asian312
20+ Year Contributor
- 678
- 4
- Sep 23, 2002
-
Houston,
Texas
The weekend began in normal fashion with copious amounts of mass pandemonium and chaos. I'm getting better at packing the night before and thankfully all the track supplies were right where I left them after last month's outing. Due to a late meeting, I'm rushing home to throw everything in the car and meet up with returning track junkie Ciro and future addict Kirsten (wife). Featured in this event was Colin in the supercharged hamster with some fresh r-compounds (who knew you could fit 225 under a Miata?), Ciro in the black 1G with a fresh engine (see write up 04/21-22/07 – The Driver's Edge (Blue) @ TWS) and some alignment tweaks, Kirsten in the red 1G (mostly stock with light suspension work), Heather in her 350Z (that's my girl), and my girly 2G. Nothing major done to Skye other than a scheduled oil/filter change and some rerouting of vacuum lines. After this point things are much a blur and I would like to mention the body doesn't function very well on 3 hours of sleep. Adrenaline can only do so much.
We pick up Sat morning as we roll through the main tunnels of TWS and secure a choice spot to setup shop along the front straight fence line. Up goes the EZup and on go the numbers. Driver's meeting begins at a brisk 7:30am and the mass gathered in front of the fuel pumps are flocking like zombies (well maybe just a few of us). After completing my first weekend in the yellow run group as a solo student, this weekend had one goal in mind...go faster! But this was a different type of go faster as that has always played a role in every weekend. In Green it was to learn the basics (safety first), learn the classic line & techniques, predictability, and getting to terms with traffic. Blue was a refining stage. Still under the guidance of my instructors I would do as asked without question (hell, I didn't know if it was right or wrong). As I was told in my yellow class, 'there are an infinite number of lines to a track, but you can only find your line once you've driven them all'. I had instructors that showed me different AWD techniques, instructors that showed me the momentum line, and instructors that taught me how to dissect a corner, and so forth. But the one thing I always got from every weekend was knowledge. I learned as much from someone who specialized in AWD cars as someone who drove a FWD. What my car can do, what my car doesn't like to do, how to approach different types of corners, how the car will react due to this input, etc. It's this accumulation of data stored in my wet noodle that made this weekend click. The key is to keep an open mind and understand that there is something to gain from even the most frustrating of weekends.
Where was I? Oh yeah, getting faster. Truth be told this would be the first weekend that going faster was determined by a quantifiable number. You see, I have a friend that I'll be back tracking with next month with TDE and he's gotten quicker...a lot quicker. A lap around TWS for him in his stock S2K is some where in the 2.06 region. Not only that, but a lot of the S2KCA members have now moved into Yellow and I can't let Skye down. Driver is still the limiting factor. Therefore the goal for this weekend was a 2.10 lap time. Aiding me in my quest to find 9 seconds was a nifty data acquisition gadget called Traqmate.
Sat. sessions began with a nice warm up and a couple of reconnaissance laps. It immediately felt more comfortable in the yellow run group and I wasn't so keen to just lift off the gas to let people pass. My speed was picking with the extra confidence and I started the day some solid times in the high 2.16 range. I picked up where I last left off working with entry in to turn 1, turn 6, and figuring out a new line into turn 13. The goal was to work my way up to taking the dive off the front straight without a lift or brake check. Turn 6 still didn't feel right as the entry was sluggish even in 3rd gear. And turn 13 was starting to come to me as I adapted some trail braking to the mix. On the third lap of the second session I met my next obstacle...fuel starvation. Happening first in corners 3 and 4, and popping up again in corner 10; I wasn't even able to baby her through the corner. Some say I'm too aggressive on the wheel others were blaming the fuel pump, but the truth is that the car just plain sticks to the pavement. Putting those 255s to work has shown a chink in the GSX's armor. Oh, and in case you're wondering, they are all right hand turns. Prior to this weekend I could run two sessions before having to top off on fuel. This weekends calculations showed me using just over four gallons of fuel per session which would inevitably cause fuel cut during the second or third lap of the next (and lead to a nice fuel bill). This meant filling up every session to keep the tank topped off. Grrr.
