Larry,
A pretty good memory of RIR, but that was turn 9, not 6, at the end of the
straight. Were you using the short back straight (turn 7A leading onto the
straight for a length of 0.6 mi) or the long straight (up to 8 and 8A onto the
1.06 mi straight)? Also, did they have the 'dogleg' in the approach to turn 9?
The last time I drove RIR was in '67, just before I went in the service. Then,
the straight started a bit of super elevation depression and just started
turning right. Years later they angled the back straight to the left a bit to
increase the radius of turn nine, create more of a brake zone, etc. The "wall"
on the outside of nine was as you remember it...... hard as boiler plate!
In retrospect, was RIR a hard course on brakes(?), or was the state of the art
in brake technology lagging the tracks potential? RIR was a VERY fast track
but with hard braking corners at 6 (two 90's to the right), 7 (a steeply
descending/off camber 180 to the left), 8 (if using the long straight, a right
220/left 40) and of course turn 9 (tight 180 at the end of a 1 mile straight).
We must be getting old if we clearly rememebr driving at RIR!!
Carl
Subject: Re: Brakes
John, some years back I was called upon to do tire testing at Riverside
in a very well prepared 67 B production mustang. I was most unhappy
with the braking on the vehicle. Simply put, not enough brakes at the
end of the back straight at riverside going into the boiler plate wall
at turn 6.
I suspect that improved pads and linings should help, but it may be that
the car still has better power and handling that brakes.
contact Vic Edelbrock. He raceds a very well prepd vintage Mustang and
should be able to refer you to a good source.
Larry Dent
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