sin911

So yesterday was my 2nd day at the track with the GT3 (overall 7th day at Sebring) and I got more used to the car and could definitely push more. At the 3rd session I was doing consistent 2:30 lap times (sans traffic of course) The last time I was there, I was doing 2:32s, so the improvement is full 2 seconds!

Guard LSD rebuild (40/60 ramps) is definitely helped me, the car was much more stable under hard braking. No more butt wiggling around the track. So I've got to thank Matt at GT for a wonderful job as usual.

I still have some problem areas that I need to work on. If I can solve these problems I can definitely shave another 2 seconds no problem. Here are the problem areas:

-Turn 1: I think I am trying to take it too tight and may need to turn in slower instead. Probably loosing around half a second there.

-Turn 13: braking a little early

-Turn 15: after Bishops Bend I end up on the right side of the track because of carrying too much speed. If I stay on the left side maybe I can carry more speed into 15

-Turn 16: taking it too tight. Staying to the left of the rumble strip may help me take it faster.

-Turn 17: definitely loosing too much time. At least a good second there! I need to brake less entering and after I enter I should be hard on the brakes.

Here is the video as promised:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVrusEbSFHM

Thoughts, comments and critique is welcomed as always

deputydog95

Looks good to me! Smooth. You'd be better served getting advice from Reter or Randy though as I have no idea what I'm doing out there

As far as being too far to the right after coming through BB, if you're going flat out through there, it is almost impossible to get back to the left. I was experimenting a couple weeks ago and managed to hit about 125. I had a hard time braking enough to even make the corner. Once I got past psychologically needing to be the left side of the track to make the right, BB wasn't so scary at speed.

sin911

I was doing 121-125 without even going flat out. When I saw 125 I was like "" The problem is entering 15, not braking. The car has brakes that can stop a bus When I end up on the right side I need to enter 15 slower.

mdrums

You're taking Bishops to tight...that is why ou are in the middle or right side.

sin911

Really? Huh... I never thought of that.

I'll try wider next week! You coming as well?

Izzone

Yep too tight, you need at least two tires to the right of the black line through bishops

This will help u set up 15, I take 15 early try to set up 16

You are also early on 5, need the right tire on the light concrete patch corner so you get more exit speed for the straight

For 1 there is a strip of light concrete , wait til that for turn in....ride line try to rub mirror on wall. Then full throttle til service road at two

My opinion, you are a bit early in most corners but fast for how early. If you take them a bit later you will have more exit speed

125 through bishops is big *****, I don't go that fast through there.....but I'm chicken

I miss that car

YouTube izzone74, there is a 2:27 in that car on there

sin911

I think I need to take a ride with one of you guys cause I don't see **** from the video... Mind if I get a ride with you this weekend?

I don't see any of what you mean from the videos. There are multiple black lines running through Bishops.

BTW don't worry about Megan, she's in good hands

Izzone

No problem, just let me know when you want a ride

You need data, traqmate or something so you can see speeds and when coasting

sin911

Thanks. I just had Traqmate installed, but couldn't entirely figure out how it works.

I had data from first session. The second session I deleted by mistake before seeing it. The last session Traqmate decided not to keep data by itself

aussie jimmy

nice driving! there's more to come from that car, which is good.
randy is right, need to hold the left a little longer, before turning in for 5, so you can go straight over the first and second rumble strips.
your first lap through bishops was cool, in the 2nd lap you overtook that boxter so you had to chop it early which bought you out to the right. in 16, and some other corners, you may need a few more revs onboard to be in the meat zone to get some more exit speed. as guys mentioned before, you lose time and momentum when you are off the throttle. you may feel you need more grip though to be on throttle though, so it depends on what the chassis/suspension/tyres are doing. every little bit counts, i.e 17 x .1 seconds = 1.7
seconds over the length of the course, so just break the track down into sectors and work with an instructor. it will come naturally.
just saying.......but hey, i'm just an armchair critic, i've never been there!
so, good to get tips from the likes of peter, eric, randy and mike who know the track inside out.
the learning curve is the fun part.

sin911

Thanks! There is at least 2-3 seconds that I can improve, even more from a pro driver

I definitely need to carry more speed through 16! Also 17 & 1.

The car is mostly stock. The only mods are: track wheels and RA1 tires, Stoptech STR brakes, Guard LSD rebuild and Wevo mounts. The suspension is completely stock.

I don't have the $ for private coaching so I'll have to do with more practice and friendly coaching

aussie jimmy

suspension bits will work wonders, although suspension tuning for sebring must be a black art... and seat time is the most important. get to know your car, respect the way it behaves, and build from there. all good fun!

sin911

They do, but it doesn't show driver improvement. The drop in lap times can be due to the mods. The last car I just threw in the mods constantly trying to make it better instead of spending time behind the wheel trying to become better myself.

When I drive the 90% capability of the car then I may start playing with it, right now I'd say I'm driving maybe around 70-75% of the car.

I feel much better, much more satisfied seeing better lap times due to my driving rather than mods

aussie jimmy

good course to take. and much more satisfying. later on, some chassis mods (can be) good tools to take the driving to the next level by getting the car to behave a little more locked down so you can get it to rotate nicer and the way you want. gotta get it rotated through the slow corners to get more exit.

mdrums

Sin, my last post was just a short one...wife was calling me for dinner.

I wanted to point out that it is really hard to gauge anything from a video other than the driving line. You need to get some good driver to ride with you or better yet hire a coach like Chris Hall or Seth Thomas or out own resident coach VRr (Dave Scott) for a full day of coaching.

With someone that knows more they can help you with car balance through your braking....when you brake, brake pressure and brake release and throttle application.

You look smooth in your steering and so forth and the line looks good except for how tight in Bishops you are and the T7 missed apex on one of the laps. From the audio on the video it seems like you are adding throttle at around the correct time but I can not feel what the car is doing. Driving fast and what I call dancing with the car is all about feel and that we just can't get from a video.

Again, I super highly recommend you hire a pro level coach. I worked with Chris Hall and picked up a lot especially with braking and brake release. Chris is a ALMS driver, Porsche School instructor and his teaching style is fun. Also I've heard awesome things about Seth Thomas too and I hope to take some lessons myself with him.

I've found that pro coaching is the absolute best mod we can do. Chris Hall did a 2:26 at Sebring in my car the lowly Carrera S with me (240lbs) in the car, car was full of fuel and the R888's were heat cycled out. So with knowing that I'm not wasting any money on mods like wings, shocks, springs, air induction, lightweight fly wheels and so forth until I can consistently get close to Chris's time. I'd rather spend the money on lessons with a pro coach like Chris.