TKOGTO

Heading to NJMP 9/10 and 11 for a Lightning/Thunderbolt back-to-back. I have been to Lightning a couple of times and hence am familiar with the track. This will be 1st time on Thunderbolt so I was wondering if anyone had recommendations re: spots to pick up time or corner entry/exit tips.
I drive a 2010 A6 GS on Kuhmo XS tires and Hawk HP+,pads.

Thanks

TheKomoman

For reference:

http://www.njmp.com/wp-content/uploa...bers-clean.pdf

Corner numbers circled, the squares are flag stations.

5 is not as late an apex as you might think, in a Vette you can really use the curbing and throttle steer the car to get rotated earlier.

The sequence that's the time sink is 7 through 10, with 9 being the key to it all. I wish I had good advice for you there, but I'm terrible in that section still! You have the power to make it up so the general advice of giving up the speed to make sure you're setup for exit is about the best I can. For 10 you probably want to stay about mid track, the late Apex the exit. If you get it right where you come to the end of the inside curbing at 10 things look like almost a straight line all the way down through 11 and into 12.

At 12 be careful how much curbing you grab. It's a high speed corner and it's very easy to get wrong and find yourself with your left sides on the grass on exit. If you do just make sure you do not try to correct and pull yourself back onto the track, bad things will happen that way. Just drive through it and bring yourself back onto the straight nice and easy.

Have fun!

argonaut

I rode with Mike Skeen at Thunderbolt last year. He of course was a little quicker thru every corner than me but probably most in the sequence from 7-10. Particularly 7, he was a whole heck of a lot faster thru there, its higher speed than you think. One of the problems with this area of the track for us mere mortals is there is no clear line thru there. You will see people using multiple different lines, especially in 8 and 9 so its hard to say what's right or wrong. Its a bit like a giant skid pad and he who can go thru there with the right amount of slip angle can be very fast.

moespeeds

Here's a few laps by a mere mortal in an LS1 C5, coilovers and Continental GTO slicks. This was my first day running without ABS so I'm a bit shy on the brakes, and I short shift the car at 5500 RPMs so I'm probably hitting 4th in some places where you could hold 3rd. Sorry about the crappy resolution, but I need a cage more than a hi-def camera. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUR93...ature=youtu.be

moespeeds

Oh and it looks like my data took a dump on lap 7 when I merged it with the video, sorry.

2 GTOs

If you drop a wheel off coming on to the straight, don't try to save it. Drive off into the grass. This is probably the most dangerous turn on the track. Have a look at the insid wall there and you will see the scars. From 7 through the straight is the part you need to master, but there is no easy way to learn it other than seat time. Watch lots of you tube videos.

I was there today and learned another new line from a bmw that I had never seen before.

Have fun.

MX621

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

the back section prior to the straight is tricky, no clear good line.. i was timid all day on the last corner coming on the long straight.. so fast there.. i was on a nt-05 street tire as well. fun track

sebdavid

For what it's worth: http://youtu.be/xRyQSOliGK0

There's a data overlay so you can get some idea of when I get it wrong and when I get it really wrong. No traffic (I was the only one on track!) so no compromised lap. Crappy street tires and heavy car means it might be a bit different in a car that turns more easily.

RDnomorecobra

track all the way out after turn 4. you will still make turn 5. you will see guys late apex 4 so they can be set up for 5. don't buy into it. first time there I was taking it at maybe 65mph. I am at 80+ now once someone told me what to do there and I practiced a little. you can really fly through there.

don't turn into 12 too early. you will scrub much speed and be pointed right at the grass.

look for andrew aquilante's race vids on youtube.

RDnomorecobra

are you getting into 5th gear on the straight? what rear gears are you running?

dsanders

Here is some video of Andrew in his mustang and I going at it a couple of months ago at thunderbolt. Race pace 1:27ish. Don't be afraid to use the rumble strips...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RAYRBJ12-U

RDnomorecobra

yea man, that's the latest one I saw. good stuff. I showed up that night for a BMW CCA event the following two days. Saw a few T1 cars packin' up.

It's interesting watching you guys go into 9 and 10. You go straight to the inside of 10 and kind of make 2 apexes out of that big left hander. Watch from about 1:38. It's not what the HPDE instructors typically preach. But I may have to try that next time. I will be there with TrackDaze on 9/20.