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View Full Version : My off weekend (at Roebling)



Varkwso
04-16-2006, 08:10 AM
They say confession is good for you:nopity: , it is not that I avoid the truth or
anything, but sometimes I feel you really need to ask the question before I
tell you the truth. But since there were witnesses, and I know they will
talk, I hope to beat them to the point. I have something like 30-40 days at
Roebling Road on track and in all that time I have never left the track -
until now. With perfect weather and a perfectly dry/clean track with just
over 2 minutes (warm up lap and the distance from pit to Turn 1) into my
first session of the first day I decided to put four off between turns 1 &
2:3gears: . I can offer all kinds of excuses (I tried them all by the way, already)
but the bottom line was I out drove the car:slap: . It is a pretty bad feeling to
know at the turn in for Turn 2 to realize this is going to be ugly. Luckily,
four 315/35-17 tires in a full drift kill a lot of speed before you hit the
dirt there and I was able to ease back on the track without any trouble.
Before lunch I also put two off at Turn 5. The corner workers, bless their
hearts, were very understanding at lunch and wondered what my problem was
since in all my time there they had never seem me off. Their kindness and
understanding to a struggling driver can only be understood by those of us
who have spent time in a corner station. This occurred with my blue ZO6 by
the way. Friday night Jake showed up with the 99 Vette. Being Roebling, as
those who have run there know, I wanted to use up "old tires" since it does
wear down tires in a most impressive manner. So we started with the
Sumitomos we mounted on the 94 Z28 a long time, and many track events, ago.
They did OK for a while. Jake and I both got some real good sessions in with
the tires. But Jake did lose it coming out of Turn 5 before lunch due to the
rear tire having no grip - something I had noticed on the session just
before - I seem to remember saying "Jake be careful with those rear tires
having no grip". Then showing there is definitely some Scotch blood
somewhere in my family tree I decided to mount up the wagon wheels and some
really old run flat Pilot Sports that came with the 99 Corvette - just to
see. I decided to take it out before I set Jake loose with them. With both
of my students in front of me on the third lap I managed I truly spectacular
double spin coming out of Turn 5. The tires were so hard they did not even
leave black marks on the pavement. My student in the 2006 Carrera 4S almost
had to pit out to get his composure he was laughing so hard from the view in
his rear view mirror. Since I was in the car Jake was driving I could have
pawned it off to many as he was the one who did it - but I took the heat. I
also pitted out and took those dang tires off! The 99 tracked great with the
Kumhos on with only 2 track days on them. I guess I feel better now since I
confessed.

It was a glorious weekend for weather and track conditions. SeatTime, as
always, put on a fantastic two day event. Track density was low on both days
and some people ended up extending till Saturday to take advantage of the
weather and low track density . David, in his 1999 Porsche, put on over 300
track miles in two days. Speaking of David, he got the "groove" at this
event, and was tearing it up solo by Saturday morning. His progress from his
first event at Barber last November to now has been incredible. His car is
one of the best balanced and easy to drive 911's I have ever driven. It
weighs in at a hair over 3000 pounds and handles like it weighs 500 pounds
less. It easily out drove the 2006 Carrera 4S my other student had. Before
the hate mail rolls in the Carrera 4S is a truly great car but on dry
pavement it is not the weapon of choice (it weighed in at almost 3500
pounds) - but I will buy one if there is one available cheap....

Jake started his track career with SeatTime and now instructs for SeatTime.
His student this weekend was an older gentleman in a Ford Focus from
Hephzibah. They both had a good time - except maybe for the Turn 5 incident.
He and I had some good track sessions running lead follow. His "feel" for a
car is truly excellent. This was the first time I put him on track with near
dead tires - it was an important lesson I believe.

Carnage was low at the event - a Porsche 911 race car left the track at Turn
1 at over 160 mph and the driver said he was still doing 90 when he went
over the berm. The driver was fine and did not seem upset by the event. That
happened on the first session of the first day - needless to say that put
"Chuckles" , the track manager, in a even finer mood then normal. Otherwise
it was offs with no contact on both days. A One Lap SRT-4 did detonate an
engine - Chuckles must have put down a 100 bags of oil dry - even then it
was still slippery at Turn 8 for a few sessions. It will need a new engine
by the event next month.

It was the first event for my enclosed trailer. What a great item to add to
the stable. Once I figure out tire storage it will be perfect. Jake, David
and I all slept in it Friday night and it worked out great. Lights, fans and
a sleeping surface above ground level was a new track experience. It pulls
great but the open trailer definitely got better fuel mileage! It will be
going to Sebring next weekend.

I had a chance to meet DocGTO in his modded 2004 GTO. The car is set up very
well and was turning some fast lap times. It was nice to meet him. We also
got to meet an awful lot of other new folks and catch up with many other
track friends. The Honda One Lap Team was there in three Odyssey vans - the
fastest one was turning in laps in the low 1:30s. It was hard to see the
point bys from a van I might add. Lynn and Kate were there in the ITC
prepped Fiesta. Which is an awful lot like taking a minimize to a Harley
convention - but Lynn has always been a free spirit. I rode with Kate for
one session - did not say a word by the way - I follow directions well. Jake
and I took the Fiesta out for a few hot laps - I think my best time was a
1:47.3. You definitely get a good point by workout with the car. Managing
all 75 of those horses really took it out of me.

I did get the steering column lock on the ZO6 about 2:30 on Saturday -
luckily the wheels were straigh ahead at the time. I said bad, bad things
about Chevrolet engineers, lawyers and anyone else involved with that jewel
of technology. That SOB is coming off at the dealer this week for the
disable fix. Backing the trailer to the car was an adventure - Jake did not
understand that if he cannot see my mirrors I cannot see him.

As always I had a blast, hung out with friends both new and old plus learned
a few things.

1. 13 Track days on a set of hand me down RS03 Hoosiers is pushing the
envelope. I learned about slip angles and torque management though. I also
learned the traction differences between patches and the base pavement. Good
news is they are corded now and the accountant will let me trash them.

2. Getting a "few laps" on unknown history old tires is stupid unless they
are parade laps.

3. You can never have to much track time.

4. Air conditioning is in the future for the trailer for summer overnights

5. Oil temps are not a problem if you cannot get traction

6. I am going to buy a lot of tires soon.....

7. Fiestas can be cool......

fast Ed
04-16-2006, 05:45 PM
Glad to hear that your "offs" didn't result in any damage. I must say though, after that many track days, if that's the first time going off, you haven't been trying hard enough!! LOL

I think I went 4 wheels off the first time I was ever at Shannonville here east of Toronto. In my defense, the stock brakes got cooked on my 5.0L Mustang, and I ended up with too much entry speed for one of the slower corners. No damage done, that time anyway.


cheers
Ed N.

Varkwso
04-16-2006, 05:53 PM
Glad to hear that your "offs" didn't result in any damage. I must say though, after that many track days, if that's the first time going off, you haven't been trying hard enough!! LOL

I think I went 4 wheels off the first time I was ever at Shannonville here east of Toronto. In my defense, the stock brakes got cooked on my 5.0L Mustang, and I ended up with too much entry speed for one of the slower corners. No damage done, that time anyway.


cheers
Ed N.

Oh, I have been off at many places:revto9k: - it seems my favorite "off" track is VIR. I try to pick my off corners carefully though - some corners it can get expensive depending on the track!