A very Humbling Experience

I started open tracking and DE's in 2003 with an Evo 8, and started NASA TT with that car in 2005, doing TT from 2005-2007, then taking a few years off for the birth of my Daughter. I recently got back in the game with an H2 spec Prelude formerly raced and built by Mike Lock. I got my Rookie permit and participated in my first HC race at t-hill, in which I did fairly well, also won an ARC race. The mass of the miles I have accrued on track have been at Thunderhill, at which I am fairly fast, having done a 2:02.8 in the prelude. I also have experience at several other west coast tracks, but....I never drove Infineon until a few weeks ago. I avoided this track for years, as my Evo was still half a street car, and I was very scared of totaling it, as I came to know at least 15 people who severely damaged cars at the track. I told myself I would get there in due time. Due time is here.

My first event at Sears was doing TT and HPDE 4 October 29, 30. Donna Gilio gave me very good coaching, but nonetheless I was miserably slow. My best time was a 2:03!! This past weekend I was able to shave four seconds off that for a 1:59, but still very very slow and FAR below the capabilities of the car. I feel like I'm starting all over again this track has exposed every driver weakness I have...not smooth enough on the throttle, either coming into or out of it. Need to improve my heel-toe downshifts. Not carrying enough speed through mid-corner to exit, etc....Thunderhill, with its sweeping, high speed corners, ample run-off, etc., masked a lot of the impact of those deficiencies. Now I have a new mission. When I am fast and good at Sears, then, and only then can I think of myself as a competent to good driver. Thank god for the smack-down and opportunity for a re-set of my approach to this sport that I love so much. I'll post video of my struggle later!!

 

Cool post, being humble is not always something you see in "race car" drivers.

 

Doood dont be hard on yourself.

You have to remember you are learning a new car,new track etc.
I find I can learn something from any instructor, being humble is a big part to learning so you are in a good position to improve.

 

Thaks for the encouragement! Some video of the "struggle" Fighting with a mini in my class (TTC). Please ignore the ugly downshifts in turn 7 and 11...I"m not usually that bad...I'm aware of the problem!


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

 

I wouldn't be too hard on yourself, as Infineon is one of the more challenging/technical road courses, so as long as you're aware of what you need to work on, and make progress, then should be OK. As you can run 2:02x at Thunderhill, you definitely have talent.

Personally, when I am going to drive Infineon, I like to go back and watch Graham's video:

http://vimeo.com/10660429

and for Thunderhill, there is a video from Graham, plus one from Mike Lock at

http://vimeo.com/11345015

They make it look easy... Mike's video is nice in that it has a Traqmate speedometer so you get a feel for his speed in the turns.

I don't have a racing license, and am just running HPDE-4 (driving a white Civic hatch #21 - I was driving with you on Saturday) with my lap times at Infineon slowly improving (from 2:01 to 1:59 to 1:56.9 in HPDE-4 and hoping to drop 1-2 more seconds next time out), but looking at your video, I think you could:

1) Take a slightly later apex at turn 3, so you can stay pretty far left before taking turn 3A. By doing that, I think you can get on the gas harder thru 3A and carry more speed toward turn 4.

2) You should be able to take turn 5 flat out. I used to feather the throttle thru there, but now take it flat. When you're carrying more speed thru there, you might swing farther to the left after turn 5, so need to keep an eye that someone isn't trying to blast by on your left.

3) It looks like you could carry more speed thru the esses (8 & 8A area), plus to take turn 9 flat out. I'm working on carrying more speed thru that whole area, and am now taking turn 9 flat (I have to shift to 5th due to a 4.9FD, but I'm going to switch to a 4.7FD). If you are taking turn 9 flat out, then you can get a little braking in between the rumble strip curb at the left (at the end of turn 9) and just before turn 10, and I think that the Graham's video show them to brake there.

Again, I hope that you don't mind my comments, and I'm not sure if what I'm suggesting matches anywhere close to what Donna said. I'm planning on being in TT early next year. Anyway, good luck out there!!
- Jim

 

I remember when I drove Sears Point (wasn't call Infineon then) for the very first time. It was February 1997, and NASA had "Racing School" (it wasn't even called HPDE back then!). I drove my street car, a former drag racing DAILY DRIVER honda 4-gen prelude. I was in Group 1 and before I got onto the track, I thought I would be somewhat fast right out of the box. Ha!! Was I wrong! I had NO IDEA what I was doing. Trying to find the racing line, watching my mirrors, shifting, heel toe-ing, etc,. I was an uncoordinated hot mess!!! At the end of the session, I got out of the car and said, "Man, this is harder than it looks. I'm not so sure I'm cut out for this." Then I was a little tentative going out for the 2nd session, but I did anyway and eventually finished my first racing school (HPDE) weekend.
By 1999, Infineon raceway was my favorite track and have scored a few podium finishes in the Pacific Touring Car Class. Fast forward to 2009 and during the March event, in the qualifying session, I ran a 1:49.33 in H1.
My point is, it'll take time...more specifically more and more and more SEAT TIME. Just work at it in small increments and don't go trying to set track records and drive within your limits. Before you know it, you'll be looking back at the October 2011 event and see how much you've gotten faster...and possibly chuckle at how far you've come! Actually, after watching your vid, it wasn't bad at all!

