PLNewman

Several interesting things during a recent track walk. If you've driven at speed through Turn 1, you know it's bumpy. But did you know there are several large holes in the concrete? Wheels skip over them, but you can break an ankle if you step in one.



Also, we joke about putting your driver-side mirror right up against the wall when apexing Turn 1. But I measured it. From the inside yellow line to the wall is FIVE FEET.



And here are two pictures of the repaving in the braking zone to Turn 7. Very smooth and grippy surface (in the left lane only). But the new pavement ends (bottom shot, looking back) just as the turn-in begins. They've done a nice job sealing the transition, but it's still two different asphalt surfaces.

ProCoach

Thanks! Saw Ben Devlin touch the inside wall with his LMP2 car, results were not pretty. That said, left side tires should be inside the yellow (black with tire rubber) line...

Frank 993 C4S

So is the bump at the beginning if the brake zone into T7 still there?

ProCoach

Still there before the beginning of the brake zone, it looks like...

g-50cab

Still there going into 7

I took a few pictures too

1. Inside wall going into 17

2. Turn one - turn in

MarcD147

I have never driven T7 before the repave but it still is bumpy. My perception was that I could feel the car skip through the braking zone on Tuesday...

g-50cab

Going into 17

ProCoach

Same old Sebring...

g-50cab

Turn 13 - Tower Turn and run off

g-50cab

Through Bishops - Couple of observations - Was told by an old racer to look at the difference surfaces through the corners - amazing the variety of smooth vs nobby concrete vs asphalt

Amazing to really see how off camber many of the corners are - like bishops bend - sure, you feel the car leaving - but unless you stand there - there is not a big appreciation for it.

lastly - the amount of holes and poorly fixed concrete patches - like a dude mixed his own concrete from home depot to pour in a crack...

Some of the bigger bumps were hard to detect at street level - but evident from cars bottoming out at the same spot

ProCoach

Man, that corner (Turn 13, Tower Turn) catches a LOT of people out... Discipline to wait for the concrete to come away from the outside, steering speed and amplitude to GET DOWN to the apex curb, and not approaching the exit curb at too oblique an angle really, REALLY helps.

Thanks for the pics, these are great. The Bishop's pics are exit of T15-entry of T16 and then looking back at the worker station, apex of T15...

RickyBobby

And PLENTY of sharp bits of asphalt, concrete and tar just sitting loose on the surface at T1. Someone posted this pic of rock solid tar 3"x2"x1" found there.



Thanks for posting these: look closely at the second pic...see where the edge of the curbing ends? Juuuust beyond that is a 7-8" long strip of asphalt where the curved edge has been stripped off, leaving a VERY SHARP edge of asphalt adjacent to the dirt. If you still have both left tires in the dirt after the curbing ends....WAIT a bit before you transition onto the track...someone said their
tire shredded there.


See where the white line is interrupted? That's the sharp edge.

Veloce Raptor

+1

Frank 993 C4S

These are really cool pictures. I really appreciate folks posting them!!! PCA Club Race Registration starts Monday.....

amso3

I've done that track walk a number of times. The best part for me as getting sage advice from Gavin Riches (He's the tall guy in one of the pictures) about looking beyond the track surface and have a plan WHEN things go to hell. It's good to learn the track and the "line" but it is better to learn how to improve your odds of staying safe!