Doing my first HPDE in two weeks... TST pros- some questions!

[oneday]

c7, what group were you there with that let you (a completely new driver) out with no instructor?

Was there no passing allowed anywhere?

Do you want critique?

[c7scayman]

Originally Posted by oneday

c7, what group were you there with that let you (a completely new driver) out with no instructor?

Was there no passing allowed anywhere?

Do you want critique?

No passing was allowed. I was with the novice group. My first session I had no instructor for 10 minutes, then the instructor joined me for the last 10 minutes of the session. Also, the first session did not require helmets since we were just learning the track and the pace car was keeping it slow.

In the second session(video), I went by myself since the instructor said I was doing well and he had his hands full trying to instruct this one lady to drive faster. She was driving too slow causing traffic.

I was invited to the event by the instructor, who is also my co-worker. I think the event was run by NJMP themselves.

In the middle of each session, we pulled in the pits for 2 minutes just to let the instructors go into different cars. I actually did not do much driving in the 3rd and 4th sessions because I was feeling motion sickness.

Go ahead and critique me. I know I was not close enough to the apex. The instructor kept telling me to hit the apex. And I braked too early in many areas. And I let off the gas whenever I got close to the Audi.

[marshallpre1]

Originally Posted by oneday

Hah...knew I recognized the voice. He is excellent--does he still have the Monster Miata?

As Nick said, you were patient and did a decent job driving the line Morris was directing you to--which is hard, especially in the Devil's Elbow when the car in front of you is driving a different (wrong) line. There are a couple of spots I'd have had you doing some different things, but that is a another discussion.

Next time place the camera so you can also see your hands (if possible so you can see your head too) as you can learn a lot about what you are doing from that--right now we only know you are on/close to the correct line, but no idea how you are getting there. There are a couple times you can hear the tires starting to squeal but I am not sure why (is it too much input? if so is that b/c you aren't looking ahead enough?) seeing steering inputs and your head would be very telling.

I don't recall my tires squeeling that much or at all, but maybe, there were a lot of inputs that day lol. I barely saw those flags haha. I received good marks for my steering input so no sawing or anything... I definitely need to learn to look far ahead enough... I catch myself trying to find the same spot before the turn....

EDIT: Also, I don't know where to mount the camera so it's not in the way.... back window perhaps?

Originally Posted by c7scayman

That is awesome. My first track day was 1 week before yours at Thunderbolt. I am also hooked and I am sad that I am hooked because it is an expensive sport.
Here is my second session. No instructor-They did not have enough for everyone so we shared instructors between sessions. My goPro ran out of memory so I did not record 3rd and 4th sessions.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHGHDFmS_Lg

I shaved off at least 33 seconds from my first lap in the 1st session to the last recorded lap in my 2nd session. The instructors instructions made a huge difference. I had normal street tires and oem brakes. Just exhaust system, intake, and eibach lowering springs.

I was also trapping 105-115mph at the end of the straight and that octopus was annoying. Always messes me up. Almost went offroad at one point from understeer.

Let me know when you go to more events. I will come along. And like you said, it is an eye-opening experience. I was so surprised by what my car was capable of and I know it can do so much better in the hands of the stig. haha.

I'm signed up to go to NASA Pocono on July 14-15. I might be bringing my G or a brand new-to-me car I'm picking up very soon!

[c7scayman]

Originally Posted by marshallpre1

I'm signed up to go to NASA Pocono on July 14-15. I might be bringing my G or a brand new-to-me car I'm picking up very soon!

Is this the one?
http://www.nasaproracing.com/event/1485

How much is it? And any idea if I can only pay for and race on Saturday? Don't want to get a hotel or drive down there twice for Sunday.

[marshallpre1]

Originally Posted by c7scayman

Is this the one?
http://www.nasaproracing.com/event/1485

How much is it? And any idea if I can only pay for and race on Saturday? Don't want to get a hotel or drive down there twice for Sunday.

