L8APEX

Thats right boys and girls, it is time for Roebling Road again.

Who:NASA-Southeast and the Georgia RX-8 Club
When:September 30-October 1
Where: Roebling Road Raceway near Savannah Georgia

Word is, Roebling was recently repaved, and NASA will be one of the first groups to get out on the new surface. Roebling is a lot of fun, just ask anyone else who has been there, our resident TrackAddict really like Roebling.

We had 6 RX-8's there in May, lets make it more than that this time! Join us won't you!

A couple images from our trip there in May.






Driving:
L8APEX-HPDE 2

whiterex

I am going to try to make this. Believe it or not my goofy instructor signed me off for HPDE 2. Might run 1 the first day and maybe 2 the second. Can you do that?

whiterex

BTW, here are some repaving pics.

http://www.buccaneerregion.org/paving.html

L8APEX

now I cant wait. The only thing I did not like about that track, was the track surface, and now that is going to be different.

Whiterex, glad to see you might be joining us again, it was great having you in may, it will be good to have another 8 out on track again. If you got signed off for HPDE 2, I would make that move if it was me. You will learn a little more in the classroom, and get out on track with faster drivers and cars, excluding me of course. If your instructor thought you were ready for the move up, you probably are. Phlash, myself, and maybe SilverEIGHT will be in two, it would be nice to have another 8 there with us.

TrackAddict

I will most likely be there in HPDE3. There is an advanced Insrtuctor Clinic that I can't qualify for. That will have to wait until The Rock when they offer Instructor Clinic I.

L8APEX

So you will not be doing IC at Roebling? OK, I guess I will have to settle for another instructor, was looking forward to learning from the TrackAddict.

olddragger

iTrader: (3)

dont know if i will have the money for this one. we will have to see
I sure want to come and run with dsc OFF finally
OD

SilverEIGHT

As of right now, I'm in and getting really itchy for track time. HPDE2

whiterex

I guess I'll be running on the v710's. Should be a little more grip. Maybe I can keep it on the track...

SilverEIGHT

Driving:
HPDE2
- L8APEX
- whiterex
- SilverEIGHT
HPDE3
- TrackAddict

L8APEX

you will like them, lego has been on his for a while now, and the saying "defying the laws of physics" has been mentioned. and with the new track surface, it should not be too abrasive.

TrackAddict

It is possible that a new track surface is very abrasive as the surface hasn't been smoothed by use yet. It all depends on how much they spent to pave it.

valpac

iTrader: (2)

Its gotta be better than the coral reef it was paved with! May have to come outta retirement....hmmm

L8APEX

you know you want to val, come on out and join us.

MoodDude

I really want to join you guys for this one since it is "close" to my house. Yet, since I am going to Sebring the weekend after this one, I am going to have to wait to see how busy I am at work. If I do go I will be in HPDE 2 since Lego and TA both taught me at RA that I still have a lot to learn how to drive to make my car go even faster.

One thing I am having a problem with, and not sure how to get over it - after I reach 130mph - I start to get nervous on track. It happened at the back stretch at RA and at Roebling. I find myself lifting - and in the words of my last instructor "never lift". Any suggestions how I get over this?

SilverEIGHT

130... shish! My first barrier was to not lift before turn 9 at RA. The way I got past that was just keeping it in the floor because I knew everyone else did. If they do it there was no reason I couldn't. Riding with others helped me see. (130... shish!) My instructor's Porsche 944, I rode in on Sunday, was hitting the low 130's there and I thought he had more to give. I think the key is trusting your brakes. Find out their limits and you should be comfortable with speed.

Keep in mind this is coming from a first year tracker but in my much slower world I understand the barrier issue.

Tim Benton

Trust the car, Mazda did a great job with the braking and suspension with the 8. If you feel brake fade anywhere else, then temper that back straight speed with that knowledge...otherwise keep it floored. I was hitting 150 in the 7 in May at RA and I felt the same way you did. Granted I didn't go WOT that day, but as I crested the hill I just kept a steady input until I hit my braking zone down the hill, which got closer and closer with each lap.

Depending on work, I'm going to try to make this one for a weekend trip and see the new track surface.

HPDE 1 still

Tim

L8APEX

I still can't keep it matted going over the hill in turn 9 and on down to 10a. I let up a little before the hill, then apply throttle as I go over, but no where near full throttle. It is a healthy respect for what is going on, and I have nothing to prove to anyone.

MoodDude, you just have a healthy respect, for going over 130 MPH in a street car, on a race track. Nothing wrong with that. 130 MPH is pretty damn fast, faster than I have ever seen in my car. Comfort will come with time behind the wheel. At Roebling, there is no real huge danger with lifting on the front straight, it is flat, and long, and you just give the brakes a little break, by not making them haul the car down from 135+ MPH. RA, that can get a little more dicey if you lift in the middle of cresting the hill at turn 9. Seat time, is the best solution, and it seems that you are getting all the seat time you can cram in.

SilverEIGHT

The first time I took turn 9 at RA WOT, I believe I peed just a little. It was a real barrier to get past. After that first time, it was never a problem again. The next barrier was keeping it WOT over the hill and into the straight. I did that and peed a little more. It's amazing how great the brakes are in our car. There is still plenty of room for braking and gearing down after screaming down from 9. TA beeping in 4th approaching 10a is testament to that. How fast is that by the way?

L8APEX

IIRC redline and what seems like a little higher than that is pushing 130. I think 9K = 127, but I could be wrong, Chas was telling me about it. I have never seen that speed in that gear, I have only been up to 121 in 4th. At Roebling, and I look forward to doing it again.

olddragger

iTrader: (3)

yep redline in 4th with the stock wheel tires is about 128. one marker is --if you do not redline in 3nd right before the approach to that little hill after coming out of 7 then you will not get up to top speed in 4th before the oh my god braking point going into 10a. And with you are approaching that fast--dont jam on the brakes or your rear end will get a little wiggly on ya. --breath on them fast but breath on them--not jam. (this is more apparrent with the stock shocks on.
olddragger

L8APEX

you can see what you mean, if you watch TA's vids while he is chasing you OD, the rear of the car gets a little wiggly when he is braking for 10a, and a little again under braking for 1.

OD, hope you can make it out to Roebling again, it is fun to watch you HPDE 3 boys chase each other around.

TrackAddict

I am toying with the idea of doing the Sunday Panoz day in Sept instead of Roebling. Have not decided. I am leaning toward Roebling but when you factor in cost of gas getting tto Roebling and hotel, 375 for Panoz may be a bit easier on the wallet...

L8APEX

if we get hotel rooms at the cheaper hotels, it should not be too bad. I just want to get back to RR, and I have worker credits to help on the financial side.

TrackAddict

In the words of Lego - Take the tampon out.

Actually, it is best to work your way up to speed. the car doesn't go from being under control to out of control abruptly. So, if you increase your top speed each session or lap by 1 or 2 mph you will gradually approach the point things start getting uncomfortable for you. The JIC Silvia had to be hitting over 160 on the back straight and he was a heavily modded street car. With your suspension and brakes, I think you can easily crest the hill at turn 9 at over 140 and have lots of room for braking. One difference may be that 9 becomes more of a turn at that speed though so you have to pick a turn in point and late apex it to keep drivers right to be set up properly for 10a. At the RX8 speed, we just draw a straight line from the bridge at turn 8 on the left side of the track to the right side of the track at turn 9. You would keep left and treat 9 like a real turn.