I'm heading up and am going to run the MINI in HPDE and help wrench (and watch kids) for a buddy running his C-class in GTS.

Any MINIs heading up from the western PA area or en-route that want to meet up? I'll probably head out about lunchtime on Friday.

 

I'll be there but I'm coming from the NY/MA line. See you at the track. Forecast this far out sounds a bit on the wet side. Bring your rain tires and plenty of plastic to cover things up!

 

Knock on wood, the forecast is improving! Fortunately, we've got the enclosed hauler for the GTS car in which we (and our stuff) can take shelter.

 

How was WGI?

 

After a fog delay Saturday morning, the schedule was off all day. PDA's organizational skills aren't the best, as I found out Sunday morning when they had 'run out' of schedules and were making some copies! Once the fog lifted, the track was basically dry all weekend and it warmed up nicely on Saturday. Sunday was cooler and a bit overcast, but the track stayed pretty grippy. The track was eating cars all weekend, fortunately, MINI's were not on it's menu this time around. Got some good tips helping me in the back esses and the toe of the boot. Speed definitely increased by Sunday afternoon. EBR53, and Ed with his Justa were the only other MINI's running HDPE. There was a stripped out MINI running in the races...had a few mechanical issues, but looked very fast while he was running.

 

Glad to hear that the minis survived the track. How much run time did you guys get on either day?

How is the TTO and TBO?

 

Yeah, after rain Friday night, the track was still wet for the 1st session. Being the first time at WGI for me on a wet, cold track, I tip-toed around pretty conservatively. By the second session, the track inspired so much more confidence and was a ton of fun, the third even moreso as I got considerably faster. The TPMS light came on during the fourth session but the car felt OK. I was concerned about that, missed a shift, grabbed a gear where I'd been hitting redline previously and just lifting early... Concentration fell apart. Got totally out of the rhythm. There were only a few minutes left so I came in but I was happy with my speed in the 3rd session. Tire was fine. I'd been playing with pressures and got about a 6 psi difference between the lowest and highest... must have not liked it.

Got around two 911s and two Mustang Cobras and assorted others. The 911s didn't make it easy; I hate it when people won't lift. Give you the point by but stay in the throttle. Thanks... Passing a 996 uphill out of the toe isn't easy. I was in DE 1 since it was the first time with the PDA and the 1st time at the Glen. They signed me off to go to 2 for Sunday if I decided to stay but I needed to get back home.

I had one shorted 20 minute session and three full, 20 minute sessions.

A Charger SRT-8 that was in front of me on the first session had a very short day. About four laps in the Charger decided to become an SRT-7, or at least something less than 8. My buddy spun his GTS car but didn't hit anything.

 

It was good to see another EB at the track, even though we didn't have time to talk. My first session out on Saturday was shortened due to a spin and guardrail impact on the front straight after a delayed start due to the fog. One afternoon session was cut short as we were sitting in grid for 10 minutes waiting for cleanup of an accident in the race group. It seemed like we were treated like second class race wannabees, and the racers had the priorities all weekend. Overall, I didn't feel like I got my $$ worth, especially on Saturday. Sunday was better, though we were supposed to have two 25 minute sessions in the afternoon, but they were both closer to 20 minutes. I had a lot of fun in turn 1 letting the back end come out and repointing up the esses and was able to get to 112-114mph on the back straight before the bus stop. I had a lot of fun, but unless my schedule is totally incompatible with Trackmasters or SCDA next year, I think this will be my last time at the Glen with PDA.

 

Yeah, sorry I didn't get to catch up with you. I had to be in the classes as a DE 1 guy. Between that and trying to help my buddy with the race car between my sessions, it was busy. At least you weren't in the what... 4 lap Lightning group race when the 944 caught on fire. They red-flagged that thing for 20 minutes out of the 30 minute race.

I'm not sure what my terminal speed was on the back straight but... I had to grab 5th and I have the rev limiter raised. I was shifting at probably 7200 or so. Fourth is good for what... 108? I don't know what mods you've done but... as I got faster, that was my problem, gearing. Of course, it didn't help that I'd get a good run up coming up the hill, catch somebody, wait for the point-by, lift, then get the point-by.

I started grabbing fourth a bit early, before the esses. Otherwise, I'd be hitting the rev limiter going up the hill. I'd just lift for a second for turn two and grab 4th (was near the top of 3rd anyway) there so I didn't need to do it in the transition between 2 and 3. I also started having to lift early going into six, seven and eight. Just wasn't worth grabbing a gear for three seconds and then have another downshift potential for error.

 

Don't worry, the points will come sooner as you get into intermediate levels so you shouldn't have to lift. You may want to change to a short shifter as that will save you mucho time during your shifts, and I find the short shifter to be more accurate than OEM. I'm in 4th in turn 1 and found that shifting earlier into 5th in the esses gives me my fastest speed in the back straight. You should be able to go WOT as soon as you exit 1 right until the braking zone for the bus stop. I'm down to 3rd for the toe and the heel, everything else is 4th and sometimes 5th down the front straight. My car is pretty heavily modded in power, suspension, and brake departments. Harnesses make a huge difference in your stability and confidence.

 

Yeah... it's just learning the track. I get almost as fast down the back of Nelson Ledges as I did at the Glen and even 110 on either of the straights at the much shorter Beaver Run is routine.

