Manifold

By coincidence, I was at Tbolt with my 991 GT3 literally just yesterday. Three hours of track time, perfect weather, couldn't ask for more. I'll post some thoughts this evening. Your total prior track experience is just 2 or 3 days at the Glen, correct?

jlanka

2 days at the Glen and 3 days Skip Barber race school (at Lime Rock)

Manifold

Fun to do a brain dump, having just come from the track, so some thoughts are below, keeping in mind that I haven't done a lot of days at Tbolt, and prior to yesterday it was 2 years since I was there. Hopefully guys with more experience with Tbolt will chime in on where they agree or disagree (I'm interested in comparing notes).

- Avoid early apexing of the fast right turns, and generally be on the gas early entering those turns, to keep the rear of the car planted; don't attempt much trailbraking (with partial exception of T6, T7, and T10). You can gradually back up the apexes as you get to know the track and gain experience overall. At exits of the turns, avoid using curbs, keeping them instead as a safety margin, but use the curbs if necessary because of an error in your line/speed, rather than 'pinching' the exit of the turns; this is especially the case for the trackout curb of T5.

- If you do run wide coming out of the turns (two or four off), DO NOT be in a hurry to get back on the track, just coast and bring the car back very gently. This applies to all tracks, but most of the incidents I've seen at Tbolt (and Lightning) specifically involved people coming back to the track too quickly, resulting in shooting across the track to the other side where they discovered a wall rudely awaiting them. There's lots of green space at Tbolt, but take a look at the Google satellite image of the track and you'll see that there are also several walls near the track which aren't in the line of sight when driving the track (similar situation at VIR).

- Avoid using the apex curbing at T1 and T4. You can/should use the lower part of the apex curbing at T2, T3, T6, and T7. You can use plenty of apex curb at T5, and a decent amount at T12, but be careful there due to the high speed.

- At T2, avoid turning in too early, use the apex curbing, straighten the wheel significantly and stay on the gas when going over the crest, and be patient squeezing on the gas past the crest.

- Let the car track out of T4 as needed, and hold the steering input so you can get back to the right, but you don't need to get all the way right before setting up to turn left for T5.

- T7 is a slower corner than T6, so be prepared for that, don't come in too hot.

- Even among people with lap records, I see varying approaches to T8-T10, so I won't attempt to suggest a 'correct' approach. Just try what your instructor advises, then ask another instructor his opinion, who'll surely authoritatively tell you something different. But take it easy through here, since the risk of spinning seems higher than the rest of the track (leave ESC on!), and watch for cars spinning in front of you (don't stare at them, look for your escape route and go around them).

- Beware that the car tends to hop in the braking zone for T1 when braking hard from high speed, such that it first brakes well, then it doesn't, then it does again. So be prepared for that, and don't attempt to brake too deep (I was braking around the 5 marker from over 140 mph, and attempting to brake deeper than that screwed up my entry to T1 and probably gave the flagger a moment of excitement).

Overall, IMO it's an 'ok' track. I don't love it enough to do a lot of days there each year, but I had fun, and it certainly induces some pucker factor when trying to go fast, due to the blindness and high speed of many of the turns.

Try to make your instructor feel safe, and that will go a long way towards making everyone actually safer. And remember to have fun, that's why you're there!

jlanka

Thanks manifold - I'll surely have a lot of fun tomorrow and most of all listen to my instructor (and make him feel safe )

Jeff

Nick Yoskin

Correct!

John@Fabspeed

Update? I will be there on the 8th with my M3, curious about your experiences.

jlanka

Not a lot of time for a detailed report, hopefully later tonight. Here was one of my best laps, a 1:43 (I'm a green so be gentle - still maing plenty of mistakes)

jlanka

Random NJMP Thunderbolt impressions...

Its a very nice track and a pretty good location - in the middle of nowhere so there aren't any sound restrictions (that I'm aware of). The track drains pretty well as it was raining pretty good on Sunday and we still went out 4 times, grip was pretty good.

Turn 1 according to Bill you should track out on the 2nd level of curbing which is very bumpy. I never did that. Turn 2 can be taken with just a lift (although I was brake tapping) Turn 3, nothing spectacular, normal technique. Now there is a straight with an uphill, I had fun with the unweighting. Turn 4 sets you up for turn 5 (left hander). My instructor had me only going to the middle of the track for 5, not turning in from the right side. Hard brake and then crank it left hard for the apex/track out. Another straight, then turn 6 normal right hander. Turn 7 starts setting you up for the octopus section, he had me slowly bring it in till I was tight in the curbing, then aim for the condos and give it a nice hard brake just where the right side curbing ended. Then crank it back in to the right to make turn 9. Now the octopus, no braking, maintenance throttle, then octopus (turn 10) where I had to be in tight at the apex and keep it that way the entire curbing. Full throttle through the S' (or whatever I had the guts to do) And vision is important here. Flat out on turn 12 into the front straight, look for the flagpole to get optimum track out.