As we crept into the second half of Sat. lunch and sleep deprivation began to take their toll. I was on top of keeping hydrated, but it was hard to get fired up for the third session. A quick splash of ice water got the senses back in check and I suited up. This yellow group was constructed a bit differently with a little more variance in cars. We had four SVT Cobras, a Subbie, a Miata, a Vette, and a 350Z mixed in with all the Porsches; roughly 35 cars in total. I lined up behind the Z in my group and we hustled out onto the track. As we wrapped around turn 13 the double yellows dropped and we were off rocketing down the front straight. The Z pulled away on the straight and the older 911 behind me had created a nice buffer behind me. As we get into turn 1 and 2 the Z is a little squirrelly and I back off a bit expecting a passing signal. None to be found, I was going to have to earn it. I latched onto his rear poking my nose off to the driver's side just to let him know I was still there as we entered onto the back straight. Still no pass as he just laid on the loud pedal and ran away. On the exit of 7 I charged up again and waited for my next opportunity. As we came through the 'carousel' I finally got my point by, followed by a blast of exhaust note from the Z. As hard as I tried I could only pull up to his rear bumper and had to wave off the pass. I would make it by on the front straight, but now my buffer was gone and had to deal with the stack of traffic that had built up behind me. Or so I thought. Seems the Z wasn't to keen on letting people by and on my next time around I had a healthy six or seven second buffer. That session was great as I was keeping pace with the majority of cars and actually managed to pass a few. One notable one was the Miata on the front straight who had to lift to let me by. This threw some flags that the Traqmate would confirm later. All in all a good run and my lap time tumbled into the 2:15 range.
As Sat. came to a close there was one last thing to attend to. It had been a year since I last rode with Chuck in his white 3000GT and I think it's been over due for a refresher. We rode together in Sept, but I wanted to get a different vantage point this time around, the passenger seat. Chuck was also keen to let me setup the Traqmate and collect some data. As we circled the track I picked up a lot of pointers where I had forgotten different reference marks, approach angles, and braking points. Turn one was the same as we drove past the chain link fence by about a car length before turning down, flat out. Instead of lining up the outside of the blend line and the radio tower in the distance, Chuck orientated himself on the inside of the blend line along the left track edge and the tower. I would later be told, 'You paid to use the whole track, so use it.' This of course only applies to if no traffic is coming out of the hot pits. This increased the brake zone and decreased the distance we covered. After the brake zone we aligned ourselves along the right track edge for turn 2. Again a little difference in approach angle made all the difference. If you drove to the yellow marker on the pavement your nose would be pointed away from the apex. If you tracked out early and followed the right track edge to the yellow box your nose was pointed inward towards the apex. This meant being able to get on the power much sooner as you did more rotation during the entry. Chuck uses a deep brake into 3 not using the binders until after the bump. Turn 4 and 5 remained the same, but again in turn 6, the approach made all the difference. Driving to the 'bushy' tree really worked and Chuck scared me a couple of times as I was sure we were going to fall right off (well that's what it looked like from the passenger seat). As you follow along the right track edge your turn in point is a dirt road that intersects the track. This of course is a bit dusty in this part of the corner and Chuck uses every inch of track. I could feel the right side tires slip a bit and grab again shooting us down into 6. Chuck's entry into turn 7 is a bit later than mine, but he's able to turn in flat out. Through 8 we no longer track all the way out to the right edge, but instead use the 'motorcycle' line as Chuck explained. Instead we are within a one car width of the left track edge and drive into the corner. Right in the apex there is a change in track surface which is extremely grippy; that is my new brake zone. The car hurls me forward suspending me from the stock 3 point harness and rotates right at the apex. You can tell Chuck's done this a time or two as the speed is just right to settle the car for 9. Coming out of 9 he shows me a little extra room I can use to point the nose of the car more towards the apex of 10. This comes from the corners of the short track that joins between 3-4 and 9-10. We cross over the hump before doing any serious braking for the 'carousel'. I had been braking before this hump which caused me to have to coast into 10. 11 and 12 were the same, but the entrance into 13 again changed to something similar to the entry into 8. We take a much narrower approach, and use the brakes to rotate the car in a very short distance. The theory is we have to scrub this speed anyways for 14 and 15, why travel all the extra distance? That would be the crucial turning point for me that weekend. I thanked Chuck for the ride and he reminded me one very important thing. This is a hobby and to keep on having fun.
