lock ups at the start.

Avoid using the handbrake or leaving your foot on the brakes after a session. The contact can potentially create two issues: the brake fluid will boil , but more importantly, the pad surface will fuse onto the disc’s surface. This fusion will damage the pad creating a glaze and create disc warp. The disc does not warp (old wives tail), it just becomes unbalanced due to the pad deposits being transferred to the discs surface.

With no ABS to save you, having the brakes set up correctly should be an absolute priority and will increase the cars track performance measurably against the clock.

[Edited on 1/2/08 by simes43]

quote:

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Using the transmission as an example, a reconditioned GT box with a 4.1 diff (using a procomp crush replacement thingy)is a very good compromise and set up.

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Hi quick explanation of the solid/crush tube.

In the diff on the pinion shaft you have a crush-able spacer as std which is used to set the preload on the pinion bearings. When the diff is being used in competition where we are on and of with the acceleration hard and a lot more often than it was intended for originally. It allows the crush-able spacer to continue to crush and leaves the pinion bearing with little / no preload. This also means that the backlash and engagement of the crown wheel and pinion are no longer correct. All in all it leads to a very short life for the diff unit.

Replacing the crush-able spacer with a solid item eliminates the problem and gives the diff a much longer life. With a locost assuming the correct oil level and type is being used. It should enable the diff to last the life time of the car. It ts a must when the escort diff is being used on more powerful kitcars with high HP. But when done it enables the use of 250+HP to be used. You just have to sort the half shafts then .

There are quite a few places capable of doing this procedure as it is quite common practice. But it dose take time and patience to get it set up correctly. Typically it should add no more than £20-£30 to your diff rebuild costs. And with the diffs becoming harder to find it is well worth the small extra cost given the extra life span the diff benefits.

As a tip one of the first signs of the crush-able space failing is when you get oil coming past the front seal. As the preload diminishes it allows the pinion to rotate off centre and allow the oil past the seal.

HTH cheers Matt



Basics of the solid spacer conversion for english axle diffs. Increaces reliability on higher bhp applications. [/img]

[Edited on 1/2/08 by procomp]

Matt can you bring one for me to the 750mc meeting on the 17th.

What torque setting do you set them up with.