Spinning at Buttonwillow (1CW)

[ddeflyer]

Originally Posted by mike the snake

I'm glad you were almost fully turned around by the time you went into the dirt. I've seen cars hit the dirt sideways and dig in with really bad endings.

I am exceptionally glad of that too! For shit going bad, I was insanely lucky and am counting my lucky stars!

[ddeflyer]

Something else with the slip angle, The weekend before this one was the first time I was really getting the car balanced enough though the turns to start to achieve slip angle instead of straight line or oversteer conditions. For this weekend I had the alignment changed to remove front toe and add camber to the front wheels (rear was left at stock toe and is still stock LCA so I can't have the toe adjusted). As a result I kept pushing the rear out of the slip angles that the VSC would allow in sport mode. What had been fine with the stock "safe" alignment no longer working as well.

[orthojoe]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

I don't think he was going too fast through the corner. VSC was not stopping the slip angle (it allows some slip).

What did happen, IMO, is that he got nervous as a result of the slip angle, and eased up on turning compared to what he would normally do, which ultimately resulted in a 2 off. The increased velocity doesn't help.

Mike, you have to remember that while he may not have been going too fast through that corner for YOU, it was too fast for HIM. Intermediate level drivers aren't supposed to be 'floating' through corners like you.

[ddeflyer]

Originally Posted by orthojoe

Miike, you have to remember that while he may not have been going too fast through that corner for YOU, it was too fast for HIM. Intermediate level drivers aren't supposed to be 'floating' through corners like you.

I have to admit also that I was at 9/10ths or so there; it was the practice for the TT runs at the end of the day. I was running hard enough that I didn't have enough buffer for very many detrimental factors to occur. Obviously...

[Jason@DSG]

Originally Posted by ddeflyer

My Subaru (or maybe it was me) decided to get in touch with its rallying roots this weekend. Here is the video:

Basically I was exiting the esses right at about 100 Mph, had a little tank slapper (I've been learning to turn off the VSC and had it in sport to get more of a feeling of car reactions before turning it all the way off, and I was trying to hold fairly steady to let its do its thing instead of having too many cooks in the kitchen) and basically came right to the edge of the bumper or maybe past it (hard to say).

In any event, either I didn't release lock and go straight fast enough as the front wheel went off or the traction control was trying to overdamp the tank slapper and braked the left side as the right lost traction. The end result was one hell of a ride and a very, very dirty car. Luckily I stopped before that wall and the car (and me) seem to be fine (though one bleeder screw on my Sprint kit came a little loose but was fine after re-tightening it).

Tonight I will try and make the video a bit better. I threw this together this morning so I can show people what happened.

I got the old sweaty palms when you started to spin. Glad you and the car came out of it okay!!

[ddeflyer]

I've watched the videos countless times now, when the tail end starts to go I still get a knot in my stomach. When I see myself looking out the window I still have images of those tires coming at me. When the dust flies in the window I still taste it.

Crazy.

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by orthojoe

Miike, you have to remember that while he may not have been going too fast through that corner for YOU, it was too fast for HIM. Intermediate level drivers aren't supposed to be 'floating' through corners like you.

I should clarify that it wasn't too fast for the car :p

[ddeflyer]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

I should clarify that it wasn't too fast for the car :p

I think the car itself is capable of quite a good deal more speed there. Its just too bad it has to put up with me as a ham fisted driver. One of these days I hope to be able to keep up with what the car can do!

[CSG David]

Originally Posted by ddeflyer

I think the car itself is capable of quite a good deal more speed there. Its just too bad it has to put up with me as a ham fisted driver. One of these days I hope to be able to keep up with what the car can do!

Let us know when you go out again. We can help you out.

[ddeflyer]

I'm trying to decide if I am still going to head down to Willow springs this weekend. Part of me is screaming to go (since this is probably the last one I will do until June), and part of me is saying I should take this one off. I've never been to Willow springs before, and I've heard from several people that Nasa can be a little wild so I'm not sure which way I am going to go.

[Jason@DSG]

Originally Posted by ddeflyer

I've watched the videos countless times now, when the tail end starts to go I still get a knot in my stomach. When I see myself looking out the window I still have images of those tires coming at me. When the dust flies in the window I still taste it.

Crazy.

Part of any accident whether it be on the track or the street is getting over that fear or thinkng about it (I got side swiped by a limo going over a huge bridge when I was younger and my car started spinning ON the bridge. I luckily hit the middle median but I totalled my car. I couldn't stop thinking about hitting the other side and going over a 100+ ft drop). It looks like you just nipped the rear coming out with a bit too much yaw/inertia on the wrong side of the car coming out of the previous turns. You'll just be more aware next time but still nice driving be safe out there

[ayau]

@ddeflyer, did you have track insurance? Just curious if you did or not.

[CSG David]

Originally Posted by ddeflyer

I'm trying to decide if I am still going to head down to Willow springs this weekend. Part of me is screaming to go (since this is probably the last one I will do until June), and part of me is saying I should take this one off. I've never been to Willow springs before, and I've heard from several people that Nasa can be a little wild so I'm not sure which way I am going to go.

NASA or SCCA aren't so forgiving if you go 2 wheels off. Are you doing NASA to get a race license? A little coaching from us will get you faster and more comfortable within a day.

[ddeflyer]

Originally Posted by ayau

@ddeflyer, did you have track insurance? Just curious if you did or not.

No, I figured that the chance of having an incident that would exceed the deductible was really low. Frankly I still think that is generally the case though I am going to seriously look into the bulk options for HPDE insurance.