Another Successful Track Day Weekend!
Discussion
Once again, another really successful track day weekend at TWS in College Station, Tx! More kudos for the car as I know its not my driving that has taken me this far so quickly. In just 3 track day weekends, having never done this, I've managed to advance from the beginner "green" group to the next "blue" level, and this past weekend there was no doubt that I needed to be moved up again to the "white" run group! "Yellow" would be the next step which is the advanced group. On Sunday they grouped the white and yellows together b/c of a lower turnout due to Mother's Day. I'm beginning to feel more and more comfortable at high speed when I've gone over the limits of the tires. This car makes it so easy to correct and get back on the line. I've been taking it easy on the motor and basically driving the car in 4th gear only. I can only imagine how explosive the car would be off the corners in 2nd and 3rd! I had some real nice compliments and the advanced drivers were really impressed with my progress. I still have a hard time staying up with Miatas and M3's on race slicks through the corners, but some of those guys have been tracking their cars at that track for 10-12 years! I've only done this 3 times! ha. Another time I followed a cobra mustang through a slow carousel at 50mph and followed right behind him at the same speed and same line but my front pushed out wide and I had to slow as I went offline. Later, I discovered he was running slicks with a gutted, race prepared, car. He was also an advanced driver so I feel real confident that in a year I will be on track with a lot of those guys. Might look for some DOT-R tires in the future though and ultimately full slicks. I let a group of miata's by me before some twistys, and even though they carried more speed through the corners I found that I had no trouble catching back up on the straights. One of the drivers who'd passed me in a miata was about halfway down the long straight and said he saw me coming out onto the straight and as he got ready to turn into the 1st turn he looked in his mirrors and saw me quickly closing and gave me a passing signal b/c he mistook me for a Formula 1 car that was running with us. Ha. He was really impressed.
My goal was not to go off track the entire weekend, but once again, I fell short of that goal as I went full power up a hill and slowed from 100mph but ran off straight as I couldn't make the next corner. I'd slowed the car to 50mph I'm sure. I got just a bit too aggressive through that corner. My girlfriend was a passenger in a friend's race prepped bmw and saw the whole thing. Slightly embarrassing, but a soft run off that was easy to control. It seems that every weekend I've had a spin, but always been able to manage them quite easily in this car. Doesn't say much for the instructors who've been in the car with me those 2 of 3 times though! ha.
Tracking my Ultima has literally been one of the most fun things I've ever done. What a reward to be able to do something like this after spending all that time building the car.
Cheers!
-Mack
My goal was not to go off track the entire weekend, but once again, I fell short of that goal as I went full power up a hill and slowed from 100mph but ran off straight as I couldn't make the next corner. I'd slowed the car to 50mph I'm sure. I got just a bit too aggressive through that corner. My girlfriend was a passenger in a friend's race prepped bmw and saw the whole thing. Slightly embarrassing, but a soft run off that was easy to control. It seems that every weekend I've had a spin, but always been able to manage them quite easily in this car. Doesn't say much for the instructors who've been in the car with me those 2 of 3 times though! ha.
Tracking my Ultima has literally been one of the most fun things I've ever done. What a reward to be able to do something like this after spending all that time building the car.
Cheers!
-Mack
That's great Mack. I love reading about your track days
I've only ever had two days on track (not proper ones though, only charity days at airfields) I found it quite addictive, but was always wary about binning it! I was surprised at how little wear I was getting on the tyres. Obviously I wasn't trying hard enough!
What sort of suspension bushes are you using and are they holding up ok?
Gary
I've only ever had two days on track (not proper ones though, only charity days at airfields) I found it quite addictive, but was always wary about binning it! I was surprised at how little wear I was getting on the tyres. Obviously I wasn't trying hard enough!
What sort of suspension bushes are you using and are they holding up ok?
Gary
No real major issues. Since I'm only running on a left tank now, I have to keep it above half-filled or else I will starve the fuel pump on two hard left corners as the fuel shifts to the opposite direction of the fuel pickup on the tank. Ugh..I guess I'm pulling over 1g? ha.
Suspension bushes have held up fine. I have the grey ones and a few spares the factory supplied a long time ago. The only other issue is that I'm going to have to have the left front corner A-Arm cut down slightly to give me a little more camber. I'm not able to achieve the same amount of camber as on the right front corner. The balljoint doesn't thread in far enough. I think this will really help. The other thing is that my shift linkage has loosened up on me and I had to tighten it up as best I could. I still didn't feel real confident in my shifting this past weekend and it was another reason that I ran around in 4th gear all weekend. It was very vague and sloppy. I may upgrade to a better shift linkage joint and find a way to keep all that very tight. I've also been driving my girlfriends standard car and so I may just not be used to my car anymore.
