BRZ trackday at Laguna Seca

[Touge Monster]

Originally Posted by orthojoe

THAT is why I wanted to get this car.

Amen

[zeviance]

Here's mine.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYOF1-Azl0M"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYOF1-Azl0M[/ame]

[orthojoe]

Originally Posted by zeviance

Here's mine.

Nice driving, and thanks for sharing! Interesting to see where you shift differently than I do. Did you ever track on the stock tires? How much different does the car feel with better tires?

[zeviance]

Originally Posted by orthojoe

Nice driving, and thanks for sharing! Interesting to see where you shift differently than I do. Did you ever track on the stock tires? How much different does the car feel with better tires?

No I haven't tracked with stock tires yet but I've driven them for autocrossing.
In a nut shell, the stock tires have pretty bad grip and while it's fun for sliding around that is definitely not something I want to do when I am approaching a corner with 90 miles on my speedometer.

I found the Z2 I had were pretty capable of tracking laguna seca, and I am getting more grip than I need. In theory I think the car is capable of doing 1:50s unfortunately the driver himself (me) needs to get better at his lines and acceleration before he can come close to that. I bet Pobst can even do 1:49 with the current setup.

[sw20kosh]

Originally Posted by zeviance

No I haven't tracked with stock tires yet but I've driven them for autocrossing.
In a nut shell, the stock tires have pretty bad grip and while it's fun for sliding around that is definitely not something I want to do when I am approaching a corner with 90 miles on my speedometer.

I found the Z2 I had were pretty capable of tracking laguna seca, and I am getting more grip than I need. In theory I think the car is capable of doing 1:50s unfortunately the driver himself (me) needs to get better at his lines and acceleration before he can come close to that. I bet Pobst can even do 1:49 with the current setup.

I dont claim to be an expert by any stretch of the imagination (I am intermediate at best) and I don't know how much experience you have... but I can see you are shifting mid corner in a lot of the corners. From the video, it looks like you are upsetting the balance during cornering. I was always trained to get your shifting done before turn in.

You'd probably gain a few secs just from that?

[heeltoe86]

I was thinking the same as sw20kosh after watching zeviance's incar. Getting gear changes done prior to the corner is a must. Also IMO your seating position isn't optimal. It looks like you can't effectively keep your hands constant on the wheel while turning into tighter corners making you shuffle steer. Until you analyze data and video its tough to nitpick other things but from another driving enthusiast to another I'm jealous you guys are that close to these amazing tracks. I don't have as much seat time as CSGMike or others but I instruct for a local Vegas attraction. Makes me want to move to the bay area.

Off topic but typically what are the costs of the trackdays in the bay area? Thunderhill, MRLS, Searspoint or whatever is called now obviously depends on the group renting the track but just curious as to the costs for entry.

I'm coming up from Las Vegas and Socal with a huge group of guys(15 and counting) driving S2ks, EVOs, 350/370Zs, and other FR-S for MRLS with Speedventures in June. Hope to see most of you guys there!

[orthojoe]

Originally Posted by sw20kosh

You'd probably gain a few secs just from that?

Ideally shifting should be done before entering a corner, but I don't know about a few seconds improvement since a few seconds is a lot of time. Perhaps it is an area for improvement. If he's really smooth with the shift, it may not make a difference even though the shifting should be completed before entering the corner. PDK/dual clutch transmissions will do this sometimes, and they turn out faster laps than any manual.

Originally Posted by heeltoe86

Off topic but typically what are the costs of the trackdays in the bay area? Thunderhill, MRLS, Searspoint or whatever is called now obviously depends on the group renting the track but just curious as to the costs for entry.

Depends on the track and the group you run with (my experience is with HOD, TMR, and NCRC):
1) Thill: $135-$295
2) Sonoma Raceway: $225-$350
3) Laguna Seca: $179-$350

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by sw20kosh

I dont claim to be an expert by any stretch of the imagination (I am intermediate at best) and I don't know how much experience you have... but I can see you are shifting mid corner in a lot of the corners. From the video, it looks like you are upsetting the balance during cornering. I was always trained to get your shifting done before turn in.

You'd probably gain a few secs just from that?

Originally Posted by heeltoe86

I was thinking the same as sw20kosh after watching zeviance's incar. Getting gear changes done prior to the corner is a must. Also IMO your seating position isn't optimal. It looks like you can't effectively keep your hands constant on the wheel while turning into tighter corners making you shuffle steer. Until you analyze data and video its tough to nitpick other things but from another driving enthusiast to another I'm jealous you guys are that close to these amazing tracks. I don't have as much seat time as CSGMike or others but I instruct for a local Vegas attraction. Makes me want to move to the bay area.

Off topic but typically what are the costs of the trackdays in the bay area? Thunderhill, MRLS, Searspoint or whatever is called now obviously depends on the group renting the track but just curious as to the costs for entry.

I'm coming up from Las Vegas and Socal with a huge group of guys(15 and counting) driving S2ks, EVOs, 350/370Zs, and other FR-S for MRLS with Speedventures in June. Hope to see most of you guys there!

I disagree. If you can shift mid-turn without upsetting the car, and can do it quickly, you're still putting down more power to the ground. It's like learning to brake in a straight line when you're new to the track, but then you learn trail braking and you brake into turns...

The key is figuring out which has the net gain.

@heeltoe: I'll be at MRLS with SV. Hopefully back in a s2k.

[sw20kosh]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

I disagree. If you can shift mid-turn without upsetting the car, and can do it quickly, you're still putting down more power to the ground. It's like learning to brake in a straight line when you're new to the track, but then you learn trail braking and you brake into turns...

The key is figuring out which has the net gain.

@heeltoe: I'll be at MRLS with SV. Hopefully back in a s2k.

How are you putting more power to the ground by shifting mid corner?!?! I don't see how it's more beneficial than shifting while you are braking (heel toe). Please instruct

[zeviance]

@sw20kosh / @heeltoe86

I definitely agree with your assessment. I've watched the video again and in particular I've found the downshifting at turn 5 and turn 6 to be a bit disrupting. (The tires were literally screaming for help due to the sudden change of center of gravity). For turn 5 I should have downshifted before turning into the apex and for turn 6 I should have probably trial braked and blasted thru the apex.

One thing to note, if you follow Pobst's shifting sequence when approaching turn 10 and 11 you can probably squeeze another 5 mph. I wasn't doing that because of rev limitation. (I got a nice fuel cut @ 7400 rpm @ 3rd gear)

In terms of experience this is my second tracking day and my second time at laguna seca. Thanks for all your comments, they are all very helpful for n00bs like me.

[orthojoe]

Originally Posted by zeviance

In terms of experience this is my second tracking day and my second time at laguna seca. Thanks for all your comments, they are all very helpful for n00bs like me.

Only your second track day and you're running in the mixed group and getting 1:54 in a BRZ? That's impressive, man. :happy0180:

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by sw20kosh

How are you putting more power to the ground by shifting mid corner?!?! I don't see how it's more beneficial than shifting while you are braking (heel toe). Please instruct

I may have misunderstood. I'm talking about mid-corner upshifts. If its downshifts, then my statement doesn't apply...

[sw20kosh]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

I may have misunderstood. I'm talking about mid-corner upshifts. If its downshifts, then my statement doesn't apply...

LOL mike....

we are talking about downshifts here hehe

[CSG Mike]

FWIW, I do know some VERY fast people who don't heel-toe... /facepalm.