Steguis Motorsports

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Final testing before Nats

After Toledo, I took on Dan Stainback as my codriver for Nats. It was great to be able to bring someone new to Nats who was also a fellow S2000 driver. To get him up to speed, we codrove the last few events leading up to the big show.

Dan driving Bumblestook
NNJR SCCA Autox - Meadowlands, NJ - 8/3/2013

Thanks to the changing conditions, I was finally able to say I out paxed the great Nick Barbato thanks to Dan constantly pushing me harder by beating my times though I did eventually run a faster time.

PAX results - NNJR SCCA Autox - 8/3/2013

Dan vs Steguis - NNJR SCCA Autox - Meadowlands, NJ

8/3/2013

The following week, it was last event to test her out. I had some final prep I wanted to get done to her and didn't want to run the risk of anything happening before the trip. It was another close battle with Dan and I trading fast times but I eventually squeezed out a slightly faster run.

NNJR PCA Autox - Meadowlands, NJ - 8/11/2013

Dan vs Steguis - NNJR SCCA Autox - Meadowlands, NJ

8/11/2013

It was now time for final prep. I changed most of the bolts for the new control arms when we replaced it but not all the alignment bolts. I ordered new ones so we put those in and did alignment #6. Since I only had one set of CCWs I had to put on my sticker Hoosiers and run with them.

New alignment bolts and washers - 8/17/2013

Sticker Hoosiers - 8/17/2013

Fresh diff fluid - 8/17/2013

All ready for nats! - 8/17/2013

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Toledo ProSolo 2013 - Freakin' Rain!

The next big event was the one I was most excited about besides nationals because of fabled grip on the Toledo concrete surface. It was my first long distance tow and the egg did it without breaking a sweat.

We're in Toledo! - Toledo, OH - 7/26/2013

Got some nice practice starts. I wasn't taking any chances on concrete so I was basically lauching at the limiter. She sounds so angry when I do that.

Practice Launches - Toledo, OH

7/26/2013

Finally it was time get our morning runs done and things were peachy until the skies suddenly opened up big time. It totally sucked driving through all that standing water. There wasn't enough time for me to get back to paddock and grab my Hoosier wets but it was an interesting test of car control and made for some pretty dramatic photos.

BSP/DSP S2 Grid - Toledo ProSolo - Toledo, OH - 7/27/2013

Holy rain batman - Toledo, OH - 7/27/2013

Not gonna like, this photo is sweet even though it sucked driving - 7/27/2013

It did however dry the next day and we got some decent runs in but I just couldn't pull it together.

Toledo ProSolo - Toledo, OH, 7/28/2013

Toledo ProSolo - Toledo, OH

7/28-29/2013

Devens Match Tour 2013

The itch for big events continued and we were once again on the road. This time to Devens for the match tour. I had never run a match tour before so I wasn't sure what to expect but any chance I get to run Bumblestook for further development is always welcome. This would also be the first time I could test the new aero out before going to Toledo.

Ready for Devens - 7/19/2013

Teched - Devens Match Tour - Ayer, MA - 7/19/2013

It was a good event despite some rain on day two ruining my chances but but I ended up with a 2nd place finish and good for another "big event" trophy. I did somehow end up as top Last Chance Qualifier so I won a case of oil and in the LCQ bracket I got the 3rd stage and won some money too. I think I could've won the LCQ overall but it rained during my runs and with the wide Hoosiers on, I eventually spun.

Top LCQ - Devens Match Tour - Ayer, MA - 7/21/2013

Won a case of oil - 7/21/2013

Devens Match Tour - LCQ Bracket - Ayer, MA

7/21/2013

Trailer and Aero

After getting back from the DC ProSolo, I spent the next weekend picking up my birthday present to myself...my trailer!

15' EconoTrailer Steel Open Trailer - 6/15/2013

The next day, I wanted to try trailering for the first time with the new trailer so I went to the Meadowlands for yet another event. It was another top 10 PAX finish for Bumblestook so I knew she was working but I guess I need to get over the mental hurdle that is DC.

