Hallett - Anyone going in June?
05-14-2009, 11:52 AM
#1
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
Hallett - Anyone going in June?
I'm thinking about going to Hallett, OK in June with NASA. Anyone else going to be there?
Never been to this track. Any tips or suggestions will be appreciated - including places to stay.
Never been to this track. Any tips or suggestions will be appreciated - including places to stay.
05-14-2009, 12:42 PM
#2
Drifting
It's a great track (IMHO). CCW is by far the safest and most fun. It has some blind spots that make it interesting. I've got about 40 track days out there. There are a couple of track vids on the web site that give a pretty good view of the track.
I'm not sure what I'm doing in June. There is a HST only track day in May (29th and 30th) Lots of time etc.
Hampton Inn in Sand Springs is pretty good. There is a Best Western across the highway in Sand Springs as well (I have never stayed there).
Of the local (cheaper) places, the only one that I have stayed at is the Boomtown Inn in Drumright (south of the track 15 miles) is tolerable. I wouldn't stay there if I brought my wife along, but it's okay for me. Just an old family run motel. I spend so little time at the motel I don't really care.
There is gas at the track, but often... i repeat often they are out of premium. They always have 110 at the usual price.
A service station in Hallett (across the highway from the track) has regular, no premium. I always fill up before I get there and usually have to buy some gas to finish the day.
There is a new map on the web site that shows elevation. This along with the videos shows what to expect. The track is 1.8 miles and 10 turns, so not really high speed.
Track folks are really great people there.
PM me if you want more details.
John
I'm not sure what I'm doing in June. There is a HST only track day in May (29th and 30th) Lots of time etc.
Hampton Inn in Sand Springs is pretty good. There is a Best Western across the highway in Sand Springs as well (I have never stayed there).
Of the local (cheaper) places, the only one that I have stayed at is the Boomtown Inn in Drumright (south of the track 15 miles) is tolerable. I wouldn't stay there if I brought my wife along, but it's okay for me. Just an old family run motel. I spend so little time at the motel I don't really care.
There is gas at the track, but often... i repeat often they are out of premium. They always have 110 at the usual price.
A service station in Hallett (across the highway from the track) has regular, no premium. I always fill up before I get there and usually have to buy some gas to finish the day.
There is a new map on the web site that shows elevation. This along with the videos shows what to expect. The track is 1.8 miles and 10 turns, so not really high speed.
Track folks are really great people there.
PM me if you want more details.
John
Last edited by johninar; 05-14-2009 at 01:24 PM.
05-14-2009, 02:18 PM
#3
Drifting
Some thoughts about the track.
My lap times are a best of 1:29 and average 1:31. I don't push it, I've never been off... knock on wood.
on the track and into turn 10. Exiting turn one is approx a 70mph turn (for me about 65 - i'm chicken
) you are going uphill from elevation 14 to elevation 30 in the middle of the straight. Make sure your TC is OFF. You will get REAL light here. Then downhill into turn 2. This is murder on brakes. Plenty of run off here, although some do find the tire wall.
Uphill through 3 to a very wide turn 4 and then far right just before turn 5 to setup for 6. Turn 6 is slightly off camber then uphill to 8.
Approaching turn 8 you will see a sign over the hill, this will mark the apex of 8 and the entry to the Bitch (turn 9). Once you have done turn 9 a couple of times you will see why it's so affectionately named.
I personally love 8-9, it's just fun.
9-10 is uphill and turn 10 is a very late apex sweeper (It is considered a double apex turn, but not for me).
Now here is a great write-up for CCW that is on the Hallett Site:
There is also a CW write up. If you do go CW there is drainage culvert after turn 7. If you are not careful and don't exit late, you will be pointed directly at that culvert. Make sure you look and locate that little bugger.
From the web site.....
Let's go for a ride!
Coming off the starting grid onto the track just beyond the start/finish line we accelerate up to 3rd gear and move to the far right headed for turn one. This is a medium fast turn so we brake lightly, turn in to the late apex and accelerating let the car drift across the road touching the edge at the end of the concrete curb. It is important to be right on the apex in this turn. The outside of the turn has a slight reverse camber to it. An early apex in this turn can send us into the daisies if we're carrying any speed at all.
