Leo Ahearn

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Viewing 15 posts - 16 through 30 (of 54 total)
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  • in reply to: LO206 Tire Question and Thoughts about future #66926
    Leo Ahearn
    Participant

    @Greg Welch wrote:

    @Leo Ahearn wrote:

    Hey I got some great news for ya Eddie – the number is 1.71 Gs on the Duros. That is what my GPS unit is telling me. Armed with that, you should never spin out again.

    :wag

    Leo, you know how to use a GPS??

    Sorry I was referring to the lateral acceleration data that comes from the MyChron GPS add on module.

    Yea I know how to use a GPS unit.

    in reply to: LO206 Tire Question and Thoughts about future #66922
    Leo Ahearn
    Participant

    Eddie said: “I wasn’t wondering if I was going to spin out going into corners not knowing the grip level limit.”

    Hey I got some great news for ya Eddie – the number is 1.71 Gs on the Duros. That is what my GPS unit is telling me. Armed with that, you should never spin out again.

    :wag

    I still want to test a WF on the tires. What a “driver’s class” it would be with double the HP on the same tire!

    in reply to: 2015 LO206 rules for Colorado racing? #67189
    Leo Ahearn
    Participant

    FWIW, I tested a 90 main jet in a variety of conditions, including hot humid afternoon, when it seems logical that it would help the most.

    Can’t say I ever saw a lap time improvement with it, and throttle response suffered whenever I put it in, regardless of condition.

    Needle height – same thing – lowering it (raising the clip) just hurt throttle response; made it more of an on/off switch with those half-lifts and back on the throttle for some turns to help rotate the kart, rather than being able to get progressively from half to full throttle.

    The max torque clutches are garbage – saw 3 of em destroyed last season, even one on a kid kart, so you can’t blame us fat asses for it. When mine let go (heat race of course) the driver behind me said I spewed shrapnel. The teeth where the driver engages the drum is what fails.

    I ran engagements from 1800 to 3600. Higher is more forgiving, but when you get it right with the 1800, it really pulls hard out of the hairpin.

    in reply to: 2015 #67098
    Leo Ahearn
    Participant

    I don’t really have any answers as I’m pretty new to karting, but I would like to share some observations on the 206 class as we bring 2014 RTR to a conclusion.

    We had between 19 and 27 206 karts across 3 classes at TTAC this year. It is an 8 race series, one drop, and I think two fun races bookending the season. Throw in a night race for July 4th weekend and that pretty well describes the year.

    In that 19-27 racers, we had a minority of drivers that showed up for 2 days every race, test and tune day 1/race day 2.

    We saw a pretty good percentage that started the season then quit showing up mid season. We had some join mid to late season. New karters I am talking about here, the focus of the class as I understand it.

    We saw new 206 drivers that came from the performance street car enthusiast crowd fade mid season.

    Of the new 206 crowd, I came across none of them willing to pack up and head to Grand Junction for 2 days, even after telling them what a great facility it is and how you could leave early saturday AM and be on the track by 10:30 no problem for a good test and tune day. Wondering if one of the local teams with truck and trailer could better market to this crowd on getting karts and gear over there, though cost becomes a differentiator with this approach under the assumption you’d be paying for pit space. Very reasonable by karting standards, no doubt, and lots of benefit to this, however for the back of the pickup/Harbor Freight $99 trailer crowd, incrementally much more $$ than they spend for a wonderous weekend at their local TTAC.

    Having 10 races at the same track was quite attractive for someone that wanted to race “a lot”, though probably not able to commit to 7 races for the championship points chase. A lot could be described as 5-6 races spread out between April and October. I think this contributed greatly to the overall high per race attendance numbers, having 10 races available over 7 months.

    In the past as a new karter, for me it was extremely difficult to figure out what races when would be at IMI and under what rules. For 2014, outside of the TTAC and the PPJKC, we really did not see any adherence to the bigger WKA/IKF rules (purposely ignoring SKUSA right now – no offense- you do a great job of laying out rules, schedules, etc.) Speaking as a karting outsider here, not insider where I know who to talk to about what and when at IMI and Action.

    If one reads ekartingnews, the larger national sanctioning bodies’ initials are all over the place. Clearly out here we are not on the WKA/IKF bandwagon, setting up series under these banners at multiple venues. Not sure the value of rallying around these rule sets/getting events scheduled at our tracks with these bodies. Probably would not have an impact on the 206 crowd.

