SC Blows Away ALL @ Texas World Speedway

Doug Franklin

Registered User
RussellR, look at member page, just blew away all competition at Texas World Speedway in College Station, TX. Our states first NASCAR track form the 70s with a road course as well.

Men you are all missing out if you don't take your SC to a cornering event. You will surprise all way more than at a drag race. Here is proof posted in non-tech.
http://host.sccoa.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=37471

Compare HP/Torque all you want with a Viper. The stock SC will beat or hold it's own on a road course with it and many other performance cars. The car gets real respect or they think you must be a fantastic driver. Either way...what's the dif.
 
Man, I would love to try that one of these days. How did you get started in road racing. Did you go to a driving school or did you just go out there and try it. Seems to me that it would require a lot more focus and skill than drag racing, not to take away anything from that. One more thing, is there a high risk of damaging your car with that type of racing.
 
Don't know what Russ did at TWS but suspect it is like MSR. He rarly posts and takes awhile to get a return on email. He said to post the letter for him. His son goes to TX A&M so he does Auto-Cross in there club with son. TWS was something special I think.

At MSR we just pass on 2-3 straits. Gentlemens racing. Technically a driving track. MSR is run like a country club, but no golf here. It has nothing to hit if you go off track. I just happened to move 3 miles from the track not knowing it was there. Got to know the owner un-knowingly. Now a member.

Always wanted to do it. Always liked SC since 89. So it worked out. Car does well. Took a class from track owner where we had classroom lead-&follow, classroom lead and follow, classroom lead and follow, classroom then turned us loose. That was in SS Camaro's. Later got my car on track and liked it better. Never spun it yet, but did the SS and a Neon.

Auto Cross events are everywhere. SCCA runs them and other clubs. Just look around where you live. Lot of tracks have something similar to MSR. MSR was 1st purpose built for members, though he rents it out a few taimes a year for races.

I have posted some stuff in racing/track results forum. The bird surprises folks. I mean everybody figures they will blow you off. Then they sort of come around after a few sessions and make comments on how well it handles figuring they would pass it right off, and never do. Russ places at his Auto-Cross events he says. We never met, yet. Hope you guys try it. Track time is key. Everyone screws up at first. Folks don't make fun because they are as nervous as you at first.
 
TWS was a drivers edge event ($275 for the wk end).

they run 10-12 events a year at Motorsport Ranch and Texas World Speedway. I got an instructor in the car initially, but was soloed to run by myself the last couple of sessions. Its a great way to get started. They have some classroom sessions for novices to teach car dynamics, cornering and braking. An the incar instructors are great. Very well run and safe.

http://www.thedriversedge.net/


Doug, Thanks for posting for me. Hopefully in the future I'll get the time to be more active in this group. Hopefully the exhaust will go on during christmas while things are quiet.
 
Glad to see you post but it is much better to work on car and drive it, no?

I need to try this drivers edge once I get a reliable car running this cold spell as well. Bought a tube K-Member for one of them, but need brakes, wheels, and tires more than that. I am trading my Porterfield street pads for full race pads to help stock brakes. You should blow me away at MSR. We need to get a club day going in 04. But lets get together before then the 2 of us if you want, or wait untill your son can join us on a holiday. Do they have Saturday events and open it to non-college folks? Dang boy of mine going to VA Tech.
 
As it turns out my son and I are going to have the M3 and SC out to MSR this Saturday. Just found out that I was free and my son would be here for Thanksgiving. Joe Cole (whom I work with) is a member there. He invited me to join some of his buddies who are going to have their Miatas there for some practice. My son will definately have the M3 out on the track, I may do a session in the SC. Probably be there around 9-10. If you have time stop by, It would be great to meet you in person.
 
OK. I will finish brakes on AOD car and see if it is up to another session. I really don't want to put it on track again but what the heck. It may have some other problems. Will see you either way. Off 377 I am on Bluebonnet Dr. about 3 miles from track, as you head back to I-20. 2nd driveway on right. But I will be up there unless forget. 817-268-5700.
 
Thanks for coming out Doug and thanks again for the help with the brakes. I'm going to post pics of the melted pads under a different thread when I get time.


We had a blast. Ran 2 sessions. Doug ran the first session in his 5spd with my 5spd SC and my sons BMW M3. Managed to stay on track and turn some decent times.

Second session I went out and chased the M3 who was chasing a miata. My son managed to stay with the miata for several laps. Not bad given how technical this track is. I hung for a lap or so then the brakes felt a little soft so I back off a bit. Didn't want to rearend anybody :) After about 15 min I came in a checked the front brake pads. Looked ok, so I went back out. On the last lap I lost my right front brake completely so I eased it in to the pits and back to the garage.

Good news: We had a blast.
Bad news: I managed to literally melt the front brake pads. The inside pads were actually warped around the caliper. And brake fluid was running out from under the car as teh caliper seal were melted. I was running Porterfield R4-S pads with KVR crossdrilled rotors. The pads came with a warning of "not for track use", Now I know why ;)

I heard of others using these pads at the track without issues, but I think that the crossdrilled rotor were my main problem. They chew the pads like a cheese grater. The pads hold well from new to about 1/2 - 2/3 gone then the last 1/2 - 1/3 go within a lap or 2.

