DrJupeman

I have no specific 911 advice (I think my advice would equally apply to the Caddy), but stay flat on it from West Bend down the hill and you might have a chance to compete vs. 400 hp. Of course doing so in a lightly modded cab on street tires means you might only be able to try do so once...

84_Carrera

Thanks Jupe.

Yeah, I'm used to his kind of straightaway power & then some. Finding a good line for me & for the 911 will be interesting. The big power in the front driver led to a lot of understeer & required snap throttle releases to skip the back end out when I needed.

http://www.sinclairmfg.com/fred/lime...hort_clip.mpeg

I'm way offline on the downhill turn here because I needed to trigger the point-by after getting logjammed.

Anyway, if you guy have tips, I'm all ears. Thanks.

Conekiller

Hi Fred
As a novice my self, I don't have too much experience. But what I found works well is a little lift on the second apex of big bend or else the car will just understeer. I also started braking earlier and softer for the downhill, because I found that a lot of braking just upsets the car. So in other words just scrub some speed early enter the turn at about half throttle and then squeeze at the apex.

Also I just wanted to second what everyone else said about driver experience, at the last BMW DE I went to I was lapping a new M5, but getting passed by spec e30's, granted they were on R-comps but it just goes to show that experience matters the most especially at a track like LRP.

BTW how did the Bumperette work out for you?

Mike

Alan Herod

The lead-follow suggestion sounds like a great idea. Another problem with comparing skill level in the lower run groups is the difference in natural ability and learning combined with the built-in handling enhancements standard (or optional) on many new cars. Some beginners are so gifted that they may be club racing, and winning while another who starts at the same time may have only moved one level, if that. The lack of ABS, particularly a modern ABS, could be a huge handicap for you if the surface is compromised, since you will not have the advantage of the Cadillace being underbraked.

Also, if your shocks have not been revalved for your T-bars, your car will search a bit during threshold braking, particularly in the bumpier braking zones. The farther away from stock rate springs, the less your shock is able to damp the spring oscillations. Just working on the excuse list in case it is needed.

roketman

let me drive .I hold the record at Limerock in a 87 911; 100.003
GET HOOSIERS!!

84_Carrera

Great info guys. I am concerned with braking to a degree because I really wasn't able to get the car up to serious speeds in the rain before. I have PBR's (metal masters?) on there now, but have some textar / mintex I think on the shelf. And for fluid... I gather that Valvoline DOT4 synth isn't what you guys would recommend, eh? Ate, Castrol, Motul? Will give me an excuse to put the speedbleeders on the fronts (already on the rears).

The Bilsteins are as-rec'd from Steve Weiner, to my knowledge they are not custom-valved for the t-bars.

Mike, the bumper pad is on the car, thanks. The lady that tapped me paid for that & 2 hours labor for R&R of the bumper, etc. It's an exact match too.

fstockcarrera

I'v see it done from the passenger seat many times in a row in a 87 targa..... But then again Ron Sav was driving, his a little more advanced,

84_Carrera

Doug, I don't think you have the situation quite in perspective. My personal goal each & every time I'm on the track at a DE is to SAFELY (toward myself & the others out there) improve my skills & feel that I've improved by the end of the day compared to the beginning of the day. That means 'going faster'. I am not one of those retarded people who goes ballz to the wall the first lap out. Yes, I have spun twice, once at LRP, once at Road Atlanta. At R/A I blew the motor & fought the damned thing to as stop safely (engine locked up at speed, punched a hole through the pan on the 2nd day w/ Panoz). Yes, they were accidents that didn't happen. I learned from them, and did not duplicate those mistakes again.

Absolutely, I want to have a good time. I am very aware (to a fault) of other traffic, and as I despise being held up by traffic, I will give an early point by rather than "hold someone off". This is why I felt I really wouldn't be a good candidate for club racing, as the only one I'm usually interested in "competing" with is myself. My goal is to put down the best laps I can during the day. At the end of the day, it is my hope that I'm within the same zip code as a more modern & claimed "superior" car with someone I consider at a similar skill level.

I'm not out to roll, damage, SCRATCH or whatever my car (or anyone elses). I'm not out to become a test case for proving if the 20+ year old seat belts will provide any safety for me.

