Ksdaoski

@jakermc

From our other posts....

I'm about 72 miles from RA! I was working off of memory on the RA speeds from when I tracked my 991.2 Targa 4S.

I have since picked up a GT4rs. I only recorded with a catalyst once LY, out of 5 days at RA. 160/161 into 1, 152 into 5 and 144 into Canada. So definitely have a ways to go! I was planning on 12-15 track days this year, with most at Road America, but I ended up breaking my leg two months ago! Already missed 5 track days....hoping to get a few in across the back of Aug and Sept 🤞 This was a 2:28.34. But I think low 220s should be possible. I'm slow in a lot of places especially Carousel through Canada! 👍

Any advise is encouraged!

jakermc

I'll take a look. And I'm sure those smarter than me will have great advise as well. What tires are you on? That will help with context.

Ksdaoski

Thanks! Much appreciated

These were Cup2s.

Over the winter I had a more aggressive alignment put on and now have a set of Yoko AD09s that I was going to try, on a 20x9 front wheel vs stock 20x8.5

ProCoach

What a fun car! Sound great.

The two things you might want to look at are the fact that the Catalyst has determined that, counting most corners other than T8-T9 through the entry of the Kink, you did it better on laps other than this one. That information will show up in your prioritized Opportunities, with details under the tabs for braking, speeds, etc.

Where the Dalta adds time at the greatest rate are the corners you should work on first. If it goes up at a great rate going in, work on braking, where it goes up after braking, release a little sooner, slower. Where it goes up at the apex or after, throttle app is too late. Looked like from just a quick run-through, T5, T12, T13 and T14 are the ones with the greatest opportunity.

Good work. But I would want to do repeatable, solid 2:26's and approach that Optimal as your "fast average" before pushing further. Low twenties might need R7's or slicks.

Good work and thanks for sharing! Beautiful day, for sure.

Veloce Raptor

I echo what Peter said on first glance. Very low 20's are definitely relatively easy with stickier tires. I will do a more thorough watch of the video and comment further

Veloce Raptor

It looked like you were a foot or two off the apex of 1. It is critical to fully apex this and all corners at RA.

Also, I am not sure if you are shifting gears or letting the car decide. I say this because in several corners, I think you're one gear too low, and it is forcing you to over slow for those corners

b16gsr

Following up with what Peter said as well I agree with Veloce. The car sounds great and has some big end speed. I would get on the apexs better and use the available track out. Also coming through the carousel you need to slowly increase your throttle and then be full throttle before the gators.

Here is my video/fast lap from last year. I haven't got around to uploading this year.

jakermc

One common theme I see is not using the exit curbing. The curbing changes every year it seems at RA (T5 in particular), but the exits are very drivable nearly everywhere on track and critical for fast exit speeds. Just be careful with brake pad knock back if you get too much curb (T5 and T8 this can easily happen). I think because you are hesitant to use the curbs, you are slower getting back onto throttle because you have less real estate to work with.

Playing a hunch, I think you developed some muscle memory in a slower car and you are now driving this faster car to the same cornering speeds you were mentally use to seeing. The aero on the GT4RS provides a ton of grip and should enable you to carry more speed into the corners. You'll need to break the mental map of the old car and reprogram it for the newer capabilities you have at hand. Maybe put a pro in the left seat and ride along so you can feel the limits this car has?

Some specifics: T1 need to get tighter to apex. T3 can carry at least 5mph more at the apex. @b16gsr gave great advice about the carousel, so you can carry a few more mph throughout the whole thing and then squeeze the throttle open on the last 25% or so to reach WOT at the curbing. T12 you were early on the brakes, and you carried that lower speed all the way down to the apex. I think there is a lot of time right there.

You certainly left time on the shelf through the Kink, but that is a personal decision, especially driving an expensive street car. It just not a place to take big risks and push yourself, so I respect the decision to hold back there. I do the same thing in my street car in places like Bishop's at Sebring. I know I can go faster, but I want the certainty of driving my car home the way it came. LOL

The sounds of that engine is glorious!

Ksdaoski

Thanks for the feedback! I was in full auto mode, no manual shifts. Peak HP in the GT4rs is 8200 I believe. The PDK usually keeps the RPMs pretty high in sport mode.

Ksdaoski

​​​​​​ Thanks for the feedback! Similar to above, and I agree. In general, I think this was my 2nd day in the GT4rs. I came from a 991.2 Targa 4S that was significantly heavier. So you're spot on, needing to relearn the track for the new car. And being more aggressive with the curbs and tighter with the apex. I'm going to go back and watch the video, reading your turn notes. I appreciate it! One of the things I enjoy about the track, there's always opportunity for improvement, and consistency is another challenge!

jakermc

When I transitioned from my 996 race car to a 981 GT4 Clubsport I had some horrible lap times initially. I looked at my data and saw that my corner entry and apex speeds where the same in both cars, despite much higher capabilities in the 981. My mental map was holding me back.

Example of a fix would be when I raced my 355 Challenge at Watkins Glen in 2014, a track I had never been to. Made some gains in practice and then got stuck repeating same times. My coach that weekend, Peter Argetsinger, got in the left seat and took me around for 3 laps. We pit, he jumps out, and I take over. 3 laps later I've knocked off 2 seconds and got within about 1/2 second of his time. I just needed to see it could be done and physically feel what the limit was like in a few places. I wish my Clubsport had a passenger seat, it would have helped me a ton when I made that change.

fatbillybob

I think this one is a much better lap more of what others echo like hitting apexes and tracking out further. Braking was later with less coasting and on throttle was earlier. I was just there racing Saturday/sunday (mix of rain and dry)for the first time seeing this track. One thing that stands out to me as a RA rookie we get warned by vets about the kink. I would have gained speed faster there without the instilled fear causing me to sneak up speed there. But maybe respecting a corner is a good thing. I think the kink is a mind game. Your brain tells you to turn in early like the first video at the 200 board. But note the smoothness of video 2 when the turn in is later and then less likely to understeer into the wall. A later turn in is faster to this rookie.

ProCoach

GREAT point about the Kink. That negative programming is really limiting.

A later turn-in (left shoulder next to the end of the outside curb) and a decisive, smooth input that GETS you alongside the end of the second-quarter and all along the third-quarter of the apex curb is faster to the FASTEST drivers.

So, you're good!

Ksdaoski

Great video, I will be studying this! Appreciate the pointers

Ksdaoski

You're right there's definitely a lot of warnings put into your head about the Kink. At the same time rightfully so! Last year I saw an RS Americana go into the wall, and have seen a few others come close. I think what actually put the threat and thus mental weakness into my head was watching both IMSA and NASCAR at RA and seeing how relatively narrow and fast the track is through the Kink! So there's definitely a mental aspect there for sure!

Later turn in is a great tip, thanks.