So I just finished my first full HPDE this weekend at Summit Point Main Circut. It was freaking awesome and I loved it, like a whole new world of driving. Did 5 25 minute sessions on the track, but I skipped the last one today to get home earlier and not have to sit for 4.5 extra hours in the rain.
Session 1
This was my first time on a large and higher speed track so it was just learning the line and getting used to the track layout. Hit ~130 mph at the end of the main straight, which was about the highest I did all weekend. Finally got a chance to pass a couple people unlike my hyperdrive from last year, which was fun. Really had to work to improve everything after this session. Instructor said I had a good pace, but need to be more smooth and better at looking ahead.
In all my first time track excitement, I forgot to turn on the GoPro for this session. After my session was over, we noticed a lot of smoke coming from my front brakes. I have the Carbotech XP8 pads with Motul RBF600 fluid. Brakes felt completely fine even at the very end of the session. Instructor said it was probably the brake pad grease burning off. This did not happen after any of my other sessions so I think this was the case. I did manage to completely toast the paint on my calipers though
Instructor Ride Along
My instructor drove my car and had me ride along with him in one of the more advanced level sessions. He was going to take me in his car, but it didn't have any passenger seat. He wanted to show me the proper line around the track; how to be smooth with my steering/throttle/brake inputs; how/where to look ahead for the apex of each turn. This actually helped me a lot with everything. I tried to just follow what my instructor did for all of my remaining sessions on the track.
Was going to turn on the GoPro once we got to the grid, but the instructor just went straight on to the track
Session 2
In this session I focused on trying to do everything my instructor showed me in the ride along session. I stopped trying to go fast and just tried to get the line right and my inputs smooth. Just stayed in 4th gear for most of the lap. I did a lot better in this session, but still needed to work on looking ahead at the apexes. My steering/brake/throttle inputs were much smoother this time.
Finally a GoPro video!
Session 3
This was the last session for Saturday and probably my best one of the weekend. I kept my inputs smooth just like my last session and did better with looking ahead at all of the apexes.
I was still having some trouble getting used to braking hard on the street vs braking hard on the track. Before the higher speed turns (1 and 10) I would brake "hard" like I would on the street and then my instructor would tell me I wasn't braking enough. At that point I would push down on the brake pedal as hard as I could to slow down enough for the turn.
Another thing I needed to work on after this session was timing when to go on the throttle when turning. I had a tendency to go on the throttle too early on some turns. My instructor told me to slow down in the braking zone, maintain speed to the apex, and then hit the throttle right at the apex or right before the apex.
Starting in the middle of this session, I felt my tires (Michelin PSS) getting hot. Car was sliding around more and I had to adjust to that a little bit. Tires were all sticky and melty after the session. Not good with all the gravel/little rocks in the parking lot.
My best lap time for the weekend was 1:38.65 on my 11th lap. Skip to around 19:20 in the video for that lap.
Session 4
First session on Sunday, so I this was just spent getting used to the track again. Left the GoPro at home so no videox for Sunday's sessions
Had an issue with my brake light flashing for half a second and then later on my VDC off and slip light came on. Braking felt fine, but I didn't want to take a risk and I went into the pit. Topped off the brake fluid reservoir and got back onto the track. Everything was fine at that point and I just spent the rest of the session getting used to the track again.
Session 5
It started raining lightly by this time so I got to to a session on a wet track. Spent the first couple laps taking it very slowly and just getting used to driving on the wet track. Last thing I wanted to do was spin out or go off track. Saw a guy in a Corvette spin out twice on the same turn a couple laps apart. One of the 3 series also went off the track at turn 8, but luckily he just went sliding into an open field.
Now for this session I do have a story about an azzhole in a Miata. So in the first couple laps when I was going very slow in the rain, this guy was right behind me and going faster so I signaled him to pass me. Once I got more confident driving on the wet track I got to the point where I was driving faster than him. I was right on his azz every turn a and he still would not let me pass him.
At first my instructor said that they probably just weren't looking in their mirrors. I got a bit closer and perfectly in line with there mirrors, but still wouldn't let me pass. I was driving fast enough relative to him that I could have passed him at every single turn and every straight on the track for about 60% of the session. On some turns I had to actually brake extra so I didn't break the rules by accidentally passing him without a point-by.
I kept driving aggressively behind him hoping he would eventually give me a point-by so I can pass him, but no luck. He went 1 wheel off the track like 3 times just trying to keep ahead of me instead of letting me pass. My instructor wanted to have a conversation with the instructor in the Miata to see what was going on. Here's word for word how that conversation went:
My inst.: Hey, did you see that gray 370 that was right behind you?
Other inst.: Yes we sure did.
My inst.: Why didn't you give us a point-by so we could pass?
Other inst.: We were following the rain line and
were considerably faster than you.
My inst.: *walks away and talking to me now* There's no point in arguing with an idiot like that.
Definitely an interesting experience, but I had fun making that Miata look like a b1tch in the turns
Overall I had a great time and learned a lot about driving and pushing my car. This is definitely what the Z was made to do and I finally got to experience that first hand. Can't wait till I can do it again.
