By the end of the next to last session at my last VIR outing, I was able to keep my foot planted from turn 4 through the first and second set of esses. It made for some type speed into turn 10... Instructor said I could have gone through without any lift, but my butt wouldn't listen! I kept thinking that if I didn't tap the brakes a little, the only thing that would have gone through was my head through the windshield when I wadded it up!

 

Turn 10 is where I almost lost it once too. I can see that being the money turn. It's not that you're heading into trees or a sand pit, but rather that you're carrying insane speed. Go off a little sideways into the dirt and ewww... When I got a little squirrelly there, it was my own fault. I had taken that corner 10 times at that same speed before, but this particular time I had this sweet little EVO on my butt and I spent too much time watching him through the esses. So when that turn came up, I paniced and tapped the brakes. Definitely not the thing to do. I had to get off those quick and get back on the gas to pull it out, but that was enough of a scare for me to take the next couple laps a little cooler.

Jason, do you recall your entry speed into the uphill esses? I would get up to about 105-110 between the esses and modulate the throttle to keep it roughly there before going into the uphill, then modulate again to keep it right around 110. Maybe the car had more, but I didn't...

Thomas Dorris

 

Nice. Enjoyed the time there. Someday I'll turn 1:30 or less

Looking forward to being there again.

Shawn

 

My entry speed into the uphills is 110 max with the stock EVO, and about 110 out of the esses.

I wouldn't try 10 at more than that unless you've done some suspension work to the EVO. On my old Honda, it would drift around that pretty well, but it could be somewhat scary.

Shawn

 

Ditto turn 10: It was the only corner that I routinely chickened out on & never challenged. The problems are it is just suddenly there, you cant see all of it, you are carrying massive speed, and you know that if you go off, it would be easy to roll the car down into the shallow valley next to it . Occassionally I could lift, set it up, then get back on the gas. More often I would tap the brakes, coast, set it up, then get back on the gas, losing tons of time, On the other hand it was a track day and I wasn't trying to prove anything except that I was smart enough not to destroy my new Evo.

Mike

 

You guys are kidding, right?
The last thing I'm thinking about after being foot-to-the-floor since turn 4 is looking down at my dash!!!
I can barely get myself to keep my foot planted, nevermind being calm enough to look down! I think the car can do it, but I'd hate to run out of talent there!

I just sent in my registration this morning for the Audi event. Now all I need to do to keep up with Tom is buy a turbo-back, intake, cams, springs, computer flash, swaybars, more driving talent...

 

Heh heh. I know what you mean. I only do it for consistency. And even that noble goal isn't enough sometimes to force me to look down.

OK, now it's your turn to kid around. I seem to remember seeing a certain someone gaining ground on me the one time we met on the course.

Thomas Dorris

 

I think through the S's I was foot to the floor and hitting roughly 115-120 mph near the top (top of 4th gear in S2000)..... i definately backed off for turn 10.... seeing all of the skid marks into the tires to the left and skid marks in the grass to the right doesn't help you courage right there!!!!!

Very nice course..... Turn 10 seemed to be the only turn that i couldn't get right..... everything else seemed pretty reasonable after a full day of tracking.

 

I just went back thru the VIR website's picture tour of the track, with its detailed advice regarding how to take each corner. For 10 it says that your turn-in point is just before you see the curbing on the left. That's the problem, you have to turn in just before something that you can't see. It works much better if you turn in as, or after, you actually see it.

Mike

 

If you wait until you see the track out, its too late. At those speeds, you probably won't make the turn or brake too hard and sping the backend towards the oak tree. Many tried to negotiate with the oak tree but they have been unsuccessful

You have to take the turn-in as you see the inside curb, and trust that the track is there and has not been moved by kids

 

If you can hit Oak tree from 10, you're carrying far more speed than everyone I've ever seen!!!

 

Turn 10 secrets:

1) Turn early
2) No, seriously, turn really fooking early
3) No, no , no that's not early enough. In fact, start turning right now for the next lap...
4) When you actually scare yourself from turning in WAY early, that's just about right.

It took me 2 years to get it right....

 

I'm thinking that instead of any HP upgrades before VIR, I'm going to address the suspension first.
More corner speed=more straight speed.

 

Anybody going down for the Mazda Driving Association event soon?

Shawn

 

I'll be there
<--- NOOB