bowmanized

Wow I knew the Time Trialers are serious but come on buddy, how about some room.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0Kp8LN7r28

C6400hp

What wheel /tires, sizes and offsets are you using in the above pic?

bowmanized

I'm using SSR GT2 wheels. They are 18x9.5 and 18x10x5. The tires are Hoosier AS305s, 305/30 in the rear and 285/30 in the front. The offsets are 50mm in the front and 59mm in the rear so they stick out a little but you can use more rubber. I may move to a full slick after the two sets of hoosiers are toast.

I shaved 3.5 seconds off my best time New best of 1:56.3 Sears Point Infineon Raceway

StArrow68

That kink at Turn 1 gets constant attention at the Russell Racing School
with everyone knowing that if you don't leave a car width at the kink
you can be sent home. You can't assume that no one is there so the
better half of valor is to leave it open instead of paying for two cars to
be repaired. Great job avoiding the turn down.

Now for me, it just makes me glad I don't go in there over about 105mph
since even some low HP cars that clear turn 11 faster are getting close
to that speed.
R

tcmc5

IMO, you were more at fault for that close call. As the overtaking car, it's your responsibility to make sure you have adequate room to safely complete the pass. Furthermore, since the BMW was competing in the TT, I believe you should have just conceded the turn and not tried to take away his line.

bowmanized

Well if you watch the video he is clearly getting the blue and yellow flag and should adhere to the flag stations and let me by. I could have stayed in the throttle longer and slammed on the brakes but I let off so he'd know I'm there but keep the situation was under control. I've already discussed it with the group leader and he said I did the right thing letting off.

C6400hp

Interesting, they don't stick out as far as I thought they would. Do you have any more pics showing a shot straght down the side of the car with those wheels and tires on it? I wonder if they will clear a Brembo BBK. Is there alot of caliper clearance?

Bill Dearborn

Don't you have to wait for a passing signal? At any HPDE that I have attended that kind of move would have gotten you tossed out if the other guy didn't give a passing signal.

Bill

StArrow68

Bill, NASA HPDE is a progression to get into Time Trial and then racing.
They have Gp 1, w/Instructor and Gp 2, solo running with Gp 1. You
then graduate into Gp 3 and start with passing on straights, point by
not required but suggested would be the best I'd call it. I once suggested
that they ask slower folks to move over and got told that if I couldn't
figure out how to pass I was missing the point. Ok, I learned a lot about
hanging back and having closing speed at the exit point not before. Gp
4 is open passing and I'm guessing TT is the same. NASA is different.
But they get dates at Infineon/Sears Point, so I keep running with them
and you just watch out more than with some groups. Or at least you should.
Randy

bowmanized

http://fusionlangaming.net//files/43/CIMG0037.JPG
http://fusionlangaming.net//files/43/012407_18401.jpg

The tires are really the only thing sticking out. 305s are a lot of tire for a 10.5 rear, same with the front.


Here is another video. Keep an eye on how far ahead the Silver BMW is on the far straight.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEEFnZG97hg

Akcelr8 N VA

IMO, this situation is why NASA Mid Atlantic has NOT followed the national point-by rules... it's too ambiguous. All Mid Atlantic groups must give a point by. In groups 3 and 4 it's anywhere on the track but it must be given before a pass is made. No ambiguity. To effectively and safely run with "Point bys suggested but not required" requires the intent of the point by to be changed from "permission to pass" to "I expect you to pass me on the right or left". If no point by is given, the passing driver doesn't really know if he's been seen by the slower car or if that driver is assuming a particular path of the passing car. HPDEs are not racing venues and anytime you decrease communication from one driver to another, you increases the chance for someone to inadvertantly close the door on someone. OK, I'm off my soapbox.

StArrow68

May be soapbox but I agree. To NASA's credit they are very specific
about where passes can be made. One example is exit to turn 6, the
carousel at Sears Point. With slower cars it is easy to pinch off your
exit and dive to the inside of the track out and get a pass in before you
get off the wide section that is the drag strip run out. However, if the
cars are more closely matched and the lead car follows the normal line
across the track, the passing car can be squeezed into the end of the
wall that starts about half way from exit up to turn 7. In most racing
the cars are pretty close so nobody sane trys the early pass, they wait
and using closing speed go around the right side after the exit point
which also puts them on the inside at turn 7. Blow this one and you
get black flag trip to the pits or worse get seen by Steve and you might
sit some.
Well, just my opinion, but I don't think NASA is trying to fill the HPDE
ranks. They are trying to groom future TT / racers and want the event
to encourage learning what really works when you are in a grid of equal
machines. I don't really want to race, especially in my street car, but
I've learned a lot running with NASA that I don't learn elsewhere.
Randy

BTW, I'm not suggesting this is easy to accomplish either. The normal
reaction from new to Gp3 folks is to hang out at the track out and not
cross over and some times you just give it up since they are "off line".
That's why having debriefs after every session works at NASA, the word
gets out and people learn.