Got this picture today from IMSA.....nice.




LRP 2016

 

Yes, S-Driver, that makes much more sense given the background and the position of my head. I always have a hard time pinning down where the pix are taken from on the track for some reason. Thanks for clarifying!

Cool shot from IMSA. Why did the driver have to be carried away from the car like that? Did he poop his pants? And which one are you in that shot?

 

Thanks for the comps! Now that S-Driver identified the second shot as the entrance to Big Bend, I'd like to think my head lean means I was looking far ahead into the next corner, but probably not...

 

Veggi - the guy being carried is Liem, the vet who lost his leg in the war. He wears a bar that hooks to the clutch when he drives. That's Sdriver carrying him.

 

Now I feel like a real idiot. So sorry for my attempt at humor…my bad.

S-Driver, please accept my apologies...

 

No problem.....I knew you didn't know. Yes, Liam stepped on an IED in Afghanistan in 2011. He uses a "driving" leg to drive and has a "walking" leg when not driving...

 

Thanks for understanding. I feel like a total poop. (NAM won't show the word I really want to use.)

 

Doesn't he use some kind of hand control for something else now since his foot is attached to the clutch (i saw it on an On-broad video if I'm not mistaken). That is my Fav Series to watch now, since ALMS no longer there and PWC went paid. I hear good things are coming next season. No more Daytona DPs thank god LOL.

Really wished you guys took videos of your self's on the track like this the newbies (like me) can take some pointers . Going to my final event for the season this weekend. If the weather is nice ill be going to LRP if any of you go close to the end of the month.

Here is a video of my last event.

 

He uses a hand brake to set the pads against the rotors since he can't do it with the foot pedal. His codriver is NOT allowed to use it...

 

I just happen to have Lightning videos......two of them from the same day. Setting the stage, stock '03 MCS with mods of an intake, cat back, 2% crank pulley, 15% SC pulley, crappy coilovers bought just for lowering, and R-Comps (Hoosiers), and Wilwood 11.75" BBK. Running 15" 949 rims...



Think my best lap time was a 1:18.xx

 

Hey Tank, I have a bunch of video on YouTube; sorry none yet from this year, but last year looks pretty much the same. Just do a YouTube search on "Eddie07S" and you'll find me. Sdriver also has some from a while back. I promise to upload some from this year...still looking at "fixing" the computer so I can get them off the camera...

I may go to LRP just to hang out on the 29th....

 

Your tires are crazy good. I couldn't hang on like that still need more practice. I will get there.

My best was a 1:32, but i think i was braking too early in the straight to turn one.

By any chance do you have any At Palmer? That where I'm going to next. Eddie not too much of a fan of this track so I'm going to assume he hasn't been. It seems like the track is just a bunch of turns with no straights lol.

 

If the weather is good ill go. Just like you for cheerleading LOL (that what we call it when we go to "help someone work on their car" since most of the time you are just there drinking beers and just being the holder, passer or pusher).

Who is going on the track to cheerlead or actually run?

 

No videos of Palmer.....track wasn't built yet when my car was still a road car. ��

 

I would agree your over slowing. And slow to get back on throttle.. It will come with more seat time....and confidence in the tire. I've also been to Lightning running on Nitto NT01's and been only about 1-2sec slower...

 

S-Driver, it's great to see that MINI of yours at Lime Rock, even if it was a few years back. Somehow, it looks even faster now...

 

What do you guys run for tire pressure. do you guys run same all around or do you run less in the rear and how much less. I use Extreme Summer tires on 17" light wheels, don't know if this make a difference or not.

 

I usually run a couple of extra pounds in the rears, since they won't heat up as much as the fronts, and my goal is to come in with even pressures all around, ideally around 38-40. Depending on the temps and track conditions, I'll start out with 30/28 psi rear/front. I run on Nitto RE01s, not street tires. YMMV

 

I've actually been lowering the tire pressure. I had looked at maxing out at 39 front and 38 rear (both hot numbers). Above 39 in the front, the front starts to wash out. The last time I was out with the Toyo R888s (at WGI) I took them down to, hot, 37 front and 36 rear which felt pretty good. I would have gone lower but the brake lumpies got the better of me and I didn't mess with the tires.

The last time out I ran the RE71Rs at 37 front and 36 rear. I would like to try, maybe, 35 - 36 in the front. Not sure about the rear if I do that.

A couple of things I found. Running a psi lower in the rear helped with the tail wag under braking. The general lowering of tire pressure came from talking to the head instructors who are running RComps.

Just to get into the mix here with older videos...Here I am at NJMP back in 2012, when my car was brand new...


Now, you may see a car behind me (in the rear view mirror), but I wasn't holding him up. My notes in the video say I was doing 1:27 on Dunlop Z1s and the stock sports suspension (no camber plates). The Z1s were from slinger and were well heat cycled. I also had the Carbotech XP10s on. I tried the Yellow Stuff pads and really didn't like them.

 

Darn! I had no idea there has been so much activity in this thread the past few weeks. For some reason I stopped receiving notifications. I am going to catch up on a few things below.

