Author Topic: My 2006 Renault Clio Sport Cup racer (Read 6967 times)

danidmas · « **on:** 03-Feb-2009, 11:03:03 »

More pics and details this weekend

And next 15th, the first drive... can't wait!

So far, the biggest difference is the overall quality of the car as a racecar: the buttons and console are much more accessible, the gear-stick is perfectly placed, the cage is more elaborated, there's a pit-limiter... and the Magnetti Marelli display is fantastic: it's the same used in the Ferrari F430 Challenge, 2 screens for the driver, 3 for the engineers... lots of data to play with. When you switch on the battery there's an image of the car, you have the speed for example, that I sooo missed in the old Clio

Only problem? The car is superwide and it hardly fits on the towing-platform... we had to reset all the camber settings in order to load the car... so I guess we'll have to modify the platform next weekend

The rear bumper is in pretty bad shape as well... but overall, considering the price was pretty good, we're quite happy with the buy

TT · « **Reply #1 on:** 03-Feb-2009, 11:54:08 »

Must be quite exciting to look forward to the first drive/race in such a car!! Again congrats dani and Ignasi!

danidmas · « **Reply #2 on:** 03-Feb-2009, 12:07:53 »

Quote from: TT on 03-Feb-2009, 11:54:08

Must be quite exciting to look forward to the first drive/race in such a car!! Again congrats dani and Ignasi!

First race is supposed to be the first weekend of March... in Cheste, where I've never been before... so that makes it even more exciting!

Skaala · « **Reply #3 on:** 03-Feb-2009, 13:46:23 »

looks very good Dani! When will you enter the SP3 24hrs at Nurburgring?

ARMAN · « **Reply #4 on:** 03-Feb-2009, 14:02:42 »

Will you have any practice day before that race?

Thamar · « **Reply #5 on:** 03-Feb-2009, 14:23:45 »

Where can I find the keys?

dropot2 · « **Reply #6 on:** 03-Feb-2009, 14:52:35 »

Congratulations!

My helmet is already prepared for the 15th...at what time I have to be there?

j/k

Ford Capri 2.8i · « **Reply #7 on:** 03-Feb-2009, 19:23:30 »

Congratulations for the new cars colours, this time Im congratulating the colour because I already complimented the new purchase.

Im getting grateful because the car is going so well and the team is satisfied with the car. Im quite sure that the car´s laptimes will be right away quicker than the former clio´s in the quick racetracks such as Montmelo or Cheste.

The other laptimes will be improved at the end of the year at most.

Nonetheless, have a good start on your racing career.

BTW, Once Im closer to Barcelona, and once its guaranteed that the weekends are free, Im thinking about doing some tourism thoroughout Spain, and going to Barcelona, Valencia or wherever to do some car-racing tourism. Perhaps Ill go to Valencia the week after. Ill be thinking during these days.

danidmas · « **Reply #8 on:** 03-Feb-2009, 20:08:02 »

Quote from: Skaala on 03-Feb-2009, 13:46:23

looks very good Dani! When will you enter the SP3 24hrs at Nurburgring?

I'd love to enter one of the VLN meetings... I guess you'll have to cover a serious amount of laps in this series before being allowed to take part in the 24 hours race. I'd probably rent a car there if I ever had the chance, rather than taking the Clio all the way to the Nürburgring

Quote from: ARMAN on 03-Feb-2009, 14:02:42

Will you have any practice day before that race?

15th Feb, Montmeló. It's usually a waste of time because it's only a couple of 30 min sessions, 2-3 red flags at least because 80% of cars are roadcars with very little idea of what's drving on a racetrack

But it's gonna be only to check if the car is fine. The first big test will be the race, directly.

It's not that much of a difference between the old Clio afterall.....

Quote from: Thamar on 03-Feb-2009, 14:23:45

Where can I find the keys?

The car has no keys... it's only sit and go

Quote from: dropot2 on 03-Feb-2009, 14:52:35

Congratulations!
My helmet is already prepared for the 15th...at what time I have to be there? j/k

Will you come? That would be cool!

We haven't really "studied" the car but the battery and the fire extinguisher are installed in the passenger area so we will have to relocate them to put the passenger seat

Quote from: Ford Capri 2.8i on 03-Feb-2009, 19:23:30

Congratulations for the new cars colours, this time Im congratulating the colour because I already complimented the new purchase.

Im getting grateful because the car is going so well and the team is satisfied with the car. Im quite sure that the car´s laptimes will be right away quicker than the former clio´s in the quick racetracks such as Montmelo or Cheste.

The other laptimes will be improved at the end of the year at most.

Nonetheless, have a good start on your racing career.

BTW, Once Im closer to Barcelona, and once its guaranteed that the weekends are free, Im thinking about doing some tourism thoroughout Spain, and going to Barcelona, Valencia or wherever to do some car-racing tourism. Perhaps Ill go to Valencia the week after. Ill be thinking during these days.

