[RideZX6R]

VIR July 23rd with Hooked On Driving

Can't stay away from VIR as it's so beautiful, fast, and fun. Came back for 1 day of a 3 day event with HOD. First time running with them so I signed up for Group B as you're instructed not to sign up for Advanced Groups (C and D) without driving with them before... This would hurt me later. The setrab cooler did it's thing! In the same 95ish degree heat, I was able to do 3 sessions in a row with zero cool down laps!



Highlights:

• Never saw higher than 275* oil temp and in most cases it was below 265!
• Absolutely got faster and was using more of the track, more of the brakes, and more of the throttle everywhere
• Was the fastest in my group BY FAR - gave exactly 2 point bys; 1 because the car stumbled under throttle and I was concerned (I was low on fuel, whoops) and 1 because I came into turn 1 too hot and had a guy behind me - decided to let him go while I thought thru what went wrong over the next turn or two.
• Remembered to set start/finish line on PDR so I could record lap times!
• Car felt largely sorted out for the first time ever... almost (read on)

Lowlights:

• While I was fastest in the group I was constantly in traffic regardless of when I went out on grid this caused a problem below with getting an actual lap time
• The DS2500s started to show their lowest coefficient of friction in the later sessions when the heat of the car+weather came together with extra speed to feel unsettling. Basically the amount of pedal I was giving the car didn't seem congruent with the amount of stopping I was getting
• Later feedback by some friends said I need to move up in pad friction to either a DTC-60 or 70, or a CT XP12 for all for corners to take advantage of my SC3 tires fully and get more congruent feel.
• Realized while reviewing PDR video that evidently I NEVER got a clean lap without traffic, best was a 2:13.2 when I was following a cayman from the top of the climbing esses to track-out of Oak tree. I assume this cost 3-5 seconds minimum. So I could have had the sub-2:10 I wanted, but didn't get it
• I'm leaning on PTM too much on occasion, specifically in turn 1 (which is the most difficult for me to figure out, need to watch some pro videos), it's saving me from looping the car. I will need to go slower to put the car in Sport 2 and learn how to rely on myself and not the electronics to add pace. So it'll be 1 step back, hopefully followed by 2 steps forward with regards to that.
• I'm still slow - left a lot on the table in braking zones and some straights still. Noticed the line an instructor gave thru the climbing esses is more matched to a lower hp car and I'm moving from left to right too late.

Video, no pics - (2:13 is in the middle of the second session) -
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...MAWmGCHNNqsnsc