Thanks lego!

 

Another FD signed up and posted on the RX7club site as well.

Tim

 

I am siked about this event. The more I think about it, the more I can't sleep. Thank goodness, TGPR is right around the corner.

Can't sleep......must work on lines....

 

My last time at RA I was lapping in the 1:55 - 1:56s. That felt fast as hell. The T2 RX8 at the ARCC qualified with a 1:42+ with light suspension mods and 225/45/17 Hoosier tires (no power added). That means there is lots of room for improvement for me. Charlie ran a 1:48+ there in Decemeber on street tires. I think my major area of improvement at RA will come from handling turn 1-3 better. However, I really don't care what my lap time is there. I just want to learn how to best drive my car and keep it safe. I am very very excited. I go into my garage at night and check my oil, check tire pressures, caress the Toyos, organize my tools. I need track!

 

TA-- I have a trick about Turn 1-3 on RA. Works for HPDE days --may not work in a real race.
Olddragger

 

there is also a thing about turn 6 and 7 I will share with you. I always thought turn 6 was a 3nd gear power through turn(feels great doing that doesnt it?) but it is actually faster by NOT downshifting. Stay in 4th brake later,go in faster and gradual 4th gear power keeping it smooth until the worrisome turn 7. Seems 3nd gear power through turn 6 unsettles the chassis too much and you cant recover fast enough to make a good approach and turn in on number 7. Turn in on number 7 is critical. Also the apex in number 7 is ,you could say, the outer thread of your r front tire should be on the dirt. It is NOT as late an apex as I was thinking before. If you are not out of 3nd gear by the time you start up that little hill after turn 7 then you are doing something wrong.
Ah hem--Got to say this--I OWN turn 2 through 5 (driving my car). I am very comfortable there and I gain a LOT of ground on the cars ahead of me there. Therefore I have got to be very careful in that part of the track. But it is right now the only place that I feel i can be on the edge a little.
Damn March is a LONG way off. Cant wait too show you guys what I have been up to.
olddragger
ps have a LOT of good--safe fun this w/e and bring us the track stories!

 

It's the weekend after this one.

 

Stories, I can't wait for experiences....

 

I'm going to have to focus on certain parts of the track to see where I need to work on. I LOVE turn 1 through 5. There are few experiences as thrilling as the esses at WOT. You do catch up to a lot of people from turn 1 through 3. That quick brake before the right hand side rumble strip which you almost go half way into the dirt for. Then WOT all the way through to the brakes before turn 5. The RX-8 can catch a lot of ground on folks if turn 5 is done right since our suspension let's us power through the turn going up. Such a wonderful feeling!!!

 

I have fond memories of watching lego go through turn 1 in 4th gear with the wheels squeeling and his eyes about to pop out of his head!

 

it was Lego that finally gave me the confidance to go through turn 1 faster.
olddragger

 

if you have had the clairvoyance to look at the speedo in turn 1, how fast were you going? I was anywhere from 68-76, the 76 for me was an accident, and it frightened my instructor. But I got through it, and it allowed me to be faster there from that point on.

 

okay boys and girls.....the next goal after getting turn one down is besting my 110mph (or 108..I forget the exact now..age sucks).... under the bridge coming on to the front straight....

I can say it was my one perfect approach to that damn downhill in three weekends at RA. It felt great, no drama, no nothing, then it scared the hell out of me when I looked down and saw my speed. I was so much faster on that front straight that I locked up going into turn one because I braked at the same point I had all day but was carring 15 mph faster than before......the next few laps were a little slower, probably because I was puckered......

 

I started turn 1 at 87 one time. Tires screamed the whole way through it and I was also screaming inside. The whole time thinking, "oh ****, oh ****, oh ****, oh ****...." Then it was the most amazing thing! It is one one of the videos that is posted on Phlash's and Silver8's sites. It was a NASA HPDE. That was the **** eating grin I had on my face that Silver8 is talking about.

Turn 12 still scares me a little. I think it's that wall on the left side, I don't know. 110 would be a hell of a rush through it.

 

my turn one speed is now about 82-85 on street tires. Trick is you have to trust the turn because on entry the turn is flat --but then a little into it, the banking will catch the car. I see a lot of people not using all the track in turn one because they are trying too hard to get an inside line on 2. Turn 2/3 has several differant approaches(actually as all turns do) but try to use ALL the track in turn one. Entry speed is more important there than exit speed (within reason)because there really arent any straights for awhile. That allows me to use a WIDE approach to turn 2. Its a differant line and it really works for me. It allows me to aim my front end straight for the apex on 2. All I have to do is downshift (and the chassis is flat with the wide approach) get my r front tire on the runoff on the entry to turn 3 --jab the brake quick and med/hard and it throws my car into a almost prefect line for that sweeping left turn . I am already in 3nd gear --in the right powerband and I can really use the throttle to play there. If i want to I can go full 3nd gear throttle to number 4 then just brake jab again (because you are in 3nd gear and when you let off the throttle the engine brakes harder)--then position for the straight line thru the esses(yes there is one) floor that sucker and she redlines in third JUST before the braking point for 5--get the Idea? It means your engine is in the high rpm's for all that distance(thats one reason i like pre mix at the track) but it is faster. That part of RA is absoulutely my favorite part of any track.
What helped me in turn 12 was looking through the turn. I cant look at the apex in this turn(like turn 7) i HAVE to look to where I want to go and position the car for that--if you go just a little wide there the "dip" can sure play with your car--but if you hit it right as Phlash says your speed will surprise you. I am aiming for 95-100mph turn turn 12 this time if my instructor agrees that would be a safe speed.
Damn I am thinking too much about this.

 

I'm getting WAY too excited!

 

Not sure about my speeds through the corners, I think I was somewhere around 90+ in turn 1, and just over 115 in turn12. I was getting 4 off over the hill, but just barely. I LOVE that track, so much to learn there. I have a hard time remembering, but I think I was on azenis then, hmmmm, can't remember, I go through so many tires.... per 14 track days. BTW, Steve and I are leaving the Azenis on for event number 14. I think after this one, they will be toast. Oh hell, I will drive them till one pops, then, HELLLO R / slicks.

 

So.... is RA a 3rd and 4th gear track?

 

for us in the 8 it is. Not fast enough on the back straight to get to 5th, and never slow enough to need 2nd. And I am slow. But I am working on it.

 

I get into fifth.....

 

for the 8 and our 9.5K redline and gearing for some they only downshift to 3nd 3 times once at turn 7 ,in turn 2(then they short to 4th in turn 3) and again in turn 5. I downshift twice. Once for 7 and then again for turn 3-- back in 4th after turn 5. My speed at the bottom of the esses is approx 90-95?(redline in 3nd)
olddragger

 

well i am offically in--hpde 2. see ya vette killer and others!
olddragger

 

I got Lego's old number... 08. Maybe it will be good luck for turn 1.

 

It that a self portrait Don?

 

Damn. I want it back. You're going to have to pay royalties to use it though.