SundayDriver

Here are three sections of the video. Quality is poor due to both electircal noise and the camera failing. First section is the intial couple of laps. It starts as we are just prior to green flag.

Race Start

Second video is mid race. I was not aggressive enough in that phase and took too long to get around traffic, which also allowed some others to get around. This was a battle to try to find a way by one competitor. His car was not handling that well, but he had a very strong motor/gearing.

Mid Race Chase

Finally, this is towards the end of the race as the Red Stohr caught me. You can't see him but each time we approached T7, he popped inside and I defended. Finally, I got a bit too much push in the keyhole and he had the run on me. Last lap before the camera died was probably the fastest lap. Just after the camera quit, the handling REALLY went away. If you watch closely, you can see that I am fighting a fair amount of understeer in this last video.

Late Chase

911

Mark,

I had no idea these cars sounded that great. Wow - very impressive! Thanks for the video.

Rich

RedlineMan

Hey Mark;

It is very apparent that those who passed you either were more decisive in traffic (2nd clip/white car), or had more car (3rd clip/red car). They did not have more driver. You eat them alive in the corners.

Your a DRIVER, man!

penguinking

is that VIR?

poorb0yw

Absolutely awesome. I hope to someday have such skill.

Mike in Chi

Mark

Those are terrific.

And what a learning experience. Incredible.

Thanks for letting us all "ride" with you.

You get used to how our big sedans feel, and I love how twitchy those cars are. Very cool.

SundayDriver

Thanks guys. Some responses/comments:

These are virtually unmuffled bike engines turning !12-13,000 rpm. The sound in really nice. At many regional events, I have had people come up and want to know what it is, as the sound is unlike any other SCCA race car.

Handling/Driving - My car was understeering in a couple of places pretty badly. Especially at the very end. However, the car worked exceptionally well in the 10-13 sequence and I could really catch a lot of people there. Set up is a compromise decision at Mid Ohio. DSR's tend to do faster laps with a moderate downforce setting. But passing is hard there so many run a minimum downforce setup. If you are in front of someone, you will hold them up in the twisties (where they probably can't get by anyway) and then out drag them down the straights. I ran a farily low downforce setup, but not as low as some (the white car in the middle part of the race). I could turn faster laps but could not get by easily. I was trying to set up to stick my nose under him in the tight sections, but his car got away from him and I got by.

I think the main lesson (if you want to use the videos for that) is for folks just starting or considering club racing. You need to drive the line and learn to be smooth, but when race time comes, your laps are filled with errors. Some errors are due to your own mistakes, some are because you are following and have no visual reference except to go where the front car goes and sometimes you need to drive a more defensive line. The lesson that can be learned is that you can still turn good lap times even though you are somewhat off line and making mistakes.

Again, thanks for the comments and support.

Watch SpeedTV starting in November. They are showing all the races (a few each Sat and Sun). There are some great races to be seen (SRF and FF were two of the best that I saw).

SundayDriver

Thanks. I have lost track of production car driving over the past couple of years. I stopped tracking my 993 as I started doing more SRF. Then went to the Radical and now the Stohr - have not been in a sedan (at real speed) for a few years on track (or SRF, which is a lot softer/less twitchy for over 2 years). I actually want to try one again and see how it feels after sports racers.

DJ

"I actually want to try one again and see how it feels after sports racers."


I'll give you a hint: Brake early, brake often.

Geo

Awesome vids Mark!

Absolutely. As I was watching the start the thing that went through my mind is that for anyone who wants to get a feel for the difference between DE and racing, that start is a good place to start (pun intended).

Robert Henriksen

I can give you my $0.02. After running the SRF for a year, I took my 993 out on the track for the first time in... about a year. Promptly spun it off into the mud & got stuck on the second or third lap, they had to cancel the instructor run session & send a wrecker to pull me out

The tail stepped out on me past the apex, and I wasn't used to correcting hard enough to catch 2,000# of 993 back-end - more than my whole SRF weighs.

carreracup21

That's impressive stuff Sunday. Thanks for those. Yeah, the Stohr really does look pretty twitchy, not the kind of car you throw around. It looks like all you have to do is think turn and it will happen. Use the force Luke !!

prg

I took my 996tt out at the track to give the kid who details my cars an "E-ticket" ride. After driving an FM for a year, it felt like everything was happening in slow motion. The car that I used to think handled well and had great brakes, felt like a big wallowing Lexus (albeit with a killer motor.) Once you go wings'n'things, there's no going back.

Z-man

Nice! Thanks for sharing. For me, it just affirms the fact that Mid-Ohio is one of my top three tracks - can't wait to get back there again! Mmmm...Madness....Mmmmmm

-Z.

APKhaos

Outstanding running in the mid-race section, Sunday. Was riveted to the screen and rooting for you to get him. Seemed you had a nice advantage under brakes as well as in corner speed, but he was clearly pulling you on the straight bits. Great stuff to keep up in his mirrors and temp him to overcook it though Madness! Fantastic stuff, and a real eye-opener for us porky tin car drivers. Many thanks for posting teh clips, and sincere congrats on the top 10 placing. National top 10, that is!