Out of one, we accelerate hard on a slight uphill and shift into 4th just before the crest which is about half way to turn 2. Coming over the crest we can just start to see 2, our speed is about 90mph. At the first marker we start braking, building up the pressure quickly, downshift to 3rd, then 2nd. At the turn in point we are down to about 10mph. Turn 2 is a 165 degree left hander * tight! The turn in should be very deliberate. We start accelerating hard when the car is settled down and pointed straight at the apex of turn 3 on the right side of the track. We let the car take a natural course across the apex, shift smoothly to 3rd and proceed on the left up the hill to turn 4.
Surprise! As we approach turn 4 the track levels out and for an instant we don't see the road surface. We back off the throttle to transfer a little load onto the front tires just as we begin to crest the hill. Turn 4 and 5 are close together and to execute 5 correctly, we need to sacrifice a little at 4. The turn-in point for 4 is to the far left and almost into the turn. We take a very late apex and exit the turn from the right side across the apex of 5 on the left allowing the car to drift over to the right side of the track heading to turn 6. We are still in 3rd gear. Done smoothly, this series of turns feels like a slalom.
Turn 6 is another one of these that seems to fall off on the outside. On the line through the late apex, there is a slight trough or groove that lets us carry good speed through the turn. With the car pointed down the straight we shift into 4th staying on the right side of the track. Before the turn-in to turn 7 we tap the brake and downshift smoothly into 3rd. It is important to maintain good car balance going into 7 in preparation for turns 8 and 9. The three turns are close together. At the apex of 7 we accelerate for a split second easing a little just before the apex of 8 which is at the brow of a slight uphill. At the apex, as the nose settles down we accelerate smoothly again for split second to turn 9.
Turn 9 is affectionately and officially called "The Bitch". It took me a while to get this turn right. It is a fast uphill right hander and can be taken in 3rd gear if we maintain momentum going into the turn. Slow down and we will have to shift into 2nd. Approaching 9 we see many skid marks heading past the turn-in point and off the end of the track. They are the result of overdoing it coming out of turn 8. If you lock up the brakes, you lose momentum and steering control. Because we're carrying speed we must watch carefully for the turn-in point. By the time we reach the apex we are at full throttle and let the car drift to the left edge of the track. Out of the turn we start moving to the right side of the track, shift into 4th heading down the straight to turn 10.
Turn 10 takes us onto the 3/10 mile start/finish straight. We want to exit this turn with a good head of steam so it is important to hit the apex just right. Braking hard and downshifting to 3rd coming into the turn, we enter late and stay about a 1/3 of the road width away from the inside. The apex is around the other side near the exit of the turn. About midway through the turn we see the apex and start accelerating so that we are at full throttle while crossing it. The car drifts smoothly to the outside of the track. We shift to 4th and flash by the start/finish line heading for turn one again. This time we'll be approaching turn one at a much higher speed so the braking will be heavier than the first time around.
If we do things right we can be back at the start/finish in about 1 minute 35 seconds!
My lap times are a best of 1:29 and average 1:31. I don't push it, I've never been off... knock on wood.
on the track and into turn 10. Exiting turn one is approx a 70mph turn (for me about 65 - i'm chicken
) you are going uphill from elevation 14 to elevation 30 in the middle of the straight. Make sure your TC is OFF. You will get REAL light here. Then downhill into turn 2. This is murder on brakes. Plenty of run off here, although some do find the tire wall. Uphill through 3 to a very wide turn 4 and then far right just before turn 5 to setup for 6. Turn 6 is slightly off camber then uphill to 8.
Approaching turn 8 you will see a sign over the hill, this will mark the apex of 8 and the entry to the Bitch (turn 9). Once you have done turn 9 a couple of times you will see why it's so affectionately named.
I personally love 8-9, it's just fun.
9-10 is uphill and turn 10 is a very late apex sweeper (It is considered a double apex turn, but not for me).
Now here is a great write-up for CCW that is on the Hallett Site:
There is also a CW write up. If you do go CW there is drainage culvert after turn 7. If you are not careful and don't exit late, you will be pointed directly at that culvert. Make sure you look and locate that little bugger.
From the web site.....
Let's go for a ride!
Coming off the starting grid onto the track just beyond the start/finish line we accelerate up to 3rd gear and move to the far right headed for turn one. This is a medium fast turn so we brake lightly, turn in to the late apex and accelerating let the car drift across the road touching the edge at the end of the concrete curb. It is important to be right on the apex in this turn. The outside of the turn has a slight reverse camber to it. An early apex in this turn can send us into the daisies if we're carrying any speed at all.
