Texas Trifecta at COTA

[r1214]

It was really great to meet several of you guys in person! Thanks for making this COTA first-timer welcome.

I talked the track photographer into letting me copy a few images after I paid for the USB that should ship in a few weeks... came out amazing!

https://doc-04-a8-docs.googleusercon...3lkbG51ZFliN3c

https://doc-0s-a8-docs.googleusercon...DNqUWxwRHJvclE

The track was everything I hoped it would be and more. Would love to come back!

Ben

edit: not sure why it won't let me embed the images

[Kong Sheng Han]

Originally Posted by r1214

It was really great to meet several of you guys in person! Thanks for making this COTA first-timer welcome.

I talked the track photographer into letting me copy a few images after I paid for the USB that should ship in a few weeks... came out amazing!

https://doc-04-a8-docs.googleusercon...3lkbG51ZFliN3c

[Img]https://doc-0s-a8-docs.googleusercontent.com/docs/securesc/ha0ro937gcuc7l7deffksulhg5h7mbp1/5ldrhm0j25dq7frvqde0hdt9ei5jbqv6/1467072000000/16872874851915222037/*/0B65miy6R4LmzMDNqUWxwRHJvclE[/Img]

The track was everything I hoped it would be and more. Would love to come back!

Ben

edit: not sure why it won't let me embed the images

Here you go. First shot is awesome. I wish they took some from the tower on Sunday, but the elevator was down.

[dbyrd]

Originally Posted by r1214

It was really great to meet several of you guys in person! Thanks for making this COTA first-timer welcome.

I talked the track photographer into letting me copy a few images after I paid for the USB that should ship in a few weeks... came out amazing!

https://doc-04-a8-docs.googleusercon...3lkbG51ZFliN3c

https://doc-0s-a8-docs.googleusercon...DNqUWxwRHJvclE

The track was everything I hoped it would be and more. Would love to come back!

Ben

edit: not sure why it won't let me embed the images

Hey Ben,
Great to meet you, man. Please forward the info from the photographer group. I know we were supposed to order while at the track, but those photos look amazing so I'll give it a shot.

Let me know when you're going to Hallett in the Fall!

Cheers,
-Daniel

[surlynkid]

Michael at SideLine Sports Photography does amazing work.

Daniel - if he gives you any flack about not ordering at the event, let me know. I can fix that.

To others - until you have shots of your car from SideLine Sports at COTA, you don't have good shots. These are the shots you wanted printed huge and on your wall. Nobody shoots better stuff than those guys. I always buy the CD. You get about 5x more shots than any other photographers take.

[admranger]

Originally Posted by surlynkid

Michael at SideLine Sports Photography does amazing work.

Daniel - if he gives you any flack about not ordering at the event, let me know. I can fix that.

To others - until you have shots of your car from SIdeLine Sports at COTA, you don't have good shots. These are the shots you wanted printed huge and on your wall. Nobody shoots better stuff than those guys. I always buy the CD. You get about 5x more shots than any other photographers take.

I bought the 3-day package of electronic files. Can't wait to get them.

Nice to meet you at the track. Really appreciate the notes you sent me as they helped me a ton.

[surlynkid]

What kind of times were you able to get and on which tires?

[r1214]

Daniel- I hope you are able to get pictures! Otherwise when I get my USB drive, I'll dig through them to find some where you were passing me and send them your way, haha. I'll definitely let you know about Hallett.

My best lap of the weekend was Sunday in the last session. I had not been able to get out of the 2:44's all weekend and was just hoping for a high 2:43. I ended up doing a 2:42.20 and was really happy to have shaved 2.5s off my previous best time. Not sure how good that is for a stock M3. I'm sure there was another second or two at least with more experience.

I have to say it was a bit painful being in a run group with a McLaren, Z06, a bunch of GT3/GT4's and of course a bunch of modified M's. Humbling though, I gave a lot of point-bys, lol.

[bigjae1976]

Originally Posted by dbyrd

Hey Ben,
Great to meet you, man. Please forward the info from the photographer group. I know we were supposed to order while at the track, but those photos look amazing so I'll give it a shot.

Let me know when you're going to Hallett in the Fall!

Cheers,
-Daniel

Are you going to the Sep BMWCCA event?

[Greg S]

Originally Posted by surlynkid

What kind of times were you able to get and on which tires?

My best lap was a low 2:29 on RE-71R's.

[admranger]

Originally Posted by surlynkid

What kind of times were you able to get and on which tires?

I didn't have any method of timing myself. I wasn't getting passed as much on Sunday as I was on Friday though! In the mixed conditions Sunday morning, I had a blast, passing cars that had passed me on Saturday.

I was just running RE-11s (5+ years old!). Took me a while to get them dialed into COTA's track surface. Pressures had to be adjusted from what I run out here.

[surlynkid]

Originally Posted by Greg S

My best lap was a low 2:29 on RE-71R's.

You don't count with those 2 wings. Go install those coolers and report back to me.

[dbyrd]

Originally Posted by bigjae1976

Are you going to the Sep BMWCCA event?

Looks like that's September 2-3, right? Still too damn hot, but that might work. Anyone else in?

[Kong Sheng Han]

I'll be at MSRH with NASA that weekend.

[dbyrd]

I finally got around to downloading some video using a Smartycam connected to the Aim Solo DL. This was the first time using it, and I'm still playing around with configurations. I need to do something different with the mic/sound.

[bigjae1976]

Originally Posted by dbyrd

I finally got around to downloading some video using a Smartycam connected to the Aim Solo DL. This was the first time using it, and I'm still playing around with configurations. I need to do something different with the mic/sound.

Nice driving!

I looked back at my older COTA videos out of curiosity and the track has definitely evolved.

One place that was noticeable was In the esses which had 3 sausage curbs at each apex. Forget which year but they took out all of the sausage curbing in the esses. I had zero fear and even just went straight from T2 to T6 when no one was around.

The white/rub curbing after T6 and 8 has definitely been worn down. At first, it was so severe it would almost bounce the car off the bump stops.

Then no more of that stupid AstroTurf on the outside of the track. So you can run wide without getting punished.

I also noticed the track has more bumps and waves. I've always remember it being super smooth.

[admranger]

Nice video! Enjoyed watching you drive a proper gearbox (and no nav!).

[03BeastCharmer]

Anyone get their track pictures yet? Assume it should be this week as I though they said up to 15 business days.

[admranger]

Originally Posted by 03BeastCharmer

Anyone get their track pictures yet? Assume it should be this week as I though they said up to 15 business days.

Nope. Not mad at them, just impatient as I really want to see them! The few I saw on the computer were super good.

[03BeastCharmer]

Originally Posted by admranger

Nope. Not mad at them, just impatient as I really want to see them! The few I saw on the computer were super good.

Same. Want to see all the glorious pics.

[Kong Sheng Han]

Patiently waiting. They said they took about 500 GBs worth of photos, so I understand why it would take 2-3 weeks.

[dbyrd]

Originally Posted by Greg S

My best lap was a low 2:29 on RE-71R's.

Hey Greg,
How do the RE-71Rs compare to NT-01s as far as grip and wear? I've heard many folks say they have at least as much grip and wear. Other says the grip drops off more quickly than the NT-01.

You're times are stupid-fast - I'd love to see some video.

Thanks,
-Daniel

[03BeastCharmer]

My pictures arrived yesterday. And they caught one of my many point bys.
10Mb pics. Man these things are huge.