OOOOWWW-D Test Session and time with Bob

[vrona@ix.netcom.com (Steven Verona)]

We had a test and tune weekend here in Columbus this past weekend.  It 
gave me an opportunity to fine tune the car and, more importantly,my 
driving.

I had a visitor from the quattro list show up on Saturday, Bob Meyers.  
He drove over 4 hours to see the OOOOWWW-D fly around the track.  I 
took him for a few rides in my car.  He was impressed.  I offered to 
let him drive it, but he declined.  I guess he felt like he needed more 
experience.  He let me drive his 5000tq with about 300hp.  It sure was 
fun...thanks again Bob.  Once the tubo spooled up, it went like stink.  
I had half a mind to put my wheels and tires on the car .... maybe next 
time.

Anyway, on to what I learned:  

Left foot braking:  I mentioned in the last post that I tried this for 
the firat time at the Nat. Tour event last week.  I am getting better 
with this technique.  Without a doubt, this is the fast way around a 
track.  The car reacts very well to brakes and throttle together.  The 
car lowers itself at least an inch and I can keep from locking up the 
fronts with greater consistency.

Allignment:  I know I was suposed to run toe out in the car.  Before I 
messed with the camber a few weeks ago, it was toed out.  After my 
trackside precision adjustments the car ended up toed in ... very bad 
for autox.  I wanted to run 3/16 inch of toe out and before getting it 
realligned, I was running over 1/2 inch of toe in!!  That is how I ran 
the car in Evansville.  Now that the car is toed out, it turns in a lot 
quicker.
Current settings: 3/16 toe out in front. 1/10 inch toe in in rear. 1.3 
degree neg camber all the way around.

Front roll bar:  I tried adjusting the roll bar by loosening it to try 
and reduce the understeer.  It did not seem to make any difference at 
all.  I may have to completely remove it (ala the rally car described 
earlier today).  I wish I had a chance to take it off and test it 
against the current setting and then test with stiffer bushings.  I am 
not sure which way to go on this.  I know that a stiffer front bar will 
reduce the unwanted body roll and help intransition but will also 
increase understeer.  Not sure what the net effect will be.

Tires and Pressure:  I tried a set of Bridgestone RE71Rs on 
Saturday...they stink.  The grip was only marginally better than my 
Dunlop street tires.  I was hoping the grip would be slightly less than 
the R1s and maybe free up the car a little.  Then I tried R1s in the 
front and the RE71Rs in the rear ... can you say OVERSTEER!  Thsi combo 
also stinks.  I went back to the R1s all the way around and sarted 
playing with pressure.  the car seems to work better with much higher 
pressure than everybody else is running.  The FWD cars are running high 
20s and low 30s while I went to 48psi infront and 40 in the rear.  The 
car is much smoother with the higher pressure.

Shocks:  The car is bouncing in the corners once I turn in.  The shocks 
are not controlling the car.  I had the front Koni sports set to full 
stiff in the front.  I set them to almost full soft and the car ran 
better. Does anybody know why?

The bottom line...lap times:  On Sunday I dropped down to a 42.8 second 
lap.  A full 4 seconds faster than the 2nd fastest H stock car.  The 
car was really flying.  I think a perfect run could have seen a 42.4 
.. amazing.  The only cars that were faster was one of the Neons, one 
of the Camaros, and a couple of Street Prepared and Modified cars.  I 
beat some of the G stock cars by over a second.  these were the same 
cars that were beating me badly a few weeks ago.

I can smell a national championship brewing ..... anyone want to 
contribute to the recipe?  I can use all the help I can get.  Also, is 
there a Quattro list logo I can put on the car?

Steven Verona