Yes, that's it! It's $325 for HPDE 1. You get a "passport" and your instructor rates you on your performance and determines if you are ready to move on to HPDE 2, etc. NASA's events are a little more expensive, but there are others. My instructor gave me this site:

http://www.motorsportreg.com/

I'm going to see if I can go with my buddy with Porsche club for instance.

[c7scayman]

Originally Posted by marshallpre1

Yes, that's it! It's $325 for HPDE 1. You get a "passport" and your instructor rates you on your performance and determines if you are ready to move on to HPDE 2, etc. NASA's events are a little more expensive, but there are others. My instructor gave me this site:

http://www.motorsportreg.com/

I'm going to see if I can go with my buddy with Porsche club for instance.

Yeah my instructor is also in PCA since his wife is an instructor there and has a 430whp twin turbo Cayman S. He told me you don't need a Porsche to join PCA. All cars are welcome. They charge $200 per track day.

I already had an account on motorsportreg. I was thinking of trying out an autocross event in Philly Citizens Park that I saw on there.

[oneday]

Originally Posted by c7scayman

He told me you don't need a Porsche to join PCA. All cars are welcome. They charge $200 per track day.

Just a point of clarification: You don't need to own a P-car to attend PCA events, but you do need a P-car to be an actual PCA member.

Originally Posted by PCA

While our cars are very exclusive, our club is not. Membership is open to all Porsche owners, co-owners or lessees, who are 18 years of age or older.

[c7scayman]

Originally Posted by oneday

Just a point of clarification: You don't need to own a P-car to attend PCA events, but you do need a P-car to be an actual PCA member.

But he is a member and he drives a Corvette. Maybe they just let him since he is friends with the people that run PCA RTR. He has lots of connections. He also said he can get me a $30 discount for PCA track days.

[oneday]

If his wife owns a Porsche he is in through her. And you can join since you own one.

What was his name? Steve?

[marshallpre1]

Originally Posted by c7scayman

Yeah my instructor is also in PCA since his wife is an instructor there and has a 430whp twin turbo Cayman S. He told me you don't need a Porsche to join PCA. All cars are welcome. They charge $200 per track day.

I already had an account on motorsportreg. I was thinking of trying out an autocross event in Philly Citizens Park that I saw on there.

IDK if I'll ever do an auto-x event, seems like for the time/$ ratio it's a lot better to do track. My instructor asked me if I have done auto-x, I said no, he said, don't bother doing it, you drive a total of 5-7 mins a day and you wait around the rest of the time... Doesn't sound very appealing to me at all.

But anyways, I'm finalizing the purchase of my "new" track car and hoping to have it ready by Pocono. We will see.

[c7scayman]

Originally Posted by marshallpre1

IDK if I'll ever do an auto-x event, seems like for the time/$ ratio it's a lot better to do track. My instructor asked me if I have done auto-x, I said no, he said, don't bother doing it, you drive a total of 5-7 mins a day and you wait around the rest of the time... Doesn't sound very appealing to me at all.

But anyways, I'm finalizing the purchase of my "new" track car and hoping to have it ready by Pocono. We will see.

my instructor recommended the opposite. haha. He said autox is a great way to learn. Your track car is a 240sx, isn't it?

[c7scayman]

Originally Posted by oneday

If his wife owns a Porsche he is in through her. And you can join since you own one.

What was his name? Steve?

Yeah, you know him? I got a ride in his wife's Porsche around Thunderbolt. That was the time of my life. We flew by so many GT3's and Z06's.

[oneday]

Originally Posted by c7scayman

Yeah, you know him? I got a ride in his wife's Porsche around Thunderbolt. That was the time of my life. We flew by so many GT3's and Z06's.

Yup. Have known him for almost ten years...he instructed me when I first started autocrossing. He is a great driver and coach. His wife can drive too.

As for autox being "worth it"? You can learn alot about car control and looking ahead at autox. It's a lot easier to learn how to control a slide at 40mph than it is at 80mph...and after you do it a few times at 40mph, when it happens at 80mph things are much easier to fix. Everything happens at hyper speed in an autox (high density) so when you are out on the track (in a low density environment) everything slows down. As has been said hundreds of times though, autox is not for everyone, but I do suggest that everyone that claims to be a great driver or wannabe racer give it an honest go.

