Now that the car is back in the workshop we can finally survey the damage from the race last Thursday.
Most of the damage has come from the collision with the Penair car, both right hand wheels are buckled and will have to be trued, right brake disc is coated in a melted layer of solar film and the left hand front axle is bent from where it was forced into the cones.
There are also a few bumps and scrapes which will need attention as well, the rear cowling needs a touch up where it hit the road after flying off mid-race as well as a new fixing system! The seat back also has a crack in it which we will replace before it has a chance to fail.
Our next race will be The Somerset Heat @ RNAS Merryfield on the 17th September 2011, this sounds like its a long way off but it only works out to be four weeks of school time so we had better get to work!
On a more recreational note, the team will be going karting next week as a well done for their awesome performance at the heat last week. The level of professionalism and Independence shown by the team is one of the reasons that Richard Lander Racing is such a great flagship project for the school.
Tuesday 28 June 2011
Thursday 23 June 2011
Southwest Heat 2011
This years heat has got to have been the most exciting race we have driven in. The three top teams, Penair's Blue Raptor, Bristol Grammar's Megazord and our own RLR1, were so evenly matched that the race could have been any body's. The day started off with scrutineering, now made so much simpler with the new MOT system which we passed with ease, allowing plenty of time for practice. Mr Lloyd-King's gear prediction turned out to be right on the money, but some issues with chain tension and some significant play in the steering meant a super quick fettling session before the race itself began.
First in the driving seat was Gareth, one of our best (but maybe not the luckiest!) drivers to set the pace. It soon became clear who the top contenders were and at the end of Gareth's run the team pulled out an excellent pit stop to keep us in with the front runners.
Next up was our newest driver, Becky, who had better lap times round our astroturf than any of the boys! With open track in front of her she was lighting quick. Her inexperience lead to some hesitation around traffic in her first few laps and a penalty for aggressive driving but she soon got into a groove and stayed hot on the heals of the leaders.
Our battery strategy meant the next stint would be a long one so it had to be Harrison to take us to the half way point and beyond. RLR1 is built for speed and not comfort so and extended driving stint is a bit of an ordeal but Harrison put in some excellent, consistent laps, despite loosing the rear cowling along the way, gaining the lead as the two front runners pitted.
To keep the position, the team now had to pit in record time. Harrison was replaced by Ben, the batteries were changed and the car was back out in the premier spot by a hair's breadth. The top three cars, with ourselves in the lead all went diving into the second corner which was already crowded with slower cars. As Ben tried to take the inside line, he was cut up by the Penair car, forcing him off the track and causing some spectacular wheel damage, putting us out for a good 9-10 laps while we repaired the wheel and brake caliper. From defending first place we had dropped down to third and Plymouth School's Hummingbird was right behind us, trying hard to deny us our qualifying place.
After Ben saw out the last of his time, the car had one last pit stop and Jacca finally got behind the wheel. After a bit of a ropey start, he finally got the car going and did enough to see off the challenge from Plymouth School, bringing the car home safely in third place and guaranteeing our place at Goodwood in October.
The team has gone from strength to strength this season and once again they can be extremely proud of their performance. Their tenacity and determination is exemplary, when it looked like our race was over and our chance had gone they got the car back out there and earned their qualifying place. The staff at Greenpower also recognised this, awarding us the Spirit of Greenpower award.
Well done team!
First in the driving seat was Gareth, one of our best (but maybe not the luckiest!) drivers to set the pace. It soon became clear who the top contenders were and at the end of Gareth's run the team pulled out an excellent pit stop to keep us in with the front runners.
Next up was our newest driver, Becky, who had better lap times round our astroturf than any of the boys! With open track in front of her she was lighting quick. Her inexperience lead to some hesitation around traffic in her first few laps and a penalty for aggressive driving but she soon got into a groove and stayed hot on the heals of the leaders.
Our battery strategy meant the next stint would be a long one so it had to be Harrison to take us to the half way point and beyond. RLR1 is built for speed and not comfort so and extended driving stint is a bit of an ordeal but Harrison put in some excellent, consistent laps, despite loosing the rear cowling along the way, gaining the lead as the two front runners pitted.
To keep the position, the team now had to pit in record time. Harrison was replaced by Ben, the batteries were changed and the car was back out in the premier spot by a hair's breadth. The top three cars, with ourselves in the lead all went diving into the second corner which was already crowded with slower cars. As Ben tried to take the inside line, he was cut up by the Penair car, forcing him off the track and causing some spectacular wheel damage, putting us out for a good 9-10 laps while we repaired the wheel and brake caliper. From defending first place we had dropped down to third and Plymouth School's Hummingbird was right behind us, trying hard to deny us our qualifying place.
