Enough is enough; time to track this bad boy

Blotman · 08-20-2011, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Talk2meg00se

Well, my first day at the track was yesterday and I have to admit, I had a ton of fun.

The instructor was great; met some nice people; and, most importantly, got to push the car around the track to the best of my (very limited) abilities.

I tried to get some footage of it, but sort of failed with the positioning of the GoPro in the cabin. Not sure where to really set that thing up.

The instructor took me as a passenger in his car for a session. He's a former racer with over 20 years experience at Lime Rock. All that I can say is wow - it was both terrifying and humbling. The literally drove like a bat out of hell. At each turn, I was convinced that the car was going to go off. He had that thing on the edge the entire time. You may think that you're good driver, but when you sit with a pro ... well, then you realize where you stand.

Also: highly-modified, lightweight E36s are **fast**! haha.

Lime Rock seems like fun, and I'm glad you enjoyed it! That humbling feeling won't go away any time soon, so keep on tracking!

As for the GoPro cameras, I find the best place is to put it on the roof and point down a little towards the hood of the car, and you get a pretty clear view of everything. Putting it on the windshield on the passenger side gives a decent cockpit perspective. Just hang it upside down, and fix it later with an editor.

captainaudio · 08-20-2011, 10:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Talk2meg00se

The corner between No Name and Uphill; right into the wall.

Apparently he had tires on the grass - hit the brakes, spun, and ... well.

There isn't really a corner between No Name and the Uphill but some track maps show the two minor bends along No Name as "Zig" and "Zag". No Name is not a good place for an off track excursion as there is not much room between that track and the wall there,

CA

captainaudio · 08-20-2011, 10:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Talk2meg00se

The corner between No Name and Uphill; right into the wall.

Apparently he had tires on the grass - hit the brakes, spun, and ... well.

Here is a good video of a lap of LRP in an M3, For those reading this who are not familiar with the track the video starts in West Bend and then:

The Downhill: 0.04
Main Straight: 0:09 - 0:28
Big Bend: 0:28 - 0:41
The Left Hander trrough the esses: 0:41 - 0:50
No Name: 0:51 - 1:03
The Uphill: 1:06 - 1:14
West Bend: 1:14 - 1:25
The Downhill (AKA Diving Turn): 1:28

Big Bend:

Talk2meg00se · 08-21-2011, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by captainaudio

Here is a good video of a lap of LRP in an M3, For those reading this who are not familiar with the track the video starts in West Bend and then:

The Downhill: 0.04
Main Straight: 0:09 - 0:28
Big Bend: 0:28 - 0:41
The Left Hander trrough the esses: 0:41 - 0:50
No Name: 0:51 - 1:03
The Uphill: 1:06 - 1:14
West Bend: 1:14 - 1:25
The Downhill (AKA Diving Turn): 1:28

Big Bend:

Ok, well, the right-hander following no-name and preceding uphill (the bend @ the very top of the map). The wall is right there. If you spin or fail to turn in that area, it seems like you'd have little chance of avoiding impact with the wall.

Here is a short video of one of my better laps. Granted, the angle sucks but you get the idea ("passed" 2 other e92s, of course

- ok, so yeah, they were happy to cruise but it was fun to pass them all the same haha)

Talk2meg00se · 08-21-2011, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blotman

Lime Rock seems like fun, and I'm glad you enjoyed it! That humbling feeling won't go away any time soon, so keep on tracking!

As for the GoPro cameras, I find the best place is to put it on the roof and point down a little towards the hood of the car, and you get a pretty clear view of everything. Putting it on the windshield on the passenger side gives a decent cockpit perspective. Just hang it upside down, and fix it later with an editor.

Just out of curiosity - how do you attach the GoPro to the external surfaces of the car? Do you just use the suction cup? Is that safe? The adhesives seem like the more secure option, but they would most likely damage the paint.

Blotman · 08-21-2011, 09:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Talk2meg00se

Just out of curiosity - how do you attach the GoPro to the external surfaces of the car? Do you just use the suction cup? Is that safe? The adhesives seem like the more secure option, but they would most likely damage the paint.

I just used the suction cup. In all fairness, I have a moonroof and stuck it to that. I've seen other people put it on the paint without any issues besides smudges that you can wipe off. The clamping lever on the suction cup makes the thing super tight, so it's not going anywhere. Also, the plastic casing should protect it from debris, and is pretty cheap to replace if the lens area gets scratched up.

captainaudio · 08-22-2011, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Talk2meg00se

Ok, well, the right-hander following no-name and preceding uphill (the bend @ the very top of the map). The wall is right there. If you spin or fail to turn in that area, it seems like you'd have little chance of avoiding impact with the wall.

