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+--- Thread: Thunderbolt Raceway Line and Video (/showthread.php?tid=1273)
- Darren - 08-06-2008
Glen, Steveh and I were at the NASA Northeast Event at Thunderbolt over the past 2 days.
Here is a video where I get mostly clear laps:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fj4tIliStjI
Building on Steveh's basline, here are my thoughts:
Turn 1 – Traditional turn, not as fast as it seems like it should be. Normal apex.
Turn 2 – Blind over crest, very early turn in which helps at track-out. Low HP cars are flat out through here. Most cars are tap and go. Important turn – onto the second biggest straight. Unsual case where early apex is better/safer.
Turn 3 – steveh says “VERY fast right-hand sweeper, flat out in 4th gear, a little pucker as you realize that it's a slight decreasing radius (lots of puffs of dust as people realized there was a little less track out than they thought). I found I could 4-wheel power drift through here, and never left the asphalt."
Yeah, what he said. Power on to shift weight aft to get traction.
Turn 4 – Great DE turn – nothing tricky, track out to ½ track to prepare for left.
Turn 5 – steveh says “Late apex, hard left-hander. Seemed tighter than the map would suggest. To me, one of the hardest turns on the course, because there's a pretty long straight right after. Kind of felt like turn 5 at Summit Main.�?
Turn 6 – Extremely fast early apex turn. Tap and go….
Turn 7 (8, 9) – IMHO the only line here is to look at the end of the tire wall before the last right hand turn. As soon as you turn it, it’s flat out! Even in a high HP car. This is the most technical turn, you have to brake while turning to be on this line. I’m full throttle to almost the end, then trail thru into the 270' left hander. I’m on the brake longer (time wise) than I like, but it settles the car and the track is very forgiving with brake temps.
Turn 10 – The Octopus -- 270' carousel turn
Yeah, there 3 lines. Late apex as he says, which works well for Corvettes, double apex, or in tight (which works well with 911’s). Yes this is a turn that you can take faster than your buddies and say “That’s why I like my motor in the rear�?
Turns 11, 12 – As soon as you get here, you’re likely pushing out of the end of the Octo because of building speed, it’s flat out till the end of the front straight. Easy up to the speed because you have to get used to using the curbing. If you aren’t using the curbing, its nowhere near WOT.
Turn 14 – The apex is up on the curbing between pit in and the track. It’s scarey to hit fast, so easy into it. 2 wheels barely on is OK. 4 wheels full on is FAST and scarey also. Don’t go ½ car onto this, in my opinion, you will affect the contact patch of the loaded tires because of the angle. It doesnt feel "good"
4 wheels on is faster because the apex is up 4’ onto the curbing. The problem is you’ll jump over the curb. When you land, make sure you don’t react – that is, let the wheel wobble a little. Like riding a horse, you have to work with it. This is the most fun and rewarding part of the track.
- George3 - 08-12-2008
Fantastic video...
And, great driving Darren !!
- redcar1 - 08-13-2008
Darren,
Your video and notes are great to have. I'm coming from Texas to race at Thunderbolt over Labor Day, and am looking for anything at all to help familiarize myself beforehand.
I'm still trying to number the corners, especially 8-11 and the octopus? Where's turn 13? Is it like the 13th floor elevator?
Do you know if there is a numbered track map somewhere? Are the baseline tracknotes you mentioned from Steve available?
Thanks very much for any advice.
Mark
- Hammerin Hank - 08-15-2008
No fire suit or gloves and you're doing three wide passes?
hock: NASA is okay with such things in, what I assume is, an HPDE session?
- steveh - 08-15-2008
Redcar1:
Welcome to the forum!
There is a link to video from a vintage car race on the NJ BMWCCA web site, here: http://www.njbmwcca.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2911
My base notes are on this forum, under "Initial Impressions of NJMP Thunderbolt."
The corner numbers are still a little fuzzy, because the track can be run with or without the chicanes.
It's a great track. Enjoy!
- Darren - 08-15-2008
Hammerin Hank wrote:
Quote:No fire suit or gloves and you're doing three wide passes?Sure, 3 wide at DE is ok in the upper run groups. We do it in RTR also esp at Pocono on the bowl.
- redcar1 - 08-15-2008
Thanks guys!
I found your base notes, and I just watched the BMW race video. Great stuff!
His first lap he made up tons of time where the Corvette went wider in the left hand "carousel". Is that the octopus, or is the octopus, both the left and right combined?
I'll keep studying all this, I apprecate the help!
Mark
steveh wrote:
Quote:Redcar1:
Welcome to the forum!
There is a link to video from a vintage car race on the NJ BMWCCA web site, here: http://www.njbmwcca.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2911
My base notes are on this forum, under "Initial Impressions of NJMP Thunderbolt."
The corner numbers are still a little fuzzy, because the track can be run with or without the chicanes.
It's a great track. Enjoy!
- steveh - 08-15-2008
I thought the "octopus" was the right-hand carousel (almost a complete circle), but I could be wrong....
- Darren - 08-18-2008
redcar1 wrote:
Quote:Your video and notes are great to have. I'm coming from Texas to race at Thunderbolt over Labor Day, and am looking for anything at all to help familiarize myself beforehand.
Not sure what else I can add to help. As far as the Octo, here is the track map:
![[Image: thunder.jpg]](http://www.mingis.com/misc/thunder.jpg)
I'm not sure where it officially starts or ends...The Carousel is the very end of that whole section that looks like an Octopus.
- Darren - 08-18-2008
Here's how I would number the turns. I don't know what cars would use the chicanes, maybe they are for bikes?? I chopped them off since they probably aren't going to be used for events like we do:
![[Image: thunderbolt.jpg]](http://www.mingis.com/misc/thunderbolt.jpg)