I had a pretty good day Friday, getting re-adjusted to driving the line at VIR. That said, there are a few complaints I had with this event... PCA First Settlers placed people based on their online "resume", which is very dangerous for a few who are talented at typing, but maybe not so good at driving.

There were several people in highly capable cars (Happy to say none of them Vettes) who simply should not have been in WHITE run group. They were offline, would driver with mirrors and nearly leave the course and then not give point bys at the appropriate times... These folks should have been bumped down to blue, and in the case of one BMW E46 driver, he should have been in Green. He was simply a rolling chicane.

That said, Friday went off pretty well. I put in four hot sessions, and was running pretty consistand 2:12-2:13 clean laps, and then with traffic I was seeing a few 2:15-2:17s... We were allowed to pass between T3-4 and I personally loved it. Some folks were uncomfortable giving signals there, but those that did made me a happy boy. I did manage a couple of 2:09-2:10s according to the footage I've seen so far...

So Saturday morning I woke up to heavy rain. The track was soaked and I wanted to choke the weatherman who on Wednesday had promised a rain free weekend. I sat out the first session, ran the second session hard, and then when I went to check my MPSC tires upon coming back into the pits, I found a corded left front tire... Really need to keep better track of my tires, as the fronts had 12 days on them at the start of Saturday morning. Fortunately I'd loaded up my street tires (Pilot Sport "ribs", brand new and still with the rubber ***** on them). So I mounted them up. The problem I was facing is that I'd already put in a mix of race fuel and 93 octane, as I'd hoped to go out and run a few Hotter laps... Now, I'll admit it here that I lied to everyone I spoke to on Saturday... I ran the third and 4th session on RACE GAS and with my race tune... And was SLOWER! I will admit that I think those DoHrIfTa boys would have been proud watching me exit T17 in four wheel drifts all the way out onto the front stretch, but my new street tires howled in protest as they tried to understand why someone would try to force 580 awhp thru them! At one point Saturday afternoon I was running up past the bridge, getting ready to enter the esses, and I glanced down to check my gages just before setting up to enter the climbing esses, when I saw on the digital display 132... That's 132 MPH folks... Entering the uphill esses... And I don't "lift" there... I had no clue I was running that fast in that car up that section of tarmac...

I'll go back and check all my footage, but I'm pretty sure I'm tire and talent limited to about a 2:10. That said, I was able to learn how to get thru and exit roller coaster much more effectively this weekend and that was worth the trip If the video camera had cooperated, I'd be able to show some nice clips, but all I captured was a bunch of blur and shake... Good for getting times off of, but bad for you poor schmucks to watch...

Saturday night Jim hosted a party/dinner at our Villa and Donna and I helped cook and prepare... Some were there and can attest to the great view from the decks at the Villas. I also liked the fact that when at the Villas it was so much quieter than elsewhere on the track. I ran up to the Villas between many sessions and sat on the deck with my wife watching the other run groups, and took some amazing pics... It's truly the best viewing location at the track. They also afford you the ability to bring more folks with you to the track, and not have them bored to tears while yuo're out having fun. It's like being at home, with lots of space for everyone...

Sunday I went out for my first session on 93 octane, and it was a decent session, although traffic was still a problem. After the session I had an Asian American gentleman come up to me and complain that having me in the group was no fun at all. I was confused and asked why. He said he would be exiting T1 and by the entry to T4 I would be on his bumper... He was one of the quicker guys. I explained to him that the car is not only fast in a straight line, but it handles and brakes well too!

Because of some of the work I've done with aerodynamics in Aerodyn's wind tunnel, I was asked by one of the instructors to ride with him for a few laps in Black run group. I said Sure and went out with him... Turns out that I missed a great chance to get signed off for black run group. I went out for the next white session and then pulled the car in the trailer, started packing up, then went to get the wife and check out of the villa... Only to come back and find they were looking for me for the next black run session. I chose not to go out for the simple fact that I was concerned that I was no longer mentally in "track mode" and had switched off to "home James!" mode and felt I would lack the focus required. I would kick myself for the 3+ hour drive home, trust me, and in the process made the wife feel bad, unintentionally, but still...

