Found a way to take 200 lb out of my car - Printable Version
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Found a way to take 200 lb out of my car - Cloud9...68 - 07-19-2007
No, not by gutting the interior, whipping up a carbon fiber replica of the entire body, ceramic rotors, carbon fiber wheels, or anything along those lines. I got promoted to Solo at my last DE last weekend! Woo-hoo!
This is coming from someone who was initially probably the most pathetic driver in the history of DE-dom. In my first three sessions, EVERYBODY, Mini Coopers, VW Golfs, Nissan Sentras, that kid on the ten speed (to be fair, she was pretty buff for a ten-year-old...) was passing me. Instructor #3 dropped the not-so-subtle hint that "You know, racing just isn't for everybody." I know this sounds terribly sexist, but had I been female, I think I would have cried by that point. As I think I said in a previous post, I felt like putting a large brown bag over the car to prevent bringing shame upon the 968 community.
But at my 4th session, things suddenly started coming together, and last weekend, at session #5, things really started to click. By Sunday afternoon, an inexplicable sense of calm suddenly came over me. First I passed a Lotus Elise, and then passed, and nearly lapped, a BMW 335i. Even more thrilling, I began to notice that near the ends of several straights, much faster (and better handling) cars (new 911s, a Cayman, M3, etc.) would appear in my rear view mirror. I knew I had to let them pass at the next straight, but first had to negotiate the upcoming series of corners, applying everything I had learned from my excellent instructor. But when I checked my mirror at the track-out from the last corner, the rocket was no longer in my mirrors! And this was happening over and over! I was out-cornering far superior cars, probably driven by more experienced drivers! Sorry to sound so giddy, but this was the most fun I had had in as long as I can remember.
I also noticed that my car, despite having a fairly long list of suspension mods installed by the previous owner, sways and slides A LOT. I just sent an email to Jason at Paragon for suggestions on how to tighten things up a bit. I don't want to go too crazy, but I would like the car to be a little better planted through the corners. Uh, oh, sounds like the first step on a slippery slope. Anyway, I'm definitely hooked. I'm living proof that no matter how bad you are at the beginning, anybody who sticks with this high performance driving stuff can attain a level of skill that can turn initial frustration into indescribable fun. Can't wait to get out there again!
Found a way to take 200 lb out of my car - Jason Judd - 07-19-2007
Welcome to the Dark Side!!!
Whoo Hoo, it's fun!!
Only the Best,
Jason
Found a way to take 200 lb out of my car - vnarma - 07-22-2007
Careful, it is VERY addictive. Once you go over the wall, it is a long a slippier slope. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/rolleyes.gif" class="smilie" alt="" /> Very worth it though.
Well had I been your instructor, it would have only been 155lbs. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/smile.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />
Found a way to take 200 lb out of my car - Darryl - 07-23-2007
I'm afraid...very afraid...that someday I will be posting a nearly identical post to that above!!! Congrats on your progress, Cloud!
- Darryl
Found a way to take 200 lb out of my car - Anchorman - 07-23-2007
From my limited experience, that's a very important 200 pounds, and you should take advantage of putting that weight back in the car at times - you'll learn a lot, and without all of the trial-and-error risk that comes from the "lighter" approach.
Found a way to take 200 lb out of my car - flash - 07-23-2007
hmmm - skill adjustment control device - cool
Found a way to take 200 lb out of my car - Anchorman - 07-23-2007
<img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/tongue.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />
Found a way to take 200 lb out of my car - Cloud9...68 - 07-23-2007
[quote name='Anchorman' post='38681' date='Jul 23 2007, 10:22 AM']From my limited experience, that's a very important 200 pounds, and you should take advantage of putting that weight back in the car at times - you'll learn a lot, and without all of the trial-and-error risk that comes from the "lighter" approach.[/quote]
Agreed! While having the right to go solo was a big step and a source of immeasurable satisfaction, given how awful I was at this stuff initially, I will definitely frequently be dipping into the instructors' invaluable well of knowledge for quite some time, as I don't see how I can really continue to progress otherwise.
