OK, so I posted this in the Paddock section but a lot of you don't go there, so I thought I would repost.

Many of you know our trials and tribulations with a member of our family Papa Smurf. If not...read here: http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=245984

A lot has happened since that last post on that thread. Well...kinda a lot. In Nov 2015, Papa was sent away to Dawe's Motorsports Development boarding school in cold and snowy Pennsylvania. There he receive a full Peter Dawe disciplinary attitude adjustment (well, at least the engine, ignition and oil delivery system did). And after exactly 1 year to the day, we picked him up a couple weeks ago with a new attitude, fresh and ready to go. From the outside he LOOKED the same, but under the hood and in the front, things were a bit different. Gone are coil packs, replaced with individual plug coils. There's all kinds of new sensors and balancing systems in there. And the oil cooling system is huge and complicated looking, but is mean to be efficient and effective for a 350+ hp engine...

So this past weekend we went to VIR for his coming out party after a year of disciplinary training.

Here's video of a few laps:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqPsw_4PCHA




The car ran GREAT!! We do have a bunch of things that still need sorting out though:
- Car set up is not great - we've never really had a chance to set it up over the past few years since we've been chasing engine issues ....hard to set up a car with a lap or two every 6+ months.
- Need to work on the Aero balance - at top speed it started wandering all over the track. Plus it didn't feel planted as it should at high speed corners.
- Drivers suck, so they need a lot more seat time.
- Need hood pins on the back trunk lid since a change in the engine compartment area lost a connection point (racers tape to the rescue last weekend!!)

But overall...so far, so good!!

Nice to see him back on the track having fun.

Fun! For those of us who can only dream, what kind of speeds do you think you were hitting on the long straight?

Only 139 as per the AIM Solo. Kept hoping I could break 140 but nooo.. Need about another 10 mph to be competitive...

You've gotta have a huge grin still plastered all over your face....the video shows you're lapping at 2:01 or so....not shabby at all...

Thanks for the ride, that was great!

Great to hear it! I am really happy for you guys. I know this has been a struggle.

I bet if you let Nadine drive you would see lap times under 2:00.

After all, I was told by a club race official, whom shall remain nameless, that you "can't drive a hot nail into a snow bank".




Glad to hear you got him back on the track.

LOL, no...actually she's scared of the car. She drove Huey on Friday as we were sorting things out, then she drove Papa Smurf all Saturday and Sunday. She needs to get her 'driving' legs under her...she's a bit timid due to lack of seat time. Me...my driving just sucks at the moment... I felt like every lap was a new adventure around the track.

And BTW, my actual best time was a 2:10, not 2:01. not sure why the video time is off...

great video, car sounds amazing.

Looks stupid fast....

.....and then the cup cars come blowing by. Wow.

exactly...

Congrats to you! After a year at Dawe's shop with all that work. I'm sure you've paid a bunch...but well worth the work.

Now to go out and enjoy your hobby.

Boy does that sound great! And with that torque you don't have to shift a lot do you?? Do you have a G-50 or 915 flipped upside down?

915
Would love to figure out a way to put a 6 speed in it though...shorter 5 would help too...