First time to Watkins Glen
 

I have to say this is quite an intimidating track with many scary guard rails but you can also feel lots of history in this place. Day 1 didn't start off so good in terms of track time, first session was short, 2nd was black flagged, 4th was held up due to a red flag incident. They also lumped me in run group 1 which has all the fastest cars which made learning a little more difficult but at least gave me something to aim for.

Day 2 was a lot better. Two good practice sessions, took an instructor along to observe and see where I could pick up time. He made a few good comments at the end and the next session I was down to 2:13.1 on a fairly clean lap in a little traffic.

I was staged fairly late in the time trial so I had a bit of sitting around to do which can break your concentration. They call our group to stage and again we are waiting quite a while as we have to wait for 2 groups to complete before we go on track. I'm staged behind my racing buddies new Boss 302 Laguna Seca with an American Iron car behind and an AC Cobra up front. Finally we make it to pit lane for the launch and you start to get a little amped up. We only get about 1/4 of a lap as the warm up as they are running timing just before the bus stop in order to save time on out laps and in laps. But once driving it all starts to come together, 2:14, 2:12 and final lap was 2:11.919 with a pretty big error near the end. From pit wall the time was 2:11.7, and as a first timer there I was pretty pleased with that. Beat my friend in his C6 by 0.1 seconds and placed in the top 10 overall, less than 1 second slower than the GT-R.

Looks like a lot of fun! Wish I could do that

nice run, killed me by 10 sec or something

its hard to see from the video, but your car just sticks like glue in the corner. you were going in a few good mph faster at every corner. i dont know if it is your skill or tires, but i couldnt touch those cornering speed without ending up in the wall. madness, great job

Very nice driving, incredibly smooth. So much armco around that track... Looks like if you screw up you're almsot guaranteed to be in the wall. That has to make you nervous.

Damn that looked like fun! I might have to do a track day at Mosport. The Glen would blow my mind!

Tires are everything at this track, the wide V710's were sticking very nicely. Best time on the Nitto's was 2:16 and on the RE-11's I think was just sub 2:20 so really I was only 2 seconds faster than you with a lot more car setup :)

The Armco is very intimidating. It took me a long time to build up to the proper speed for a few of the more scary corners such as 6, and 11. If you watch the video closely you'll see my f'up at around 7:15 going up the esses. I was too abrupt going from the right turn to the left turn at 110 mph and got the car a little loose and hopped the curb on the inside. In the video all you'll see if the car go a little left and a bit of a back off on the gas, but I think I pooped my pants a little. Fortunately it didn't totally destroy my lap but probably cost me a few tenths.

Yeah, Glen is all about tires. The slicks on the long sweeping turns require tires. Good run nonetheless, I still need tons of work to catch up to you.

Damn how many sets of tires do you carry to the track?

awesome run!

Five, although 2 sets weren't mine :) Some guys bring 4 sets or more so I don't feel too bad. If I decide to take the car off the road next year and go full race with it then the RE-11's will be dumped and replaced with Hoosier Wets. Damn tires are too expensive.

That event gave me the SPB class championship with COM with 1 event still left to go. 2 missed events, four 1sts and one 2nd.

I now have the ability to carry tires, but I am not sure if I am ready for another set of tires or track days. I am starting to have real fear of the track :( If I can get my mojo back, I will see what I can do on R6 as I am getting that regardless

Fear is a part of getting older and being responsible. It's not necessarily a bad thing, but you can't let it overcome you. You can still be very fast while being mindful and responsible, you just have to be very calculated. The best drivers in our club are 40+, they can beat just about anyone in their own car.

Nice run, Chris!

I haven't driven there yet... looks like a great high speed, fast transition track... agree those armco barriers are intimidating! not Nordschliefe but would give me pause until I learned the track

Very true. I am not so much afraid of the danger, I just don't want to be stuck with a $20k repair bill!! Plus I have had instances of mechanical breakdown and other drivers breaking down in front of me.

Oh yeah, the next time someone post about the best mod. I think the video says it all.

HPDE Track insurance. It's a little steep, but you can buy it for the year at a substantial discount for a given number of events.

To put that into perspective that people here can relate to. I was 0.6 seconds slower than the GT-R during the time trial, and he is a very good experienced driver. He was running tired R888's vs my V710's - I think that shows what tires are worth.

You looked awesome out there. I wish i had more track time w the tires i had on my car. i think i could have been in the high teens. Couple things i learned from that track. If you take turn 8 wide you can come out onto the last straight faster putting you drivers side tires off to the left of the cememt. Seems slower but it is actually faster. Also in turn 10 in you turn in a little later it feels a little smother and you can gain a mph or two. This is what i found in my car with tires and stock susp. Porb a lot different w coil and what not. But it might help you next time :tup:

qustion. going through the esses what gear where u in?

Slow in fast out is almost always quicker, but if you check the video you'll see that I'm on the gas before the apex in every corner so I don't think going any wider would help my particular setup. I'll try to get a video up with telemetry so you can see my corner speed and acceleration points.

