Off to Thunderhill next weekend
10-02-2003, 09:11 AM
#1
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Off to Thunderhill next weekend
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Hope it doesn't rain since I am not driving the quattro. Mark F and I are sharing my Spec Miata in the SM (me) and ITX (Mark) races. I have never run the Miata on the backside of Thunderhill since during the SCCA licensing school we only ran the front. Ugh. Hope to sort what gears/shiftpoints/brakepoints for the backside in practice and qualify. Wish me luck.
Hope it doesn't rain since I am not driving the quattro. Mark F and I are sharing my Spec Miata in the SM (me) and ITX (Mark) races. I have never run the Miata on the backside of Thunderhill since during the SCCA licensing school we only ran the front. Ugh. Hope to sort what gears/shiftpoints/brakepoints for the backside in practice and qualify. Wish me luck.
10-02-2003, 12:58 PM
#3
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You might want to do the Friday test day...
...to get acquainted with the whole track. I'll be there on Friday to wear some rubber in for the races. I'll be running in SM and ITX.
As for gearing, I think this is what most SM drivers use:
3rd thru 9, though I've seen it taken in 4th
3rd thru 10
2nd thru 11 (3rd definitely doesn't work well)
3rd at the first apex of the esses
3rd thru 14 and 15, some go to 2nd here and shift to 3rd at the exit of 14, but it doesn't seem to make any difference in terms of segment times so I'd do the simpler thing
As for gearing, I think this is what most SM drivers use:
3rd thru 9, though I've seen it taken in 4th
3rd thru 10
2nd thru 11 (3rd definitely doesn't work well)
3rd at the first apex of the esses
3rd thru 14 and 15, some go to 2nd here and shift to 3rd at the exit of 14, but it doesn't seem to make any difference in terms of segment times so I'd do the simpler thing
10-03-2003, 09:35 AM
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I think the hardest turn to "perfect" is #9
Working on #9 with Hank Watts, we decided (o.k., mainly he, he knows an order of magnitude more than I do!) that you do need to brake some, you should downshift to 3rd. But the key is to get back on the gas almost immediately. For those like me who generally eschew trail braking, that's WOT about 10% into the actual turn.
In the dry, take turn#11 in 2nd. In the wet, consider 3rd if you are a leadfoot.
In the dry, take turn#11 in 2nd. In the wet, consider 3rd if you are a leadfoot.
10-03-2003, 01:52 PM
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Also, on turn #11
let the Miata come out almost all the way on the exit. With a heavier, more powerful car like an Audi, many drivers hold it in about mid-track on the exit of #11 to set up for the esses. On a light-gutless Miata, Hank convinced me that letting it track out is faster.
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10-03-2003, 02:52 PM
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Some stuff on #11, #8, and #6
In heavier cars you want to straighten out the esses. In a Miata, by going all the way to the exit you make the esses more curvy, but you carry a lot more speed into and out of the esses. It's important to use the berms at the apexes of the esses. It's surprising the amount of speed you can carry into 11 and still be on the gas quickly. You can make up a lot of ground on people who aren't using all of the exit in 11 or not carrying enough speed into 11. By the way, to carry speed into 11 you need to turn in earlier than you would in a heavier car.
Turn #8 is taken without brakes. I lift a little to set the car for turn in and then hard on the gas to plant the rear all the way through the turn. I exit about 97 or 98 mph. I think it might be possible to take 8 flat (no brake or lift prior to turn-in), but I don't have the ***** to try it, and you might need to use a little bit of the dirt at the apex or exit to accomplish it.
T6 is my most troublesome corner. I've tried late turn-in, and I've tried turning in early and then rotating with trailing throttle or a little trailbraking, but I think I might have to start left-foot braking to get the max out of the corner. I wonder if the fast guys take T6 with just a lift?
Turn #8 is taken without brakes. I lift a little to set the car for turn in and then hard on the gas to plant the rear all the way through the turn. I exit about 97 or 98 mph. I think it might be possible to take 8 flat (no brake or lift prior to turn-in), but I don't have the ***** to try it, and you might need to use a little bit of the dirt at the apex or exit to accomplish it.
T6 is my most troublesome corner. I've tried late turn-in, and I've tried turning in early and then rotating with trailing throttle or a little trailbraking, but I think I might have to start left-foot braking to get the max out of the corner. I wonder if the fast guys take T6 with just a lift?
10-03-2003, 03:08 PM
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While we're at it... #7, #9, #10, #14-15
Treat #7 as a real turn and use all of the track at the apex and exit.
Use all of the track at the exit of 9. Don't be afraid to use the berm at the exit or even the dirt. And whatever you do, don't lift if you think you're carrying too much speed into 9. If you spin coming over the top of the hill, you might easily get T-boned by folks behind you who can't see you over the crest.
10 can be taken faster than it first looks. Although it's downhill, there's camber near the apex that works to your advantage. Even experienced racers will often take 10 too slowly and you can grab onto their tail even if they outrun you through 9.
Be very patient with 14. Turn in well past the braking 1 marker. Get on the gas as early as possible. In a Miata, if you do it right, you can be WOT from turn in to 14 all the way through 15 and until braking for 1.
Use all of the track at the exit of 9. Don't be afraid to use the berm at the exit or even the dirt. And whatever you do, don't lift if you think you're carrying too much speed into 9. If you spin coming over the top of the hill, you might easily get T-boned by folks behind you who can't see you over the crest.
10 can be taken faster than it first looks. Although it's downhill, there's camber near the apex that works to your advantage. Even experienced racers will often take 10 too slowly and you can grab onto their tail even if they outrun you through 9.
Be very patient with 14. Turn in well past the braking 1 marker. Get on the gas as early as possible. In a Miata, if you do it right, you can be WOT from turn in to 14 all the way through 15 and until braking for 1.