That night we were all torn. The day had sapped all the energy out and we were all tucked up nice and cozy in bed by 10:00pm. Before I went to sleep though, I wanted to take a good look at the differences between Chuck's and my line. Using Traqmate I split the corners up into their appropriate sectors and began analyzing. Through turns 1-2, 6, and 13-15, Chuck was gaining second or more in just those corners. I went to sleep knowing where I could improve and called it a night.
Beep...Beep...Beep...fumble...slap...click...ZZZZzzzzz.........OH bleep we're late!
Yeah it was one of those mornings. After a very non-invigorating driver's meeting Ciro, Colin, and I started the process of fueling up the cars. As a side note, Ciro and I deserve extra brownie points for being good a husband/boyfriend. It's a nice cool morning, not as cold as Sat. and the sun was radiating a nice warm shine on the cars. Ran through the normal routine of cleaning the windshield, checking tire pressures, lug nuts, and then I remembered I needed to check my brakes. Prior to the event I wasn't sure if there was enough pad left for the entire weekend, so I brought along my street pads to torture just incase. To my surprise, the pads had barely worn down despite the massive amounts of brake dust that covered the Kosei T1s. Porterfield R4-Es FTW! I thought to myself, 'Hell maybe I'll just give those new brake zones a shot,' as I watched the yellow run group begin to grid. One last wipe down of my visor and I line up once again behind my favorite car...the Z. I was fired up, had the new line down in my head, and cranked up some Linkin Park for good measure.
We finally get the signal to leave grid and I'm glued to the Zs rear. As I give the steering wheel a few good turns of opposite lock to check the tires and car's balance, I knew I couldn't spend this session stuck behind him. The first lap of every session is under double yellows, so there is not passing, but the Z and I are already off to the races. I'm pushing him through corners and using some early and heavy braking to build up the heat. Team 1 consists of the faster cars, so there is no traffic holding us back. I use this warm up lap to find my new line and identify new brake zones and reference points. As the two of us come out of 12 I back off a bit to give myself some room to run up on him. We approach the 13, 14, 15 complex and I nail it. Down the front straight our speed differential was somewhere in the 5-10mph range. I was closing fast, but no point by. As we make it to the start finish line, it's apparent that he's not going to let me by and the Z's power is now negating my entry speed advantage. He pulls away slowly and I move up the banking to my high line. As we drop into turn 1 he brakes before the transition down almost causing me to have to abort my turn all together. He recovers the rear, but I dump my speed and turbo falls flat in 4th through turn 2. I play catch up through 3 and 4 and prepare for my next chance on the back straight. I track wide as Chuck had shown me many times before (it just never clicked) and I was running him down. This time there was not enough straight for him to speed away and I force the issue pulling right up to his rear bumper filling his driver's side mirror. I get a mid straight pass and I take it. I'm hustling into 7 but I'm offline, way off line. I'm entering low and I stomp on the brakes hoping that he remembers to leave me some room. I sweep into the apex and track out on faith. The tires hold, the cars still on track, and I slot in right in front of the Z. Whew! Back in the game I dive into 8 and use my newly found piece of tarmac. Once again the brakes abide without any complaints and the rear slides neatly behind. I use the extra bit of room after 9 and into 10 and I'm holding the pedal down. Where's the bump, where's the bump. I feel the nose begin to lift and I begin my shift into 3rd. As I crest the bump I'm on the brakes and let the clutch out. The car settles on all fours and I slides a few inches before the traction resumes. Wow, I'm already half way through the 'carousel'! Back on maintenance throttle and full power before turn 11. A quick flick of the wheel (don't remember if I lifted or not) and I'm tracking out to the NASCAR tree. I repeat my line through 13, 14, and 15 and I'm rocketing back on the front straight. With clear traffic ahead I squeeze in another lap before seeing a standing black in corner 10. No sooner as I look forward up the track I see a queue of cars making their way into the hot pit. One of the Cobras sat motionless by corner 13. Bummer it was just getting good.
As we line up in the hot pits I take a glance at the Traqmate. What happened next could only be described as a full on rock concert mixed with the sensation of shooting the winning penalty shot of the World Cup. I dropped two seconds on that session netting a 2.14. I was so elated with the improvements that visions of F1 and Koni Challenge drives began to dance in my head. This was just the kind of news I wanted to see. IT was short lived as Bob's whistle breaks my celebration and knocks me off cloud nine. I fire Skye up and we're released. Up ahead is my friend Adrienne in her 911. We've talked through out the weekend and have run somewhat similar lap times. As the pack spreads out, we clear traffic and I make it a point to try and keep up. We set into a nice rhythm and the session seems almost effortless. Turning a 2.12.981 lap time didn't hurt either.
With a 2.12 under the belt I was sure for certain I could attain a 2:10. But as Murphy's law states, 'Anything that can go wrong, will, and usually at the most inopportune moment.' It wasn't anything major. The second session I went out to grab some gas. Forgot my credit card at the track and didn't have enough time to make another fuel run. Third session was good, nothing spectacular and managed to work on the line a bit. Forth session I was in class, got out, and realized once again I needed fuel. With the yellow flag waving in the wind, I bit my tongue and paid the $4 a gallon for 93. I wasn't going to let $16 keep me from the track. It was a worth while investment as the field of cars shrunk to about half its original size. There was one addition to the yellow run group. Colin's Miata had poked its head out of blue to come terrorize me. Knowing he was faster, I let him in front and took my place behind him. That boy can plain drive. My third session was a little off as the tire pressures weren't quite right and I was busy over cooking the corners and AWDrifting turns 8 and 13. This last run however was a glorious way to end the day. The primary goal was to bring the car home in one piece. It's something that is high on the priority list of every session, but the last session has the highest probability of stupid mistakes. People are tired, running out of talent, pushing to hard, or a combination. I find a nice comfortable pace and concentrate on smoothing out my driving line. I didn't have the Traqmate on board, but the session did feel reminiscent to the first and Skye reminded me that toughing it out was worth the wait.
To sum up the weekend I learned how powerful a tool data acquisition can be and discovered yet another new line to a track was just beginning to feel familiar. It's still my personal belief that green and blue is still to soon to be looking at hard numbers, but to each their own. I know I was down on power as the front straight speeds only indicated 111mph compared to last month's 118mph. But yet despite that, I managed to shave a healthy 6+ seconds from my lap times. There is a serious need to add a 5 gallon fuel jug to the equipment list until I can get with FIST on revising my fuel tank. But not bad with all things considered. I finally got the thumbs up from Colin on abusing my tires and everyone made their way home under their own power. Bring on those S2Ks....I ain't skeered.
We pick up Sat morning as we roll through the main tunnels of TWS and secure a choice spot to setup shop along the front straight fence line. Up goes the EZup and on go the numbers. Driver's meeting begins at a brisk 7:30am and the mass gathered in front of the fuel pumps are flocking like zombies (well maybe just a few of us). After completing my first weekend in the yellow run group as a solo student, this weekend had one goal in mind...go faster! But this was a different type of go faster as that has always played a role in every weekend. In Green it was to learn the basics (safety first), learn the classic line & techniques, predictability, and getting to terms with traffic. Blue was a refining stage. Still under the guidance of my instructors I would do as asked without question (hell, I didn't know if it was right or wrong). As I was told in my yellow class, 'there are an infinite number of lines to a track, but you can only find your line once you've driven them all'. I had instructors that showed me different AWD techniques, instructors that showed me the momentum line, and instructors that taught me how to dissect a corner, and so forth. But the one thing I always got from every weekend was knowledge. I learned as much from someone who specialized in AWD cars as someone who drove a FWD. What my car can do, what my car doesn't like to do, how to approach different types of corners, how the car will react due to this input, etc. It's this accumulation of data stored in my wet noodle that made this weekend click. The key is to keep an open mind and understand that there is something to gain from even the most frustrating of weekends.
Where was I? Oh yeah, getting faster. Truth be told this would be the first weekend that going faster was determined by a quantifiable number. You see, I have a friend that I'll be back tracking with next month with TDE and he's gotten quicker...a lot quicker. A lap around TWS for him in his stock S2K is some where in the 2.06 region. Not only that, but a lot of the S2KCA members have now moved into Yellow and I can't let Skye down. Driver is still the limiting factor. Therefore the goal for this weekend was a 2.10 lap time. Aiding me in my quest to find 9 seconds was a nifty data acquisition gadget called Traqmate.