Found a way to take 200 lb out of my car - badberry68 - 07-25-2007
Cant wait for my second DE on the 28th at Sebring, my first was probably worst than yours!
Found a way to take 200 lb out of my car - Cloud9...68 - 07-26-2007
[quote name='badberry68' post='38787' date='Jul 24 2007, 10:24 PM']Cant wait for my second DE on the 28th at Sebring, my first was probably worst than yours![/quote]
THAT would have been a sight to behold, as I can't imagine how it would have been physically possible to be worse than I was. Seriously, I think it would be interesting to write a book, or at least an article, on track day driving from the perspective of someone for whom it didn't come naturally, as this would be valuable for others who've had the same experience. I've read several articles in car magazines about the authors' experiences with various driving schools, and invariably these guys are lapping the field by the afternoon of their first day. Goody-goody for them, but downright depressing for us mortals for whom recalibrating our driving (and thinking) to do highly unnatural things like looking past track-out upon first entering a turn, unwinding the wheel almost immediately after the apex (Aaaahhh! I'm running out of track!!), accelerating at almost the moment of turn-in, etc., don't exactly start happening reflexively right off the bat.
But now I can say from experience not to worry, as long as you enjoy the sensation of driving a high performance car at speed, and are willing to check your ego at the gate and defer to your instructor's knowledge and experience, you will get the hang of it, and when you do, you'll find it's the most thrilling experience you've ever had.
Found a way to take 200 lb out of my car - sguy - 07-27-2007
It sounds like you are doing it right and that is a product of good instrusting and a good student. It you would have 'jumped ahead' earlier, you probably would have carried some less than beneficial habits with you by trying to accomplish too much too quickly (for you). That being said, I'm sure you understand you are still learning (just as we all are) and could use the extra weight frequently to learn more and not form habits that will have to be revised later (usually very difficult). I think I'm already sliding on the slope with two novice races completed and one to go. What a slide <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/biggrin.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />
Found a way to take 200 lb out of my car - Cloud9...68 - 07-28-2007
[quote name='sguy' post='38963' date='Jul 27 2007, 07:12 PM']I think I'm already sliding on the slope with two novice races completed and one to go. What a slide <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/biggrin.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />[/quote]
What kind of racing? Club? At this point, I can't even fathom the concept of wheel-to-wheel competition, but then, I couldn't have imagined going solo before 2008, either <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/smile.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />
Found a way to take 200 lb out of my car - sguy - 07-30-2007
Going to competition from DE is not as different as you might think. It is the same driving control and line issues as DE, but with traffic, flags, etc. to account for too. Needless to say it is intense, even at the novice level where there are not winners and losers, only finsishers. It took me four years to get there from my first DE but YMMV.
Cheers, Stephen
Found a way to take 200 lb out of my car - badberry68 - 07-31-2007
Hey, I can see the light, my instructor at Sebring was awsome and he had radio communication which made all the difference in the world! He also let me ride with him in his Miata during his sessions, that helped the most, knowing how the fast the fast corners were! I still had to wave by a lot of drivers, but I also felt that I was only driving at 6/10. The LS1 is far too intimidating right now but I am sure I will have a few stories in the near future. BTW during one of my rides with the instructor, a GT3 ( driven by another instructor) snapped loose in a sweeper ( Bishop Bend ) and ended up in a wall head on.....he was O.K. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/sad.gif" class="smilie" alt="" /> I did take note of the spedo in the Miata around Bishop Bend and it was clocking well over 100, can't imagine what the GT3 was doing.
Found a way to take 200 lb out of my car - 333pg333 - 08-05-2007
Congratulations. It's a nice feeling to see some progression.
Found a way to take 200 lb out of my car - Jim Child - 08-05-2007
[quote name='badberry68' post='39163' date='Jul 31 2007, 03:05 AM']I did take note of the spedo in the Miata around Bishop Bend and it was clocking well over 100, can't imagine what the GT3 was doing.[/quote]
In a regular 968 you go flat out from turn 13 through Bishop Bend, not lifting until the braking zone for turn 15. I would guess the speed through Bishop Bend to be around 115 mph.