It would seem my speed before the Inner Loop should be comparible, if 108 is the top end in fourth at 6800rpm or so, perhaps even a bit faster. I was grabbing fifth at the top of the esses at 7200-ish rpm which (by my math) should be 114 and then in fifth for most of the back straight.

I've got Schroth Quick Fits though I wish I had a real harness bar like I did in my Miata and M Coupe. The one thing that's nice about the Glen is the lack of an LSD isn't an issue. There's no corner where you're scrambling for grip. Both of my regular haunts have one corner that I just can't get out of fast because of that.

 

Sounds like a lot of fun and I wish I could make it. Could have done some lead follows which would have been great.

We should try for SCDA next year. This year, they did 2.5 hours track time at the Glen a day for two days. Bring lots of parts.

 

Sounds like a plan!

 

...and gas. I've gone through over a tank on a regular basis at Beaver Run and Nelson Ledges but probably only used 2/3s, if that, at the Glen. Just not enough run time. Heck, I ran the Miata empty at Beaver Run before.

 

Definately gas but there are some gas stations nearby at WGI. Otherwise it is $8.00 per gallon for the race stuff. Ran 17 gallons + last time with SCDA...

 

veggivet, I'm surprised you didnt' tell us about this one:

http://jalopnik.com/5375768/corvette...t-watkins-glen

 

I was there too, and in fact I spoke briefly with both EBR53 and the guy driving the PW/B race MINI. I was sharing the Red Saturn with a friend of mine, he drove the DE1 sessions and I drove the DE2. I felt like a rolling roadblock most of the time in the Saturn, but I was hitting 105 or more on the back straight coming into the bus stop, so I wasn't that slow. For me the toughest part was coming up the hill from the toe of the boot, the tires he had on the Saturn were hard as rocks, which meant absolutely no grip in the slower corners and then no power going up the steep hill!

Still, I had an absolute ball running the Glen and would highly recommend it to anyone! Wish I'd had my '03 EB JCW with me instead of the Saturn, but hey, it was free, and I live in Kansas!

As far as gearing goes, my '03 JCW does 50 in 1st, 70 in 2nd, 90 in 3rd, 110 in 4th, 130 in 5th so it would suit this track nicely.

In the Saturn, I was shifting into 4th just before turn 2 and holding that all the way to the bus stop, but I was over redline before I got there, but since it goes slower in 5th it was better just to leave it in 4th.

I was there to crew for the #7 Corvette in ST2, he finished 3rd on SAt, but since his race on Sunday ended due to the crash, I don't know where he finished in that one......

 

Yeah, 110 in 4th sounds right. Like I said, 108 is the top of 4th, according to the book.

With my mods and RMW tune allowing me to shift at 7200 (though I could go higher) 114 should have been the point from 4th to 5th. I wasn't looking at the center console but I'd guess I'm hitting, if not close to, 120mph on the back straight.

I pulled 204hp on a somewhat hot day at Eksten's with Jan tuning the car.

The gearing seemed to suit the 1st, wet, session. It's one thing to have one corner where you want to grab another gear but it's not worth it. But... to have three.... Maybe R comps would make it worth shifting by getting out of the previous corner faster. My RT-615s were cheap but... you get what you pay for.

At least you weren't crewing for the #12 Corvette.

 

I'm not reaching 120 on the back straight, more like 113 +/- 1-2 mph in 5th, and 112 or so in 4th on the front straight and my car pulls around 230 hp. R comps would make a HUGE difference in track performance, and I'm planning to upgrade to them along with lighter wheels next season, much to Slinger's chagrin. Seems like the track was eating up cars all weekend.

 

Back from G52 @ WGI last night. Phew...! What an event. More track time than I could ever want. I have a video up on Vimeo but the video somehow uploaded crappy...

http://www.vimeo.com/6940778

Plays fine for me so I'll have to upload it again after I get back from VIR Monday night....

Unless the video somehow plays back a bit quicker than real time (which I can't understand why it would), your looking at 2:13's, and a final lap at 2:14 before I come in. The fun begins at the 9:18 mark....

I had thought I ran 2:17's but this says different. I tend to want to believe the MaxQdata but it's hard to argue against what can be seen on the video. It's a little hard to watch so I'll fix it next week...

 

Got to go with r-comps next year as well to keep up with the VVs.

S-driver, looks like a ready fun time.

 

Wow, reading this makes me believe I have fallen severely behind in the arms race, making around 195 bhp and 205 ft-lbs torque and running mostly a stock suspension, mostly stock brakes and street tires. There certainly seems like there is going to be deficit spending going on in the winter.

 

No need to spend $$ since you're still faster, and will still be faster next year no matter what I do...unless I discover the secret formula of the additive.

 

Veggivet, were you WOT in 4th all the way from turn 2 or did you let up or feather the throttle thru the SSSSS?

If you can keep it flat, you'll be faster by the end of the back straight, but it takes a bit of courage the first time you do it.

S-Driver, I don't know anything about your car, but my guy in his ST2 Race Corvette that hits 145 mph on the back straight is turning 2:12's....

http://vimeo.com/6912035

that's my guy in the #7 Vette on the right in the opening of this vid...

 

It took me a while to feel confident enough to do WOT all the way through the SSSS but once I did I could feel the car had no problems with it whatsoever. Thanks to the instructor who suggested it! Similar situation at Monticello's straight just before the hairpin. I was lifting at the kink, but now can do WOT all the way through until the braking zone for the hairpin.