Test Day - 7/8/05

It is pre-hurricane weather. Very windy. Hot and moist with scattered showers.

Our plan is to run a race simulation for tomorrow's five lap race.
The test starts with a Baby Grand car in front of me.
I do a slow pace lap hoping he will pull away and I will have a clear track.

I feed on the throttle through turns 9 and 10.
The tires are cold and the track a little damp.
The car moves around but I catch and pass the Baby Grand before turn 2 (t2).
The motors are singing, driven by 600 amps. Pushing the car to 120 mph before the brake zone.

Under braking, I can feel the regen working.
170 ft-lbs of torque. 300 amps.
Voltage goes no higher than 354, well below our 372 volt max.

I am rough in turn 6 (t6); off/on, off/on the throttle.
I brake too late for the chicane and spin the car.
The Baby Grand wails by.
I catch him and pass him before turn 2 feeling mildly embarrassed.

Lap 2 is a little better.
I am smoother in turn 6 but I do not push as hard as I should.
I lose the rear-end braking for the chicane.
Too much rear brake bias?
I catch the car and make the corner but it costs momentum.
I turn my fastest lap at 1:47.1.

Lap 3, I am stuck behind an RX-7 from turn 3 to turn 5.
I then embarrass myself again by spinning at the chicane.
The RX-7 and the Baby Grand parade on by.

Lap 4. I resist the urge to wave as I pass the Baby Grand for the third time. Let's see if I can stay ahead.
4 turns later, I repass the RX-7.
The Imp is not pulling as strong as before. The inverters have cut back maximum amps by 80.
The motors have hit the software specified limit of 165 degrees C.
The inverters are cutting back power to keep the motors at this temperature.

Lap 5, the inverters have cut the amps to 490.
Voltage is still solid at 275 under max load.
Coming out of turn 6, I smell a battery let go.
I slow the car and limp back in.
Battery temperature is too hot at 70 degrees C.
Cell 54 is dead.

Between swapping out a cell and our slow recharge capability, we will get no more testing done today.

Despite the disappointment of blowing another battery, we have gained solid data and the car has turned a respectable lap time.

View Moroso Test Day lap Video (21.3 MB)

We charged the car until late.