SILVERSTONE - RACE DAY 18/10/2010
This time the Team raced with a different championship called Monoposto. The largest single seater race club in the uk. We raced at the Silverstone circuit, Northamptonshire's home of motorsport . This was a bigger and different challenge for Karl, having previously raced in a smaller class of equally matched cars. Karl entered the mono 1000 class, which has a range of different manufactures cars, only categorised by engine capacity and weight not divided by age of the engine, but still in accordance with normal MSA racing regulations. Mono's regulations are much more flexible than the Formula Jedi Factory Championship for which Karl built his car when he raced last time in club class which is determined by the engines age. The Newer types of engines with twice as many injectors, rev higher and produce far more horse power and torque than Karl's engine that is just one year outside that specification. They are more powerful even before any extensive tuning work is carried out that is also permitted in Monoposto but not in Formula Jedi. This means in Monoposto, Karl's car with it's standard engine was possibly less tuned and less powerful than any other car in his class. This time the MONO Grid was made up of 3 classes... - 1800cc Car engine class - 1000cc Bike engined Class - 1400cc Class has a bigger cc version of the similar hi - reeving bike engines, but with an extra 300 or 400 cc even with a 40 kg heavier weight limit - those cars are very quick in a straight line. The team entered knowing Karl would struggle against superior machinery, to add the lack of Karl's race experience, also having never even tested at Silverstone before. DAY 1 - Qualifying We went out on slicks like most did.. The tarmac was damp, greasy and cold which stops the slicks heating up enough which have no way to disperse any puddles of water. So with very low down force (lower than we had ever run before) and stiff suspension. The car was to agile and very difficult to control running on a dry set up. These cars only weigh about 310kg and our car will rev to almost 12'000 rpm which will power us.. - 0 - 60 mph under 3 sec's and - 0 -100 in approximately 5 sec's - with a Top speed of up to 150 mph Hence the challenge with limited traction in bad weather. The quickest guys in qualifying were on the wet tyres but that could have been the wrong choice as there was not a lot of water to keep the wets at the correct temperature and just towards the end of qualifying it started to dry out a bit but the wet obviously worked . DAY 1 - Race We put on some more 'main' rear wing down force similar to what we had always run before. However we were all praying the rain would not start while we were waiting to get on the grid for the race to start. It did rain, although this time we were all running on slick tyres in Mono 1000, some of the 1800 cars were running wets. Karl wished we had softened his suspension settings. The car did feel much better but the conditions were so tricky for a new driver on the wrong tyres. To much risk of damaging the car whilst racing wheel to wheel. Karl said " the car was less planted than driving with wets in heavy rain 1st time out at Rockingham." Karl was not very happy with his results on day 1, as the much more experienced drivers took more risks and pushed harder. Karl knows when the cars is not right and also how to make it better. When the weather conditions change so the set up is not suitable it is very tricky, that's when the experience of the other drivers really starts to show. Every time something new like this happens Karl and his team learn a lot and take note. The main thing is we got some time in the seat and the car ran with out a problem. DAY 2 - Qualifying Dry Track, We took off some down force, results show Karl was 15 sec's a lap quicker - karl was confident with the set up of the car. DAY 2 - Race FIRST DRY RACE EVER! Wheel spin at the start, Karl soon made up the positions he lost at the start into the first corner. Over taking 2 more cars, he battled with a very similar MK6 R1 JEDI that had a tuned engine right up until the last couple of laps where Karl gained that postion too. RESULTS Qualified Day 1 - 20th overall out of 28 cars Race DAY 1 - finished 22nd out of 28 cars Qualified Day 2 - 16th overall out of 29 cars - 11th postion in Mono 1000 class Race DAY 2 - finished 13th overall out of 29 cars - 9th position in Mono 1000 class Karl and the team were very pleased with the car and the result, taking away some new experience too. This is actually a better result than finishing 3rd in Jedi club class 1st time out at Rockingham. If you can get you head around how the results read. Karl hopes to keep improving and if he does fingers crossed, we might see some trophies at a level of what can be the fastest pace form of circuit racing at national club level, before race budgets reach epic professional levels. We are already limited by our present engines performance, although we know we can still find some more sec's with practice, We would like to progress with a new engine in a more competitive fashion rather than just battling at our own personal bests but not having enough power to challenge for race podium positions. Karl will now look to possibly install an un-tuned more recent engine to be more competitive in MONO 1000 and hopes to still be eligible for the Factory Jedi Championship in it's bigger championship class moving out of the Jedi club class. Racing in a larger class is where Karl feels he is achieving more, even if it's more difficult to reach podium positions. The progress he is making suggests he might be competitive with more practice and the right machinery.. We would Like to thank WILCO MOTOR SPARES (consumables) and Fast Fit Tyres in Kettering for fitting our slicks tyres. Congratulations to the formula Jedi Championship which is run by the manufactures in Wellingborough in which a driver broke the out right fastest recorded lap time at Cadwell Park for the second time recently. All statistics based on information provided not our own data. Add Comment Next Race 28/09/2010