 

Jim, JM, thanks for your encouragement! It helps, As I felt bog slow, but I know it will take time at this track. Jim, your observations were spot on, and jive with what donna and others have told me. Next time out I know what I have to work on!

 

Mid-o did that for me. 4 days there and I still don't have a good grasp on that place

 

You are just being too hard on yourself, it is a new track for you and I'm sure that anyone will find it difficult if it was the first , second or third visit. Heck, there is F1 drivers out there that hate one particular track and can't get it right even if it means savign their life.
Humbling is for people that think they know it all, and you really don't come across as a know it all, just honest about yourself, so I would call it a learning experience not a humbling experience.
Some drivers learn tracks faster than others, don't worry about the times, those are from drivers that have been there many times.
Given, because of the nature of the track and the history there it can be a little intimidating when you get there the first time, but it is not different than turn 8 and 9 at willow spring or the banking at the speedway or magic mountain at BW or any other track.
You already solve 99% of the equation. You are out there pounding laps. The other 5% will come in time.
Just keep the shiny side up.

 

LOL!
That's 104%

 

Some video from the past two Infineon NASA events. Near clear track from a grid 7 spot during NASA Time Trial. A 1:54:3x in lap five was good for first place in TTB.

My EK is on well worn Toyo RA1 and the cars I am competing with are on Hoosier A6 compound. So some possilbe gains there in the future:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWxG7byI8Cs

 

Great example of handling vs horsepower. Well driven vintage Cobra Mustang is very fast. And the HPDE4 mix of cars is evident. Be sure to watch it in HD 720p format!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VFGp9plDNA

 

Hey David! I'll be coming after you this time next year... I've got 75 laps to your 750...I"m obsessed with getting fast at this track now!

 

That's a pretty good time on worn RA-1's at Infineon. What engine are you running in your Civic?

 

Johnathan,
The engine is a B16A with normal HC2 valve train upgrades, 9200 redline, 91 pump gas making 168 at wheels and torque is a concept only.

I am going to walk back my Toyo condition comments. The RA1'a were on their 10th-twenty minute session when I managed a pb of 1:54:3x on lap five. I thought a 1:52:xx was considered quick and 154 an ok start on getting there.

They are now at 22 sessions and the car is pushing the RA1's after four laps.

 

Way to give that pony fits David!

I like that dash mounted brake light too
We need to talk.

 

play gran turismo... it will teach you ! and let me ask you something buddy.. from the way you shift your car... it feels as if your too tall? or your seat is too close forward? sometimes seat positioning can cause your type of choppy shifting.. ?

 

Aww yes, the good 'ol B16a A 1:52:xx would be considered one of the quickest in H2 at Infineon. I believe Mike Lock has the track record in H2 at a 1:52:8x. And a bunch of us are at around 1:53:2x's.
Your 1:54 isnt too shabby considering it's a good benchmark to start from.
Good job!

 

Mike ran a 1:51.7 in Qualifying in the Prelude...now my car. This was on Toyos, obviously.

 

I think most of the choppiness was feeling very nervous in the environment of the new track, being overly fixated on braking points, basically being extremeley tense. My shifting is not that choppy at T-hill. I will check my seat potition though, thanks for the heds up on that.

 

David's car is also 100 pounds heavier than an H2 B16a...he weighs 2350. No reason with decent tires, at 2250, he can't go 1:50-1:51. Mike would have been able to go 1:49 in the prelude on Hankooks and relatively clear track that you can manage in a TT session....That's why my goals are to at least be in the 1:53 range by the end of next season (5 weekends at Sears +one long test day).

 

Really? I didn't think he got in the :51's with the Prelude?

Well there you go....1:51.7, a time that your car has already done. It's a benchmark for you to reach a goal!!!

 

pretty sure it was in the del sol that he ran that time.

 

Yeah, the 1:51 was in the del sol, H2 equipped with the H23 non-vtec. My best in the lude was in the 1:52's. Infineon rewards light cars, the lude weighs around 2700, the del sol was 2475 at the completion of that race. Infineon races were really tough when graham was riding his B16 hatch, worse when he when in Austin's LS hatch. Lighter the better at that track.

I miss the slow...who has it now? I sold it to Fred a few years ago...

 

That is truly mind boggling!! yeah, any of us weekend warriors would be very happy to approach the benchmarks set by drivers like Lock, Downey and you. The preparation, sponsors, knowledge, time and experience that is behind those efforts is impressive and substantial. The cars were on and over the adhesion limits nearly everywhere on the track and done so with precision lap after lap. Anyone trackside when the group was running damn well could see that to.

Just because Michael Phelps lends me his swimming goggles doesn't mean that I can match one of his 39 world records either, just saying... But its still freaking awesome to know it can be done!