Well, the car is supposed to be 8kmh slower than the old Clio in top-speed... although the gear ratios give the new Clio a better mid-range acceleration. That's what the previous owner said

He said that with the new car is easier to set a quicker time, but harder to maintain a pace as quick as in the old Clio, because with 160kg over the old one, once the front tyres start to wear, the performance also goes down... With the old one it was easier to keep a good race pace. And that the new one is also waaaaay easier to drive.

So I guess we'll see where we are with the new car, once we attend the first meeting

I'm really curious to find out...

About car-tourism... you should definitely come to the RallySprint Sant Julia... and if you could come to Cheste the first weekend of March, that would be great!

sameerrao · « **Reply #9 on:** 04-Feb-2009, 18:55:22 »

Congrats on the new car purchase. And best of luck for your 2009 racing campaign!

dropot2 · « **Reply #10 on:** 04-Feb-2009, 19:23:10 »

Quote from: danidmas on 03-Feb-2009, 20:08:02

We haven't really "studied" the car but the battery and the fire extinguisher are installed in the passenger area so we will have to relocate them to put the passenger seat

Pfah...excuses...

danidmas · « **Reply #11 on:** 09-Feb-2009, 16:12:28 »

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaj77qUoX5w

Front bumper will be painted as the rest of the car, some sort of strawberry-red. The bonet will stay black. Air scoop on the roof, side mirrors, wheels, and wing will also be painted black

The coolest thing on the car is the Magneti Marelli display:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyJU5lx_XTs

There're 2 screens for the driver and 5 for the engineers, with all sorts of data

Svensson · « **Reply #12 on:** 09-Feb-2009, 18:03:19 »

Awesome Dani! Congratulations

You were right about the MM display, what a cool piece of electronica that is

Hope this new ride is going to bring you a lot of racing pleasure and success this year!

danidmas · « **Reply #13 on:** 10-Feb-2009, 09:50:55 »

According to my brother, is the same display used on the F430 Challenge

ARMAN · « **Reply #14 on:** 10-Feb-2009, 10:13:32 »

you should have revved it to the limiter right after start thats the best way to warm up the engine

pissed little clio

yeckmohr · « **Reply #15 on:** 10-Feb-2009, 10:47:30 »

congrats dani, hopefully we'll see some videos of your races and all the luck for you this racing year.
the car looks great, good colors, where is the TAU sticker ?

danidmas · « **Reply #16 on:** 10-Feb-2009, 11:05:14 »

Quote from: yeckmohr on 10-Feb-2009, 10:47:30

where is the TAU sticker ?

One of these days......

danidmas · « **Reply #17 on:** 15-Feb-2009, 23:43:55 »

(photo courtesy of llastarri)

Today it was the first drive of our new ride. First impression is that this is a more serious machine: the details, the driver position (even if I still didn't feel all that comfortable with the seat position), the console... everything is more "mature"...

The pit limiter is one of these more-mature things. Not really good for the engine health... but I had to try it

and it's really cool. To be honest, with the previous Clio, with no speedo, we never really knew what was 60kmh... some said it was 2nd gear, 2500rpm; others 3rd, 2000rpm... now it's clear: pit-limiter on, 2nd gear, and pedal to the metal

Another minor, but interesting detail is the display, and especially the speedo. Stupid and irrelevant detail, yes... but in the old Clio, the display was basically a tachometer with a little screen showing the gear... Now we can see how fast we're travelling, and realizing the speeds we carry in some turns is quite scary if you think about it :win: Some turns were done well over 140kmh, hitting 202 down the straight...

But the BIG difference is actually that: the speed you can carry through the bends. With the previous Clio I used to drive on the edge of the understeer... now you just step on the gas and you're out... especially in mid and high-speed turns

The brakes were set a bit too much towards the back, hence the tail was a bit happy on the heavy brakings... but other than that, the car feels more stable, more settled and easier to drive. Remember that the car weights a whooping 160 kilos over the old Clio... and that is a LOT!

We didn't clocked any laptime, today it was only a "check that everything works fine" kind of test... The next race is supposed to be in 3 weeks, in Cheste, although I'm not sure we'll be able to make it... there's still quite a few things to do on the car... we'll probably paint it after the race anyway, quite possibly in orange with black wheels and wings and air vents and side mirrors

yeckmohr · « **Reply #18 on:** 19-Feb-2009, 13:21:46 »

looks very nice this little racetrack beast, do you have a nickname for it?

danidmas · « **Reply #19 on:** 19-Feb-2009, 13:47:45 »

Quote from: yeckmohr on 19-Feb-2009, 13:21:46

looks very nice this little racetrack beast, do you have a nickname for it?

Taxi-Killer

Since it's gonna be painted in full-orange... I think The Clockwork Orange sounds just about perfect