[marshallpre1]

Originally Posted by c7scayman

my instructor recommended the opposite. haha. He said autox is a great way to learn. Your track car is a 240sx, isn't it?

haha. Maybe I'll try it in the future. Nah, no 240 for me. The amount of money people were asking for them is ridiculous. LOL. It's just a 240! My new car is an NA-T SC300... Hopefully my experience with my Supra will be the same and be positive lol. 2J is bulletproof, especially this one with a Greddy HG. I will just need to see how to control heat related issues. I'm going to tune it myself to around 300whp for now. Worry about making it faster later LOL. The good thing is this should handle like a Supra and cost much much less LOL. Will post pics when I get it.

[The Stickman]

Originally Posted by oneday

Yup. Have known him for almost ten years...he instructed me when I first started autocrossing. He is a great driver and coach. His wife can drive too.

As for autox being "worth it"? You can learn alot about car control and looking ahead at autox. It's a lot easier to learn how to control a slide at 40mph than it is at 80mph...and after you do it a few times at 40mph, when it happens at 80mph things are much easier to fix. Everything happens at hyper speed in an autox (high density) so when you are out on the track (in a low density environment) everything slows down. As has been said hundreds of times though, autox is not for everyone, but I do suggest that everyone that claims to be a great driver or wannabe racer give it an honest go.

That is put about the best way I have ever heard it put. Totally agree.

[c7scayman]

Originally Posted by marshallpre1

haha. Maybe I'll try it in the future. Nah, no 240 for me. The amount of money people were asking for them is ridiculous. LOL. It's just a 240! My new car is an NA-T SC300... Hopefully my experience with my Supra will be the same and be positive lol. 2J is bulletproof, especially this one with a Greddy HG. I will just need to see how to control heat related issues. I'm going to tune it myself to around 300whp for now. Worry about making it faster later LOL. The good thing is this should handle like a Supra and cost much much less LOL. Will post pics when I get it.

Why don't you just race the Supra since it is almost the same car? Did you get the SC because parts and mods are cheaper for racing?

[marshallpre1]

Originally Posted by c7scayman

Why don't you just race the Supra since it is almost the same car? Did you get the SC because parts and mods are cheaper for racing?

Yep. Basically. My Supra has over $45K in it including cost of car... My new SC has a lot less than 1/4 of that LOL. I'm hoping to race my Supra in the future, but just not that financially ready to make a commitment. I don't mind wrecking a few thousand $$ car lol.

I love my G, but it is too slow and would need at least $10K to be just as fast as the SC, and at that rate, would still not be reliable. Also, Supra and SC parts in most cases are interchangeable. So yes, I hope to get the performance of the Supra for a quarter of the price

I'll probably sell my G and hopefully pick up a real beater like a civic or corolla.... or another NSRT-4 (LOOOVEEED my old one and they're getting really cheap)!

[c7scayman]

Sell the Supra + SC and get an Arial Atom. They are around $45,000 and now made here in the U.S. in Virginia I believe. I saw a few Atoms at Thunderbolt when i was there.

[marshallpre1]

Originally Posted by c7scayman

Sell the Supra + SC and get an Arial Atom. They are around $45,000 and now made here in the U.S. in Virginia I believe. I saw a few Atoms at Thunderbolt when i was there.

Haha, I can't imagine dropping that much on a semi-"car" lol. Hell my wife and I are thinking of getting her a used IS-F and thats about the same price, but at least it would allow her to take it to the track (she came with me to Thunderbolt and now she wants to do it now too, but she can't drive stick... yet). But honestly, an IS350 would be similar and good for her at a fraction of the price. I wish I was in that comfortable position to buy expensive cars for the track. Maybe when I turn 30 in a few years haha

[c7scayman]

The only thing about IS-F is that it is very tail happy from what it seems on Top Gear. It is an easy car to crash unless you wife has excellent car control.