    Will the 206 racing grow into a multi-circuit series, having teens and twenties of people making the CO circuit? I honestly doubt it. Some small percentage maybe, with encouragement and support. 206 as a local series with lots of participation? You betcha. Jim has proven this in spades this year.

    Personally I plan to play with the World Formula motor on Duros and MG reds next. I’d like to see how much more of a Drivers Class the briggs can be with more power – make the kart need that much more finesse in more corners with the increased power on the Duros. Preliminary queries suggest there may not be room for such an animal on the front range as an additional class, but I’d like to give it a try. Eddy and I are also talking about some winter driving in Phoenix with the WF motor.

    Thanks everyone for your efforts this year, and here’s to karting growing in 2015 in Colorado!! :clap:

    in reply to: Test & Tune and Swap Meet #67077
    Leo Ahearn
    Participant

    The only thing going on at Action at 1 yesterday was JB taking a nap in his Expedition. The staff when asked knew nothing about the swap meet.

    :anyone

    in reply to: Briggs 206 4-Stroke Racing (Committed, or Interested) #66881
    Leo Ahearn
    Participant

    Awesome weekend for 206s at The Track! Many many thanks to Jim and Staff for putting on such an awesome event!

    The Track ran a Track Club series event AND a CJKC series event. The pits were completely full and cars were lined up on the road in all the way out past the gate.

    The Club series saw 27 LO206s on the track at the same time. Couple that with the CJKC karts and there must have been 50+ Briggs motors out there.

    Chassis-wise, the most vintage was Rod Ebersole’s 1992 Margay Frankenkart all the way up to Scott Falcone’s 2014 Arrow. Rod was right in the thick of things race-wise and time-wise at the front of the Heavy class. His Heavy best lap time was only bested in the medium class by one driver. He did comment that it took quite a bit of body english to get the Margay to bite in every turn, but with his experience we won’t consider this a handicap. One could argue quite the opposite – he’s got an unfair advantage because his kart handles so poorly he HAS to be a better driver :devil

    Per Jim, classes going forward are Light 300, Medium 350, and Heavy 380. This past weekend was still a calibration event, so no points were awarded. Jim mentioned that an upcoming event will be a double points event to catch the 206s up with everyone else. More to follow formally from The Track on this.

    As a side note, Jim is organizing a chain adjustment seminar, which will be well attended, based on the Sunday Main attrition rate 😆 . This half hour clinic is budget priced at $999, lunch included. Sign up early and often. :~

    in reply to: Briggs 206 4-Stroke Racing (Committed, or Interested) #66874
    Leo Ahearn
    Participant

    Current plan is to be there Saturday when the gates open and drive most of the day in the LO206. Probably will have a friend’s shifter out testing as well in prep for the upcoming rust remover race.

    Come on out you LO206 owners/portal lurkers!

    in reply to: Briggs 206 4-Stroke Racing (Committed, or Interested) #66872
    Leo Ahearn
    Participant

    Jim and I ran some long sessions yesterday, going uphill.

    Both on stock 95 main jets, him in the top clip position on the needle, me in the middle.

    Both running about the same gear – 18-67 for him, 19-71 for me. This seemed to be about perfect. Downhill last weekend I was hitting the rev limiter before mid-straight

    I’m a bit lighter in weight. I could gain a little bit on him going north towards the bus stop, but other than that weight did not seem to be much of a factor.

    I made some radical chassis setup changes between sessions. Top times remained basically the same, driveability changed though.

    I drove several different styles throughout the day. My most consistent times, and lowest times, came from driving it “like a kart”. That means some lifts, feathering of the throttle, careful steering input. This tire/HP combination is just right for requiring you to drive the kart for most of the turns, not just flat foot it and hang on.

    Ben ran just under 1:08…. 1:07.94 was his best. My best was a 1:08.54. Jim was a few tenths off my best with his best that day (though still under me for his overall best), but our good but not best laps were consistently within a few tenths back and forth of each other. Neither of us could even get a look for a pass unless there was a major screw-up. I went off in the short straight – he passed me – and I only lost .3 on that lap…. even off in the dirt.

    It is becoming obvious that the “train” effect will take over when we get several karts on the track, and that we are going to have to be conscious of not driving the guy on the front of the train off the track by stacking bumpers and someone 3-4 karts back plowing the guys in front of him off the track. I experienced this recently at Unser, in a heads-up race. Yea, the guy 4 karts back is backing off or braking 21 feet earlier than he would be if he were the front kart. Duh. This ain’t the circus, and these ain’t bumper cars. :stir

    It’s gonna be interesting. :box

    in reply to: Briggs 206 4-Stroke Racing (Committed, or Interested) #66839
    Leo Ahearn
    Participant

    Y’all missed out – 8 LO206s on the track today.

