Thanks. My apologies for stating the wrong name. That is the Summit Point Circuit. FATT is now conducted on the new Shenandoah circuit. Not quite as fast as the older course, but more technical and challenging.

 

I'm surprised BSR would conduct FATT days on the Shenandoah circuit being that it is so technical and there is VERY little runoff if you make a mistake. And generally at least Group 1 are new or have only a few track days under their belt. I've driven the SC track once last year for a day event (4 sessions on track). It is very technical with a lot of off-camber and blind turns. The Nurburgring turn definately takes a sack to let your car "fall" into the turn and accelerate through as you hold your wheel straight but you are actually turning, but its cool. But actually I don't have much desire to sign up for any more events on that track. I much rather the Summit Point (main) track. Because the track is so technical, I didn't get many point-bys even though I was plastered all over their 6 heading to the underpass and on the back "straight away", which I put in quotes as both the front and back straight aways are more like "elbows." There is a lot going on with each lap and the last thing cats are worried about is checking their mirrors. If you make a mistake there is little runoff so that means probably more damage to your car. I just felt that the track pounded my car more than the main track (harder on tires, brakes and motor). Your mileage may vary, just IMHO.

Now having said all of that, I would love to run a Rotex go-kart on that track!

 

Nice vid way to short though.Try not to wrap your thumbs around the steering wheel,those suckers will get in the way when you least expect it.Lets see more!
Eric

 

+1

not to mention that there's an instructor in the car watching over your actions.. also to take note that you apex'd turn 9 too early... n00b

 

always waiting to get some advice from the pros

I have a longer video coming soon. And I don't claim anything there . It's all about fun, isn't it?

 

haha, yes, takes time to go fast.. just dont get pass by a miata

 

Don't worry about who passes you, just worry about two things:

1. being smooth
2. being predictable.

Instructors looks for situational awareness. If you miss the apex (turned in too early or too late) tell them as you execute the turn and recover. They are there to help you, but they need to feel safe too. Check your mirrors frequently each lap and if a cat has a car that handles like it is on rails though turns 5, 6, 7 & 8 then acknowlege that and tell your instructor that I am going to give this cat the point-by when you exit turn 9 (and do so). At least at this level, someone will always have a faster car and someone will always have better skills or so it would seem. If you are trying a different line because it is wet tell them they may advise differently or say yea try it and see if there is any grib there. If you miss a "heel-n-toe" sequence (blip'd the throttle too much or not enough) tell them. The instructor will know or be able to tell most or all of these things but he/she needs to know that you know when these things occur.

Everyone is there to have fun and to improve their skills and lap times. No one wants to bust-up their ride; being smooth and predictable is key IMHO. You will make a lot more friends in the paddock if you are off the pace and quick with the point-by's than if you are on or close to the pace and not quick with the point-by's. By "quick" I mean, seeing in your mirrors that a cat is fast and gaining on you quickly (maybe half a lap ago they were 3 or 4 turns back now as you pass pit-out they are already exiting turn 10), give the quick or early point-by so they don't loose momentum. They will appreciate that more than ****-n-moan about you being "slow" or off the pace.

I've been at The Point and saw a cat in a Lambo hold everyone up because he wasn't giving the point-by's -- Italian "pride" I guess. When that happens pull into the hot-pits, slow down to give some distance between you and he and then drive slowly up to the pit marshal. When the track is clear he will wave you out. Then maybe you can have some open track for at least a half of a lap but hopefully more. You just don't want to be pulling into the hot-pits every lap! Instructors look for patients as well. So maybe do that pull into the hot-pits to create a gap 2 or 3 times a session -- tops. I saw a cat have a Chevy 350 V8 in a little Porsche 914 like it was a rocket powered go-kart that handled like it was on rails just inhale the entire field and lap everyone in the run group at least once. I saw a cat in a Saturn station wagon do the same thing! Speed can be found in all sorts of makes and models.

Its all about having fun, improving your skills and being predictable; especially, for how much you have to pay these days for track time plus the extra expense for car prep (oil, brakes, maintenance, etc.). If you keep these things in mind, hopefully you will have an enjoyable day at the track and make a few new friends along the way.

Just my two pennies on the table...