Here is a short video of one of my better laps. Granted, the angle sucks but you get the idea ("passed" 2 other e92s, of course

- ok, so yeah, they were happy to cruise but it was fun to pass them all the same haha)

A bit hard to tell from the back seat

but your line looked good.

lucid · 08-22-2011, 12:04 PM

Regarding injuries: I've seen plenty of cars go into the wall with varying outcomes (sometimes multiple cars during a weekend). Track layout has something to do with it. Some of the new west coast tracks seem pretty ideal in that respect although I've never been on them. In the NE, NJMP seems to have the most run off in general. BMW CCA seems to have a lower rate of incidents since they have more stringent regulations for HPDEs. That said, it would be pretty interesting to see stats on all of this, but I doubt that those data would be released.

The only fatality I am aware of is a racer going straight into the wall at NHMS during a race in NASCAR turn 1, but I've also heard that the driver was not wearing a neck restraint device (appearently he suffered a broken neck), and I've also heard that he was possibly dead before hitting the wall due to a heart attack...

I try not to push a non-caged street car to any kind of limit (mine or the equipment's), and almost always wear a neck restraint device in street cars (if I am instructing a novice student who clearly is taking it easy and learning slowly--people show up at the track with different intentions--I sometimes don't wear the R3 device that I normally would wear). Of course, I always wear a Hans device in the race car.

Ultimately, almost any incident on the track can be seen as being avoidable after the fact--but some more than others. The reality is people make mistakes--even when they are trying to be level minded. I don't see the sport as being extremely risky, but it obviously is not a low risk activity either.

jrlee53 · 09-05-2011, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Talk2meg00se

Ok, well, the right-hander following no-name and preceding uphill (the bend @ the very top of the map). The wall is right there. If you spin or fail to turn in that area, it seems like you'd have little chance of avoiding impact with the wall.

Here is a short video of one of my better laps. Granted, the angle sucks but you get the idea ("passed" 2 other e92s, of course

- ok, so yeah, they were happy to cruise but it was fun to pass them all the same haha)

Lolz, there I am. I was in the SG E90. My instructor was really good, but he wanted me to take it lightly down the straights and get the track to ourselves to focus on the corners (which I needed). Are you going to the event at NJMP in Oct? I'll be down there as well. Unfortunately looks like the last event for me for the year until next season.

Talk2meg00se · 09-05-2011, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JDy80

Lolz, there I am. I was in the SG E90. My instructor was really good, but he wanted me to take it lightly down the straights and get the track to ourselves to focus on the corners (which I needed). Are you going to the event at NJMP in Oct? I'll be down there as well. Unfortunately looks like the last event for me for the year until next season.

Pretty hilarious that you recognized your car; nothing wrong with taking it slowly down that straight. I would generally enter that first corner off the straight @ 125 or so. A true test for heel-toe / pucker factor, etc.

What can I say, my instructor was a racer. He wanted the pedal on the floor board the entire time.

But otherwise, yep, PM'ed you. Will prob register for the Oct this week. My instructor said that Oct is pretty much prime Lime Rock time, provided that we don't get stuck with an errant snow storm or something. Otherwise, cool fall temps for the engines and beautiful deciduous trees on the hills, etc.

Have you been to any of the other tracks in the area?

08-22-2011, 12:04 PM	#52
lucid Major General 374 Rep 8,033 Posts Drives: E30 M3; Expedition Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: USA iTrader: (0)	Regarding injuries: I've seen plenty of cars go into the wall with varying outcomes (sometimes multiple cars during a weekend). Track layout has something to do with it. Some of the new west coast tracks seem pretty ideal in that respect although I've never been on them. In the NE, NJMP seems to have the most run off in general. BMW CCA seems to have a lower rate of incidents since they have more stringent regulations for HPDEs. That said, it would be pretty interesting to see stats on all of this, but I doubt that those data would be released. The only fatality I am aware of is a racer going straight into the wall at NHMS during a race in NASCAR turn 1, but I've also heard that the driver was not wearing a neck restraint device (appearently he suffered a broken neck), and I've also heard that he was possibly dead before hitting the wall due to a heart attack... I try not to push a non-caged street car to any kind of limit (mine or the equipment's), and almost always wear a neck restraint device in street cars (if I am instructing a novice student who clearly is taking it easy and learning slowly--people show up at the track with different intentions--I sometimes don't wear the R3 device that I normally would wear). Of course, I always wear a Hans device in the race car. Ultimately, almost any incident on the track can be seen as being avoidable after the fact--but some more than others. The reality is people make mistakes--even when they are trying to be level minded. I don't see the sport as being extremely risky, but it obviously is not a low risk activity either. Last edited by lucid; 08-22-2011 at 12:13 PM..
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