What lap times were you guys running out there?

 

Lar,

Great vid! I don't disappear anywhere as fast as Mooty does! I'm sure we'll reset the clocks at Thunderhill in July!

Oldskews4,

I ran a 2:05.9 on Saturday, but then was slower for the time trial and finished with a 2:07.4.

Armando

 

good point.
ok, no more trucks.

 

I was doing 2'02 in that conf back in 2008 before my car was stolen :/

looks a lot more bumpy and wow that is a lot of patches.

 

Not such big bumps as Reno Fernley features, but they look equally capable of breaking an axle or pulverizing a strut tower.

 

Wow, 2:02 for 1CW? Impressive.

 

I was there a few months ago running #1 CW (first time I ever drove my Cup!) and I thought the track was in pretty good condition. It looks a little beat up, but the curbs were fine, the patches didn't have much (if any) effect on the car in the dry. It started showering during the race on Saturday and the patches got slippery.

The area surrounding BW really sucks, and I've never stayed at a hotel as horrible as the one I stayed at for that weekend... and I'm totally low maintenance when it comes to hotels. Still had a lot of fun driving though! Before that weekend I hadn't been to BW since 2001 and it seemed about the same.

Most annoying part-- timing sheets were way out in a little brown shack by the esses. That walk sucks after it's been raining for a week and the grass/infield is all muddy. :-)

Btw, 2:02 is pretty quick for that config!

-mike

 

Wow! Looks like fun, I like running that track but agreed the surroundings are direct from the pits of hell. You guys lucked out with a cool weekend as well at this time of the year. Armando- selling the pumpkin eh? Oh my. You and Mooty both strippers.

hmmm, wait a minute...

Glad you all had a fun weekend, missed being out there with you

 

Pete, we missed you too. You also missed some photo ops! My new philosophy? I strip, therefore I am!

Armando

 

BW is a great, fun track. You Nor Cal pussies are spoiled/pampered by Laguna, Sears, and T-Hill. You just have to know where the bumps are and dodge them. The worst is the R-hander leaving the Bustop. Either take it wide, or go over the inside curbing. It's even worse running CCW when you're turning into the Bustop....

For hotels, I drive an hour to Paso Robles with great hotels and restaurants. Bakersfield is about 35 minutes the other direction and has some decent chain hotels by the 99 frwy. And if you really need to stay close, there's a decent Best Western 1 exit South of the Hwy 58 exit. It's considerably cleaner than anything by the 58....

 

This is the best solution coming from the SF Bay Area, too. Just take 101 south, there's even some 70 mph limit stretches. Bring a V1 though!
And the road across from the central coast wine country around SLO to BW is a great drive of itself -- gets you off to a great start for the day. And a nice way to break in a new Mezger if the car is fresh off the showroom. : )

 

With all due respect, that is the best solution only if you are towing. If you are driving the P-car, then best way to BW from SF Bay is 101S --> hwy25 (following exit sign for Hollister/East Pinnacles), follow 25 south until it hits CA 198 at a T-junction, then East on CA198 to Coalinga, then from Coalinga follow signs for I-5 south. Endure only 45 minutes on I-5 to reach track.

Takes about 30 minutes extra, but average speed is 65+ mph over the entire distance and it's devoid of traffic/CHP etc. Scenic, fast, pavement is great most of the time and you enjoy 100's of curves along the way.

I've driven this route going and coming for the past 3 years. Arrive refreshed rather than bored.

jrgordonsenior is correct that the worst bump is at the apex of the r-hander after T6. None of the other bumps really bothered my car too much.

 

I'm talking about the solution (accommodation, wine district, restaurants) not the fastest/funnest driver there and then sleeping in a roach farm and waking up to the farts and belches of an decrepit agricultural region. : )

 

Oh, agreed. Paso Robles is an order of magnitude better for accomodation. I was just talking about getting to/from the track.

Speaking of farts and belches, the oil-field workers in the roach-room near mine were a sight to behold. Truly a window into another world... that is at the same time, ours.

 

Looking at that video, Id be happy with a 05 since the braking zones are so bumpy and mid corner bumpies do not inspire confidence to go to power early.

If I threw up my video from 2008, you wouldnt recognize the track :P

Also, BW used to be my home track. I have done close to 3,000 laps there over 5 years. There are many sections I love and miss about that as I no longer go because I cannot stand many things about the track.

Esp when you compare BW to WG, Road America, Road Atlanta, VIR, etc I prefer to go to those tracks now.