Since I bought the car last year the clutch has been causing problems. When we first took it home the release bearing was shot. So we replaced it, and then there was a mysterious leak. We would bleed the clutch lines, and everything would be fine. Then at the end of the session, when I came off the track the clutch pedal would be dead. Over the winter we had a professional racecar mechanic look it over and he said everything was fine. After our shakedown two weeks ago we still had the same problem. So we replaced the master cylinder. Now we couldn’t get the clutch working at all. So yesterday at the track we bought a larger master cylinder and installed it. It seemed to do the trick. Keep in mind, I don’t use the clutch when I upshift or downshift, so it’s not an issue when I’m actually on the track.
In Practice 1, my best time was 1:32.998. The session’s fastest lap was a 1:31.640, so we’re only 1.358 seconds off. What’s exciting is that the draft is good for 1.5-2 seconds, and I was completely alone on the track. I don’t know for sure if P1 was using the draft but from what I gather talking to others in the pitlane, he was. So we’re right there.
When I came off the track, the clutch would only work if I gave it a few pumps. When I got back to our tent, we noticed the footwell was full of brake fluid. The new brake line we installed was mounted at an angle, and we think that was creating a seam in the fitting where air was getting in/fluid was coming out. So we got a new 90-degree fitting and basically spent the rest of the day installing that, missing Practice 2. Such is the life of two amateur race car mechanics.
Tomorrow we have Qualifying and Race 1. A huge storm is coming in tonight and it’s supposed to rain all day tomorrow. I LOVE racing in the rain, but there’s a chance it will be so bad that we’re rained out.
I meant to just put up my best lap but accidentally uploaded the entire session, so here it is!