Trackday report, Autometrics at Roebling


#1

You guys are missing the boat not attending the Autometrics days at Roebling nor the CMP trackdays at CMP. Autometrics runs either open track or 2 groups with different passing rules. And you can run both groups if you want. CMP often runs 3 groups and if you ask nice you can usually run with 2 of 3. It’s a lot of track time for your dollar.

SeatTime runs at Roebling too, and depending on how many folks are there, you can usually get in extra sessions with them also.

Autometrics was at Roebling Friday. I burned thru >30gals of gas. I couldn’t consistantly get 1:26’s, but I got a lot of them.

One thing that I worked on was trying to get on the gas earlier in turn 2. Skeen’s data shows him exiting turn 2 fast because he is able to get on the gas impossibly early in turn 2. So I tried to figure out how that might be done. I ended up moving my turn 2 turn-in point up about 10’ and apex a bit less so. Additionally, I tried to execute the turn-in from farther out towards the outside of the track, despite the icy spike of fear that caused.

I found that I could pull if off, but only if I could get the car to rotate a little too much in the first half of the turn. When it works, you really do exit out with a couple extra mph.

So I figured that I’d try the same thing in 5. Or 5b as some would call it. At one point I spun in 5b. I rotated as usual between 5a and 5b, and headed for the 5b apex with as much gas as I thought I could get away with. But then the rear kept rotating around. Not letting up on the gas I just turned into it a bit, expecting to catch it as usual. But it didn’t catch. Dang.

That’s when I figured out that the spin as caused by power-on oversteer. As a matter of fact, I suddenly realized that all of my many Roebling turn 5 spins have been not because of lack of throttle, but because of too much throttle. It wasn’t a matter of insufficient weight pressing down the rear. The problem was that I was accelerating too hard and asking for more grip than I had. Roebling’s my home track. I have an ass load of track days there. And I’m just now figuring this out? Dang.

So next time I’m going to experiement with a little less braking at turn 5a turn-in. That will get me into turn 5b with more speed and I’ll need less of my rear traction budget for throttle. Theoretically.

I’m generally the only SpecE30 that shows up for these events. You guys are missing a good time.


#2

I can barely afford our race weekends, much less schools at this point.

You make me wonder how much faster I could go if I worked as hard as you do at it.

Most of what I’m doing is simply by feel.

JP


#3

155MPH wrote:

[quote]I can barely afford our race weekends, much less schools at this point.

You make me wonder how much faster I could go if I worked as hard as you do at it.

Most of what I’m doing is simply by feel.

JP[/quote]

I think I’m not quite affording it. And that’s a problem.

JP, most of you have been doing this longer then I. Some, a lot longer. I’m just trying to catch up to y’alls skill level. At least to the general ballpark.
There’s a couple of folks that haven’t been doing this very long, but are really damn good. You know who you are. F++K you and your goddamned DNA.

This year the goal was to get decent at CMP and get started at RA. Decent means 2.5sec from you, Damion and Skeen, even if I can’t do it consistantly. Next year maybe 1.5sec at RR and CMP, and 2.5sec at RA.

In 2yrs maybe it will be time for a hobby change. Anyone know anything about ballet?

The important thing is that I never lose to TeddyM3. That would be just too much to bear.