Sat. sessions began with a nice warm up and a couple of reconnaissance laps. It immediately felt more comfortable in the yellow run group and I wasn't so keen to just lift off the gas to let people pass. My speed was picking with the extra confidence and I started the day some solid times in the high 2.16 range. I picked up where I last left off working with entry in to turn 1, turn 6, and figuring out a new line into turn 13. The goal was to work my way up to taking the dive off the front straight without a lift or brake check. Turn 6 still didn't feel right as the entry was sluggish even in 3rd gear. And turn 13 was starting to come to me as I adapted some trail braking to the mix. On the third lap of the second session I met my next obstacle...fuel starvation. Happening first in corners 3 and 4, and popping up again in corner 10; I wasn't even able to baby her through the corner. Some say I'm too aggressive on the wheel others were blaming the fuel pump, but the truth is that the car just plain sticks to the pavement. Putting those 255s to work has shown a chink in the GSX's armor. Oh, and in case you're wondering, they are all right hand turns. Prior to this weekend I could run two sessions before having to top off on fuel. This weekends calculations showed me using just over four gallons of fuel per session which would inevitably cause fuel cut during the second or third lap of the next (and lead to a nice fuel bill). This meant filling up every session to keep the tank topped off. Grrr.
As we crept into the second half of Sat. lunch and sleep deprivation began to take their toll. I was on top of keeping hydrated, but it was hard to get fired up for the third session. A quick splash of ice water got the senses back in check and I suited up. This yellow group was constructed a bit differently with a little more variance in cars. We had four SVT Cobras, a Subbie, a Miata, a Vette, and a 350Z mixed in with all the Porsches; roughly 35 cars in total. I lined up behind the Z in my group and we hustled out onto the track. As we wrapped around turn 13 the double yellows dropped and we were off rocketing down the front straight. The Z pulled away on the straight and the older 911 behind me had created a nice buffer behind me. As we get into turn 1 and 2 the Z is a little squirrelly and I back off a bit expecting a passing signal. None to be found, I was going to have to earn it. I latched onto his rear poking my nose off to the driver's side just to let him know I was still there as we entered onto the back straight. Still no pass as he just laid on the loud pedal and ran away. On the exit of 7 I charged up again and waited for my next opportunity. As we came through the 'carousel' I finally got my point by, followed by a blast of exhaust note from the Z. As hard as I tried I could only pull up to his rear bumper and had to wave off the pass. I would make it by on the front straight, but now my buffer was gone and had to deal with the stack of traffic that had built up behind me. Or so I thought. Seems the Z wasn't to keen on letting people by and on my next time around I had a healthy six or seven second buffer. That session was great as I was keeping pace with the majority of cars and actually managed to pass a few. One notable one was the Miata on the front straight who had to lift to let me by. This threw some flags that the Traqmate would confirm later. All in all a good run and my lap time tumbled into the 2:15 range.