All in all it was a fun weekend, and I hope everyone else in white had a good time... I tried to be clean and wait for passing signals...and tried to be mindful that the closing speeds between my beast and every other car out there were very fast...

I'll post pics from the villas later... but unfortunately the video is horrid.

Mike

 

Way to go Mike. Looks like your hard work on the car is paying off. That and your passion for driving and the desire to improve. I have only done 2 De's at Summit Point , none anywhere else, but felt so much more comfortable in the car the second time around. I need to learn and master the heel/toe technique. Also, some real track seats would be a great help. I bought a 997 shifter to put in and am still working on the front brake decision. I may have already asked you this but, are you coming to Summit Point any time this summer? Take care and good luck.

 

We wait them

 

Larry, Thanks for the kind words! I am contemplating the July PCA event with Potomac at Summit Point, but will likely do the August event at Summit Point with them...

Mike

 

Mike glad to hear the report. Sounds like you and the car are coming into their own!!
My impression of the white group was that it was more of a "transition" group therefore alot of mixed levels of skill and talent.

I ran the same times in black and the only difference is it is usually experienced good drivers only. When I ran in Red pretty much the same thing but with some Cup cars mixed in.

Sounds like you will be safer smoother and find more friends when you move up to black!!

keep up the good stuff and you know Sebring isnt that far away!!

 

mike dont worry that is how most DE are.. people talk alot but cant back it up when they get to the track... i really dont have much to say about what i can or cant do I know there is a list of fast more talented drivers than myself at every event, but i wish people would not let there egos get them into trouble or mess up other peoples weekends...

Just so you know ... the Red group was embarrassing it was slow, i have no problem with the pace but i have a problem when people dont check their mirrors... ... example a guy was in the middle of the esses when i entered them, i was on his bumper by south bend i got a point by at the last minuet entering turn 4???? this was the instructor group?????? it was a good event i had some good fun playing with the 997 cups...

but just be staight up with your abilities and dont get in over your head how can can it be fun just pointing by...

i looked for you mike to ride with you every time you were gone...

i did take a student out in red, he had a blast all i said to him when we fiunished was dont do anything " I DID" lol

 

excellent report. Sounds like you have learned the car well. It would be interesting to see what you could do on race slicks.

 

Oh Matt, I hear exactly what you're saying and am in Sync. I was bummed on Sunday when two drivers came up to me and told me it was no fun having me in their run group because of the closing speeds I had on them, in the corners... I really should have come over and got you in my car, but i always feel rushed getting the camera turned on, getting in and strapped in, helmet on, and lined up, and I end up missing opportunities... I'll be searching you out at the next event to ride with me... Overall I'm very happy with the results of the weekend, just a little frustrating cutting thru traffic with some who just wouldn't look into their mirrors, just a few, but oh well...

I'm there to learn first and foremost, and I was able to put together a much faster entry and exit of the rollercoast section, and that was worth the weekend. Some of that slower traffic can be accredited with helping put that line together! Without them, I might have missed it!

Mike

 

Nice post Mike, and to think, with all the trouble they gave you getting into white and now you're ready for black.

 

Mike, tell us about the air pressure in the street tires. What did you start with and changes?

 

Better get that speedo checked, 'cause that entry speed for street tires seams a bit high

 

I started out with the pressures down to 34 front and 38 rear, as we "thought" the tires being street tires wouldn't grow much... i'd asked several in the pits what they thought about that and got that advice... We were all wrong... I came back in after a hot session and the fronts were up to 46 and the rears at 48. I ended up settling for 29 front and 35 rear cold. I'd end up with fronts at 36 and rears at 41. Not perfect, but not bad...This was with my new Michelin Pilot Sport Ribs in stock sizes.

Mike

 

Does 2:12-14s on street tires also seem low?

Mike

 

Not with 500+hp. I was just referring to entry speed into esses on street tires

 

You know, it's possible the speedo could be off by a fair amount, come to think of it... When We run our Garmin GPS in the car it always reads about 3mph slower at 70mph... Wonder how much more error it pics up at say 120mph??? This brings up the "other" question... If I was seeing say 180MPH on the speedo on the back straight, wonder how much OFF it is...

Damn, Ryan thanks for bursting my bubble!

Mike