Anyway, after 2 new remanf. front calipers, the spare set of pads I had and help from Doug to driving me around to get parts and bleeding the brakes. We could actually drive the car home. All in all a great day.

This was my first time on MSR and wasn't real sure what to expect. As soon as I can get the cross drilled rotors off, some true track pads and open up the exhaust before I blow a head gasket, I'm going to run some more sessions. It would be great if we could get a couple of others there. The big open track is
fun for a while, but it's more fun to see how you run with others. :)
 
Russell, sounds like you were having a great time again.

I was looking at your member page, future mods ... 13" brakes ... get those on the car !! You already have big enough wheels to accommodate them, that's half the battle.

The first few times I did open-track events with my SC a few years ago, I had already upgraded to the Mark VIII front brakes. Can't imagine what it would be like with the stock sized brakes, your a brave man. :p Now that I have the 13" front / 11.65" rear Cobra brakes, the stopping power is fabulous. Got about 7 track days in this year, most of it running with Hoosier Grand-Am Cup radials, which have loads of grip. I did go through two sets of (OE Ford) front pads, worn down very evenly, which I expected from the weight of the car, and the way I was pounding on the brakes with the sticky tires ... but my rotors are still absolutely perfect. No cracks, no vibrations. These are the OE Ford Cobra rotors, which are supplied by Brembo Italy. Next year I plan on trying some aftermarket pads, hoping to find a nice balance between greater pad life, more bite out of the brakes, and not too much extra wear on the rotors.

Keep having fun out there !! ;)


cheers
Ed N.
 
I'm kind of torn right now. I'm also autocrossing the car and going to bigger brakes bumps me into a class where I can't be competitive. I was hoping to find a little better bite without the bigger rotors. They work fine for a while. I got 6 sessions (about 45 laps) on a set of KVR pads at Texas World Speedway. The Porterfield stopped better but only lasted less than a 1/3 of that. Stopping power is fine, just can't get any duration on the pads.
They wear evenly but quickly. I'm going to switch to non-crossdrilled rotors and run a few session at MSR to see how we fair. Speeds are mostly below 100 at MSR. I think I hit 105 at the fastest part. TWS we ran much faster.

Sometimes I think I need 2 SC's - 1 for Tracks and 1 for AutoX. Oh well, maybe someday when I have money. :D

The cobra brakes you have, are they on the stock SC hubs or did you change to the mustang hubs?
 
Will call Porterfield tomorrow to verify R4 available for SC. She said P/Ns I thought. They should have the R4-S I returned by now. I got that invoice and saw not for track use and just figured. I want to swap them and put on the 89 I will be working on. Plus will get a new radiator soon from Mike38SC, I hope. Russ like you say this track is pretty rough on the brakes.

Russ I posted the only pic I could take with that camara on this thread. Pretty fuzzy:http://www.sccoa.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=37748
 
RussellR said:
The cobra brakes you have, are they on the stock SC hubs or did you change to the mustang hubs?

We did the Mustang hub conversion at the same time. I wasn't using stock wheels anyway, so it made sense to me to go with the fresh wheel bearings all around, and get more choices for aftermarket wheels. No way was I going to put a set of Cobra R replica wheels on the car !! ;) :D


cheers
Ed N.
 
Interesting

Have been to a couple of events at Houston Gulf Greyhound Parkway and some the practices at Texas A&M annex. I would be interested in the next events you may attend and join in.
 
Re: Interesting

4.2 SC'er said:
Have been to a couple of events at Houston Gulf Greyhound Parkway and some the practices at Texas A&M annex. I would be interested in the next events you may attend and join in.
Look in the Gulf States Chapter and respond to Blue 92. Don is organizing the Winter Fun Run and Club Day at Motorsport Ranch for Jan 17 & 18. I would attend if MSR was on Sat 17th. Also look into "Fordbastards" in Yahoo groups. Don started this club mostly TX owners of SCs, SHOs, Probe, and soon the 2 seat T-Bird. He gets the Lincoln LS club to join the fun. Those guys are fast and so are some of the SHOs with suspension and engine upgrades.

I believe Don has 3 Fun Runs per yr. Last one he had an SC from San Antonio involved.

I would PM Russ on the A&M stuff. When I get a car ready I hope to join him as well.
 
Below is from fordbastards post about the Club Day at MSR on 18th. This is a good group and competitive. You are trained in 3 classroom sessions and 2 lead and follow driving sessions. Then you are divided in 2 groups and turned loose 2-3 sessions at 25min each in an open situation to go as fast as you dare. Only pass on straitaways. Gentlemens racing

Here is payment info from Mike Murphy in that club:

$95

Paypal: murphymike@Hotmail.com

or send check US Mail to:

USA Pallet
c/o MSR
P.O. Box 201326
Arlington, TX 76006

Fed Ex Letter/ UPS Letter to:

USA Pallet
c/o MSR
214 NW 25th Street
Grand Prairie, TX 75050
 
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