As Sat. came to a close there was one last thing to attend to. It had been a year since I last rode with Chuck in his white 3000GT and I think it's been over due for a refresher. We rode together in Sept, but I wanted to get a different vantage point this time around, the passenger seat. Chuck was also keen to let me setup the Traqmate and collect some data. As we circled the track I picked up a lot of pointers where I had forgotten different reference marks, approach angles, and braking points. Turn one was the same as we drove past the chain link fence by about a car length before turning down, flat out. Instead of lining up the outside of the blend line and the radio tower in the distance, Chuck orientated himself on the inside of the blend line along the left track edge and the tower. I would later be told, 'You paid to use the whole track, so use it.' This of course only applies to if no traffic is coming out of the hot pits. This increased the brake zone and decreased the distance we covered. After the brake zone we aligned ourselves along the right track edge for turn 2. Again a little difference in approach angle made all the difference. If you drove to the yellow marker on the pavement your nose would be pointed away from the apex. If you tracked out early and followed the right track edge to the yellow box your nose was pointed inward towards the apex. This meant being able to get on the power much sooner as you did more rotation during the entry. Chuck uses a deep brake into 3 not using the binders until after the bump. Turn 4 and 5 remained the same, but again in turn 6, the approach made all the difference. Driving to the 'bushy' tree really worked and Chuck scared me a couple of times as I was sure we were going to fall right off (well that's what it looked like from the passenger seat). As you follow along the right track edge your turn in point is a dirt road that intersects the track. This of course is a bit dusty in this part of the corner and Chuck uses every inch of track. I could feel the right side tires slip a bit and grab again shooting us down into 6. Chuck's entry into turn 7 is a bit later than mine, but he's able to turn in flat out. Through 8 we no longer track all the way out to the right edge, but instead use the 'motorcycle' line as Chuck explained. Instead we are within a one car width of the left track edge and drive into the corner. Right in the apex there is a change in track surface which is extremely grippy; that is my new brake zone. The car hurls me forward suspending me from the stock 3 point harness and rotates right at the apex. You can tell Chuck's done this a time or two as the speed is just right to settle the car for 9. Coming out of 9 he shows me a little extra room I can use to point the nose of the car more towards the apex of 10. This comes from the corners of the short track that joins between 3-4 and 9-10. We cross over the hump before doing any serious braking for the 'carousel'. I had been braking before this hump which caused me to have to coast into 10. 11 and 12 were the same, but the entrance into 13 again changed to something similar to the entry into 8. We take a much narrower approach, and use the brakes to rotate the car in a very short distance. The theory is we have to scrub this speed anyways for 14 and 15, why travel all the extra distance? That would be the crucial turning point for me that weekend. I thanked Chuck for the ride and he reminded me one very important thing. This is a hobby and to keep on having fun.
That night we were all torn. The day had sapped all the energy out and we were all tucked up nice and cozy in bed by 10:00pm. Before I went to sleep though, I wanted to take a good look at the differences between Chuck's and my line. Using Traqmate I split the corners up into their appropriate sectors and began analyzing. Through turns 1-2, 6, and 13-15, Chuck was gaining second or more in just those corners. I went to sleep knowing where I could improve and called it a night.
Beep...Beep...Beep...fumble...slap...click...ZZZZzzzzz.........OH bleep we're late!
Yeah it was one of those mornings. After a very non-invigorating driver's meeting Ciro, Colin, and I started the process of fueling up the cars. As a side note, Ciro and I deserve extra brownie points for being good a husband/boyfriend. It's a nice cool morning, not as cold as Sat. and the sun was radiating a nice warm shine on the cars. Ran through the normal routine of cleaning the windshield, checking tire pressures, lug nuts, and then I remembered I needed to check my brakes. Prior to the event I wasn't sure if there was enough pad left for the entire weekend, so I brought along my street pads to torture just incase. To my surprise, the pads had barely worn down despite the massive amounts of brake dust that covered the Kosei T1s. Porterfield R4-Es FTW! I thought to myself, 'Hell maybe I'll just give those new brake zones a shot,' as I watched the yellow run group begin to grid. One last wipe down of my visor and I line up once again behind my favorite car...the Z. I was fired up, had the new line down in my head, and cranked up some Linkin Park for good measure.
