Got a track related question? I'll try to answer.

[7thgear]

Originally Posted by DarkSunrise

I might just try it before my next track day. Easy to buy some cheap colored electrical tape and put a strip TDC.

do you lose control often? Cuz other than that your hands really have no reason to leave the 9:3 position... not in this car, anyway

[DarkSunrise]

Originally Posted by 7thgear

do you lose control often? Cuz other than that your hands really have no reason to leave the 9:3 position... not in this car, anyway

I've never spun this car. Come to think of it, you're probably right. I don't really have any issues catching oversteer without the tape. I was thinking of trying it since it's cheap, but it probably wouldn't do much if anything.

[ja1217]

Originally Posted by ja1217

I was wondering if you could take a quick look at some data for me.

This weekend I was in time trials with NASA Mid Atlantic at Summit Point Main. I ended up coming in second place in my class but I was off the pace of 1st by just about 2 seconds. Now, the guy who came in first did set a new track record, but I feel like I shouldn't be this far off the pace. I'm trying to figure out how much of this gap is due to driver skill vs car. My car (13 FR-S) has Ohlins R&T suspension, Essex AP Sprint BBK, DSS CF Driveshaft and ACT Pro Lite Clutch. Other than a tune from Delicious and a drop in K&N filter the rest of powertrain is stock and I am competing on 225/45R17 Hoosier R6's. Last week I dyno'd at 184.5whp (dynojet) and my race weight is about 2900 lbs. (driver included). The guy who came in first place drives an E36 M3 that I think dyno'd aroud 205whp and weighs a bit over 3200 lbs and he runs on 225/40R17 R6's.

Given that our power to weight ratios are very close and we are running on roughly the same tires I would not have thought that there would be such a large gap between us. Looking at the data (which my competitor kindly sent me a copy of his) to my untrained eye I seem to doing what I can to take advantage of my lighter weight by braking later and carrying more speed through most of the turns (I could improve on turn 3), but it seems to me like his car simply overpowered mine coming out of the turns. Its quite possible that I'm over driving the car by being too aggressive entering corners and compromising my exits, but I'm just not experienced enough looking at the data to be sure. I did notice that I seem to be getting a fair amount of inside wheel slip in a lot of the corners (at one point my inside rear wheel was going 10mph more than the outside in turn 9) so I'm sure thats not helping my corner exits either. I think a clutch type LSD will probably on my list of things to do for next year.

Any way, I'd really appreciate it if you could take a quick look at my data. I'm going to be up against the same driver in October at VIR and would like to give him more of a run for his money than I could at Summit.

(I am the red line in this image)


Here's the video of my fastest session:

Thanks!

Here's the video of the E36 by the way:
[ame]http://youtu.be/R279Lb9SFdg[/ame]

[dradernh]

Originally Posted by Captain Snooze

Could someone please explain the tape/cloth at the top of some steering wheels? When would you need a visual indication of "straight ahead"?

At the top of the uphill in this video, it's a really, really good idea to have your hands perfectly straight. Given the drama than can ensue when they're not (see black lines, almost all of which led to a destroyed car (I waited until the following spring to destroy mine, at another track! )), a visual reference is a very low-use-of-bandwidth way to confirm that you're good to go. That's the only place I've used it, and I use it every lap at Lime Rock.

[ame="http://youtu.be/ztatQYwuHYY"]http://youtu.be/ztatQYwuHYY[/ame]

Originally Posted by 7thgear

personally I think it's a gimmick, I've never once heard anyone ever talk about it as being any sort of aid, even those that have it in their cars.

It would be interesting to ask one of the pros at a race why he has it on his wheel. I wonder if each guy would give you a different answer!

Originally Posted by 7thgear

...your hands really have no reason to leave the 9:3 position... not in this car, anyway

Namerow at Mont Tremblant will test that thesis.

[smellslikecurry]

Do you recommend any particular chassis bracing for autox/track days? Currently running stock strut bars and a harness bar.

[dradernh]

Originally Posted by ja1217

Here's the video of the E36 by the way:

Did you get anything out of watching it?

[ja1217]

Originally Posted by dradernh

Did you get anything out of watching it?

Yes, I lack torque

On a more serious note, his inputs tend to be smoother than mine. From what I can hear of the throttle, he is not lifting off once he is in the turn (usually), instead he is smoothly applying more throttle as he is tracking out. That and he was staying a bit tighter than I was in the carousel (turns 6-7).

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by ja1217

Here's the video of the E36 by the way:

He's definitely got a lot more power, but he's also on the throttle a lot more than you are. His inputs are almost digital; his car has more left on the table than yours does, but his basic technique is also more sound.

In particular, note how early he brakes. This is more than enough for the speed discrepancy; he enters the corners more balanced, and gets on the throttle earlier.

And he has a wing.

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by dradernh

At the top of the uphill in this video, it's a really, really good idea to have your hands perfectly straight. Given the drama than can ensue when they're not (see black lines, almost all of which led to a destroyed car (I waited until the following spring to destroy mine, at another track! )), a visual reference is a very low-use-of-bandwidth way to confirm that you're good to go. That's the only place I've used it, and I use it every lap at Lime Rock.

It would be interesting to ask one of the pros at a race why he has it on his wheel. I wonder if each guy would give you a different answer!


Namerow at Mont Tremblant will test that thesis.

I don't see the usefulness of the tape at TDC in that video.

Some people drive visually where the tape will help, and some people drive kinesthetically, where the tape will do nothing. I fall into the latter.

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by smellslikecurry

Do you recommend any particular chassis bracing for autox/track days? Currently running stock strut bars and a harness bar.

Nope, but I highly recommend against a harness bar with stock seats..

[smellslikecurry]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

Nope, but I highly recommend against a harness bar with stock seats..

Agreed. Im running a pair of Recaros.

[7thgear]

Originally Posted by dradernh

Namerow at Mont Tremblant will test that thesis.

this is me at an autocross...


never been to Tremblant, but no track in Ontario would ever force me to even come close to putting in more than 270* of steering input in this car

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HK1aLV0TK3Q"]2014 Autocross Regionals Event #6 : Barrie - YouTube[/ame]

[dradernh]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

I don't see the usefulness of the tape at TDC in that video.

Some people drive visually where the tape will help, and some people drive kinesthetically, where the tape will do nothing. I fall into the latter.

Good distinction. I use both, vision dominantly, and in that spot I go with vision because it's such a faster route to the brain than are kinesthetics. That difference matters to me there.

[dradernh]

Originally Posted by 7thgear

this is me at an autocross...


never been to Tremblant, but no track in Ontario would ever force me to even come close to putting in more than 270* of steering input in this car

Forget what I said about Namerow requiring you to move your hands. You definitely would not be moving them there.