OK, so the straight line guys have places all over that they can take their Max, and the twisty turny guys have either autocross or track events.

I want an oval. I want to get this sucker wound up, and let it fly. I want a track where I can wind it out in 5th (it will probably slow down in 6th) and not let up.

The only other option is the salt flats, and that's too far away.

Ideas?

 

I've heard of one and two lap drag races around ovals being done. By spectators. You won't see 5th either. The track in Seekonk, Massachusetts is one such venue.

Norm

 

- Go find a stretch of highway that hasn't been opened yet. Speed isn't all its cracked up to be. Try a few AutoCrosses and you will come to appreciate lateral g-forces.

- And if you are going to be a moron and take your car up to kill-you-almost-instantly-if-you-screw-up-speeds, remember to check your tire pressures and speed ratings. Your car does not have a roll-cage, fire-suppression systems, etc.

- I think that this is a REALLY bad idea for someone as inexperienced as you. I don't mean to offend you, but its pretty obvious from your writing that you haven't really done anything like this before. Throw in some speeds that are at least 50-60mph faster than you can comfortably drive and its a recipe for disaster. Please consider all the consequences of you losing it at a 140mph before you go for it. Be safe out there.

 

Oh don't let sleeperSE scare you. Driving at really high speed is pretty easy. Yes speed rating on your tires is important but you can feel that and common sence would tell you to back off. The important thing to remember when driving at high speed is that you must be very smooth and don't make any sudden movements. Some cars are very stable at high speed some are not. My miata above 130mph felt solid as a rock (many suspension mods) it was just like driving at 80mph. The S2000 is the same way. However My volvo wagon is scary at 90mph and my 850 turbo Starts to wander from lane to lane above 140mph. If your going to do these speeds I reccommend you enter in the Nevada open road race series. Thats a great place to get your feet wet at these kinds of speeds in a relatively safe enviroment. You still have the chance of wildlife being on the road but you are sure there won't be traffic or POLICE because it's a legal event. I belive your cars aren't required to have any particular saftey gear either. I've often thought about entering one and I might do it in My wagon some day soon. I"m a bit afraid to keep the S2000 spinning above 8000rpm for long periods of time. If you want to consider doing these speeds illegally, Well Just becareful. I can't say NO because I have done it on occasion. I hit almost 150 in the S the other day on a 2 lane road chasing some autox buddies home from the event. Probably pretty dumb on my part and when I got on the brakes from the short stint (short it was less then 30 seconds to get to that speed) the car stepped sideways on me. I kept in the lane but learned my lesson that I had approached wrecking my shiny new toy. Be careful and think about a nevada open road race series.

 

Why risk your own car? Do the Petty driving experience or something like that and really get some speed. They're running every weekend over in Concord.

http://www.1800bepetty.com/

 

- Yeah, good idea, BEJAY1.

 

found a link to the nevada open road race dealio.
http://www.silverstateclassic.com/

enjoy.

 

1. Look at my screen name. I throw myself out of flying airplanes, and head towards the ground. I know a little bit about taking safety precautions.

2. I certainly hope you'll forgive me for spelling out details of how I would go about this. I don't intend on breaking into Charlotte motor speedway some night, and running this thing half drunk.

3. If the idea is so friggin' dangerous, why do the auto manufacturers have track days for the auto press? Why do they take their cars to the test track?

4. Virginia International Raceway (www.virclub.com) has a number of events that might work out for this. They have instructors that will go with you in the car, and teach you. You (I) will not be reaching speeds that the instructor feels cannot be handled safely. There are also events at Charlotte Motor Speedway that are similar. I'm looking into these.

5. Lateral G's are good, and I do intend to autocross (pretty sure I'll stay stock.) I just want to be able to get this thing moving fast without worrying about losing my license (or having to explain losing my license to SWMBO and a teenage son.)

6. You have no idea what speeds I'm comfortable at.

50-60 mph over my comfortable speed puts me at 170-180 mph. My only discomfort at more than 15 over the speed limit is worries about Officer Bob Speed.

7. 140 in a super oval, or down a backstretch, is no more dangerous than 60 on the Blue Ridge parkway in many of the bends. I've got more than a few miles behind the wheel. I'm looking for somewhere that it IS safe to go really, really, fast.\

8. Since you're obviously unable to understand anything but the most literal statements, I'm looking for a place where I can drive as fast as I am comfortable, without worrying about legal ramifications, or other traffic.

 

1. Money.

2. I KNOW their cars go fast. I want to see how fast this car will go before I start to pucker.

 

Pardon the rest of us for erring on the side of caution.

Remember that most of us can't read minds even face to face (let alone via time-delayed cyberspace messaging), so what gets assumed on the receiving end may well differ from what you intended.

Anyway, on street rubber you still won't be coming off oval turns 2 & 4 as hot as you'd like, and the straights won't be long enough for you to approach your top speed all that closely. Even for a car that tops out around 150 you'll only gain 6 or 7 mph over a 1000 foot straight assuming that you really could carry 130 through the turn. At 140 it will take you over 200 feet to gain just one mph, and at 145 that becomes 300'.

Point #1 being that you'll run out of straight.

Point #2 is that you may not be fully aware of the math for acceleration as you approach top speed and are overly optomistic as a result.

FWIW, I think that there are similar events to the Silver State that are at least a little closer to you.

Norm
(I've done the RPDE thing)

 

The lateral forces in oval tracks behave a little different than autocrossing... mainly because of the MUCH higher speeds involved, it's pretty hard on the tires and wheel bearings. Auto-x is at much lower speeds and less sustained speeds, probably less scary if a tire lets go.

I'd worry a bit about that, but I'd rather run the Silver State Classic myself. It's not that far for me actually...

 

Geez, doesn't anyone on this thread understand hyperbole?

I do realize that a street car may not be able to reach top speed on the longest straight of a road course, or even on any of the ovals that are not super speedway. In fact, it might not be possible without the extended length of a Bonneville, or one of the gigantic test tracks (I think Ford has a 7.5 mile oval, and there may be a 10 mile oval out west somewhere). I realistically don't expect to reach maximum speed, but it would be really, really nice to get well into the triple digits without having to devote any attention to thwarting law enforcement.

The VIR has events at the track where folks can bring their own cars, and learn to drive at speed, with an instructor in the car. Like any instructional event, you won't go out and just go 10/10ths the very first time.



The Nevada events seem like a really good solution ... I'll have to look into the courses, and see what kind of straights they have. A co-driver, and a detailed map, and a GPS system could help there (picture: exit a turn, navigator says "4 miles of straight ... GO!)

 

Thats what it is. Go look at their pace notes. It's exactly that. "exit corner, 15 mile straight". I can tell you from driving SleeperSE's car that it gets to about 125 pretty quickly but it will take miles to break 140mph. I'm guessing atleast 6 miles to reach terminal velocity. If you decided to do the nevada races keep us posted, I could come out and join ya.

 

- Damn Maxima aerodynamics.

 

From a spreadsheet simulation for a car that is power-limited to 153 . . .

125 comes up within half a mile
140 at the end of the next half mile
another mile gets you to 150
half a mile more to see 152
and a mile and a half to get that last one mph

4 miles total, assuming that you don't ever let your foot leave the floor (not even momentarily) at speeds over 125. Close enough?

Norm

 

Well if you do run the Silver State Classic, I'd see if any of our Sentra brethen are going to do it again this year, too. I'd definitely consider going.