Just Like A. J. Foyt

At Lime Rock Park last week, all of a sudden in the middle of a session I started to get a bad vibration of the right front wheel. I pitted in and told the techs to take off the wheel. Sure enough, I threw a balancing weight. The silver tape that was over it was hanging by an edge so I was able to see the contour of the missing lead. The techs brought out my two spare front wheels with their new slicks but I said "Wait a minute! Ya got any leads?" They didn't and I ran from trailer to trailer asking if anyone had some leads. Finally, just before I got to the last trailer clear on over to the other side of the paddock, I thought about taping a couple of pennies to the wheel but Ferrari of New England had some spare leads. I put the lead in position, removed the old silver tape marking the spot, and put new silver tape over it. I went back out and there was no vibration of either the wheel or steering wheel.

 

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Kw9m7S1qo8[/ame]






Just like A. J. Foyt...



[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-jrxTnvmLA[/ame]

16:15.....20:22.....22:40



...I was "just guessin'."

 

Yeah, Tim. It's amazing what the loss of a 1/4 ounce lead can do to a wheel.

 

They had plenty of duct tape, Tim. I put the extra leads I got from Ferrari of New England into my box. There's already a spare alternator in there.

Oh, and I bought a new hat to wear between sessions.



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I reckon he was a little upset.

 

A. J. fixed his own car later in that 1982 Indianapolis 500...






[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0mCI-HRljM[/ame]







Ya gotta love that guy!

 

Yeah, he lost his patience with his pit crew at times. In the 1985 Indy 500, he got out of his car again to fix the front wing. Somehow, a fire ensued...






[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFKHNxRe4Rg[/ame]


[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MY_spVQ7pys[/ame]





His response in the interview to the fact that he was just one mile short of 10,000 Indy miles: "I'm not gonna worry about it."

 

Thanks, but I was "just guessin'." I wanted to save the new slicks for Watkins Glen coming up on Labor Day Weekend. We'll be sharing the track with the Indycars. I gotta look sharp out there in front of that crowd.

 

You'll wear 'em out quicker on the street, Tim, that's for sure!

What are those tall things out in the distance? No, not the lamp posts, the other things.

 

I've heard things are very different in California.

 

But all kidding aside, I was happy with what I accomplished at Lime Rock Park. I ran consistent 1:08 - 1:09 lap times by the end of the second day. I know where I need to improve and I'm looking forward to going back next year to find those "tenths."

Sam Posey gives a wonderful tutorial here...






[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUQQ6JpGl3Y[/ame]






I used to park my car in The Downhill. It's a six story drop! And I was distracted by the skid marks leading into the wall. Sam Posey's advice is great. Now, as I come down the hill, I look ahead and off to the right toward the front straight. The turn is really quite open and I've gained confidence driving that segment. As Sam Posey says "Your eyes determine so much about where you're going."

Thank-you, Mr. Posey!

 

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