Track Day 31 - PIR (Chicane) with Cascade Sports Car Club (instructing) - Anti-gravity Lithium Battery
Friday June 14th was the PIR track day with Cascade Sports Car Club (CSCC). The original goal was to bring my Corvette along with the Accordian, but the Accordian was not ready along with Dave unable to get into the novice group. I however was able to get in as an instructor, which was nice as I'm trying to get a bit more established with instructing in the PNW region.
I personally haven't been to PIR since about 12-14 years or so ago on a sportbike, which even saying makes me feel pretty darn old. I remembered the track a bit, but I'd never run the Chicane layout. This had me a bit anxious to instruct, but as I'm getting on more and more new tracks I'm finding I'm able to generally pick things up and get into an advanced group pace fairly quickly these days.
Because I was instructing though, my day was quite busy and I didn't get all that I wanted to done. I'd instruct for a session, debrief, chill for just a short bit and then jump out in the Intermediate group. I'd have much preferred to run advanced, but I couldn't make it without skipping the debrief with my student. So, I got some traffic heavy laps in with the intermediate group, which didn't fully scratch the itch but did allow me to get familiar with the track.
Another bummer was that since I was so focused on isntructing then getting out for my sessions I entirely neglected to fire up track addicts or my GoPro... so I've got no baseline time to compare my visit here to!
Fortunately, all was not lost, as while I didn't capture any media, the rad folks over at AntiGravity Batteries popped by to chat with me about how I'd installed their battery in my C5 Corvette for a big weight savings, and then took the above incredibly awesome photo!
How were the mods from the last time the car was driven?
So since I last tracked the car, I'd started on a "weight loss journey" with the C5 corvette. I'd pulled approximately 160lbs out of the car and added a removable smaller diameter steering wheel. Could I tell the difference? Yes, in good ways, and ways that you may consider bad if your car isn't track only!
In the good ways the car improved I noticed improved handling along with superior turn in. The steering wheel position was also so much better that it was incredibly easy to improve my hand positioning, even on fairly tight turns!
In ways the car didn't improve... well the more I make this car faster the more I ruin it as a street car. The car increased drastically in volume when driving. Exhaust tone was a bit more noticeable sure, but what was REALLY loud was all the little bits of whatever coming up off the street and hitting the underside of the car. Without the carpet and sound deadening in place you heard every last little grit of sand pelt off the car, and if it was something bigger you DEFINITELY heard it. I quite honestly had to convince myself it wasn't a billion nuts and bolts falling off my car and continue drivin it. So, if comfort is your thing... this is not the mod for you. It's also worth mentioning the gauges were a bit harder to see with the smaller steering wheel, but eh that just helps me drive the car on feel and sound better.