Gt4 awesome at COTA but sad ending :(
07-09-2016, 02:07 AM
#91
Sorry to hear about this. I'm glad that Porsche is honoring the warranty- good for them.
If it was me, I would feel more comfortable with a new engine, but it's their call...
If it was me, I would feel more comfortable with a new engine, but it's their call...
07-09-2016, 03:06 AM
#92
Burning Brakes
Sorry to read about this. I hope the car is fixed soon and you get back on track.
This seems so true. Also, too many wrecks. I only run COTA one or two days a year. When I have been there, a prolonged red or black flag seems to occur one session every day.
This seems so true. Also, too many wrecks. I only run COTA one or two days a year. When I have been there, a prolonged red or black flag seems to occur one session every day.
Last edited by fishing; 07-09-2016 at 08:52 AM.
07-09-2016, 10:32 AM
#93
Burning Brakes
07-09-2016, 02:49 PM
#95
For some reason my cars break down more often than not at COTA....or catch fire....i hope this is not a trend.
07-09-2016, 04:53 PM
#96
Good luck with the repairs. I hope to see you out there again soon.
Yes, COTA is a car eater, no doubt. If you pay attention you'll see a number of cars going home on tow trucks EVERY weekend there, either having car trouble, or having hit something. Many others have stated some of the reasons above.
After having heat related limp mode trouble out there a few weekends ago, and with some additional PRO coaching where we discussed this, I adopted a new approach for my last weekend there. I call it "Drive with mechanical sensitivity". It worked well, and I will incorporate it everywhere going forward.
In essence, my car is not a race car, and I want it to last for a while, yet I still want to go fast, but also not blow it up needlessly in the process. So, with some help from my pro coach and with starting to pay more attention to my predictive lap timer (one of the best coaching toys out there!) I adopted the following:
1) Let the car breathe on "wasted" laps. With the predictive lap timer I now know the moment I screwed up in a section, or was held back by traffic, to the degree that a fast lap is gone. For the rest of the lap I will simply back off a teeny bit, let the car breathe and save some consumables in the process. No need to kill the car on a wasted lap.
2) Short shifting. Again, the car is not a race car. With data analysis and the pro coaching I have now realized that just because the car is making more noise does not mean I am faster through a section. There are many sections I now short shift and focus on momentum and corner speed, yet I am actually faster now and it is mechanically easier on the car.
3) Redlining on the straights. Cota has long straights and we tend to redline every gear. Again, when my predictive lap timer tells me I am not on record pace, or the car is already struggling in the heat, I see no reason to "wring" the car's neck and I now shift between 6.5-7k on the straights in these situations. Only when I am on record pace (or trying to hang onto Shake's rear bumper ;-)) will I now run the revs out on the straights.
4) Doubling up sessions. Some groups (or if you instruct) will allow you to run more than the std sessions, even back-to-back. I just feel it might not be worth it when ambient temps are 90+ and I will not do it on hot days, especially when I can already start feeling the car struggle with heat.
Anyway, of course stuff can still happen, but becoming more aware of driving with "mechanical sensitivity" at least makes me feel that I am doing my part, and it has not slowed me down. On the contrary, it has allowed me to focus more on other basics.
Yes, COTA is a car eater, no doubt. If you pay attention you'll see a number of cars going home on tow trucks EVERY weekend there, either having car trouble, or having hit something. Many others have stated some of the reasons above.
After having heat related limp mode trouble out there a few weekends ago, and with some additional PRO coaching where we discussed this, I adopted a new approach for my last weekend there. I call it "Drive with mechanical sensitivity". It worked well, and I will incorporate it everywhere going forward.
In essence, my car is not a race car, and I want it to last for a while, yet I still want to go fast, but also not blow it up needlessly in the process. So, with some help from my pro coach and with starting to pay more attention to my predictive lap timer (one of the best coaching toys out there!) I adopted the following:
1) Let the car breathe on "wasted" laps. With the predictive lap timer I now know the moment I screwed up in a section, or was held back by traffic, to the degree that a fast lap is gone. For the rest of the lap I will simply back off a teeny bit, let the car breathe and save some consumables in the process. No need to kill the car on a wasted lap.
2) Short shifting. Again, the car is not a race car. With data analysis and the pro coaching I have now realized that just because the car is making more noise does not mean I am faster through a section. There are many sections I now short shift and focus on momentum and corner speed, yet I am actually faster now and it is mechanically easier on the car.
3) Redlining on the straights. Cota has long straights and we tend to redline every gear. Again, when my predictive lap timer tells me I am not on record pace, or the car is already struggling in the heat, I see no reason to "wring" the car's neck and I now shift between 6.5-7k on the straights in these situations. Only when I am on record pace (or trying to hang onto Shake's rear bumper ;-)) will I now run the revs out on the straights.
4) Doubling up sessions. Some groups (or if you instruct) will allow you to run more than the std sessions, even back-to-back. I just feel it might not be worth it when ambient temps are 90+ and I will not do it on hot days, especially when I can already start feeling the car struggle with heat.
Anyway, of course stuff can still happen, but becoming more aware of driving with "mechanical sensitivity" at least makes me feel that I am doing my part, and it has not slowed me down. On the contrary, it has allowed me to focus more on other basics.
The following users liked this post:
Viper pilot (11-09-2019)
07-09-2016, 05:22 PM
#98
07-09-2016, 05:41 PM
#99
Burning Brakes
After having heat related limp mode trouble out there a few weekends ago, and with some additional PRO coaching where we discussed this, I adopted a new approach for my last weekend there. I call it "Drive with mechanical sensitivity". It worked well, and I will incorporate it everywhere going forward.
