The faster line up the essess at VIR

[Racingswh]

jakp993 wrote:

He said that was all the speed he had - he was driving at 10.1 10ths

He has a thread going on another forum and said that to the guys. Sounds like it was pretty wild there in the beginning and a great time had by all.

So how do track out with loaded half the car in the grass onto the front pit straight with no lift? That was great.

[bobt993]

You can get through Hogpen and track out off the course wot and be fine, just takes  a confident driver (car is very straight and unloaded at that point).  You absolutely must be wot before the compression bump or your slow. 

 

 Driving in similar conditions.  PCA C will see 2:08- 2:10 top finishes at VIR, D 2:12- 2:14, E 2:14-2:18................  (stock class)  The GTC and GTS cars can be all over the place on times because driver/car ability varies alot. 

I think the agreement is 100% on Todd's ability, since most of us have driven with him.  I dissagree with your assessment of Red/Black RTR run groups as slow in comparison to NASA challenge series drivers. 

[Racingswh]

bobt993 wrote:

I dissagree with your assessment of Red/Black RTR run groups as slow in comparison to NASA challenge series drivers.

That's not what I was saying Bob. Sorry you took it that way. RTR is faster overall by a good bit. I know because I drive in both series. The fastest guys and girls in our Red run group are exceptionally fast with times that would place them on pole in the fastest race group at NASA events.

It was just a statement of pace and not a comparison about who is better or not.

[Darren]

Racingswh wrote:

bobt993 wrote:

I dissagree with your assessment of Red/Black RTR run groups as slow in comparison to NASA challenge series drivers.

That's not what I was saying Bob. Sorry you took it that way. RTR is faster overall by a good bit. I know because I drive in both series. The fastest guys and girls in our Red run group are exceptionally fast with times that would place them on pole in the fastest race group at NASA events.

It was just a statement of pace and not a comparison about who is better or not.

It's an absolute blast to race with NASA Mid-Atlantic. It's an extremely well run group -- Chris Cobetto is the Mid-Atlantic director and does a wonderful job. Some race groups are more aggressive than others. This group that Todd is in (and I'm in) is called Stinger -- a tribute to the buzzing Honda bees Bump drafting is legal, and car to car contact -- if no one complains, so what?? Other race groups, like Autobahn for example, which is made up of German cars, most of the classes (if not all) have a 13/13 rule so its a little less aggressive. Still more aggressive than PCA racing I think (I have no basis for this, just guessing, no flame pls), but you are not likely to have car to car contact.

I'm in the process of putting together a 1987 BMW 325i to compete in the Spec e30 series -- this is a series where the cars are strictly controlled, spec springs, struts, sways, etc... and at this past race weekend they fielded 26 cars!!

Their DE is run at the same events as the races -- one aspect that makes the DE very fun is that, for advanced students/instructors, they allow passing in the turns! They have been doing this for a couple of years with great results. You still have to give hand signals, so if you don't know the guy behind you or aren't comfortable with his/her skills, don't give a signal. If it were Bob coming up behind me, sure go ahead and pass me on the inside at Hogpen I'll repass on the exit. I highly recommend a DE event with NASA Mid-Atlantic for anyone wanting to do extra events at VIR or Summit.

[Mark Fox]

This demonstrates some of the differences between racing & DE.  There's no reason to do that in a DE. There's no reason to risk breaking your car  because there's nothing at stake.   Most of us do not view our cars as dispensable.  Most of us treat our cars like expensive jewelry, while folks in NASA and SCCA treat their cars as a tool used to accomplish an objective.  The objective has value, the tool has none. 

PCA Club racing is a bit different as most folks think the tool has value as well

Jack

 

Nicely stated.

[JIMK]

Talking about a learning experience! 

So what are the rules for DE weekend;

Could I have Todd take me for a ride in my car and show me what  a weeny I am about carrying speed in my car?

Jim

 

 

[bobt993]

Todd is an instructor and can ride with students, but I would not suggest having Todd show you how to pitch and catch your car.  Repeating the process would have disaster written all over it. hock:

Save that ride for when you can fully drift your car in any turn and drive well in the rain.  Once your that comfortable/confident with the car and your ability, ask an instructor such as Todd to help you work on corner speed.

[JIMK]

H@ll Bob, I don't want to try and BE Todd (this year) just a bit of tutoring is all I'm looking for right now. 

I guess that is the most frequent thing I hear from the right seat, "You CAN carry more speed than you are."   I've had rides in cars, but I think I need some time in MY right seat, seeing that the envelope is a lot larger that I use, to help me get to the next level.

Jim

[Tony356993]

Jim,

I agree with your theory. I made a great leap in progress when Christine Perot-Dougherty took me out in MY car at SP. She owned a 993 TT at the time and really understood my car. I could not believe the things she was doing with the car. It is one thing to experience the track in another car and a different thing to experience it in your car (as a spectator). I'm sure someone could lend a hand in the future.

[bobt993]

Jim,  I understand where your coming from.  Todd's style is to get the car "on edge" then balance it.   I know, because I have had some fun rides with him.  It is hard to that teach technic when there are some other fundamentals to work on.  That is why I suggest driving in the rain.  You can really feel the cars balance and rotation at a lower rate of speed.  The other nice addition is skid pad.  I think you will really enjoy using that as a "balancing" tool.  Shenandoah will be running skidpad for all participants.   944 is a great car and you are learning the best way to get faster, smoother.   With alot of HP, you can get away with fudging the turn and getting back on the gas at the exit.