SKYHI Motorsport - The journey towards WTAC

[SKYHI]

This is the in car video of our fastest lap of the day. Being our shakedown, we were slowly easing into things, and this was our last lap of the day. It would have been nice to get a 5th run, and chase those last few tenths we needed for the class win, but a few incidents on track meant we only got the 4 runs in.

[greenMachine]

With every one having to drop their worst round, we're still in the hunt if we can get a couple of wins in the next three rounds.

I have really bad memories of doing this - missing the first round, thinking ah, no problem, that will be my drop round. After taking out four wins, I lost the title to someone who only had two wins, by one lousy point! You are so dependent on doing well at all the other rounds you cannot afford another poor round, and that is what happened to me .

Hopefully you will have a better run than I did. Good luck, I will cross my fingers for you!

[SKYHI]

Thanks At the end of the day it's all about having fun, and it's just good to be back out there again. I like being part of a series though, as it gives me something to focus on, and set dates to work towards.

[SKYHI]

Our next event will be on August 4th, when we attend Round 3 of the Lakeside Time Attack Series, run by timeattack.com.au.

Not a lot of changes to the car since the last event, the main one being an upgrade from the MCA Blues running 9kg front and 5kg rear springs to the MCA X-R (Street Performance) coilovers running 10kg fronts and 6 kg rears. I will also adjust the total toe in on the rear from 2.4mm overall to 1.8mm overall, and play with some tyre pressures and damper settings. All in the hope of dialing out some understeer that was evident in it's first outing.

Drop in and say hi if you're around.



https://www.facebook.com/events/2103031026687758/

[Magpie]

Debated attending that event of the Interclub Comp on 05/08. Attending the Interclub event

[SKYHI]

Debated attending that event of the Interclub Comp on 05/08. Attending the Interclub event

I'm sure we'll catch up some day

[SKYHI]

Had a fairly successful day at Lakeside on Saturday. Fastest lap of the day was a 1:02.25, which was an improvement of over 7 tenths since our last outing, and enough to win the A2 Street Class.

It was certainly hotter than last time out, and a few people commented that the track wasn't that fast on the day, so was very happy with our improvement. The car balance was much better with the change of coilovers/spring rates, and the adjustment to the rear toe. Also a bit more confidence in the car which allowed me to push a bit harder. Took a little bit of tweaking during the day to get the pressures and temps right across the tyres, but I'm pretty sure it paid off with the quickest time being set in the last couple of laps of the day.

The class win means were still in the hunt for the championship provided I can take out the last two events as well.

Video footage to follow.

[SKYHI]

Here's some in car footage from the Time Attack event at Lakeside. Not exactly sure which lap is our 1:02.25 PB, but it's in here somewhere.

[SKYHI]

Natsoft results are finally up. Third lap is my PB

[SKYHI]

So after watching the WTAC Live stream this year, and looking more into what it takes to build a Clubsprint car, I've decided to put the very ambitious goal of building such a car on hold. Not to say the dream is over, but 'if' I get there, it will take quite a few years (and a bucket load of money).

Still looking forward to developing the car and competing in other Time Attack events though. Next year I will concentrate on the local TimeAttack.com.au QLD series, as well as the one off events like Jap Nats and King of QR. If I get organised, and get the time and money to get the car to a point where I'm happy with it, I may go down and compete in the Aus Time Attack event at Wakefield. 2020 might see a trip to PI for the Victorian Time Attack event and/or The Bend for the SA event.

For now though, I will just update my build thread with all things related to the car.

[Magpie]

Looking more into what it takes to build a Clubsprint car.

If you want to finish in the top 3 then yes, a very large budget. However look at Robert Murray, Rahul Victor, Andrew Price and Andrew Weggs no big budgets but do very well. Then there was Kendall attending his first WTAC in a car that had not really been tested who had a ball. If you want to attend the event and meet new people and make contacts then maybe the money could be better spent elsewhere, but being part of it is (at least to me) worth it.

Due to the almost unlimited engine upgrades allowed in clubsprint the OEM drive train becomes the weakness hence the amount of money spent on geraboxes etc. To use another persons saying, WTAC can be seen as the 3 T's (Talent, Testicles and Turbo), however power is not everything whilst it does help it needs a decent driver to get the most out of it.

A reliable and well set up car makes the journey easier (and possibly a little cheaper). Some of the issues that have come to the surface with my build have always been there, I just was not pushing hard enough to find them. Whereas a more skillful driver can manage the issues, I need to fix them to get faster

Attending the Bend and PI will be just as expensive and as competitive as alot of the cars that compete are WTAC anyway.

[SKYHI]

My comment about building a Clubsprint car was not solely about the budget, but the time it takes to develop and maintain a car at that level as well. After writing my "to do" list, I realised just how long it will take me to get the car to a point where it's reliable, even at the relatively low power level I'm at now. Then there's the time to maintain it between events as well. Sadly that is as much a limiting factor for me at the moment as any.

You're right, the PI and SA events probably would be just as costly to attend as WTAC, but they are a little more appealing from a track point of view over SMSP, and probably easier to get accepted into.

Like I said, the dream is not over, but it will be a few years before I even seriously consider it. Maybe I'll just come and pit crew with you if you decide to do it again?

[Magpie]

Maybe I'll just come and pit crew with you if you decide to do it again?

Bring on 2019 applications!

Lots to do to get the shell ready!

[provan]

You're right, the PI and SA events probably would be just as costly to attend as WTAC, but they are a little more appealing from a track point of view over SMSP, and probably easier to get accepted into.

)

SA time attack would be really easy to enter its pretty much just first come first served with entries, its usually a lot cheaper than other states but next years moved to a 2 day event so entrys about 800, and they run a street class as well as clubsprint class, the tracks amazing to drive it would be good to see what some other mx5s can do around there

[greenMachine]

You're right, the PI and SA events probably would be just as costly to attend as WTAC, but they are a little more appealing from a track point of view over SMSP, and probably easier to get accepted into.

)

SA time attack would be really easy to enter its pretty much just first come first served with entries, its usually a lot cheaper than other states but next years moved to a 2 day event so entrys about 800, and they run a street class as well as clubsprint class, the tracks amazing to drive it would be good to see what some other mx5s can do around there

When/where? I will be running the SE as a TA car in 2019, and a trip to Tailem Bend might be fun! I wouldn't come within a bull's roar of a placing, but the on-board video of that new track ...