Super Trax @ Zwartkops Raceway - Monthly events

[LostSalad]

Originally Posted by Fish Eagle

I never use my indicators on track, but I'll always have my window open, and I use hand signals. I cut my teeth at Midvaal mixing it with racecars, and they don't have indicators. Could an indicator confuse the guy behind you? Hell yes. Are you indicating where you're going, or indicating where you want him to go??

Sweet. When I did the BMW High Performance course at Zwartkops the cooldown procedure was to indicate, slow down and stay wide. Keeping the windows open is a bit annoying if you have friends along and want to talk, but I can't hear them anyway with my helmet on, so I'll just focus on the driving and take em for a ride

[CWP68]

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BU9TmAEcdzw"]Here's a couple of laps of the Z to get you in the mood[/ame]

[Fish Eagle]

Originally Posted by LostSalad

if you have friends along and want to talk

If you want to talk, then you're going too slow.

[Fish Eagle]

@CWP68 - yup, single seaters are amazingly quick, even the Formula Monoposto cars which have tiny engines.
Cool video - I enjoyed it a lot. Phew!!

Here's Zwartkops best lap times http://www.zoc.co.za/zoc_top_lap_times.php

Sadly, they're only up to Nov 2014 when the kind keeper of these numbers died in an accident at the Z.
He was a photographer, and got taken out by a crashing racecar.

[Sporran]

I have to agree with all the above. Softness and I also did Stigworx at Red Star last month and were among the slower novices - despite this Jacques made sure we did NOT worry what was behind us and even turned the rear view mirror away so we couldn't look.

Doing something unpredictable is what causes the problems so if you stick to the racing line then the faster drivers will know where they can, and just as importantly can't, get past you.

As an aside, you'll often see the RGM 86 lapping with the door mirrors turned in.

[Fish Eagle]

Originally Posted by Sporran

As an aside, you'll often see the RGM 86 lapping with the door mirrors turned in.

Yep, that's when Jacques is giving Rob lessons.

Personally, I don't agree.
I fully understand the point being made, but I think blanking out mirrors is OTT and dangerous.

I believe that you should be aware of what's happening behind you, but not obsessed about it.

Here's footage of Jacques tutoring Rob at the Z.
I didn't even try to pass Rob (which I easily could have), 100% because of him having no mirrors.
But you decide...

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmC2mjB5BwU"]Zwartkops 2015-03-15 F13 353 718 - YouTube[/ame]

[Alang]

Originally Posted by Fish Eagle

Yep, that's when Jacques is giving Rob lessons.

Personally, I don't agree.
I fully understand the point being made, but I think blanking out mirrors is OTT and dangerous.

I believe that you should be aware of what's happening behind you, but not obsessed about it.

Here's footage of Jacques tutoring Rob at the Z.
I didn't even try to pass Rob (which I easily could have), 100% because of him having no mirrors.
But you decide...

Agreed, I had the exact same problem as those 7s on Red Star. On track days you aren't allowed to overtake on the corners and with his supercharger I stood no chance on the straights.
Would've appreciated a little lift on the straight to let me past, but he didn't even know I was there.

[Sporran]

Originally Posted by Alang

Agreed, I had the exact same problem as those 7s on Red Star. On track days you aren't allowed to overtake on the corners and with his supercharger I stood no chance on the straights.
Would've appreciated a little lift on the straight to let me past, but he didn't even know I was there.

Interesting point Alan, which takes us nicely back to Fish Eagle's earlier post and video about Class A, although I suspect the Chevy and Subaru were well aware he was there!

If it works that way for the more experienced racers shouldn't it be the same for the novices too?

In the interests of learning and enjoying track days to the max whilst not being a danger to anyone, what do others think?

[LostSalad]

Originally Posted by Alang

So by indicating right, Stiglet thought you were going to leave a gap for him on the right hand side.
Basically, you told him to come past you and the slammed the door on him
But, you live and you learn and at least now you know

Feels bad man . I'll stick to wave-by's from now on out.

I agree that having your mirrors turned away is overkill. It makes you half blind. Spacial awareness is important. BUT - having someone on your tail is the easiest way to feel slow, and pressured. Even if you are going the same speed, just them sitting there makes you feel that they are faster than you. You push harder, and make mistakes. So I agree 100% that you should not obsess about it.

Also, not everyone plays by the rules. If some *cough* box is going to cut past you, it's better to get a flash of it in your mirrors than right past your window.

[FT_86_SM_GP]

Like any car event, naturally one would wake up with a sense of urgency before 5:30am on a Sunday

I made sure I made it to Zwartkops by 7:30am …not to be late,

To my surprise …Other cars only casually started rocking up after 9 lol

Luckily @LostSalad got in early (Probably before 7am) and we ended up chatting about car brakes and tyres

You could def spot out the first timers. Lol

This was the first time for both myself and @LostSalad at the Zwartkops track, and if I’m not mistaken second track day event in terms of experience.

