Went lapping today..

Quick_lude · 10-13-2002, 09:29 PM

Went lapping today at the Mosport Driver Development track near Bowmanville, Canada. It's been a while and every time I go the rush, thrill and experience blows me away.. :D I'm dead tired but loving it. :D Day started off with fog and rain but by noon it was sunny, dry and cold. Here are some pics from the event, first link shot by me, the other by a friend of mine.
http://public.fotki.com/Jarek_s/gene..._-_molson_ddt/
http://www.simion.ca/tpc_mosport/index.htm

Yours truly..

It doesn't get much better than this..

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Jerome81 · 10-14-2002, 02:22 AM

Looks like a lot of fun.

I've done an autocross before, and had an absolute blast. That was in a parking lot. How much more fun is it to go to a road course like that? For some reason, I would think it would put an even bigger smile on my face than the parking lot would.

Please, don't include oval track experiences. Oval racing is not real racing, at least in my eye

Quick_lude · 10-14-2002, 10:06 AM

Auto-x is fun.. but nothing compares to a road course imo. I strongly suggest for newbies to take a track course with in car instructors. It helps very much. After that it's all a matter of track time and practice. Very fun. Accelerating, braking for corners, hitting the apex, heel and toe shifts.. Straight speeds of almost 200km/hr.. then hard break to 2nd gear and turn at 70km/hr.. Lapping has become quite popular here in the area.. and with no too many tracks available, weekend track time is scarce.

Sputnik · 10-14-2002, 01:41 PM

Autocrossing is to lapping events, as bumper cars are to roller coasters.

Autocrossing is to lapping events, as mini-putt is to a par 72 course.

Autocrossing is to lapping events, as a "fun size" Snickers bar is to a "king size" Snickers bar.

Sure, a quick autocross is fun, but in the best situations, you are hanging around all day for ten runs at the MOST. And those runs are normally separated by enough time that it is difficult to mentally compare runs to try and figure out where to improve yourself. You get better at it after awhile, but it is difficult.

Meanwhile, a day at a regular lapping event will get you four sessions of being at the wheel for 20 minutes at a time. You get alot more consistent seat time, which helps you improve at a faster rate (assuming that you approach it with a decent learning attitude). Personally, the best part is that you get to be in the car for 20 constant minutes, instead of just one (maybe two minutes if you're lucky enough to be in an area that will allow very long courses).

I'm not knocking autocrosses. They are fun, and they don't put muich stress on the car, unlike a road course. You have to have your car in good condition to run on a road course w/o failing, and sometimes, you have to upgrade items so that it can survive a hard road course run. But for some of us who are into it, it's very well worth it.

---jps

Jerome81 · 10-14-2002, 03:32 PM

When you say it is hard on your car, what exactly are you talking about?

My autocross runs were what I would consider to be 'hard' driving. There were some expansion areas and cracks on the concrete that sent a few jars through the RSX steering column.

On the other hand, almost every road track i've seen looks to have nice, smooth pavement. Besides the tires, how does it beat up your car more?

I generally keep my cars a long time, as in 8 years. Would road course racing make my car get 'older' noticably faster?

Gotta try it sometime though!!

Quick_lude · 10-14-2002, 04:04 PM

Lapping on a road course is very hard on all the major components, especially if you are driving at "***** to the wall" :D Engine is always at high rpm, full throttle. The brake system is taxed heavily with constant stops from 100km/hr and beyond. Tires are getting worn down, especially if it's a soft compound. Unless you are an experienced driver, your clutch WILL burn during missed heel and toe downshifts.

If you would like to test this out, go on an empty back road, accelerate to 130km/hr, jam the brakes and slow down to 50km/hr while heel and toeing to 2nd gear, then go full throttle up to 130kh/hr.. Keep doing that for about 20min and you only get half the idea because you're on a straight. Lapping is the hardest thing you will put your car through.

Sputnik · 10-14-2002, 06:58 PM

Yeah, it's about how hard your car is working to get you around the track.

Running on a road course will put wear and tear on your car. Depending on how often you run, you will have to advance maintenance cycles (timing belt changes, brake rotor changes, wire/plug changes, you name it). Unless you cruise around the course, you will also have to make sure that you have tires that can handle the stress, and you normally have to upgrade brake pads and other things. You will normally have to use high quality oil, tranny fluid, brake fluid, and make sure that the coolant is up to the task. And depending on the car, you might have to upgrade things like the radiator, and even add an oil cooler.

If maintained well, the car isn't going to fall apart on you in a matter of years, and the amount of upgrading that you do to help the car "survive" will make a difference.

---jps