Ran the Max
10-07-2007, 02:10 PM
#1
Ran the Max
So I went to the track event yesterday here is how it went.....
4:10AM alarm clock rings and pissed off me finally rolls out of bed at like 4:20AM. Took a shower, grabbed something to eat and gathered up all my junk I needed to bring with me and headed out the door. Filled up the car and was on my way at 5AM sharp.
7AM our time, 8AM MI time I arrive @ South Haven- 170 miles one way. Register for the event and spend the next 30 min taking all the junk I had in the trunk and car, out of the trunk. Tech inspection, and then get out on the track.
I picked Intermediate group to run in, because I didn't want to be slowed down by the newbies and I have ran road courses before so I didn't think this would be a problem. Never ran Gingerman thou, and no one has told me bout the MERGE line being soooo long. I get out on the track and merge in too quick, resulting in a black flag. Pit in, they tell me that I merge in too early and thats not good yadie yadie yada.... I tell em I never been here before and I was just taking it EZ for a few laps to get a hold of the track. They recommended that I go to the Beginners group. So I was like, eh **** it why not.
Well I got stuck behind some slow cars, people wouldn't let me pass eighter. Rules state that you can't just overtake someone, you have to get a wave by from the person you want to pass. Some people would let you by, some people where ******** and didn't want to let you by. So I decided that I need to grid up for the run as quickly as I can so I can get up front. Well I got stuck behind a STi that was not willing to let me pass, eventually after 2 laps of just being glued to him like a bum on a bologna sandwich..... he let me by. I took the lead and proceeded to crave up the course. I got more confident in the car as laps went by. Brakes where holding up fine, as a matter a fact I thought I braked very late. I didn't see anyone brake as late as me on the track the whole day. Brembos do work, and they work great. No brake fade, no problems the whole day, and I was VERY hard on the brakes. My stock brakes would have never made this event work. The Quaife LSD was putting down the power like it should have. It was awesome just getting into the corner and powering out under full throttle without a hint of wheel spin like I had experienced before. It felt really cool watching the wheel just straighten itself out under WOT powering out of the corners, the diff does make a huge difference. These 2 mods are just excellent, I don't think my car could have done anywhere as good without these 2. One of the local Mustang guys came over talking to me, asking me WTF is done to my car because he couldn't keep up with me anywhere on the track. His car was a 05 GT 5spd with some mods and I would out brake him, out handle and out accelerate him all around the course. He tried keeping up with me and my lines but gave up and pitted in as his brakes where toast (HPS pads on stock rotors). I told him bout the cars mods, how many miles the car has and he was very supprised. According to Ron my car was music to peoples ears when it went by, it sounded very very nice. Too bad I cant ever enjoy my car's sounds....
Having gauges to monitor my engine is also a very nice plus, I noticed my oil temps where in the 280F range after the very end of the session which is pretty dangerous. Oil is water thin at those temps so I might have to invest in a proper oil cooler. Water temps where in 210-220F range the whole time, and yesterday was in the 90s and very sunny so thats about as brutal as it gets out there. Yet the car was doing great, no signs of any kind of breakdown as of yet, and it made it back home 170 miles without a sweat and got some excellent MPG on the way back. I put bout 500 miles on her yesterday and she did great.
I made a video of me racing, and I think my brother took some pictures. I know Ron (Gaan) took pics also. I already had so much junk there with me that I didn't bother bringing out my digital with.
There where some nice cars there. One 6MT G35 Coupe w/o Brembos, Gaan's 03 HLSD 6spd Maxima, his friend with a E36 M3 (sellout had a 20th Aniv Maxima), another Gaans friend with a new Carrera S - it was nice chasing him down the track, 2 more laps you would be behind me :P
Along with bunch of 240SXs (that leaked all over the track) 2 TDi Golfs - WTF ? What are Diesels doing racing ??? Crazy V8 Hayabusa powered Lola chassis car, some Hondas, few STis and one crazy EVO. Dude in the EVO knew how to drive and his car seemed to fly around there. Also one A/T Legacy GT Turbo was there that looked very nice. I know there was a bunch of other cars there too.... but overall I think we had like 20-25 cars running on the track that day.
All in all, my back is sore from all the beating it took... my head is sun burned because I refused to use the sun screen I DID bring with me.
Things I learned, I need tons more practice on that track to get good. I need some R-Compound tires because I am now limited by the street tires. I could also use another 100HP or so to keep the C6 Vette off my *** on the straights.
Would like to thank Ron for letting me know bout the track, and all the tips he gave me.
Also my brother who came out towards the end of the day and watched me whip it around the track, and then helped me pack my car back up. It would take me another 40 min or so to pack it up. With his help I was done in like 20 min.
I can't wait to go beat on the car again, 186K mile family race car.
4:10AM alarm clock rings and pissed off me finally rolls out of bed at like 4:20AM. Took a shower, grabbed something to eat and gathered up all my junk I needed to bring with me and headed out the door. Filled up the car and was on my way at 5AM sharp.