    Greg has a bunch of new guys coming into the sport on his LO206 packages – great to see them out there!! (And the GT-R 😉 )

    in reply to: Briggs 206 4-Stroke Racing (Committed, or Interested) #66870
    Leo Ahearn
    Participant

    Thanks Greg – mine is done and ready for break-in.

    I do need the Mychron we have been talking about – I left a message on the Unser Performance voice mail again but have not heard back.

    Can you please call me? 719 237 4857 – I can get it (and the GPS unit) today.

    Bring that Senior and its driver out Sunday to Centennial!

    in reply to: Briggs 206 4-Stroke Racing (Committed, or Interested) #66868
    Leo Ahearn
    Participant

    Mine is coming together a tad slower than expected but should be on the track Sunday given this cool Saturday weather we have on tap.

    Left/right seat placement is the biggest thing. I have the Burris mount. The driver gear is inboard with the way I have the motor mounted and the clutch installed. The left factory seat strut after bending over so the seat clears the clutch needs re-welded where it attaches to the frame due to me fatiguing those welds. I left the right side frame mounted seat strut alone and it will get a 1″ spacer between it and the seat. That is how far I had to move the seat over – not bad all things considered.

    The chain clears the right seat strut and crossmember just fine. The sprocket is on the right side of the carrier, the thin side, though clears the inner bearing mount on the frame (only running 2 outer bearings BTW no inner on the right).

    If I had more right movement of the motor on a different motor mount and ran the driver on the outside, then the chain would not clear the right strut. I’d have to move the motor like 2.25″ more outboard – not sure that is a good idea.

    Moving the seat left is the only feasible solution with this chassis (Arrow X2) without cutting the seat struts off or running a super wide motor mount that hangs the motor our another 2.25″ to the right or so.

    I am running a split sprocket, though with the ease of axle replacement once you get used to moving them in and out I may go with a solid rear gear. The splits are kinda a PITA to get lined up correctly nice and round and centered up.

    Comments on a super wide slotted mount appreciated as another way of skinning this cat.

    in reply to: Briggs 206 4-Stroke Racing (Committed, or Interested) #66862
    Leo Ahearn
    Participant

    How about this coming weekend for trying to get several karts on The Track? I know Jim’s is there. Rumor has it Richard Hensley might have one or two. Zak Deiter’s should be approaching completion, assuming he found a motor…. My motor arrives tomorrow, clutch Thursday, and roller is sitting in the garage. A few beverages later and mine should be together before the week is out.

    This coming weekend appears to be a carbon copy of last – wet Saturday, awesome Sunday.

    :~ :~ :~ :~ :co :co :co :co Let’s burn some E85!!!!

    in reply to: Briggs 206 4-Stroke Racing (Committed, or Interested) #66860
    Leo Ahearn
    Participant

    I just talked to a kart dealer that is also a Briggs dealer in the northwest. He told me Briggs told him they have sold 4 months worth of LO206 motors at the 2013 per month sales rate in the last 3 weeks.

    in reply to: LO206 chain and sprockets – school me please #66942
    Leo Ahearn
    Participant

    Well I raised the subject based on talking with one of the Briggs racing dealers in Colorado Richard.

    I agree some work should be done to see if it really is an “issue”.

    We can’t deny the fact that the carb is jetted for sea level and we are 5K feet above it. Performance will be less than optimum, and we are already at a handicap, even WITH a near ideal air/fuel ratio, so why compound the issue? What have we gained by coating the inside of our exhaust with carbon?

    Personally, in the spirit of the class, if a jetting modification is accepted, I’d like to see it be done so in a fashion that it is not a race day tuning element of the kart. The jet you start the season with is the jet you run all year and end the season with at 4K feet and above tracks.

    in reply to: LO206 chain and sprockets – school me please #66941
    Leo Ahearn
    Participant

    Thank you Jim. The combination of your two posts here then now describe the rules for The Track LO206 2014 rules. Great.

    I was aware of the Briggs 2013 rule book before I started this thread, as are others watching this topic. Just tell us what the rules are and we’ll follow them is the intended message.

    Now let me be the first one to ask that we consider a local modification to Rule 18 Technical Item e. to include the 91 and 93 main jets in addition to the 95 jet listed in the rules.

    And Mike, you can count on my package being purchased locally.

Viewing 15 posts - 16 through 30 (of 54 total)