I had a garage space which was nice to have both for the sun and the rain. All in all a great experience and I met a lot of nice folks (everyone is always very nice at PCA DE's). Had fun dueling with Paul (yellow Z06 Vette) a few times.

The GT3 is an amazing track machine, which I most undoubtedly haven't scratched the surface with. As I progress I can see I will open up new areas of capability. It was rock solid for me and I love her. PCCB brakes worked great, took whatever I could dish out. MPSC2's also performed like a champ.

One thing that I was puzzled about, I drove in fully auto mode since I'm a green and wanted to concentrate on my driving. When I would demand max acceleration (for instance to make a pass) and was at 5K RPM, the car would not downshift, it would try to climb up to 9K (pretty sure I was in either 4th or 5th). So in those circumstances I would have to do a left paddle pull to get more power down.

Jeff

seapar

Sorry if I missed this. You were in pdk-S with pse on correct?
I think you were based on video. You could downshift with paddle and then allow pdk-s to resume.
I am using manual on the track during yellow flags or cool down lap after checker.
See what you like. Your throttle input by your right foot is sensed by the tranny. More seat time always recommended.

jlanka

>>>Sorry if I missed this. You were in pdk-S with pse on correct?

Yes I had PDK-S on, plus sport suspension mode.

>>>I think you were based on video. You could downshift with paddle and then allow pdk-s to resume.

Thats what I ended up doing after I figured out it would not downshift when I floored the pedal

>>>I am using manual on the track during yellow flags or cool down lap after checker.

Once I get more comfortable I will start driving in full manual with paddles.

>>>See what you like. Your throttle input by your right foot is sensed by the tranny. More seat time always recommended.

Totally agree.

Manifold

Glad you had fun! A few things:

- Try to keep your hands closer to 3 and 9.

- I would try to get to the right before T5, if your speed and line allow, since higher speed out of T5 carries all the way to the braking zone of T7.

- You can carry more speed through T12 by using much more of the apex curb.

- The car won't downshift in auto sport mode when you feed in the throttle because you don't want that downshifting to happen in corners. So manually downshifting with the paddle when needed is fine, I do the same thing.

- Your lap time is fine for Green, and I can assure you that it'll drop considerably over time. But I suggest not focusing on lap time, just keep trying to drive better overall, and the lap time will inevitably come down as a result.

jlanka

- Try to keep your hands closer to 3 and 9.

I have trouble finding a comfortable position at 3 and 9. I wish the crossbar was up or down a bit. I'm not sure if I should hook my thumbs. Any recommendations?

- I would try to get to the right before T5, if your speed and line allow, since higher speed out of T5 carries all the way to the braking zone of T7.

I totally agree, for some reason my instructor insisted I only go halfway to the right prior to 5. So I listened. I'd like to try all the way next time I'm running there.

- You can carry more speed through T12 by using much more of the apex curb.

Agreed also, except they recommended Greenhorns not do that.

- Your lap time is fine for Green, and I can assure you that it'll drop considerably over time. But I suggest not focusing on lap time, just keep trying to drive better overall, and the lap time will inevitably come down as a result.

Thanks for the tips, I am trying to focus on being smooth these days.

Jeff

Manifold

You can hook your thumbs or point them upward. Either way, you don't want your grip on the wheel to be too tight.

A benefit of assuming you'll be mid-track before T5 is that you can more comfortably carry speed through T4, since you can then track out fully in T4 without messing up the entry to T5. That has a safety benefit. But I was still able to (briefly) get all the way right before T5.

I agree with not using too much T12 apex curb initially, but I found that our cars accept quite a bit of it, and there's a safety/speed benefit in straightening out T12 somewhat.

Smooth is good. But I suggest also practicing car control where it's safe to do so - skidpad, karting, parking lots covered with snow, select turns of some tracks, autocross, etc. - so that you can instinctively make corrections when necessary. That's an essential part of being able to drive fast safely.

John@Fabspeed

Just did my first track day at NJMP Thunderbolt in my 02 M3. As a noobie, I think that the track had very little intimidation factor to it and was easily approachable for anyone.

I had a TON of fun in T11a/b and T12 on to the front stretch. Obviously my car is A LOT slower than a 991 GT3, but I was flat footed Through 11 and a light lift on 12. I was seeing an indicated 120/125 on the front straight.

Unfortunately I didn't have an instructor with me so I was really on my own about fixing my line etc. I found myself braking at the marked braking zones, but not actually going at a speed that required it. It sure is a great experience to be able to use your car like that, seems so boring driving on the road now!

NateOZ

I just had a quick look at your video - it seems like you probably need to adjust your seating position to make 3 and 9 work. Speculating here as it was hard to see, but I'm assuming your arms are bent by more than 90 degrees when your hands are at 3 and 9? If that's the case, move the seat back a little or the wheel forward and make sure you get that angle right. Is your seat at in it's lowest position as well?

Practice on the street and try taking a few 90 degree right turns from stop signs/lights without taking your hands off the wheel from 3 and 9. It'll show you if you have the seating position dialed in.