7AM our time, 8AM MI time I arrive @ South Haven- 170 miles one way. Register for the event and spend the next 30 min taking all the junk I had in the trunk and car, out of the trunk. Tech inspection, and then get out on the track.
I picked Intermediate group to run in, because I didn't want to be slowed down by the newbies and I have ran road courses before so I didn't think this would be a problem. Never ran Gingerman thou, and no one has told me bout the MERGE line being soooo long. I get out on the track and merge in too quick, resulting in a black flag. Pit in, they tell me that I merge in too early and thats not good yadie yadie yada.... I tell em I never been here before and I was just taking it EZ for a few laps to get a hold of the track. They recommended that I go to the Beginners group. So I was like, eh **** it why not.
Well I got stuck behind some slow cars, people wouldn't let me pass eighter. Rules state that you can't just overtake someone, you have to get a wave by from the person you want to pass. Some people would let you by, some people where ******** and didn't want to let you by. So I decided that I need to grid up for the run as quickly as I can so I can get up front. Well I got stuck behind a STi that was not willing to let me pass, eventually after 2 laps of just being glued to him like a bum on a bologna sandwich..... he let me by. I took the lead and proceeded to crave up the course. I got more confident in the car as laps went by. Brakes where holding up fine, as a matter a fact I thought I braked very late. I didn't see anyone brake as late as me on the track the whole day. Brembos do work, and they work great. No brake fade, no problems the whole day, and I was VERY hard on the brakes. My stock brakes would have never made this event work. The Quaife LSD was putting down the power like it should have. It was awesome just getting into the corner and powering out under full throttle without a hint of wheel spin like I had experienced before. It felt really cool watching the wheel just straighten itself out under WOT powering out of the corners, the diff does make a huge difference. These 2 mods are just excellent, I don't think my car could have done anywhere as good without these 2. One of the local Mustang guys came over talking to me, asking me WTF is done to my car because he couldn't keep up with me anywhere on the track. His car was a 05 GT 5spd with some mods and I would out brake him, out handle and out accelerate him all around the course. He tried keeping up with me and my lines but gave up and pitted in as his brakes where toast (HPS pads on stock rotors). I told him bout the cars mods, how many miles the car has and he was very supprised. According to Ron my car was music to peoples ears when it went by, it sounded very very nice. Too bad I cant ever enjoy my car's sounds....
Having gauges to monitor my engine is also a very nice plus, I noticed my oil temps where in the 280F range after the very end of the session which is pretty dangerous. Oil is water thin at those temps so I might have to invest in a proper oil cooler. Water temps where in 210-220F range the whole time, and yesterday was in the 90s and very sunny so thats about as brutal as it gets out there. Yet the car was doing great, no signs of any kind of breakdown as of yet, and it made it back home 170 miles without a sweat and got some excellent MPG on the way back. I put bout 500 miles on her yesterday and she did great.
I made a video of me racing, and I think my brother took some pictures. I know Ron (Gaan) took pics also. I already had so much junk there with me that I didn't bother bringing out my digital with.
There where some nice cars there. One 6MT G35 Coupe w/o Brembos, Gaan's 03 HLSD 6spd Maxima, his friend with a E36 M3 (sellout had a 20th Aniv Maxima), another Gaans friend with a new Carrera S - it was nice chasing him down the track, 2 more laps you would be behind me :P
Along with bunch of 240SXs (that leaked all over the track) 2 TDi Golfs - WTF ? What are Diesels doing racing ??? Crazy V8 Hayabusa powered Lola chassis car, some Hondas, few STis and one crazy EVO. Dude in the EVO knew how to drive and his car seemed to fly around there. Also one A/T Legacy GT Turbo was there that looked very nice. I know there was a bunch of other cars there too.... but overall I think we had like 20-25 cars running on the track that day.
All in all, my back is sore from all the beating it took... my head is sun burned because I refused to use the sun screen I DID bring with me.
Things I learned, I need tons more practice on that track to get good. I need some R-Compound tires because I am now limited by the street tires. I could also use another 100HP or so to keep the C6 Vette off my *** on the straights.
Would like to thank Ron for letting me know bout the track, and all the tips he gave me.
Also my brother who came out towards the end of the day and watched me whip it around the track, and then helped me pack my car back up. It would take me another 40 min or so to pack it up. With his help I was done in like 20 min.
I can't wait to go beat on the car again, 186K mile family race car.
10-26-2007, 07:10 AM
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 779
awesome, sounds like a blast!
Gingerman is really fun, i need to get back up there someday.
I also really like the diversity in nice cars you usually see at a track day like this. I would rather walk around the pits than go to a car show.
Every spring I put together a list of midwest track days... I should start cross-posting that here.
Gingerman is really fun, i need to get back up there someday.
I also really like the diversity in nice cars you usually see at a track day like this. I would rather walk around the pits than go to a car show.
Every spring I put together a list of midwest track days... I should start cross-posting that here.
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