The egg and bumblestook together for the first time - 6/16/2013

NNJR SCCA Autox - Meadowlands, NJ

6/16/2016

Happy with her current performance, I wanted to continue max prep for the class so I picked up a spare trunk lid and had it painted Berlina Black to continue the Bumblestook black and yellow theme. This was all in preparation for aero to be added by JoeFis Racing.

Spare trunklid painted BB - 6/28/2013

New trunk lid installed - 6/29/2013

I dropped her off at JoeFis in PA and a few weeks later the aero was done.

Aero by JoeFis Racing - 7/14/2013

Oh so fine! - 7/14/2013

On my way home, I stopped by SJF performance for Alignment #5. No major changes, just validating that the alignment hadn't shifted since the DC Pro.

Alignment #5 - SJF Performance - 7/14/2013

DC ProSolo 2013

Bumblestook was finished just in time. I had two week left before the DC ProSolo so I did a double header to test all the changes and make any last minute adjustments to her. On a nice sunny Saturday it was off to the Meadowlands with the NNJR SCCA. What an incredible change from earlier in the season! She was doing everything I asked of her and for the first time she placed well ending up 5th in PAX overall. The only really stupid thing I did was forget to properly tighten down the rear sway bar so by the day it had worked itself loose.

NNJR SCCA Autox - Meadownlands, NJ - 6/1/2013

Getting somewhere - 6/1/2013

NNJR SCCA Autox - Meadowlands, NJ

6/1/2013

I drove straight from NJ to DC to attend the TnT at Fedex Field with the WDCR SCCA the next day. It was another great day with near perfect conditions and the she felt pretty good there too. That's really relative since I never do well at DC. I just can't get used to the weird off camber turns but from a testing perspective all systems seemed to be a go. I did have an ominous problem on the way home where the power to my Haltech expansion module worked its way loose and the ECU wasn't reading the wideband O2 so I thought I was running rich and pulled over. Once I reconnected that, the car ran well enough to go home. Another clear sign that I need to stop driving a BSP car on the road.

WDCR SCCA TnT - FedEx Field - 6/2/2013

Finally it was time for the DC ProSolo and although my trailer was complete, I didn't have time to go to PA to pick it up so I ended up renting a trailer at Barn rentals in Queens, NY since I didn't want to risk any issues getting the her home if I broke anything. Trailering for the first time on a trailer that was much wider than the trailer I ordered, having to load in torrential downpour and having the tie downs in the wrong place meant that it took hours to finally hook her up. I convoyed down with Mark and Lisa and we got stuck in crawling traffic and we ultimately missed the practice starts that Friday.

Bumper to bumper traffic in the rain in NY - 6/7/2013

Finally on site - FedEx Field - 6/7/2013

DC ProSolo - FedEx Field, MD - 6/8/2013

In the tradition of usual suckage at DC, I continued the suckage in 2013 and didn't really do well at all so I left as soon as my runs were done which I was glad I did because it was another mission and a half just to get the car off the trailer by myself when I got home. Also glad I trailered despite all the craziness because I found a screw in one of Bumblestook's street tires so I wouldn't have been able to drive home anyway.

Suckage at DC ProSolo - FedEx Field, MD

6/8-9/2013

Spotted on the way home - 6/9/2013

The egg and whipping her back in shape before the DC ProSolo

After the Devens National Tour, we were going to have a month of downtime. It was a good opportunity to do some post race analysis, fix anything that was broken and make some changes to make Bumblestook faster and more reliable. The first "mod" wasn't a mod at all but a much needed addition to the fleet. A support vehicle capable of towing Bumblestook to and from races so I picked up a Touareg TDI.

The support/tow vehicle - 5/4/2013

Now back to getting Bumblestook ready for the next race. First up was weight reduction in the form of a Shorai 4lb battery.