No overheating or loss of oil pressure through the corners or anything. Motor runs like a champ! The kinsler stack injection is so smooth and linear. My braking is improving and I was able to modulate my braking to keep the tires right at the limit. I did a much better job braking this time and reminded myself that I tend to go too easy on the brakes.
I just need to learn how to keep up with the advanced drivers through the corners! As I look back, I really think there is a lot of room for improvement as I'm able to get the car into the right gears for the corners. My motor is a horsepower motor and my powerband doesn't kick in until 3500rpm. Some of those corners I was taking between 2500-3000rpm as I glanced at the tacho mid-apex. I really need to get that up to 4500rpm-5000rpm I think and I will have more acceleration off the corners. I guess its more important that I learn to be smooth and learn the line and develop my consistency. Gives me something to look forward to though.
I really can't wait to go back and throw the rubber down! No let's see if I can find some cool video or photos from the weekend!
Cheers!
-Mack
Suspension bushes have held up fine. I have the grey ones and a few spares the factory supplied a long time ago. The only other issue is that I'm going to have to have the left front corner A-Arm cut down slightly to give me a little more camber. I'm not able to achieve the same amount of camber as on the right front corner. The balljoint doesn't thread in far enough. I think this will really help. The other thing is that my shift linkage has loosened up on me and I had to tighten it up as best I could. I still didn't feel real confident in my shifting this past weekend and it was another reason that I ran around in 4th gear all weekend. It was very vague and sloppy. I may upgrade to a better shift linkage joint and find a way to keep all that very tight. I've also been driving my girlfriends standard car and so I may just not be used to my car anymore.
No overheating or loss of oil pressure through the corners or anything. Motor runs like a champ! The kinsler stack injection is so smooth and linear. My braking is improving and I was able to modulate my braking to keep the tires right at the limit. I did a much better job braking this time and reminded myself that I tend to go too easy on the brakes.
I just need to learn how to keep up with the advanced drivers through the corners! As I look back, I really think there is a lot of room for improvement as I'm able to get the car into the right gears for the corners. My motor is a horsepower motor and my powerband doesn't kick in until 3500rpm. Some of those corners I was taking between 2500-3000rpm as I glanced at the tacho mid-apex. I really need to get that up to 4500rpm-5000rpm I think and I will have more acceleration off the corners. I guess its more important that I learn to be smooth and learn the line and develop my consistency. Gives me something to look forward to though.
I really can't wait to go back and throw the rubber down! No let's see if I can find some cool video or photos from the weekend!
Cheers!
-Mack
Mack,
I'm glad to see you finally enjoying your Ultima, It sat nearly completed in your garage for a long while.
Cheers
Jeff
www.schwartzperformance.com
I'm glad to see you finally enjoying your Ultima, It sat nearly completed in your garage for a long while.
Cheers
Jeff
www.schwartzperformance.com
jschwartz said:
Mack,
I'm glad to see you finally enjoying your Ultima, It sat nearly completed in your garage for a long while.
Cheers
Jeff
www.schwartzperformance.com
Thanks Jeff. Ha. Yeah divorce can really screw things up for a car guy! I really have no desire to drive the car on the street anymore. Its just so much fun out on the track. This stuff is so addicting!
Cheers!
-Mack
Big Mack,
Hey, that's great to hear about your track days. Yes, smooth and consistant is the key. Speed will develop over time as you learn how to make the little adjustments more fluid. It's a great addiction, though, isn't it? Keep it up and you might become a track slut like me. Post those videos!
Tomorrow, at Reno-Fernley Raceway, is the Western States Cobera Bash track day. Sure wish my GTR were done! I won't get to drive too much, but luckily was selected to do some instructing. So, maybe I will get some wheel-time in a Cobera, Daytona, or GT40 replica or original. Likewise, I will post a video clip if I can snag one.
-- Scott
Hey, that's great to hear about your track days. Yes, smooth and consistant is the key. Speed will develop over time as you learn how to make the little adjustments more fluid. It's a great addiction, though, isn't it? Keep it up and you might become a track slut like me. Post those videos!
Tomorrow, at Reno-Fernley Raceway, is the Western States Cobera Bash track day. Sure wish my GTR were done! I won't get to drive too much, but luckily was selected to do some instructing. So, maybe I will get some wheel-time in a Cobera, Daytona, or GT40 replica or original. Likewise, I will post a video clip if I can snag one.
-- Scott
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