In essence, my car is not a race car, and I want it to last for a while, yet I still want to go fast, but also not blow it up needlessly in the process. So, with some help from my pro coach and with starting to pay more attention to my predictive lap timer (one of the best coaching toys out there!) I adopted the following:
1) Let the car breathe on "wasted" laps. With the predictive lap timer I now know the moment I screwed up in a section, or was held back by traffic, to the degree that a fast lap is gone. For the rest of the lap I will simply back off a teeny bit, let the car breathe and save some consumables in the process. No need to kill the car on a wasted lap.
2) Short shifting. Again, the car is not a race car. With data analysis and the pro coaching I have now realized that just because the car is making more noise does not mean I am faster through a section. There are many sections I now short shift and focus on momentum and corner speed, yet I am actually faster now and it is mechanically easier on the car.
3) Redlining on the straights. Cota has long straights and we tend to redline every gear. Again, when my predictive lap timer tells me I am not on record pace, or the car is already struggling in the heat, I see no reason to "wring" the car's neck and I now shift between 6.5-7k on the straights in these situations. Only when I am on record pace (or trying to hang onto Shake's rear bumper ;-)) will I now run the revs out on the straights.
4) Doubling up sessions. Some groups (or if you instruct) will allow you to run more than the std sessions, even back-to-back. I just feel it might not be worth it when ambient temps are 90+ and I will not do it on hot days, especially when I can already start feeling the car struggle with heat.
Anyway, of course stuff can still happen, but becoming more aware of driving with "mechanical sensitivity" at least makes me feel that I am doing my part, and it has not slowed me down. On the contrary, it has allowed me to focus more on other basics.
07-09-2016, 06:20 PM
#100
Yep, pro coaching opened my eyes. In stead of just hammering the car and myself all the time and learning to back off just a wee bit (when appropriate), I have learned to break up driving into specific component skills and working hard on improving those specific skills. Now, when all align and I do decide to hammer for a few laps, I am much faster than before, and the car is happier as a result too. Win-Win!
07-09-2016, 08:50 PM
#101
Burning Brakes
Yep, pro coaching opened my eyes. In stead of just hammering the car and myself all the time and learning to back off just a wee bit (when appropriate), I have learned to break up driving into specific component skills and working hard on improving those specific skills. Now, when all align and I do decide to hammer for a few laps, I am much faster than before, and the car is happier as a result too. Win-Win!
07-10-2016, 01:59 AM
#103
07-10-2016, 07:11 AM
#104
Exactly my solution. I have a 2003 Miata built with full cage, kill switch, spec miata suspension setup, slicks and is supercharged. With the 6pt harness, a HANS I love lapping Sonoma with it at full tilt.
I don't care what anyone says, you're not driving at the ultimate limit unless your'e driving a dedicated track car. You can drive at 9.5/10ths.. but to be a better driver you need to make mistakes to learn to correct.. and not many people will be excited to do that conciously or subconciously on track.
Spec Miatas also have incredibly low consumble costs.
Don't get me wrong, I've put my 675LT on track and did a 1:48 at Sonoma (I'm a member of a track club there).. and I'll be taking the GT4 there. But I know full well, I am my best in the Miata.
Same goes for fellow members in my track club. We all started driving regular street cars slightly modded for track, but after awhile we all ended up with dedicated track cars.
I don't care what anyone says, you're not driving at the ultimate limit unless your'e driving a dedicated track car. You can drive at 9.5/10ths.. but to be a better driver you need to make mistakes to learn to correct.. and not many people will be excited to do that conciously or subconciously on track.
Spec Miatas also have incredibly low consumble costs.
Don't get me wrong, I've put my 675LT on track and did a 1:48 at Sonoma (I'm a member of a track club there).. and I'll be taking the GT4 there. But I know full well, I am my best in the Miata.
Same goes for fellow members in my track club. We all started driving regular street cars slightly modded for track, but after awhile we all ended up with dedicated track cars.
07-10-2016, 01:58 PM
#105
Rennlist Member
Your post is spot on. New fast cars definitely have an appeal that is hard to ignore. Everyone is convinced that going faster means you're having more fun but that sadly isn't the case. Unless you're competing in a spec series or doing SCCA type events, absolute lap times don't matter. Driving on the limit, no matter the speed, is where you have the most fun. I can't recommend competitive kart racing enough and talk about low consumable costs!
Exactly my solution. I have a 2003 Miata built with full cage, kill switch, spec miata suspension setup, slicks and is supercharged. With the 6pt harness, a HANS I love lapping Sonoma with it at full tilt.
I don't care what anyone says, you're not driving at the ultimate limit unless your'e driving a dedicated track car. You can drive at 9.5/10ths.. but to be a better driver you need to make mistakes to learn to correct.. and not many people will be excited to do that conciously or subconciously on track.
Spec Miatas also have incredibly low consumble costs.
Don't get me wrong, I've put my 675LT on track and did a 1:48 at Sonoma (I'm a member of a track club there).. and I'll be taking the GT4 there. But I know full well, I am my best in the Miata.
Same goes for fellow members in my track club. We all started driving regular street cars slightly modded for track, but after awhile we all ended up with dedicated track cars.
I don't care what anyone says, you're not driving at the ultimate limit unless your'e driving a dedicated track car. You can drive at 9.5/10ths.. but to be a better driver you need to make mistakes to learn to correct.. and not many people will be excited to do that conciously or subconciously on track.
Spec Miatas also have incredibly low consumble costs.
Don't get me wrong, I've put my 675LT on track and did a 1:48 at Sonoma (I'm a member of a track club there).. and I'll be taking the GT4 there. But I know full well, I am my best in the Miata.
Same goes for fellow members in my track club. We all started driving regular street cars slightly modded for track, but after awhile we all ended up with dedicated track cars.