After Ben saw out the last of his time, the car had one last pit stop and Jacca finally got behind the wheel. After a bit of a ropey start, he finally got the car going and did enough to see off the challenge from Plymouth School, bringing the car home safely in third place and guaranteeing our place at Goodwood in October.
The team has gone from strength to strength this season and once again they can be extremely proud of their performance. Their tenacity and determination is exemplary, when it looked like our race was over and our chance had gone they got the car back out there and earned their qualifying place. The staff at Greenpower also recognised this, awarding us the Spirit of Greenpower award.
Well done team!
Monday 20 June 2011
Live Timing
For all those who can't make it on Thursday you can still keep up with our progress on the Greenpower live timing website. The address is www.bbk-online.net/gpt/race28.htm and is updated in real time as the race progresses.
Tuesday 14 June 2011
Back on the Road, Well Almost!
With the Southwest Regional Heat approaching fast (23rd June, be there!) the car is almost back together after the major overhaul that's been going on since we got back from Silverstone. The most striking new feature is the new slimline look,
This has been done to save both weight and rolling resistance and with a track of over 600mm should have a minimal practical effect on stability. Other weight/resistance savings have been made in the drive train. We have switched from two cantilevered axles to a single transaxle at the rear which has let us get rid of two bearings and their supports. We have also simplified our drive train by removing the CVT gearbox, replacing it with just a regular cassette hub to act as a lay shaft. This has saved us loads of weight and resistance but we do lose out on flexibility on the the track with only a single gear.
The brakes are now mounted on the front wheels. The regulations demand two wheels be independently braked so we have had to mount them up front. This means we take a bit of an aerodynamic hit but this is more than made up for by the weight savings at the back.
The car has also had an aesthetic spruce up with a new coat of paint and brand new decals, just to finish her off properly. There are still a few more tweaks and nudges left to do this afternoon but she should be ready for a pre-race shake down at the end of the day.
This has been done to save both weight and rolling resistance and with a track of over 600mm should have a minimal practical effect on stability. Other weight/resistance savings have been made in the drive train. We have switched from two cantilevered axles to a single transaxle at the rear which has let us get rid of two bearings and their supports. We have also simplified our drive train by removing the CVT gearbox, replacing it with just a regular cassette hub to act as a lay shaft. This has saved us loads of weight and resistance but we do lose out on flexibility on the the track with only a single gear.
The brakes are now mounted on the front wheels. The regulations demand two wheels be independently braked so we have had to mount them up front. This means we take a bit of an aerodynamic hit but this is more than made up for by the weight savings at the back.
The car has also had an aesthetic spruce up with a new coat of paint and brand new decals, just to finish her off properly. There are still a few more tweaks and nudges left to do this afternoon but she should be ready for a pre-race shake down at the end of the day.
Sunday 12 June 2011
Details for Newquay 2011
The Southwest Regional Heat is now less than a fortnight away and the team are cracking on well with preparations to the car which have included some pretty hefty modifications, I will give some more details in the next post but for now I will pass on the schedule for the day at RAF St Mawgan on the 23rd June:
0900 - Teams arrive and sign on
0930 - Scrutineering opens
1000 - Team briefing
1030 to 1130 - Practice
1200 to 1600 - Race
1630 - Prize giving
This is an open event so anyone can come and spectate. For those who need them, here are the directions, please note that there is no access through the main gates at RAF St Mawgan, we use one of the side entrances:
0900 - Teams arrive and sign on
0930 - Scrutineering opens
1000 - Team briefing
1030 to 1130 - Practice
1200 to 1600 - Race
1630 - Prize giving
This is an open event so anyone can come and spectate. For those who need them, here are the directions, please note that there is no access through the main gates at RAF St Mawgan, we use one of the side entrances:
- From A30 at St Dennis roundabout join A39
- At the second roundabout take the first exit on the A3059
- Continue on the A3059 for approximately 5 miles then turn right, following signs for RAF St Mawgan
- Go straight past the main gates to RAF St Mawgan, the crash gates are a short distance further along the road. Marshals will be on hand to direct you from the crash gates.
Friday 10 June 2011
New Sponsors
Thanks to the networking prowess of Gareth's Dad we now have several new sponsors to add to our growing family. Both Brandon Tool Hire and Cornwall Feature Developments have provided us with financial assistance, our team is wholly funded by the generosity of local businesses and individuals so we are always extremely grateful for the help we receive, it really does keep our team running.
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