In addition to the help, guidance and prep talk by FishEagle (Thank you Sir, your advice and tips are always appreciated) there is a separate drive out with Zwartkops instructors for all first timers.

This is led by the instructor before the track day begins to teach ‘new timers’ the racing line and get familiar with the circuit.

There are also driving instructors available free of charge, from Zwartkops, who spend a few laps in your car helping you on your racing line, braking points etc.

My take away from my first SuperTrax track day:

- Pre-track nervousnesss is eliminated by the ‘First Timers’ session, which is before the first session start, this really helped with nerves.

- Main learning points, where Turn 1, 7 and 8 (The three “Lefties”) the reason for these turns being ‘challenging’ and tricky is that these turns are on ‘uneven’ road (Ie. There are declines on this turn)

- I really struggled with turn 1,.. never got the line correct coming out as either my ABS came on or I lost a little traction and psychologically could not follow through.

- Did not really go flat out, as I am running stock brakes, and lacked confidence in braking, I always braked early, but again, this was a learning experience more than anything else.

- With regards to traffic, it is fun having cars around (Makes it a little exciting) but the traffic also gets to you (In an annoying way) (Other cars are really slow on bends lol just shows how beautifully designed the 86 is)

– I probably got 1 or 2 clear lap’s per 20min session.

- First Session I managed a 1m24s

- Second Session I managed a 1m21s

I had to run, so did not stay for the afternoon sessions.
Hope you guys had fun!!,
(@FishEagle came looking for you to say goodbye and thanks, but could not find you)

I can confidently say this was the best motoring event / activity I have ever attended,
Zwartkops raceway is challenging and really fun :-D

The Stigworx (RGM) guys were making some quick laps, seeing FishEagle and @CWP68 take on a v8 m3 duo was epic! There was a new c63 eating the track probably overlapped the others in its group(m5's/m3's/CLA45/GTi's etc), and a Red RMS 86 was spitting fire balls from that amazing sounding exhaust!

I also drove past the skid pan and saw the Panda86 (@Don86) and a Blue BRZ , hope you guys had a blast and made the 86/BRZ’s proud!

Cannot wait for the next SuperTrax event!

[FT_86_SM_GP]

This was the ending of session 2, so managed to pass traffic as they were on their cool down lap
1m21s
[ame]http://youtu.be/MWlkJYNOa3o[/ame]

[FT_86_SM_GP]

This is a clear(no traffic) lap in the second session, but lacked confidence on turn 1 and ended on sticking to the left (not on the driving line)

Also braking early ...damn cannot wait to get some powerbake goodies

1m22s
[ame]http://youtu.be/ed9a6q5fmpM[/ame]

[Fish Eagle]

@FT_86_SM_GP - nice videos, and great lap times - I'm impressed.
Your car also sounds great, both on your video and from the pit wall.

I so sorry that I couldn't take you for a spin, but I had a special friend with for the weekend and my youngest daughter popped in for a few laps too. Anyway I was very gentle today because my brake discs were gone and I had quite bad brake judder - not nice. I doubt if I was quicker than you today... But I killed it yesterday!! maybe that's why my brakes are history - LOL

You did very well. Now you just need to slowly hone your skills. You're at the stage now that you've had some good quick success, but be careful especially at the Z that your confidence and euphoria doesn't get ahead of your skills growth because then you're getting into the risk area. For sure, you are going plenty fast enough to be exposed to risk.

But don't let that worry you. Take it "slowly" (as in - accept growing slowly from now) and concentrate on small victories, and you'll get faster while staying safe.

Sorry I missed you when you left. We took a walk up to the Tabletop Grandstand and chilled there for a while watching the hoon show.

[LostSalad]

@FT_86_SM_GP, nice to meet you man, and thanks for coming out despite your initial reservations . @Fish Eagle, it was good seeing you all the way up here on our side of the world, do come again.

I'm terrible at recording, and always get caught at the start of a session without having set up my camera. So unfortunately I didn't get my fastest lap (~1.22) on camera

A big shoutout to the driver's ed organised by Zwartkops. After my passenger buddy went home, I asked for some help, and following the example and guidance of Mr Etienne (my memory is terrible - it had to be Etienne lol), I managed to shave my time down by about 2.5 seconds! I reviewed some of my own video footage over lunchtime and found that I was steadily improving (from high 20's down to about 1:24). The fastest lap that I did with Etienne was a 1:22 and I slacked off on my last lap before the finish line because I saw the checkered flag *sigh*.

Tires are dead. Brakes are dead. I drove at the limit of my capability today.

Here are a couple of videos that I assembled throughout the day. The 1:22 lap is not mine - that was Etienne. And seeing as we were discussing passing etiquette, what do you make of that Z4's attempt @Fish Eagle / @alang?

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhjVC1wDFlg[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4Y0gOLMzts[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLPZT7zEX64[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKujmkVRAIA[/ame]


Oh, and cheers to @FT_86_SM_GP for the heads up about the tire special at Errol's Tires. I've already ordered some and can't wait till they get delivered