Howl-o-Ween (10/26/2019) - Sprint Race (45 mins) - Portland International Raceway:
The main endurance race is over and we have very little time to the sprint race. Looking at our tires, the Bridgestones wanted a lot more camber than we were giving them. The outside edge is very worn. The Hankooks must be less camber sensitive as we have never had this problem in the past. The fronts are definitely worse than the rear, so we need to rotate.. and GO!
We get the tires rotated and my dad jumps in for the beginning of the sprint race. The plan is to do his stint while there is some light out, then I jump in and run most of the race. We get the tires swapped and Dave is just in time to roll out on track with the pack. Whew! Only 13 cars chose to do the evening spring compared to 50 during the endurance race. Dave starts in 5th, and the first corner is already exciting. A Miata drives over the chicane curbing, bouncing up and hitting another car, and both fall behind. Dave is up to 3rd, and on lap 5 turns the car over to me.
Soon after I get in the car, it starts to rain. Not enough to be a huge mess, but just enough to start making the track a little slippery. I catch up to the Uboot Rennenwerks turbo Porsche, as they aren't able to put the power down like they normally can. I pass them, but then as the track dries out again they pass me back. It is getting darker, and the #13 Ecotec Miata of Race Invaders comes up behind me. Their lights are so much brighter than mine that as they pass me I just see a huge shadow in front of my car. And it's not just their headlights that are bright.. there is a rain light on the back of the car that is already noticeably bright during the day, and absolutely retina-searing at night!
As the red light floods the interior of my car and attempts to sever my optic nerve, I find an even bigger problem. When they brake, the light flashes. When it starts flashing it is extremely difficult to see the track ahead of me, and I miss my turn-in point for turn 4! I still make the corner, but I am definitely not going to be able to drive fast behind them, and I have to let them go. Years ago we had installed ChumpCar legal LED lights to replace the retrofitted HIDs that had been damaged with our first car. When we put on our splitter, we supported the bumper much better, and it is partially blocking the lights now. So slightly inadequate lighting turns to wondering if there are flashlights taped up front.
The Porsche gets by me and a while later I get them back. At this point I am using street light reflections on the smooth parts of the track to help navigate through 10-11-12.. and I just want this race to be over.
I hold 2nd place for just three laps before the Porsche freight trains by me on the straight stretch on the last lap. We finish in 3rd, and this is the last time I will race at night with this lighting setup! It's really not the fault of the manufacturer, more that we have stuck with the lumens limited rules from 2014 or so. Time to swap some tires and be ready for the race the next day!