HEL Performance 2012 Time Attack Build
class!
09-12-2013, 12:20 AM
#1252
Community Organizer
Although I would happily pay for a passenger ride in this beast
10-03-2013, 09:56 PM
#1257
We didnt compete in the last round of Time Attack at Brands Hatch for a number of reasons, but mainly as we were honouring a rule which we broke all season, despite the organisers changing it mid-season to allow those who had broke it over the required times to continue in the same class.
It was called the 3 strike rule, which meant we got a strike each time we came within 5% of the class above us, which was a 4WD class on the same tyres, all running 700HP plus, and all turbocharged, infact they were all Evo's. Once you got the 3 strikes, you'd be moved into the class above. Ie the S2000 would have run with the Evo's!
We got strikes at both the opening round at Cadwell when the car was used for the first time, strike at Croft with a heavily patched car after the bump in qualifying, we were heading for another strike at Snetterton before the engine gave way (we were 2 seconds faster than anyone else in our class in qualifying), then after a meeting at Snetterton where the decision was made by TA to keep the rule, we had to 'sandbag' (which the organisers deemed acceptable) the Oulton Park win with over 200hp less than Snetterton at our disposal in order to avoid the 3rd strike. Still we won the class by over a second.
Silverstone wasnt much different, we qualified some way ahead again, and before the fuel rail broke free and ended our day, we were literally doing a lap, pulling CBH in, and playing a maths game with TSL Timing to work out where we were with the times, and realising that in the wet with a constantly drying track, it was hard to manage the 5% difference. The subsequent end to our day meant that the class above didnt get more laps, so we effectively had our 3rd strike at Silverstone. Then the organisers deemed it not to count in the wet....another chance to stay in class.
But that was it for us. We felt at this stage it was better to go out at the top, we all HATED the sandbagging thing. After all, we've got an S2000 which hasnt had the best of luck in it's first season, but when it's been trouble free, it's always been quick. That's with no proper testing, set up, aero dynamics (rear wing is not effective as it is), running a fast road suspension, and on road tyres. We decided that it was best for us to bow out at the top of class, where we led the championship by 40 points, than to go to the final round. What's more, we had further repairs to do, and not alot of time. Whilst the fuel fire was relatively small, it had destroyed the engine loom and all the lightweight hose and fittings around the rail itself.
SO............
Lot's going on behind the scenes at the moment, with big plans for next year afoot! Little snippet here, some wider wings for the car, over an inch wider and an inch taken out the height so we can get wider front rims on and go a bit lower on the front set up too.
It was called the 3 strike rule, which meant we got a strike each time we came within 5% of the class above us, which was a 4WD class on the same tyres, all running 700HP plus, and all turbocharged, infact they were all Evo's. Once you got the 3 strikes, you'd be moved into the class above. Ie the S2000 would have run with the Evo's!
We got strikes at both the opening round at Cadwell when the car was used for the first time, strike at Croft with a heavily patched car after the bump in qualifying, we were heading for another strike at Snetterton before the engine gave way (we were 2 seconds faster than anyone else in our class in qualifying), then after a meeting at Snetterton where the decision was made by TA to keep the rule, we had to 'sandbag' (which the organisers deemed acceptable) the Oulton Park win with over 200hp less than Snetterton at our disposal in order to avoid the 3rd strike. Still we won the class by over a second.
Silverstone wasnt much different, we qualified some way ahead again, and before the fuel rail broke free and ended our day, we were literally doing a lap, pulling CBH in, and playing a maths game with TSL Timing to work out where we were with the times, and realising that in the wet with a constantly drying track, it was hard to manage the 5% difference. The subsequent end to our day meant that the class above didnt get more laps, so we effectively had our 3rd strike at Silverstone. Then the organisers deemed it not to count in the wet....another chance to stay in class.
But that was it for us. We felt at this stage it was better to go out at the top, we all HATED the sandbagging thing. After all, we've got an S2000 which hasnt had the best of luck in it's first season, but when it's been trouble free, it's always been quick. That's with no proper testing, set up, aero dynamics (rear wing is not effective as it is), running a fast road suspension, and on road tyres. We decided that it was best for us to bow out at the top of class, where we led the championship by 40 points, than to go to the final round. What's more, we had further repairs to do, and not alot of time. Whilst the fuel fire was relatively small, it had destroyed the engine loom and all the lightweight hose and fittings around the rail itself.
SO............
Lot's going on behind the scenes at the moment, with big plans for next year afoot! Little snippet here, some wider wings for the car, over an inch wider and an inch taken out the height so we can get wider front rims on and go a bit lower on the front set up too.
10-03-2013, 10:11 PM
#1258
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Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Yorkshire
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Big congratulations on achieving what you have this season with limited testing and a car that clearly isn't yet at its optimum.
I never got the chance this year to come along and see you out competing due to heavy work commitments but I'm hoping to be along next season at a couple of the rounds.
One thing I would say; Is there any chance you could sling a camera in the car behind the driver and film the rounds next year, then post the video's here? It would be fantastic to see the car driven in anger by a professional driver from a cockpit view?
I never got the chance this year to come along and see you out competing due to heavy work commitments but I'm hoping to be along next season at a couple of the rounds.
One thing I would say; Is there any chance you could sling a camera in the car behind the driver and film the rounds next year, then post the video's here? It would be fantastic to see the car driven in anger by a professional driver from a cockpit view?
10-04-2013, 02:25 AM
#1259
What a great read - such an interesting story to hear your version of how everything's gone.
Also, for many of us, really genuinely exciting to hear how fast a properly prepared S2000 can be. I hope you're going to be offering a hardline-replacement kit shortly where we can re-locate the ABS pump to the inner wing and run HEL lines for the whole length of the car.
Also, for many of us, really genuinely exciting to hear how fast a properly prepared S2000 can be. I hope you're going to be offering a hardline-replacement kit shortly where we can re-locate the ABS pump to the inner wing and run HEL lines for the whole length of the car.