Word on the NASA forums is that we will be running the "Pro" course. That means no chicane prior to the keyhole. Also they just repaved and have some restrictions as per what tires you are allowed to run. So I would recommend checking out the NASA Forums under Ohio/Indiana region if you have not already. It can't come soon enough for me.

 

Yeah, only TracQuest (Chin Motorsports now) used that chicane. It's great fun I love that one.

Most "street R" compouds are approved for the track. The Toyos RA1 are okay.

 

Looks like they changed thier minds. http://www.nasaforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=8750
Now they announce we will be running the "club" course with chicane.
Oh well, I guess it really doesn't matter. People say it doesn't make a huge difference just slows down speeds into the keyhole.

Kolia, thanks for posting the link to your videos, I watched them several times, lately they don't seem to be loading though.

 

The 2 videos from MidOhio are working fine from here. You have the DivX codecs right? Do a "save_as" and watch them as often as you want!

This is good news (the chicane)! Getting in slow in the keyhole is not a problem. You can't carry much speed anyways. The slingshot effect through the chicanne is thrilling (ie scary at first). This is where you reel in the Porsches !

 

I will be there. Im not a member of SCCA, but I will be there none the less trying to bum rides off of people. I dont have a harness or anything so I cant run. It's commin though.

James, looking forward to seeing you again. Let me know what garauge you'll be in. We'll have to hang out.

Koila, looking forward to meeting you. We live in the same town and I still ahvent met you. There is a meet type thing at Germain this Sat if you want to swing by.

 

It's NASA, not SCCA No need for a harness, just a valid helmet.

I might drop by Germain this week-end, I was supposed to go to Philly.

Look for a dark red Titan with my Z at MidOhio

 

A yearly membership to NASA is only $40 and that gives you a subscription to Grassroot Motorsports mag. They will be at Mid Ohio for 3 days (fri & wkend) Check out www.nasaproracing.com

 

hey james, its me again, I'll probably be by with clay as well...i have a different car now...better suited for racing but I'm not financially ready to jump into it just yet. I AM eager though. I'll have you guys know, you ruined me, drag racing is no longer fun, i must road race! If ya don't remember me, I was the guy riding along with you when you decided to sample the tougher division and I got the crap scared out of me haha.

 

Sweet, maybe I will drop in, see if I can get some track time, maybe even become a member of NASA. It would be nice to see ya at Germain, I'll more than likely be in my bright *** Yellow Cavalier since the weather is supposed to be crappy. I'll look for ya, I got your number so I may give ya a call.

 

Mid-Ohio had its first track day of the year today with the BMW club. In car camera footage is posted on a thread on NASA's regional forum. It looks smooth but very dusty around the new cut throughs.

http://www.nasaforums.com/viewtopic....r=asc&start=30

 

wow the track looks much much smoother....big change!

 

I'll have the 'stang out there in HPDE 3 if my control arms are ever finished.

 

As it turns out, I won't be there, for several reasons. First is that NASA took a good long time to answer my questions about applying the credit. (And it's just as well that I waited: I've heard that people who signed up and hoped that the credit would be applied after the fact were told no.)

Second is that there will be a special gathering with some college friends here in town next weekend that I don't want to miss. If I had already signed up for the track in February or March, I might have just written this off, but since I hadn't, and since NASA will have several more weekends at M-O this year, I've decided to stay in town instead.

Sorry, guys. Have a great time.

 

Yeppee! it's Last Minute Installations time !

I'm plugging the brake controler on the Titan tonight so I can pull the trailler. I'll be there Friday morning and all week-end.

I also need to swap the front rotors (a PITA on a Brembo setup) and all 8 pads with a fluid flush.

I'm affraid I'll need new rear rotors soon... Bunch more $$$.

 

It was a great week-end. No snow, I even got sunburned a bit. There was a bunch of Z in HPDE 1/2. I was by myself in HPDE 3, Steven soloed in HPDE4/TT.

The new surface is weird. Not as much grips.

Braking into 7, the car felt pretty loose. Most people I talked to felt that way too. Running race pads on the rear instead of the street compound might contributed a bit to the feeling.

The track feels a bit slower. I wish you guys had been there too so we could have compared our previous times. I’ve had a hard time adjusting to the car with the RA1. The stock suspension lacks damping to keep the chassis in control. That combined with the smaller tire diameter really upseted the ABS. Any hint of steering input or any bump under braking would result in ABS activation. I ended up pulling the whole VDC/TCS/ABS unit off line. (With no noticeable difference in throttle or chassis feel by the way…).

We were using the full course, including the chicane into the key hole. It took me all 3 days to relearn the car and the track and finally bring my lap time just under 1:54, with a fastest lap of 1:53.00. I could still shave some tenths carrying more speed into turn 1, the chicane, harder braking into 7, more speed in 10b,11 and 12. I was pushing hard on my front left tire on the final runs.

Now is the weird part. Last year I was running steady under 1:53 with a 1:52.00 as a best lap. That was on Azenis RT-615!!! I haven’t gone through my data in detail yet. But corner speeds are much lower, even on r-compounds. Top speeds where higher, from the shorter final drive of the tires I guess, with 125mph at the end of the back straight (GPS speed).

I have a lot of work to do to get my times down…

 

K- It was nice meeting you there. My buddy in his stock rx-8 on 615's was pulling 1:54's. I think those tires fare well up against lapping grade R-comps (non-hoosier, 710, etc tires).

My car ended up pulling a 1:47, unfortunately it wasn't driven by me. I was 2.5secs off my buddy's pace.

I don't think the new surface has cured yet. Let's be glad it wasn't July and the surface wasn't gooie
Jon

 

I was about to say, Neener, neener: I've done 1:46 at Mid-Ohio in my bone stock Z, with RA-1s. But then I remembered you had the keyhole chicane, which I don't think I've ever run in the Z. Oh well. No bragging rights this time.

Sorry I couldn't be there. But I plan to go to one of NASA's M-O events later this year to use up my one-day snow credit from last year. Anyone planning on going to one of them?

BTW, if you haven't used that credit, NASA-OH says you have to sign up for some event by May 20 or lose it.

See you at the track!

 

The chicane should be worth 1.5 second so you you’re still safely ahead of me

What tires sizes where you running?

Oh, I’ve used that credit a long time ago. I’ve learn the hard way that these things tend to be forgotten…

 

Well, in that case: Neener, neener!

245/40-18s all around.

I wanted to let everyone else know, too, just in case they hadn't heard.

 

Where exactly is mid-ohio (the track, not the middle of the state )? I'm interested in the May 29/30 event but the drive from NorthWest Chicago suburb might push it.