#170 Race report Zwartkops 12 April 2014

[4agedub]

On Saturday we had the 2nd round of the Historic tour at Zwartkops international raceway.

Qualifying was a nightmare. Went out, did three laps and then got T-boned properly on the driver side on the exit of turn 5. Other car burst a brake hose and used my door to stop his car. Rear fender, 1/4 panel and front door is stuffed. The impact was enough to bend the roll cage sissy bar right up against the seat. Roll cage and neck brace did their job, I only got a couple of bruises on my knee.

Got back into the pits, bent the door back so it actually closes... check hubs and wheel alignment. Car is still straight wheelbase wise, but plenty cosmetic damage

Race 1. Started in 21st place overall but did not really make up a lot of places. The beetle is seriously underpowered against the big guys, but still had a good race. Finished 16th overall. On the first lap going into turn 4 everything got a little tight and I touched the black Datsun with the LF fender... no more headlight and some fiberglass damage to the beetle. I have not had any body damage on the car in about 5 years... so it seems like I do it properly when I do. . Going up to turn 5 I almost got taken out again by the Escort as he came flying past the inside and then ran wide. Around lap 8 I had a huge moment on the turn 6 exit, full lock countersteer as the arse came out. Managed to catch it at least.

Racing against the red 351ci v8 capri was frustrating... I pass him under braking and into the corner just for him to come flying past down the straight again.



Race 2. Saw a couple of good dices again and I probably passed infamous the red Capri 8 times going into rurn 5. I'm sure he is pissed at me for not letting him go. . Never give up!!! He might have 300hp more than me, but handling means a lot too . I must say that the guy in the capri sure does trust the beetle's brakes... he would come past and then slam onto the brakes right in front of me.



The aftermath

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Maybe getting hit on the door is just a reminder of what can happen... so double side protection bars will now be installed with another brace to the tunnel as well.

[FJCamper]

Hi 4AgeDub,

Great video. And a great race with that blasted V8 Capri. Living in the land of the V8's here, I think his extra nose weight kept him in enough understeer so your cleaner cornering lines were really effective in taking him in the turns.

Absolutely first class driving. You do use all the road, plus a few rumble strips.

Sitting as close to the anti-intrusion bar as you do, and with one good sideways prang all it takes to snap spines and necks, I understand you want more sidebars. There is a trick to get some more sideways crush space and a better seating alignment. VW's have their seats mounted pointing inward. Our feet are not in line with our heads and shoulders.

Remove your seat. Weld in supports that will allow the seat to be slightly elevated and offset to the center, so an inch of seat is now over the tunnel. You can now sit with your legs straight. And your seat will no longer be directly against the door bars. You will sit slightly higher, but not much. The upside to that is a better view. The downside is more high weight. Cut your hair shorter and don't carry anything in your shirt pocket.

FJC

[4agedub]

Absolutely first class driving. You do use all the road, plus a few rumble st

Thanks FJCamper. The only way to stay with the high powered cars is to carry corner speed... thus the whole track plus some extra is needed. .

One of the ideas I have to get more crush area is to remove the door card permanently and have the side protection bars actually go into the door cavity itself. This will also give us around 2" extra.

[ProctorSilex]

to get more crush area is to remove the door card permanently and have the side protection bars actually go into the door cavity itself. This will also give us around 2" extra.

Indeed. The cage maker who made my parts (yet to be installed) shapes the door bars to go inside a gutted door. I think that the car that I raced in (Audi Quattro 80) had that too. However, the B pillars can force the bars back close to the seat to attach to the main hoop. If the rules allow, maybe notch the tunnel to move the seat over in line with the pedals like FJC said but without the height increase. Always good to be far from the bars and more centered.

I had no idea what a Capri was until I looked it up. We have them over here, but they have never been on my radar and I don't think I have ever seen one considered as a performance car let alone a race car. I had never seen the one you raced against which looks like the homely offspring of a 240Z and a classic Mustang (apparently, we have that version stateside also). It sucks being up against a slow driver in a powerful car or just a slow car with tons of power. It is amazing how much that Capri and turquoise car slowed in the turns! Give'm hell!

I have been wanting to post my first track video on STF, but it is not a VW, so I am going to put it here since we are talking about racing HPDE lap. I hope to race again some day. Your racing video helped keep the fire burning.