We finally get the signal to leave grid and I'm glued to the Zs rear. As I give the steering wheel a few good turns of opposite lock to check the tires and car's balance, I knew I couldn't spend this session stuck behind him. The first lap of every session is under double yellows, so there is not passing, but the Z and I are already off to the races. I'm pushing him through corners and using some early and heavy braking to build up the heat. Team 1 consists of the faster cars, so there is no traffic holding us back. I use this warm up lap to find my new line and identify new brake zones and reference points. As the two of us come out of 12 I back off a bit to give myself some room to run up on him. We approach the 13, 14, 15 complex and I nail it. Down the front straight our speed differential was somewhere in the 5-10mph range. I was closing fast, but no point by. As we make it to the start finish line, it's apparent that he's not going to let me by and the Z's power is now negating my entry speed advantage. He pulls away slowly and I move up the banking to my high line. As we drop into turn 1 he brakes before the transition down almost causing me to have to abort my turn all together. He recovers the rear, but I dump my speed and turbo falls flat in 4th through turn 2. I play catch up through 3 and 4 and prepare for my next chance on the back straight. I track wide as Chuck had shown me many times before (it just never clicked) and I was running him down. This time there was not enough straight for him to speed away and I force the issue pulling right up to his rear bumper filling his driver's side mirror. I get a mid straight pass and I take it. I'm hustling into 7 but I'm offline, way off line. I'm entering low and I stomp on the brakes hoping that he remembers to leave me some room. I sweep into the apex and track out on faith. The tires hold, the cars still on track, and I slot in right in front of the Z. Whew! Back in the game I dive into 8 and use my newly found piece of tarmac. Once again the brakes abide without any complaints and the rear slides neatly behind. I use the extra bit of room after 9 and into 10 and I'm holding the pedal down. Where's the bump, where's the bump. I feel the nose begin to lift and I begin my shift into 3rd. As I crest the bump I'm on the brakes and let the clutch out. The car settles on all fours and I slides a few inches before the traction resumes. Wow, I'm already half way through the 'carousel'! Back on maintenance throttle and full power before turn 11. A quick flick of the wheel (don't remember if I lifted or not) and I'm tracking out to the NASCAR tree. I repeat my line through 13, 14, and 15 and I'm rocketing back on the front straight. With clear traffic ahead I squeeze in another lap before seeing a standing black in corner 10. No sooner as I look forward up the track I see a queue of cars making their way into the hot pit. One of the Cobras sat motionless by corner 13. Bummer it was just getting good.
As we line up in the hot pits I take a glance at the Traqmate. What happened next could only be described as a full on rock concert mixed with the sensation of shooting the winning penalty shot of the World Cup. I dropped two seconds on that session netting a 2.14. I was so elated with the improvements that visions of F1 and Koni Challenge drives began to dance in my head. This was just the kind of news I wanted to see. IT was short lived as Bob's whistle breaks my celebration and knocks me off cloud nine. I fire Skye up and we're released. Up ahead is my friend Adrienne in her 911. We've talked through out the weekend and have run somewhat similar lap times. As the pack spreads out, we clear traffic and I make it a point to try and keep up. We set into a nice rhythm and the session seems almost effortless. Turning a 2.12.981 lap time didn't hurt either.
With a 2.12 under the belt I was sure for certain I could attain a 2:10. But as Murphy's law states, 'Anything that can go wrong, will, and usually at the most inopportune moment.' It wasn't anything major. The second session I went out to grab some gas. Forgot my credit card at the track and didn't have enough time to make another fuel run. Third session was good, nothing spectacular and managed to work on the line a bit. Forth session I was in class, got out, and realized once again I needed fuel. With the yellow flag waving in the wind, I bit my tongue and paid the $4 a gallon for 93. I wasn't going to let $16 keep me from the track. It was a worth while investment as the field of cars shrunk to about half its original size. There was one addition to the yellow run group. Colin's Miata had poked its head out of blue to come terrorize me. Knowing he was faster, I let him in front and took my place behind him. That boy can plain drive. My third session was a little off as the tire pressures weren't quite right and I was busy over cooking the corners and AWDrifting turns 8 and 13. This last run however was a glorious way to end the day. The primary goal was to bring the car home in one piece. It's something that is high on the priority list of every session, but the last session has the highest probability of stupid mistakes. People are tired, running out of talent, pushing to hard, or a combination. I find a nice comfortable pace and concentrate on smoothing out my driving line. I didn't have the Traqmate on board, but the session did feel reminiscent to the first and Skye reminded me that toughing it out was worth the wait.
To sum up the weekend I learned how powerful a tool data acquisition can be and discovered yet another new line to a track was just beginning to feel familiar. It's still my personal belief that green and blue is still to soon to be looking at hard numbers, but to each their own. I know I was down on power as the front straight speeds only indicated 111mph compared to last month's 118mph. But yet despite that, I managed to shave a healthy 6+ seconds from my lap times. There is a serious need to add a 5 gallon fuel jug to the equipment list until I can get with FIST on revising my fuel tank. But not bad with all things considered. I finally got the thumbs up from Colin on abusing my tires and everyone made their way home under their own power. Bring on those S2Ks....I ain't skeered.
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Telling ya, slap on a smaller turbo that's more suited for you and your times will tumble. Beat them in the corners!