Shorai 4lb Battery - 5/6/2013

Since I didn't want to wait for the OSGiken replacement diff, I sent my other spare diff assembly to Karcepts where an ATS Spec III diff was installed.

ATS Spec III clutch type diff - 5/9/2013

It was shipped to Evans Tuning and the diff was installed shortly after.

ATS Spec III clutch type diff installed - 5/11/2013

Then it was back to SJF Performance for Alignment #3 of the season to adjust the alignment for the Hoosiers based on what I felt during the last two races. In the process we found that my caster bushing was torn again.

Alignment #3 - SJF Performance - 5/18/2013

I then went back to see JDV where we installed my new Saikou Michi dual catch can, Shorai battery and fixed the broken drain plug for the radiator that was leaking coolant.

Battery and catch can installed - 5/18/2013

Broken radiator drain plug - 5/18/2013

New radiator drain plug - 5/18/2013

After a month hiatus, I could finally take her back out to do some preliminary testing to see if everything was working right. She felt pretty good with the new diff. Really helped stabilize it...maybe a bit too much. It was a bit pushy now but when the rear wants to break loose, it's very predictable and super easy to catch. Definitely engages sooner than the OSGiken I had before. Really liking it so far. No drama unlike the stock diff.

NNJR SCCA Autox - Meadowlands, NJ - 5/26/2013

NNJR SCCA Autox - Meadowlands, NJ

5/26/2013

Since the caster bushing was torn and we were also having alignment issues, I figured it was time to just replace all the 11 year old bushings. Instead of replacing individual bushings, I just bought a whole set of new OEM controls arms for the her all around. JDV replaced all the control arms and put in new bolts while we were at it. We also reinstalled the Swift/Hyperco 1000lb springs all around (removing the 800/700lb Eibach springs that were on there) and lowered the car a smidge. Also, after constantly fighting with the Skunk2 TB, I gave up and switched to the Science of Speed big bore TB which is just a bored out stock TB. I probably lost a bit of power with this change since the SoS TB isn't true 70mm all the way through but it wasn't sticking and had very smooth operation.

New Control Arms - 5/27/2013

1000lb springs all around - 5/27/2013

Science of Speed big bore TB - 5/27/2013

Then it was straight back to SJF Performance for alignment #4 of the season. The latest settings:

1000 lb springs all around

Gendron giant front sway bar at full stiff

Gendron rear sway bar on 3rd hole

Front: -3.6, 0 toe, 5.9 caster

Rear: -2.4, 1/8" (0.12") total toe in

Alignment #4 - SJF Performance - 5/27/2013

NJ ProSolo and Dover National Tour 2013

After all the insanity of early season testing, I was out of time and it was time for the first big event of the season, the NJ ProSolo. With the fear of more breakage, I could run the risk of towing a tire trailer so luckily Dan brough my race wheels and spares for me to the site.

Wheels and spares ready to go - 4/18/2013

The next day it was off to the Meadowlands for practice starts. I was fully expective to break another diff but luckily it held.

Practice starts - NJ ProSolo - Meadowlands, NJ - 4/19/2013

And then it was finally race time. I couldn't keep my runs clean so I had to dial it back a bit to get a clean run. I don't even remember where I finished at this event but frankly I was just glad she held together and felt good. Bonus for finally not getting raw timed by STR.

BSP/DSP S2 Grid - NJ ProSolo - Meadowlands, NJ - 4/20/2013

NJ ProSolo - Meadowlands, NJ

4/20-21/2013

The following weekend, we were at it again, this time for the Dover National Tour in Delaware. I was comfortable enough to take on a codriver for this event since there were no hard launches to worry about so I asked Aaron to come codrive with me. Bumblestook was sporting extra decals this race to raise awareness for Spinal Muscular Atrophy, a conditional affecting Aaron's daughter. She generally felt good but on day two we were feeling some bogging with the engine. The first symptoms of what I'd later find out were problematic injector pigtails. Still, she held together well enough for me to get in 3rd and nab my first big event trophy.