Out of one, we accelerate hard on a slight uphill and shift into 4th just before the crest which is about half way to turn 2. Coming over the crest we can just start to see 2, our speed is about 90mph. At the first marker we start braking, building up the pressure quickly, downshift to 3rd, then 2nd. At the turn in point we are down to about 10mph. Turn 2 is a 165 degree left hander * tight! The turn in should be very deliberate. We start accelerating hard when the car is settled down and pointed straight at the apex of turn 3 on the right side of the track. We let the car take a natural course across the apex, shift smoothly to 3rd and proceed on the left up the hill to turn 4.
Surprise! As we approach turn 4 the track levels out and for an instant we don't see the road surface. We back off the throttle to transfer a little load onto the front tires just as we begin to crest the hill. Turn 4 and 5 are close together and to execute 5 correctly, we need to sacrifice a little at 4. The turn-in point for 4 is to the far left and almost into the turn. We take a very late apex and exit the turn from the right side across the apex of 5 on the left allowing the car to drift over to the right side of the track heading to turn 6. We are still in 3rd gear. Done smoothly, this series of turns feels like a slalom.
Turn 6 is another one of these that seems to fall off on the outside. On the line through the late apex, there is a slight trough or groove that lets us carry good speed through the turn. With the car pointed down the straight we shift into 4th staying on the right side of the track. Before the turn-in to turn 7 we tap the brake and downshift smoothly into 3rd. It is important to maintain good car balance going into 7 in preparation for turns 8 and 9. The three turns are close together. At the apex of 7 we accelerate for a split second easing a little just before the apex of 8 which is at the brow of a slight uphill. At the apex, as the nose settles down we accelerate smoothly again for split second to turn 9.
Turn 9 is affectionately and officially called "The Bitch". It took me a while to get this turn right. It is a fast uphill right hander and can be taken in 3rd gear if we maintain momentum going into the turn. Slow down and we will have to shift into 2nd. Approaching 9 we see many skid marks heading past the turn-in point and off the end of the track. They are the result of overdoing it coming out of turn 8. If you lock up the brakes, you lose momentum and steering control. Because we're carrying speed we must watch carefully for the turn-in point. By the time we reach the apex we are at full throttle and let the car drift to the left edge of the track. Out of the turn we start moving to the right side of the track, shift into 4th heading down the straight to turn 10.
Turn 10 takes us onto the 3/10 mile start/finish straight. We want to exit this turn with a good head of steam so it is important to hit the apex just right. Braking hard and downshifting to 3rd coming into the turn, we enter late and stay about a 1/3 of the road width away from the inside. The apex is around the other side near the exit of the turn. About midway through the turn we see the apex and start accelerating so that we are at full throttle while crossing it. The car drifts smoothly to the outside of the track. We shift to 4th and flash by the start/finish line heading for turn one again. This time we'll be approaching turn one at a much higher speed so the braking will be heavier than the first time around.
If we do things right we can be back at the start/finish in about 1 minute 35 seconds!
05-16-2009, 01:21 AM
#5
Drifting
Member Since: Oct 2003
Location: Dallas TX
Posts: 1,764
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145 Posts
St. Jude Donor '06-'09-', '22
There's usually a few of us that come up from Dallas for the HST events each month. Will probably be there Sunday 5/24 when the events will be run counter-clockwise. Have never been to a NASA event but love the HST events. Great people run the track, very friendly and they make it an enjoyable day.
I've stayed at the Boomtown Inn before and it was very clean and a safe place to park our track cars. (918) 352-2288. Don't forget Hallett is in the middle of nowhere really so there isn't a lot around. 110 unleaded at the track was $7.70 a gallon in April.
If you want to run HST it doesn't cost much. Rent a transponder so you can keep and eye on your times. I prefer to run Sunday's cause there are usually less cars and there aren't as many yahoos out there. Can get some good high-speed low-time runs in, especially in the last couple of sessions after a lot of people have left.
Steve
I've stayed at the Boomtown Inn before and it was very clean and a safe place to park our track cars. (918) 352-2288. Don't forget Hallett is in the middle of nowhere really so there isn't a lot around. 110 unleaded at the track was $7.70 a gallon in April.