Brakes. I finally got them straightened out. The two guys who founded Carbotech broke away and founded a company called G-Loc. I was told the G-Loc compound is exactly the same as Carbotech. I put their R-10s on the front and their R-8s on the rear and was very pleased although I was experiencing some fade at the end of the sessions.

Tire Pressure. I mixed it up a bit at LRP last week and started the LF@31, LR@33, RF@33 and RR @35. Outside temp was about 50. I liked that setup, too. Less understeer.

Eddie07S: You're looking to sell the Toyos and wheels? PM me some pix. I may be interested.

Veggivet: Great day at LRP last Monday. I am NEVER bored following you. And no hard feelings about me almost running off the track trying to match your alleged 80MPH speed around West Bend. Also, After examining the video, it appears I may have been exaggerating when I said I could see daylight under the Caterham's tires, but look at the video at the end of this post and you can see the weight going up and the car almost veering off when it came back down again. Us FWD drivers apparently have no idea what we are missing!

S-Driver. Great photo!

Tank: I have a Palmer video here. I'm following my son.

zre:Thanks for stopping by last week. The day after you were here I drilled a hole in my right rear foglight grille cover and installed an old tow hook. I had no idea there was a tow hook mount under there! I hope you enjoyed our ride in my non-MINI vehicle.

Veggivet and all: Here's the video from last week showing the Caterham almost losing it at the top of the LRP uphill. RWD drivers always talk about having to be perfectly straight going over the crest ... or else. He is straight but it was only the second lap of the day. The temp was still a bit cool for Hoosiers and look at the save he had to make! I spoke to him after the run and he confirmed it was a serious "Oh-s**t!" moment for him.

 

Great talking with you. Your non-Mini is one heck of a car. Thought it was great. Would like to see it at LRP someday. Waiting for my G-loc pads to show up so I can install them. Got a street set and the R-10's for front so I do not have to be concerned about cleaning disks to change compounds.

 

So my engine gave up at Palmer. Had so much fun on that track. it very technical. Tried a bunch of different lines, Second day the first session got cut short after someone hit the tire wall coming out of turn 8 (that the turn everyone crashes in) and the second session engine said it had enough. 8 Track days on same Trans/brake fluid/coolant and oil. Guess time to start working on the spare i have.



Best run that got recorded


Engine Quites

 

Tank - Hopefull, this is an "on the plus side" type of question...what did you think of the track? Your instructor seem to be pretty good and had you on a better line than that BMW in front of you...

 

At first i was frustrated with the Instructor, since he was giving me way too much instructions and i was loosing my concentration, Brake here, turn here, gas here, you missed this, you missed that ect. Plus i was a little nervous because everyone talked about the track like you couldn't survive it. I like to approach a new track in levels first slow, work my way into smooth, then fast.

The first day was crazy cold and the tire felt like i was running on ice. Never had i experience under steer. The temp was 29f-40f in the morning and then it warmed up in the afternoon don't remember what the temp was, but i think it went up to 54f. Also he wanted me to take lines which i didn't feel would be real effective for my car/tire and in some i was right about them. He was also pushing or telling me to do turns in which my tires didn't have the grip.

Session 2 i took it to familiarize myself with the track a little more. The track is very technical and everything looks the same. The 3rd session i was searching for the optimal Gears thru out the whole track and working on the braking (braking later and try to carry more speed). By the time session 4 rolled around, The tires came back to what I'm accustomed to, so i started to add a little bit more speed, but with caution.

Turn 7 was the most challenging for me, but after me and my instructor learned each others way, it was great because for the most part he would only talk when i asked him a question or asked him for suggestions on what to do in a certain corner or how to approach something. turn 9 the best line is to stay in the middle and gun it as soon as you see the apex, but i can see this working very well if you had tires with more grip. The sling shot way felt better to me with my current tires. For whatever reason they always tell you to take turn one right next to the wall, but other instructor suggested turning in later and that also felt faster.

I was taking instructions and ideas from 2 different instructors besides my instructor. One was from my previous event and other which was an older man name Frank which use to be a factory Honda driver for many years and had 47 years under his belt. He was the one that told me to short shift into 3rd at turn 12 since the downhill will help me with speed. After trying this i was actually able to shift into 5th gear, but i opt not to until the second day since it was the last session of the day. The best session in my opinion was the second session of day 2, but my phone didn't record because i forgot to set it back to the ready position.

I like it. the elevation is crazy and good at the same time. it has so many passing zones. The track feels more like Watkins Glen when you compare to how close the walls are but with the difference that this are concrete and Stone.

 

Being frustrated with the Instructor is never good when out in the track. Sorry it didn't start out well. But glad it got worked out. You are a bit like me in wanting to start slow, be smooth, learn a good line (work on that more later) and then pick shift points. Your video did look good.

I short shift at WGI between T1 and T2...3rd to 4th to 5th, with 5th going into T2...With these engines and the torque they have, it works well.

I guess I will need to try Palmer next season...