Which track is better for a new driver?

[Phokaioglaukos]

For those of you who have driven both tracks, which do you think would be better for a novice driver's first DE? Thunderbolt or Lightning?

[Brian Minkin]

Having instructed on both tracks I found Lightning to be easier to teach on.  The Octopus on thunderbolt was difficult for my student to do anything more then drive very slowly around as it required trailbraking to enter at any sort of speed and a great deal of throttle modulation to maintain speed.

[Bill Lehman]

I agree that Lightning is easier to learn for the reason previously stated about the entry into Octopus.  Also Lightning is simpler with only 8 turns as opposed to Thunderbolt's 14 by some counts. 

[ccm911]

The real answer....whichever track is available on which to drive.

[dmano]

Sorry but they both suck

[Bill Lehman]

I have driven on most of the tracks in the Central and Northeast US.  I like both of the NJMS tracks.  IMHO both are better then Summit Point, Lime Rock,  Pocono, and Nelson Ledges.  However, both NJMS tracks have issues with pit out and Thunderbolt with pit in.  

[John_Janick]

dmano wrote:

Sorry but they both suck

For new drivers, or just in general?

[Darren]

Don't listen to Dave, he hates everything.  I thought Thunderbolt was fun.

[Darren]

Brian Minkin wrote:

Having instructed on both tracks I found Lightning to be easier to teach on. The Octopus on thunderbolt was difficult for my student to do anything more then drive very slowly around as it required trailbraking to enter at any sort of speed and a great deal of throttle modulation to maintain speed.

I donno...where are you having them modulate throttle? Going into the Octopus is easy to teach, you look all the way torwards at the end at the tire wall and like magic you take the right line. It's basically flat out.

The Carousel turn that follows is a great DE turn.

[Brian Minkin]

Darren,

I do not think that we are referring to the same turn as the Octopus.  I am referring to the turn before the carousel which i suppose you are calling the end of the Octopus.  Need to rotate the car there and once the car is pointed in the correct direction it seems to get lose from a surface change if you give it to much throttle.