Racing

[Mitrovic]

Next week is the Klausenrennen, a hill climb race, me and at least 4 other Tesla roadsters will participate. It is a real hill climb race with real racers. You have to wear fire-proof clothes and aproved helmets and so on. The hill climb goes up to 1900 meters and it will take me more then 20 minutes to finish the race.
The weather forecast is good.
What would you suggest, to race top down, soft-top or hard-top?
Any other hints how to prepare the car ( and the driver )?
Thank you

 

[Doug_G]

If they allow top down (some events don't), speeds are below 100 kph (so drag doesn't matter), and weather is good then top down will be great.

Otherwise use soft top. You have more headroom under the soft top for your helmet. Hard top is a little lower inside (I've tried both).

Oh, and if they have scrutineers who look skeptically at convertibles, tell them it's a Targa top. Just like a Lotus Elise.

 

[Mitrovic]

Correction: it is a 3 days event. The first day should be nice, the second should see rain in the afternoon and the third day should be heavy rain.
We should reach speeds of 100 to 120 Km/h, I guess.

 

[Doug_G]

I'd probably go with the soft top then.

If your head clears the hard top with your helmet on then that is good, too. But it doesn't for me.

 

[Zextraterrestrial]

Have fun! With that much vert how long is the run? The S overheats a bit after 600' elevation gain pushed really hard.(1mi)
I hear the roadster heats up faster. I would say pack ice on the cooler if it is allowed, and have fun, #1.

 

[Mitrovic]

21,5 Km
Home | Klausenrennen

Yes, I think I will go with the soft-top!

 

[Doug_G]

Have fun! With that much vert how long is the run? The S overheats a bit after 600' elevation gain pushed really hard.(1mi)
I hear the roadster heats up faster. I would say pack ice on the cooler if it is allowed, and have fun, #1.

In my experience the Roadster's endurance on a track is several times greater than the Model S.

 

[7racer]

I'm surprised you get a choice. In many of the DE's I run, it specifically mentions that for convertibles a hard top is recommended or a rollbar that is higher than the drivers helmet.

I personally would do the hardtop for safety.

And get some stickier tires on the car and perhaps a bit more negative camber on the front tires.

 

[Doug_G]

It's a Targa so the design inherently incorporates a rollbar. It's the thing covered with clear carbon fiber right above/behind your head. The internal structure is aluminum and it is designed to withstand a rollover.

Typically removable/convertible roof segments are assumed to provide essentially no protection for the driver. In a rollover they tend to come off anyway.

 

[hcsharp]

You'd have to be working pretty hard to roll a Roadster.

 

[Mitrovic]

You'd have to be working pretty hard to roll a Roadster.

Well, in the mountains, if you miss a turn, you will fall down, very steep....

I guess in the roadster the hardtop gives only a minimal additional security...

And yes, as it is a race for pre-war race cars and we are only the "clowns" and on invitation, it is no problem to drive "open top"....

 

[mnx]

In my experience the Roadster's endurance on a track is several times greater than the Model S.

Based on what I've read here, I'm thinking Model S Standard > Roadster > Model S Performance. In terms of heating up slowest.

 

[Doug_G]

Based on what I've read here, I'm thinking Model S Standard > Roadster > Model S Performance. In terms of heating up slowest.

Interesting. Maybe I should try taking the Roadster on the track in Range mode...

 

[mnx]

Interesting. Maybe I should try taking the Roadster on the track in Range mode...

Just for clarity, I was agreeing with what you said upthread that the Roadster's endurance is great than the Model S on the track. (Although I am probably basing that on your comments on other threads. LOL)

The standard Model S appears to get a lot more laps under full power on the track than the Performance version, I haven't seen a back to back comparison with a roadster on the same track so it's just a guess.

 

[Doug_G]

Okay so Roadster > Model S > Model S Performance, then?

Seems to me just putting a block of wood under the accelerator pedal might solve the endurance problem. Back the power down just enough so the car is still fast, but doesn't get too hot too quickly.

 

[brianman]

Seems to me just putting a block of wood under the accelerator pedal might solve the endurance problem. Back the power down just enough so the car is still fast, but doesn't get too hot too quickly.

Yes. When I "held my foot back" at the Ridge, I had no problem making it through an entire 15-20 minute session without the limiter even displaying (much less being in the way). When I didn't, within 1-2 laps I was at the limiter.

And I'm definitely a novice in this area, so an experienced driver would be hitting it perhaps in 1 lap.

 

[mnx]

Okay so Roadster > Model S > Model S Performance, then?

Seems to me just putting a block of wood under the accelerator pedal might solve the endurance problem. Back the power down just enough so the car is still fast, but doesn't get too hot too quickly.

I read that some on here got ~4 laps out of a Standard Model S on the track (on a ~3km) course without a power limit. Does the roadster start dialing back the power before ~12km of lapping? I suppose it's useless to compare different drivers on different tracks though.

 

[Doug_G]

I've run both the Roadster and the Model S on the Shannonville Motorsports track, though a year apart. You could drive the Roadster hard for several laps before it started backing down power, but the power would back down gradually and you could get in quite a few fun laps before it got too slow.

The Model S on the other hand was backing down the power before I was done the first lap. It would drive pretty well, despite a ~50% power limit, for 2-3 more laps. Then it would drop off a cliff.

And no, the day was a lot hotter when I ran the Roadster, so that's not the cause.

 

[Mitrovic]

I ve got now a Hero GoPro 3. Any suggestion where and how to mount it in the car?

 

[Doug_G]

Suction cup it to the top of the roll bar - gives a nice vantage point, especially if the top is off.

If the top is on, it might be better to suction cup it to the rear window, looking forwards so you can see the driver, the console, and of course out the front window.