If you want to run HST it doesn't cost much. Rent a transponder so you can keep and eye on your times. I prefer to run Sunday's cause there are usually less cars and there aren't as many yahoos out there. Can get some good high-speed low-time runs in, especially in the last couple of sessions after a lot of people have left.
Steve
06-16-2009, 11:42 AM
#6
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
Got back from Hallett yesterday. It is a fun track - just really far for me. It is about 600 miles one way. Took me about 10 hours to get there.
I didn't make it there in time for practice on Friday but Saturday was really good. My fastest lap for the day was 134.1 but mostly low 1.35s.
Overly cautious in Turn 1 and the bitch. I could pick up alot in just those 2 turns.
It rained like a mother Sunday morning so we were about an hour late getting started. We were first session and I was on Hoosiers. I took it extra cautious and planned on just getting in a lap or two so the day would count. I run NASA TT and I was only one in my class so all I had to do was get a lap in for the day. I think I turned a 2.35
The track dried out and I ran a 1.35 next time out.
I liked the track. It is pretty rough in areas - especially 10.
I like the elevation changes. Being close to the track makes watching the races more exciting.
I didn't make it there in time for practice on Friday but Saturday was really good. My fastest lap for the day was 134.1 but mostly low 1.35s.
Overly cautious in Turn 1 and the bitch. I could pick up alot in just those 2 turns.
It rained like a mother Sunday morning so we were about an hour late getting started. We were first session and I was on Hoosiers. I took it extra cautious and planned on just getting in a lap or two so the day would count. I run NASA TT and I was only one in my class so all I had to do was get a lap in for the day. I think I turned a 2.35
The track dried out and I ran a 1.35 next time out.I liked the track. It is pretty rough in areas - especially 10.
I like the elevation changes. Being close to the track makes watching the races more exciting.
06-16-2009, 01:28 PM
#7
Drifting
Glad you had a good time. I sure wanted to make it. Honey-dos and family stuff is keeping me grounded this month. 1:35 is good for your first time out. Turn one is a lot of fun when you get used to it. Did you feel how light you get coming over the hill between 1 and 2? Not a place you want to be changing lanes.
06-17-2009, 03:00 PM
#8
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
The few times I carried good speed through 1 I could really feel it getting light at the top of the hill. Tried to remember to point the car more right before the hill.
I was braking way too early in 2. It is a slow corner but I was really screwing it up. I kept braking before the #4 brake marker.
I would downshift to 2nd in turn 9 (the bitch) just before turning. For some reason 90% of the time I would have to fight it to get it into gear. That would kill all momentum. I tried staying in 3rd but rpms were too low and it was sluggish. A few times I downshifted to 2nd at turn 7 and that worked OK.
I didn't have much problems downshifting at other turns.
I don't know if it is clutch related or what. I'm having problems with clutch pedal sticking to the floor after things heat up. I'd have to pull the pedal up with my foot coming out of 2 several times.
I've tried replacing reservoir fluid and pumping the pedal a bunch of times and have not been able to get clear fluid in the reservoir. I'm running trans/diff coolers. It is stock clutch with 50,000 miles on it - only 25 track days.
Clutch? Trans/synchros? Poorly executed heel/toe? Combination of these?
Anyway. I like the track alot and look forward to coming back.
I'm sure I can knock some time off with some more guts in the corners.
I was braking way too early in 2. It is a slow corner but I was really screwing it up. I kept braking before the #4 brake marker.
I would downshift to 2nd in turn 9 (the bitch) just before turning. For some reason 90% of the time I would have to fight it to get it into gear. That would kill all momentum. I tried staying in 3rd but rpms were too low and it was sluggish. A few times I downshifted to 2nd at turn 7 and that worked OK.
I didn't have much problems downshifting at other turns.
I don't know if it is clutch related or what. I'm having problems with clutch pedal sticking to the floor after things heat up. I'd have to pull the pedal up with my foot coming out of 2 several times.
I've tried replacing reservoir fluid and pumping the pedal a bunch of times and have not been able to get clear fluid in the reservoir. I'm running trans/diff coolers. It is stock clutch with 50,000 miles on it - only 25 track days.
Clutch? Trans/synchros? Poorly executed heel/toe? Combination of these?
Anyway. I like the track alot and look forward to coming back.
I'm sure I can knock some time off with some more guts in the corners.
