GuyIncognito

I remember that race, into T1 off the start I thought "where the hell is he going?" as you went sailing by then locked up all four.

I don't know if it's the NTM or just the car itself but the SM seems really unstable, but you can catch is easily.

Indy Rev

Sorry I missed last night, I got home late and missed the start. SM at LG will be a blast.

Auto_Werks 3.6

Sorry I couldn't hang out for longer last night...Tom, where do you find the extra speed on that track? It seems like my average lap times were decent, but I'm not coming up with the flyers like you guys were. Am I missing something big?

abqautoxer

I haven't seen your laps but getting a great hot lap from the SM for me is trail braking. If done right, you can brake later, the car rotates a lot more than without and you settle it with very light throttle squeezing on more slowly as the car hooks up. It really makes a huge difference on the two right handers leading to the longest straights other than the acceleration zone after T2 which is all about sacrificing speed before you get to/turn in for T2 so you can squeeze throttle before the apex and track out at WOT. For some reason this car works for me a lot more than the vette did a couple weeks ago.

JustinL

For me the Star Mazda it's all about exit speed. If I try to brake super late, I may pick up 0.1 into mid corner but lose 0.2 on the way out. I also make sure I can be on throttle through the apex and full throttle shortly after. If I find I'm still braking through mid corner, then I know I need to brake and turn in earlier. "Bending" the car into the corners with some trail braking really helps at Okayama because of all the over 90° turns. This is all too much to think about while driving so I try to think in a couple simple points.

1. Begin rotation under braking
2. Hit the apex (inside front should hit the curbs)
3. Throttle ASAP and only lift if the back end is uncatchable with steering.

Edit- Glad to see we're on the same page Tom

abqautoxer

Think Justin and I have slightly different ways of explaining it but basically its the same answer: Rotate the car when braking and picking up the gas as early as possible. This car responds more to the first part than the other cars we have driven since I joined the series.

GuyIncognito

This week's "scheduled to appear" guests: one P. Long and Elliott Skeer, Mazda development driver, MX5 Cup racer for CJ Wilson, and all around good kid.

Gator_86_951

This week sucks, but I will just go to the cave at like 6am or something on wednesday to make the race if I have to. I am also very unlikely to show up next week because tiffani is having some knee surgery so I am probably going to be out wednesday. I really need to get back into this with you guys, particularly since I am pretty sure I am taking the rig to Tokyo.

GuyIncognito

can you take the sim rig into the billing cave? tell everyone it's evidence for a trial.

didn't Tiffani have knee surgery already?

abqautoxer

Awesome.

Here is tonight's practice info:

Rennlist Practice @ Laguna Seca
password: rennlist

starts 7:30pm EDT and runs for 4 hours.

dodint

Bummer, I didn't see the practice post until three hours into it. I got there and everyone had already retired. I ran the last hour alone since it was good practice for this weeks official Star Mazda race.

I managed third and might have done better with a few more laps. I couldn't touch my established best time for some reason but it felt good to run a familiar track. Really wish I wasn't working this week.

Tom, I spent the second half of my session on your set. I wish I would've come sooner so we could've talked about it a little. It felt really great under braking and really allowed me to do some magical stuff in the T2 hairpin. However, it was too loose and I kept losing ground in places like T5, those mid speed corners. Ultimately I did my fastest lap with it but it was an oasis in an island of spins and offs. I'm looking at the exported sets side by side and the only major difference I see is a difference in camber setting, yours being farther negative, and a huge gap in rebound stiffness with mine at +24 and yours at -2. Maybe that's it. I really feel the potential of that set and I'm keeping it in my folder for later use when my talent catches up. Thanks for sharing.

As a reminder, this weeks Rennlist hosted session coincides with S3 Week 2 of the Star Mazda Championship, the linked thread is full of good sets, replays, and information. If you do well on Wednesday carry it over and do an official race later in the week.

Heh, as I was writing this an e-mail came from Rennlist announcing the session. Blah.

GuyIncognito

are you running the DP/Mustang Grand Am-esque series as well (given your avatar)?

I decided I don't have the outright sprint race pace to be anywhere close to competitive in the SM series so I'm doing the DP/Mustang series this season instead. starting to get into a groove with the DP. plus I like longer races (most of these are 50 minutes) and multi-class action...though there are as few Stangs in this series as there are Vettes and GTs in the other multiclass series.

at any rate...see you goons Wed nite!

dodint

I'll be around, here and there, working on my B Licenses:

So, I'll be around in weeks 6 and 10. I'm hoping to move to the full GA schedule next season so I'm getting my feet wet now.

GuyIncognito

I'm doing the "regular", not "Premier" GA series (although I'll probably do the remaining Premier races as well, at Laguna and maybe Lime Rock if I'm feeling brave).

this week the GA series is at Watkins Glen (meh) but next week, 80 minute race under the lights on the Daytona 24 course!

abqautoxer

Sorry I cannot take any credit for that setup. That's one from Bedros at Summit Point that I just change the gear set for the track, it works very well for me but others have problem with lifting/braking with it as you cannot upset the car doing either or as you saw you go around - but once you learn to squeeze the gas to settle the rotation it works very well for getting down to the apex at ridiculous minimum speed.

I'm willing to run star mazda this season, I just need more guys like you to keep me informed/motivated to do so. I'll make it a point this week since this track/setup works well for me. I was shocked how fast I could run back to back laps.