I was in 4th gear from T1 all the way to the top of the esses where I had to grab 5th. These tires are kind of tall though, on the shorter Nitto's I had to change to 5th 2/3rds of the way up.

I agree you have a MUCH different set up then me haha. plus im not that experianced. Id love to see a video like that. It could def show me where i could improve.

Thats what i was doing. I was grabbing 5th onto of the hill right before the right hander to the back straight. i would just let off right before the esses and have it floored all the way though. Id be interested in seein what u did.

I usually only run time trial, insurance is probably not going to work. I wish I don't have a mortgage, stupid house.

Tires definitely make a huge difference, especially at the Glen where most corners are sweepers. I was expecting a 6 sec difference, I didn't expect 10 sec. Of course outside of the tires, I am not sure if your suspension/power/driver mods added any or not. It's tough to say, but you said you were 8 sec quicker on the 710s over the RE11 with the same driver and car. I have done similar tests before, but the difference was closer to 3 sec at VIR, but that was against some older R888s.

t:worship:

When I checked the insurance company recognizes our TT club, you just aren't covered in the actual TT event itself. An accident is far more likely in the longer practice sessions than it is in the 3 lap TT when you are out there by yourself. Besides the reality is they don't really know when the actual accident occurred, it's not like there is a police report.

Take the tire times with a grain of salt as the RE-11's I only ran in the very first session while I was still learning the track. Each time out I was going faster as I figured the track out.

As far as mods go I think suspension is the next biggest mod after tires. BC ER coilovers and Hotchkis sway bars. Exhaust and test-pipes might give a little boost but I keep blowing out the exhaust gaskets which makes the car run rich and I actually lose power. No driver mods (no professional training), just iRacing and some other sims.

iRacing is a big help prepping for a new track... I'm doing the same for eventual Sebring events

The FR500 is the closest thing to the 370z in terms of drive and feel. The Miata is too much of a momentum car.

I typically drive a momentum line, and so use the Miata for practice. I wish they had something else but the FR500 is too powerful with not enough tire.

Hey, I drive a stock 370z with RE11, what do you think I get :)

I have been driving the HPD car, way more fun.; It's not close to real life, but I enjoy the new tire model way too much.

I actually learn how to drive through sim, so that hasn't really been a problem. It's just in person the older I get, the more cautious I am, which could mean I might or might not be slower.

FR500 is just right for me! :tup:

you guys make me sick, i can barely redline4th until the very end of the staight. i cant carry the same speed going up the hill with the stupid tires. i was doing around 1g up the hill, you guys must have been doing about 1.1 to 1.2

you still had a faster time!! haha

i hate being slow....

Very light lift into 2 and then flat to the boards the rest of the way up. I'm processing the video with the GPS data, when I have that I'll let you know.

i have way more experience than you, you will pass me once you do a few more events. video equipment and datalogger are your best friends. i looked at the data from every angle, there is maybe one sec left in it if i really try. i am still going to have a tough time cranking into the 20s to be honest, maybe vettel can get it there.

full lift into 2, wipe my pants clean, another lift into the left hander and then flat out to the top. of course this doesnt include the big waggle as i straighten the wheel

i know im just messin. ill get there eventually. i have a camera i use but no data logger.

Here's the official results if you want to see what the other cars were doing.
COMSCC Watkins Glen Results 9-13-2011

As a general guide to the classing and modifications allowed (grossly summarized)
Showroom Stock: No changes allowed except for oil cooler and tires.
Street Touring: Some light modifications allowed (coilovers etc), no engine mods, stock brakes within manufacturer series.
Street Prepared: Open engine mods, swaps, tuning, upgraded turbos, brakes - number of cylinders must remain the same else you are bumped to the next letter class. Dash must remain intact. SPA - 8 cyl or FI 6, SPB 6 cyl or FI 4, SPC 4 cyl or rotary.
Prepared: Anything goes, same letter classing as Street Prepared.

What type of recording device did you use? I have a basic camera and a Iphone but need to go this weekend to buy something to mount either one for I ahve something coming up. I'd really like to mount my camera but have no ideas on how to being it has a 3'' LCD screen and a small lens on front.

pick up a go pro

I would just don't feel I'll get much use out of one yet. I do have three track days this year though. That could be worth right there.

to be honest, a half decent mount costs as much or more than the go pro. It is well worth it.

I might bit the bullet. There post to be selling them at Z Nats.

So how was your time in comparison to similar cars or even "better" cars? (nevermind... didn't read the whole thread lol)

Cool video though... definitely looks fun!

Spohn, I use a cheap flip camera (about $50) with a custom mount and window mount, total about $100. I just don't like the go pro cam as camera shots without seeing the steering wheel is not great learning tools...

That's true.

Wow man! I looked at all of the numbers... you crushed A LOT of other cars there. I would have thought the Evo's would have at least been close... very nice job 1 sec off of a GT-R too? Doesn't get much better... REPS!