 

very nice write-up.thanks. Is your Z the one that usually arrives at Point on a trailer? (with BBK?)

 

Thanks! LOL! No, maybe in a few years I'll trailer my Z when I actually get a tow vehicle and trailer! I just got my Z two months ago in January. I got a good deal on a used low mileage 2003 Track Ed. Z. Until you trailer your car to/from the track, IMHO, you will never go 10-tenths because you still have to get home at the end of the day. Again, IMHO. If your goal is to get signed off by BSR to be permitted to run solo at their events and to be able to sign up for their seat-time days then make sure you tell your instructor that up front because at least in my experience when I was attending FATT days to get signed off the instructors were always quick to point out that they didn't feel I was driving "10-tenths". After a couple FATT days I picked up on that and that was "hurting" my evaluation so from then on I would always tell my instructors for the day while we were staging in the cold pits that my goal is to get signed off for seat-time days and that I still need to drive home, so I will not be driving "all-out", "10-tenths." The instructors will understand. But that is not to say that I would be driving 2 or 5 tenths either -- 8.5 to 9 tenths. I know that sounds a bit vague, but the instructor will understand and as you get more events under your belt you will get a feel for that as well.

If they open the skid pad then get as much time as you can there. That is a blast and teaches you excellent car control. Last I knew BSR would have you use thier Chevy Caprices, but some car clubs have you use your own car. I like using my own car. It is extremely easy to get the assend to step out on their Caprice, but doing that in your own car helps you to understand what your car feels like when it is about to step out and how it reacts to your inputs when it does. Knowing the early warning signs that your car is telegraphing to you just split seconds before it steps out is key. Understanding what you car is trying to tell you split seconds before it happens could mean the difference between staying on the track and your instructor saying "good save" or going off big. Its all personally driving style. Some cats like a loose rearend and to throttle-steer while others prefer crisp handling like it is on rails. I've waited in line at the skid pad where a cat in a 993 Porsche could not get his rearend to break loose for the life of him and after 5 or 7 laps of just watching him go in circles and the crowd of people laughing and giving him a hard time (all in fun), which by the way says TONS about Porsche 911's (there is a reason they are still around and Porsche's flagship car), and then I've seen cats in a late 80's Fox-chassis Mustang 5.0 break their assend loose 10 to 15 feet out on the skid pad (large concrete donut) and never loose control once and do something like 7, 8 or 10 circles in a row never loosing it once! I looks easy, just like Drifting looks easy, but it is not. I can almost do one complete circle on the skid pad with my assend hanging out throttle-steering, but it is extremely hard IMHO and takes a LOT of feel, extremely quick hands and quick feet.

Hope that helps. Keep signing up for them and have fun. One of two things will happen: (1) you will either become addicted and become a track-rat or (2) you will find out that it is just not you (some people like the idea of it but don't like how hard it can be on their car) and that's cool too.

 

well. I was quite comfy going fast but I never really mastered turn #5. The left after going down the hill without braking.
Here's a link to a downloadable movie from my session.8minutes

 

Turn 4 is a sack-turn! Meaning, you need what David Hobbs likes to say on Speed when announcing F1 races, "a major set of attachments"! I believe Turn 4 is the fastest turn at The Point; however, most instructors will say for Driver Ed. its a give-up turn (in competition its different). There is no run-off, there is that embankment just a car-length or two off from the track and that is one turn you don't want to make a mistake. So most will say in non-competition form, they let up slightly and take that turn 8-tenths.

Leading into Turn 5 is a heavy break zone where you are standing on the brakes just short of ABS or threshold braking (tires are squeeling, but they are still rotating; not locked up or flat-spotting). Your right tires are under load in that left-hand turn. Some instructors will tell you to make sure both right tires are on the concrete so you are on the left when entering the turn so your left tires clip the apex (early apex). Some instructors will want you to approach Turn 5 in the center of the track coming from 4 to late apex the turn and so the center of your car splits the conrete as you execute the turn. You never want to be on the right side of the track when braking after turn 4 and approaching turn 5 way off line on the right. There is generally a TON of "marbles" out there and you will go straight into the grass run-off area if you are lucky or into the assend of the cat in front of you -- not good.

 

Link?