Bob's Track Friends Chat

[OldAIMGuy]

Thanks for the good stories, Bob,
Actually I wish this guy had been my student. He was there as a spectator for the Spec. Miata race and my friend Pete Wilson who was driving in it. He's in law school and is working in the court house where Pete is usually a defense attorney.

Nice kid. Smart enough to do it right, but with a load of bad habits he needs to unlearn first! This was just the lunchtime tour for street cars. Yous pays yo' $10 bucks and Takes yo' chances!!!

He's been to several race weekends with Pete and I figured he'd absorbed something by osmosis. We'll get him in a proper school probably this Fall and he'll learn a lot.

The poor soul had me pointing at turn-ins and yelling, "Wait, wait, wait! NOW turn!" for several laps and then Pete got in and did the same thing to him! At least he heard the same thing from both of us.
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I've submitted my app. for instructing with BMW Club and they've said "Welcome." In my info I mentioned the Cobra, but maybe BMW people don't know its a roadster. I can always bring the Passat instead. I'll call the gal I know with the club and get that clarified before hand. They may forgive the topless nature since it has full roll cage and side impact bars.
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I can probably be there for your first 1/2 day or day with the Audi Club. If they will accept me as an instructor for the day, I'll do that. I can send them my resume' if that will help. At least I can show you around the track and get you pointed in the right direction for each corner. Then you won't have to use LanSat to find your way around!
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Most of R.A. is "big country road" in nature. Not really any tricky double apex corners or esses. I think you'll find the fastest part of the track for the Stang will be between the Kink and Canada Corner. It's slightly downhill with "turns" that only an Indycar notices. If you get good exit speed from the Kink, you can get up a pretty good head of steam by Canada. The other fast section is from #3 to #5. It's level to downhill for about 3/4 the distance and then just as you crest a hill and start to descend, you need to get all your braking and shifting done for Turn 5. It also happens to be the slowest corner on the track. So, if 3-5 isn't the fastest section of the track for your car, it's the greatest speed change!
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The most common mistake for new drivers at R.A. is over-braking for Turn 1. It's a very fast right hand sweep. It's fast enough that I can take it at the top end of 3rd or in 4th. Some of that depends on traffic. Some depends upon track and tire conditions. The car's more stable at the top of 3rd than in 4th as the throttle is more effective.
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The Kink is a really great turn (bend might be a better description). It's fast and needs to be done with one's brain fully engaged. I brake for it to a specific RPM at the turn-in. It has some serious pucker factor to it. I run the corner at 4400 rpm in 4th gear to the apex and then lean on it all the way to Canada. I can run the distance in 4th at 6000 constant, but usually upshift to 5th. (my car's using a 3.55:1 rear gear and stock box ratios including the 0.89 OD.

I've watched spec Miatas run it flat out and cars with aerodynamic improvements will take it very fast, too. My way is to get cautiously to the apex and then pretty much full on the gas from there to the exit. Some people take it faster, but then have to nurse it to the exit. I feel my way works just as well and I find my car doesn't hit the concrete at 100 mph as often!

In my opinion full throttle from the apex is faster because the true "exit" of the turn is still about 150'-200' further down the road. The little bit of extra speed that can be achieved past the apex by going in faster isn't justified if you have to hold back all that extra distance. My way, I make the "straight" an extra 150-200' longer. I figure, "If you got the ponies, let 'em run."

In a momentum car like the spec. Miata or an A-H Sprite you have to drive it differently or your top speed to Canada will be much lower.
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You'll find R.A. an easy track to instruct. Everything's straight forward and nothing "cute." Apparently the track designers didn't own a French Curve! (thank goodness!).

The biggest thing about R.A. is its very length. It takes time to get the rhythm. It comes with seat time. There's some subtle transitions across the track between #3 and #5 to get pointed into the brake zone properly. Turn 14 is paramount to good lap times. #3 is also important for the same reason.

There's a lot of full throttle driving. The only part throttle sections are the Carossel, Kink, Turn 13 (Billy Mitchell Bridge underpass) and Turn 7. Other than those, you're hard on the gas or hard on the brakes.
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You're gonna have FUN!!!

Best regards,
Tom