I am not kidding myself that I'm some hot driver that should be on Speed Channel. I do feel very comfortable on the track however, most of the time. (not trying so sound smug or pissy here, but...) I'm not looking for the lecture guys. I'm 38, not 18, I'm not looking to test out the life insurance policy. This is a no-instructor event, and I've been to a few of them before. I'm signed off Group 2 solo at BSR / Summit. I was advanced group / solo at SCDA pretty quickly too, probably because I'm heads-up & they don't have to worry about me like some others.

Thank you for all the continued pointers & suggestions on how to maximize what will likely be my only DE date this year (all the funds went to mechanical items on the car this year).

Gotta run & get my son from daycare. Later!

Alan Herod

Originally, I agreed with the lead-follow exercise and it might even still be a good idea; but, your friend may not have the same inherent abilities as you. Consider the possible outcome of various scenarios. I don't think you want to push your friend to drive over his head.

At Watkins Glen some years ago two solo novice students were involved in a lead-follow exercise (of their own creation) where the follower, although in a similar car, did not have the level of confidence of the leader and lifted in the left-hander of the climbing esses with disastrous consequences. Both students were solo and had demonstrated good judgement throughout the weekend.

A few more recent events come to mind resulting from a competitive spirit in the lower run groups. I also instruct for BSR and last two events included incidents resulting from drivers driving over their heads.

For anyone not familiar with the BSR FATT (Friday at the Track) program, Group 2 solo is the group just below instructor, so Fred has demonstrated excellent driving and car control skills as well as good judgement. He would not be considered a novice by PCA standards and would be allowed to participate in SEAT time which turn out to test and tune days for upcoming races (although he would not be in the race class). The last event included everything from family econ sedans to Factory Five Cobra, Porsche GT3s, and BMW race cars. Members of a National Caprice Club showed up, most with some kind of late model Corvette motor and six speed trans and other mods.

84_Carrera

Alan, I haven't been down to Summit since Jefferson opened (unfortunately)... how's that circuit compared to the old course?

Alan Herod

Jefferson?? Ironically, I don’t remember it not being there since I moved from CenDiv. There are now three paved tracks and at least one off-road track. The tracks at Summit Point – The main track is still the 10 turn 2.125 Summit Point.

The Jefferson Circuit (JC) was built seemingly as a training range for their other schools. It is a fun little 1.1 mile, 7 turn track with almost no elevation change; although the folks who drive IRP regularly would think otherwise. Bill Scott has plans to enlarge that track although I can’t remember the details.

The newest track is the Shenandoah circuit (SC) with lots of elevation change and Bill attempted to make this a track where lower horsepower nimble cars could hang with the power crowd. Bill apparently traveled the world to revisit many of the tracks he raced on in younger days and bring capture the most challenging aspects of each. The number of turns on the SC seems to be around 20 and the distance is close to 2.2 miles. There is also a bit of elevation change creating some confidence challenging blind areas. The number of turns varies as does the distance. The track has virtually no run-off and is lined with jersey barriers; but, the incident level seems to be about the same as other tracks; probably because of the intimidating nature of the barriers lining the track. There are two wheels off the ground jumps one by design and the other due to the roughness of the track. The 190 degree Carousel is interesting. The banked part is one lane wide and both the top and bottom unbanked portions are predictably slower then the banking.

All tracks are in need of resurfacing and the main course hosted some drifting competition that was particularly destructive to the surface. I prefer the Summit Point main circuit to the other two. A good percentage of drovers prefer the Shenandoah Circuit.

84_Carrera

Duh, Sorry, my bad. Yes, Shenandoah. Last time I ran I was due to make the trip down the opening was delayed. That goes back a couple of years now, huh?

Thanks for the feedback on it Alan.

I think the last time I actually made it down there was the blitz run we did, drive down to SP from MA / RI, run FATT, pack up & drive overnight to Michigan to meet up with some friends (one of which was the PO of the non-yet-mine 911) & invaded their local dragstrip at Lapeer on Saturday. 1st pull down the strip I ripped apart & cored the front motor mount in the SHO like an apple, ending the day. Drove home Sunday with a small ratchet-strap holding the front of the engine down. Made for an interesting 800 mile trip.