Awesome day at Mosport
05-19-2008, 10:55 PM
#1
Drifting
Thread Starter
Awesome day at Mosport
Thanks to Paul (997GT3North) and Joe (from Motul), I had an amazing day at Mosport today. As a young child, I watched Richard Spenard and David Empringham hammer around Mosport in their 944 Turbo Cup cars. It was always a dream to drive on this legendary and infamous track.
Today, after pacing myself with some smaller tracks with the new car, I had the chance to finally live out that dream. Videos, video games and verbal articulation cannot convey the intensity and drama of this track. I've raced in karts, hillclimbs, and have done more track days than I can count, but nothing has scared me more than this track.
My heart was pounding on the startline as the rain began to fall. Fortunately, it just sprinkled throughout the session. Both Paul and Joe instructed me throughout the day and I'd like to thank them for that. Mosport is a very unconventional track; it would have been very difficult to progress without their help.
You'll note that I haven't talked much about the car. I've gone fast at other tracks, but this track, quite frankly, was tough for me to go fast on. Because I wasn't pushing the car to the fullest, I don't think the feedback would be relevant or useful.
I purposely left the Traqmate at home because I didn't want to get caught up with lap times, but I did get video footage using the GoPro camera (tough little bugger to use in the heat of a track day) and can obtain track times from the video +/- 1/30 second or so. Morning times were 1:48's, mid-afternoon were 1:45's and then second to last session were 1:42's. Unfortunately, the best session I had didn't get recorded
I'm certain these are not impressive lap times, but the key was that I wanted to bring the car home in one piece from my first Mosport experience. Unfortunately, one car didn't make it home in one piece and I felt so bad for the driver when they unloaded the car off the flatbed and the wheels from one side of the car had detached completely from the car. It was a beautiful late model car, but now it's a write-off.
In terms of speed down the straight (which is not really a straight). In the morning, I was limiting myself to 200km/h; mid-afternoon, I was up to 230km/h and in the last session, I was bouncing off the limiter in 4th which I believe is around 240km/h.
With every track day, I get more and more enamoured by this car. With the Toyos, track alignment and the Pagid Yellows, the car just runs and runs and runs without missing a beat. I now have 7,200km on her, four track days and some road trips and it hasn't even used a drop of oil! We are very fortunate to own these vehicles
Thanks again Paul for all your help, you're a fantastic driver and a great teacher.
Today, after pacing myself with some smaller tracks with the new car, I had the chance to finally live out that dream. Videos, video games and verbal articulation cannot convey the intensity and drama of this track. I've raced in karts, hillclimbs, and have done more track days than I can count, but nothing has scared me more than this track.
My heart was pounding on the startline as the rain began to fall. Fortunately, it just sprinkled throughout the session. Both Paul and Joe instructed me throughout the day and I'd like to thank them for that. Mosport is a very unconventional track; it would have been very difficult to progress without their help.
You'll note that I haven't talked much about the car. I've gone fast at other tracks, but this track, quite frankly, was tough for me to go fast on. Because I wasn't pushing the car to the fullest, I don't think the feedback would be relevant or useful.
I purposely left the Traqmate at home because I didn't want to get caught up with lap times, but I did get video footage using the GoPro camera (tough little bugger to use in the heat of a track day) and can obtain track times from the video +/- 1/30 second or so. Morning times were 1:48's, mid-afternoon were 1:45's and then second to last session were 1:42's. Unfortunately, the best session I had didn't get recorded
I'm certain these are not impressive lap times, but the key was that I wanted to bring the car home in one piece from my first Mosport experience. Unfortunately, one car didn't make it home in one piece and I felt so bad for the driver when they unloaded the car off the flatbed and the wheels from one side of the car had detached completely from the car. It was a beautiful late model car, but now it's a write-off.
In terms of speed down the straight (which is not really a straight). In the morning, I was limiting myself to 200km/h; mid-afternoon, I was up to 230km/h and in the last session, I was bouncing off the limiter in 4th which I believe is around 240km/h.
With every track day, I get more and more enamoured by this car. With the Toyos, track alignment and the Pagid Yellows, the car just runs and runs and runs without missing a beat. I now have 7,200km on her, four track days and some road trips and it hasn't even used a drop of oil! We are very fortunate to own these vehicles
Thanks again Paul for all your help, you're a fantastic driver and a great teacher.
05-20-2008, 09:07 AM
#4
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FC Racer, you can have David Empringham teach you at Mosport if you attend Howard Dexter Days. http://www.dexterautosport.com/
Maybe I'll see you there?
Perry
Maybe I'll see you there?
Perry
05-20-2008, 10:52 AM
#5
Drifting
Thread Starter
Hi Perry, I was talking to Mark last week at Autowerks so yes I'd like to make it out when he's teaching. It will especially be useful now that I've had a chance to drive there once.
The laptimes that Mark was saying David was able to do in his boxster are incredible. Those must be mesmorizing laps to watch.
The laptimes that Mark was saying David was able to do in his boxster are incredible. Those must be mesmorizing laps to watch.