 After a discussion with all those involved with the team, we have decided to race one round of a different championship called Monoposto. Having tested recently, and evaluated our available budget. Despite the inconvenience of not having the track side tyre fitting support of Avon via BMTR , who are present in the paddock with the Jedi championship. It still works out cheaper to race with Mono and is more convenient as this will be a local event. Our budget is very tight for this event so all things considered this was the only option for us to race again this year. We know we will not be competitive in Mono with this engine. Karl would not like to suggest he would be right now even with the right engine with out more experience. However this is still good practice in this learning curve and reading between the lines - a reasonable result in an outright class with a weaker car still shows a drivers potential. With little race experience, we also feel racing in Mono offers a different challenge and are aware that other Jedi championship drivers also compete in Mono from time to time. We would like to thank the Formula Jedi factory championship, for their help and encouragement this year. If it was a simple choice we would race with Jedi as we feel it offers a more evenly matched competitive drivers championship . Depending on personal and business events in the next few months we will decide if we take next year out or only race some rounds again next year. Decisions are to include an engine update depending on what class or championship we aim for next year too. This car is underpowered for being competitive in Monoposto class with the 03 engine and this standard motor would even benefit from some mild head work engineering for Jedi's present club class, although that's not a substitute for experience and ability.We still have driver and set up to develop but we would like to be eligible and or mechanically competitive for a bigger class. At this stage we can not consider that investment with out looking at ways of doing it more cheaply i.e. undertaking the work our selves.... This would possibly render the car non eligible for Jedi's Factory championship which use controlled parts. So we still have some decisions pending over winter. Rockingham - Race Day 30/05/2010
 PART 2 In to the car for qualifying...leaving the pit lane last as advised to avoid fast traffic. After letting them go, I quickly noticed the car felt great. Fro the small adjustments after testing.. It stopped quickly, predictable, gripped and turned in well. It did exactly what I wanted it to..HAPPY DAYS :-) It was not long after my first warm up lap before I was on the tail end of the drivers that set out before me. I found the rain did not worry me too much after feeling reassured by the car - in fact I really enjoyed it. It reminded me of riding 1000cc bikes in the rain - if you're going to try to go fast, you need to know exactly what's going on. It's inevitable we all get it wrong sometimes. It was not very dramatic, but I gently spun the car once in qualifying compared to, in my younger years on motorbikes I broke a few bones finding out. Hence jumping off a bike and into a car. Qualifying Time wise, I beat 7 drivers in qualifying. I'm informed I started on the grid for my first race behind the previous events lap record holder - I'm sure he must have been having car trouble or something. I found the race pace was quicker than qualifying which soon brought me back down to earth. Fortunately my first race nerves were swapped for a good feeling words cannot describe. WHAT A CAR Race 1 Unfortunately the 1st race was interrupted with yellow flags due to the wet conditions and people leaving the tarmac. Added by the fact my engines tacho was reading beyond the rev limit? yet the shift light and limiter was not coming on at these revs. I did not want to over rev the rebuilt engine so I found my self shifting - what later turned out to be to early. Race 2 It was not until the second race I started to settle down and enjoy myself - The Factory said I should have tested the day before which was obviously a valid point but unfortunately I was unable to. Prior to the 2nd race we checked that the rev limiter worked, and how far out of calibration at top revs the tacho was reading. For the 2nd race I went out with a more settled mind, trying to go fast rather than just taking part and actually working at my driving. I found 2 secs a lap and was gaining on 15th overall a couple of times. Overall I was extremely happy with the result for my first couple of races although compared to the fast guys I still have lots to do. We understand a good day in racing is to finish all the races. After finishing with no damage..results, points and prizes follow. Which make a good day one to remember. We have a couple areas to work on that will make a difference. 1) Both races I lost positions at the start through trying to prevent wheel spin in the rain. In fact the first race I almost ended up at the back of the grid from getting away, partly because I remember some stalled in front of me but I still finished one position ahead of where I started on the grid. If I can get away quicker I'm sure it will effect the end result. 2) I also want to look at the ratio of front down force to rear for the very fast corners, as the front end felt a bit light to me. 3) We need to sort the tacho and shift light set up, to enable gear shifts at the optimum rpm. We have to commend Rob Sayell for a great drive in Club Class - finishing first in the class and in one race, 3rd overall. Beating a group of very good drivers in the more powerful Championship spec car. Well Done Rob and team. Thanks for the support and help everyone xxx Race Day - Rockingham 29/05/2010
 PART 1 We were very busy up to race day.... Adjusting the little issues from testing, carrying out alterations to the trailer and we had parts like the wet wheels turning up the day before so it was all go! Upon arriving the nerves started to kick in a little bit. More so from the unknown. Not knowing exactly how much to push the car only having spent a little time in the seat and the fact these Jedi drivers are fast (based purely on lap times). Check out the lap records and some circuit outright records. To add it WAS VERY WET - not ideal first time out in a light car that revs between 11,750 rpm or 14,000 depending on engine spec (class). ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The fastest Jedi drivers have usually raced in other series or karting, and some work, or have worked in motorsport such as paid professionals including "race instructors " I have helped the factory at several testing days, and have watched good Jedi drivers beating lap times of teams from televised series and witnessed quicker lap times than club F3 (ex-international F3 cars). In fact from what we / I have observed, there is not a lot quicker or comparable car lap times to a good Jedi race car, with a fast driver on British circuits - until you get into cars from those very expensive series bordering the final step to F1 cars. | Click for Comments Above Topics!Please
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