101 replies to this topic

[Charlie Hayes]

My contribution to this thread:

www.gopro.com
www.contour.com

Im along for the ride now. If I can read text after the brain/eye popping waves in the video. The car has some long legs though.

[Caveman-kwebb99]

_{I will tell you one thing, that car will be unbeatable at the NASA nationals... Gorilla may as well just stay home. I would put that engine on the shelf till the big show, I think that Ernie could be the youngest SM national champion in history, if you hit the setup right for Mid Ohio. Not to mention the 1.6 is really good here anyway.}

[BreathlessPerformance]

Thanks for Jr. The issue is Homestead Speedway especially the long track is his home track and he has over 50 hrs on that track. I doubt without very much time on a unknown track that he would be in top five or maybe he could. I do know yes at homestead he would be in top five. He is a great driver and makes very few mistakes but as any driver the more you run a track the faster you get. The last race he won at Homestead Speedway all his lap times were within 2 tenths of a second. That is consistency, which wins races. The sign of a great driver is being to go lap to lap and keep the times very consistent. Watch his Video and see he only made one mistake one time and the rest of the time hit his apexes within a few inches and never a wheel off the track.

The kid paid his dues and is the current Spec Miata Enduro champion 2 times in a row in FARA.

Ernie

[BreathlessPerformance]

Another Miata coming Sat afternoon.

[Todd Green]

Watch his Video and see he only made one mistake one time and the rest of the time hit his apexes within a few inches and never a wheel off the track.

I've never been to that track, but from the video you could see him consistently pinch the entrace to some of the corners leading onto very long straights, then had to lift between the apex and the exit. Consequently, you'd see him lose several car lengths to the lead car. However your "straight line handling" seemed to make up for any deficencies in line choice and throttle application. Sarcasm aside, I will say I enjoy listening to him make nice, crisp, consistent down shifts at a young age. Most drives seem to add this as an afterthought much later in their career.

[BreathlessPerformance]

He is getting faster and faster every time he goes out. Here are some pics of his FARA race.

I forgot to add, his last NASA race that he won he did it in my car #22 and not his car. That car raced this weekend as a rental and finished 2nd from last...lol

Ernie

Attached Files

•  winners circle 13Web.jpg   147.42KB   19 downloads
•  Winners Circle3web.jpg   135.67KB   18 downloads

[MPR22]

A simple solution to all the sarcasm would be to offer the engine for sale immediately following Ernie's next victory. If it is just a crate plus a Rossini Head then it should be a highly repeatable powerplant (with the exception that all 1.6 heads are not equal).

I myself am looking for just such an engine for the NASA Nationals for my 1.6.

[BreathlessPerformance]

It will be on the dyno Sat.

[MPR22]

I don't buy engines based on dyno numbers, I buy engines based on how they race.

[James York]

Ok, I have to admit I didn't watch the video until just now. I couldn't stop laughing.

It probably was a good idea to wait until the last lap for a pass in order to not totally blow everyone away. I like the constant check ups to avoid running over the lead car.

[Alex Bolanos]

Ok, I have to admit I didn't watch the video until just now. I couldn't stop laughing.

It probably was a good idea to wait until the last lap for a pass in order to not totally blow everyone away. I like the constant check ups to avoid running over the lead car.

James, I don't think Selin and his dad appreciate you laughing at their inability to properly setup/prep/align/scale their car in comparison to the camera car...

Not nice

[BreathlessPerformance]

There should be no laughing at other drivers here. Selin is a friend and awesome driver, I have raced with him many times and admire his skills. Working in a draft especially in banking is not the same as short tracks. Watch Nascar or other motorsports and you will see the car behind get sucked in from the draft of the lead car. Let’s see, lead car 115mph headwind following car maybe 20 mph headwind. It takes more and more hp the faster you are traveling to combat headwind resistance. The smaller 1990 car vs the 99 was perfect for the draft, he needed very little power to stay at the same speed of the lead car thus saving fuel and the engine. It would be a stupid move on Jr’s part to try to pass early in the race. The 99 would end up catching him and taking back at the end. Look at the 2nd or 3rd lap from the end and you will see Jr try a pass on the outside of turn 4 to only get nailed by the headwind and only reaching Selin’s door. Again follow Nascar and you will see. Saturday we can all talk about drafting and do a seminar…lol
Selin drove awesome and the battle was only at the end in turn 8. In practice and qualifying they both practiced bump drafting and found it was faster with Selin in front. We look at it as a one two finish for the teen drivers Ernie Jr and Selin. They drove the perfect race, pulling away from 3rd by 9 seconds at the end.

[MPR22]

Mr. Francis,

I believe everyone that is commenting on the car's speed understands the benifits of drafting especially, on rovals. Most of them are the best drivers in the country. I, however, am not one of the best and would genuninely be interested in buying an engine of that quality for my attempts to break the top 10 at the NASA Nationals.

[Tyler Dahl]

Why wasn't Selin able to draft back up on Jr? 99's suck right up on my 1.6 and Jr had no problem pulling 4 car lengths with no draft.

[Alex Bolanos]

Why wasn't Selin able to draft back up on Jr? 99's suck right up on my 1.6 and Jr had no problem pulling 4 car lengths with no draft.

Because (according to our resident aerodynamicist), the early cars have a much lower drag coefficient which results in higher air pressure behind the car and less wake. This greatly negates the draft effect for the car behind enabling the camera car to break away at the rate shown in the video.


Think I got that right...

[MPR22]

Alex,
Is that a blount your smoking? lol

[Armando Ramirez]

Said Alex, Tongue-In-Cheek

[BreathlessPerformance]

Because (according to our resident aerodynamicist), the early cars have a much lower drag coefficient which results in higher air pressure behind the car and less wake. This greatly negates the draft effect for the car behind enabling the camera car to break away at the rate shown in the video.


Think I got that right...

That’s the point. In both testing and qualifying they both got better times with Ernie Jr behind in a cleaner draft. Give it to the kid he drove his heart out and ran a very smart race. He got out of 8 better and was able to plant the power down and exit out smoother and looser to not scrub off speed. At the end of the race instead of the other drivers congratulating him on his driving and win they decided to huddle up and go against him. He drove a great race, Perfect car setup and had his car there for full tech. Very sad and unsportsmanship behavior. Some of the other drivers there should be ashamed. This is why as soon as he can to get out of Spec Miata he will go to B-Spec in Grand Am.

[James York]

James, I don't think Selin and his dad appreciate you laughing at their inability to properly setup/prep/align/scale their car in comparison to the camera car...

Not nice

Alex, I am sure I am laughing with Selin and his dad....

[latapx]

I know all parties involved and have raced close and hard with them all:
Alex
Ernie Jr and Sr
Selin Jr and Sr

I'm also an Engineer and fully understand the fluid dyamics involved in drafting and the benfits of having 2 cars working in tandem to break away from the pack. With that said, the last lap turn 8 pass had absolutley nothing to do with drafting but rather raw power. If it was my kids car, I'd want to tear down the engine myself and make sure it was legit because if it got torn down at an event and something was found the ensuing reputation is hard to shake. Thats just me and the way that I think. Selin Jr. did make a mistake going into 2 on the final lap which allowed Ernie Jr. to stay close whereas every other lap Selin would break away in the infield...but Ernie drove around him coming out of 8 like Selin was standing still. I've only seen passes like that in SM when someone misses a shift and loses momentum...