Great Bunny Chase (Second Saturday Race at RRR)

#21

I’ve never been to Savannah. I’m watching old Skeen video, but could also use some commentary on what to do and when, if anyone cares to share.

#22

The people you want to talk to is Robert or Laura, they both love the track. :slight_smile:

#23

Without a doubt, love RRR. Thanks Brandon for the kind comments.

Record laps were set just after the repave. However, we have new tires and new talent, and I’m betting the laps will be faster this weekend if the temperature doesn’t creep up too much.

RRR advice: Less brakes, more throttle.

RP

#24

Turn 1 is faster than it looks. Take 1-2 as if it was a double-apex turn.

Manage the transition from 1-2 carefully because the more speed you start 2 with, the more speed you’ll carry to 3. Sliding off the track at turn 2 turn-in is common. 2 is a fair amount tighter than 1.

3 is faster than it looks, but in order to do it really fast you have to scare the crap out of yourself. If your hair isn’t standing straight up in terror, you left speed on the table. The faster you take 3, the longer it takes to get the car “unloaded” at the exit of 3. This compresses the turn 4 braking zone so as you approach 3 and are nerving yourself up to go into the turn w/o breathing off the throttle, be thinking how the hell you’re going to get the car unloaded soon enough that you’ll be able to brake for 4.

The outside of 3 is a little off camber, not so much at turn in and turn exit, but in the middle of the turn. As a result folks often stay a little inboard of what would be the school line.

4 is a throwaway turn.

There’s a number of ways to take 5. Many people refer to it as 5a and 5b and take it as a conventional double-apex turn. Like 1-2, you have to manage the turn 5b turn-in carefully so you can carry good speed to 6. A Roebling adage is “you can’t win a race at 5, but you can lose it”. That is to say if you get a really good 5 there isn’t much opportunity to make something of it before you are in 6. But it’s pretty easy to lose it in 5 by trying to carry too much speed thru the 5a-5b transition. Then everyone laughs at you as they go by your spinning dust cloud.

Everyone treats 6-7 as if it was 1 turn. It is a little off camber at turn in so folks often enter at mid-track.

The outside of 8 is a little off camber. People avoid the outside of 8 and turn in for 9 at about mid-track. As a result there’s marbles outboard of the line, so if the off-camber doesn’t get you, the marbles will.

Turn 9 is the most important turn. The inside of 9 has camber to be taken advantage of but it’s a little tricky because as you approach the turn you can’t make out the geometry of turn 9 exit. The pit entrance is also there so visually it makes it a little confusing.

The track pitches up slightly at turn 9 exit giving you additional traction. This means that you have to go into 9 at a speed that seems not survivable, and on a line that exploits geometry that you can’t see. If your plan works your line keeps you in nice camber and the pitch up brings some last minute traction that saves you. If your plan doesn’t work you’re in the grass.

The exit of 9 is somewhat perilous. A lot of cars have reached end of life against the pit wall. The problem is that the soil on the exit of 9 is soft and it has a tendency to throw cars back across the track into the wall. The trick is…if you go off on 9, make a determined effort to stay in the grass. It’s not enough to simply “not attempt to get back on the track”.

There’s lots of run-off room, so just stay in the grass. But, ah, don’t go behind the tower.

#25

I was able to get within .3 seconds of the track record on old RA1s earlier this year so I suspect a bunch of people will be below the times with the new tires.

#26

If anyone has links to good Skeen video, please post them up. Looking quickly through his video pages I only saw an IFU.

#27

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1s8fFt1xTo

#28

A couple of notes. I’ve run RR numerous times on “R” compound tires and have a couple of comments.

First, 4 is definitely not a throw away turn…use it to get a run into 5…note Skeen’s pass of the SM. You can also get to the outside of someone who is taking the defensive line and be on the inside in 5.

Second, RR has 9 turns, 8 of which are decreasing radius…plan accordingly.

Third…you will be on different tires. IMHO, you will be in different gears than Skeen. With more grip, you will have more corner speed so it looks like you will be between gears on every corner except 1 and 9. Therefore, you will have to maintain momentum to get off the corners or shift to 4th in the center of the corner.

Good racing!!

#29

Patton, count (3) Walsh, Scott and myself for dinner. We maybe late but plan on making it Friday.

#30

For what it is worth, just after the repave I had to start last, no qualifing/ bad gearbox. You can do the track using only 4th and 5th gears.

RP

#31

4th and 5th is what I use at the track. Best lap times have been 122.xxx since the repave. I expect slower next race.

#32

Thank you everyone for the comments, especially Ranger. I printed the comments and the map so I can review. I watched the video last night, so hopefully it will all come together. Looking forward to some fun.

#33

So is almost everyone flat through 3? Skeen didn’t sound like it. What about 8? Are you flat at the turn in at 8?

#34

You have to lift mid turn at every turn.

Seriously, Scott is a great guy for giving you the tips.

RP

#35

With “R” compounds you are flat from 6 to 1…however, you must work up to it (see Ranger’s missive on going off at 9)

3 is also generally flat but back up the corner (4) to get on the gas sooner.

#36

Turn 8/9 is one turn. Assuming nobody ahead of you is actually entering the pits, the race line seems to be 1/2 car width into pit lane. The car skitters over the early part of the gators separating the track and pit lane, four-wheel drifts gently to track out. If you are doing it right, you will just barely “buzz” on the exit curbing gators.

Turn 1 is 4th gear, turn 2 is 3rd. It gets a bit tricky because the car is loaded as you go through. If you scrubbed off too much in the braking zone, you will goose the throttle between 1 and 2, then dab the brakes grab 3rd and late apex out of there. If you get the braking zone right, you are barely on throttle, the car is sliding/slowing gently, and you blip for 3rd gear. If you overcook it and really need to brake for 2, well, just try to keep the car straight when you go off.

A sideways car loves to gently turn turtle in the Savannah sand.

3 is flat. At least that’s what that sumbitch Skeen was doing when he was “instructing” me. :laugh: