Quote:
Originally Posted by TheRedhead
So, here's my last session from Saturday.
I was told by the instructor I was doing well. I am not sure if it's simple words of encouragement and I genuinely stink, but he was very versed on the course. He is Pro Racer in the Porsche Cup, so I trusted his tutelage.
To start on a racetrack with this car is asinine. I should have something with half the power and half the weight. This car is a brick with a rocket behind it. You feel every pound she carries into every corner and brake zone.
My biggest mistake was not using the track tires. The Nitto G2's just didn't do the car justice, and the hotter it got the more greasy the tires got. At one point, the instructor pulled me off the track because of the smell radiating from under the car. It never rained until I was a third of way home.
I had swapped to MOTUL fluid and new Phastek lines on Friday.
Being a drag racer, thinking you can handle power on any road surface, you're fooling yourself. Trying to chase down a Miata in my "perfect track machine" meant nothing without experience.
I may need to put an order into BMR relatively soon for some new red pieces...
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Let us know when you need the BMR pieces.
I watched your video, but let me say that I have over 10,000 laps at Sebring as I have been an Instructor for over 25 years( Skip Barber, PCA, Panoz, GM) and been racing longer.
You car has a lot left and the Tires are hurting you.
What I observed from your last lap,
Turn 1, you went way wide and that can cost you as the Track narrows significantly at Corner Exit. The Apex is difficult to see as the Apex Cone is at the Top of the Fence. If you the Line wrong you can easily be off track, Drivers right. Also it takes a lot of practice & big brass ones, but I very rarely brake going into T1, just a downshift.
Turn 2, you over-cooked that & got crossed up
Turn 5, you crabbed in to the left & turned in early. Like T1, if you get this turn wrong, you run out of room on Drivers right. This will kill your Lap Time as you need to be accelerating up the straight, not fighting the corner.
Turn 7 (the Safety Pin), again you turned in Early ( I see a pattern). You can also brake a lot later
Turn 8 (the esses), the right turn you were on line, then crabbed over to the left before the left. Round this out more, because with more Speed you will need it.
Turn 10, Early Again.
The Curves between 10 & 12 you had a nice line especially into the Braking Zone of 13
Turn 12, Early again, this hurts as this leads to a straight
Bishops Bend (13 & 14) you looked good, but be careful here, because with greater speed your car will get light
Turn 15, Early again but it doesn't hurt you much here.
Turn 16, Early again and because it leads to your longest straight, it robs your acceleration.
Turn 17, every Instructor will tell you a different line to take though here as I don't think there is a perfect line and an ideal line can change from car to car. However, I do not like to be close to the Inside wall as you approach the Bridge as it is very bumpy there. The Apex is way past the bridge, so I like to be 15 feet off the wall going in and close going out. Then track out to build up speed (feather it in) for the Front Straight.
Now I know I said you turned in Early a lot and that is very common for people that are beginners to a Track especially a long track like Sebring that can be tough to memorize. So the next time you, try to work on turning in later.
With the proper line, tires and more confidence, I think you can take 20 seconds off your Lap Times.
The one question I didn't ask - have you wiped the Smile off your face yet? I hope you had fun!
T.C.