iodine23

iTrader: (1)

Nope. I had ordered a harness along with my helmet and racing shoes, but then I cancelled that order and never reordered the harness. I didn't really feel like I needed it, though it probably would've helped. In fact I think I slide around in my seat more at AutoX than I did at the track event.

Mister2zx3

It's not so much sliding as it is keeping you from wearing out. a harness can easily quadruple or more the amount of time you can race without fatigue. 60s on an autocross you have a lot more violent tossing back and forth but on a road course you have more force exerted on you over longer periods of time. You can get worn out just going in a straight line in an Evo real fast under heavy braking.. The stock belt doesn't help keep my torso planted so I can delicately and casually control the car.

Good to hear you didn't zone out and bump anything on the way home..

iodine23

iTrader: (1)

Yeah, I understand where you're coming from. I'll probably order a 6-point in the next few weeks.

At least the Evo seats are pretty supportive. I sat in Treefallen's STi and they're wider, flatter, and the side bolsters don't support you at all like the Evo. they look like they're just made out of foam while the Evo's actually have the plastic shell of the seat wrapping around to support the side bolsters from behind.

Mister2zx3

Yah the Evos seats are probably the best of any production car support wise and a harness makes it a piece of cake to drive hard.. How long were your sessions? The NASA event at MSR had 4 40 min sessions each day between the (very good!) races. Drivers were loving it.. Cars were not, heh.

iodine23

iTrader: (1)

4 25 minute session each day. Also rode with my instructor in my car once on Saturday, and with another instructor in his car on Sunday. So I drove 8 sessions and got 2 rides, not bad.

40 minutes would be a long time. What's the average lap time at MSR? Treefallen told me I was turning something like 2:15 or 2:20 (IIRC) at TWS, which meant only about 10 laps per session or so. I know MSR is shorter than TWS, but it's supposed to be more technical.

So that's my dilemma, MSR on April 17/18 with Driver's Edge, or go to the Spokes AutoX that weekend. If I don't do the AutoX then I'll miss the first 4 events of the season.

Mister2zx3

If you have to choose between TDE or June 5-6 for MSR with NASA, I'd say wait till June. It may a little warmer, but they have a covered grid, nice two story club house to stay cool inside up top and watch the races, plus real races goign on in between the HPDE. Plus they tend to be more organized, and get more track time in becuase of it. just my two cents. Are you coming up this weekend for the dyno/track goings on?

http://www.nasatx.com/main.asp

iodine23

iTrader: (1)

So NASA actually has races intermixed with the DE? That's kind of cool. It looks like 3 40 minute sessions on the schedule, but you said you got 4?

TDE would also have access to the covered grid and club house, right?

June 5-6 might actually work into my schedule better, so I'll have to look into the NASA event. Are you going to do it?

I'm not doing the dyno/track stuff this weekend.

Mister2zx3

Even if I don't *go* to it, I usually end up going to it, heh. This weekend I didn't go to it, but helped out as an instructor. I critiqued Eric (forgot his last name) who is a superb drifter with his silver turbo miata around for a bit, then he went for a couple laps in Kevin's overly modified 911 Turbo ( another instructor ). We kept getting passed with a vengeance so he was more than eager to get in that ride. Great car control, had the tail wagging at over 45' around big bend at about 80 mph a couple times. With more track time and getting used to either using all the track and/or not dropping two wheels off he could really lay down some great lap times. Great talent, he's gonna be running in the D1 and shuld do real well. With more time on the circuits he'll also probably be real fast.

Anyone out at the ranch has access to the country club. Race weekends are real nice. You get to see a lot of nice cars, both street and race. and a lot of good advice and instruction from top notch racers.

There was a beautiful yellow gallardo there this weekend. Those brakes are bewildering! Along with all sorts of crazy other things.. M#s, 911 (pick a model). Ferraris of all sorts. Formula cars, Mazda in droves. 32 car spec miata race was awesome!

The track is a 1.7 mile and a 1:25 is pretty fast. Bobby Archer was running 1:18s in a customers viper nearly lapping the whole field in his race. The quicker spec miatas usually run 1:25s. a stock Evo is usually around 1:30 +/- a sec. My brother is shooting for a 1:24. Slocus on street tires just playing mid to low 1:30s

This weekend is going to be a very inexpensive fun one. I'm taking a friends SRT4 out to see how well it compares.. Should be interesting. Just have to get the harness and camera mount in his car.. heh.

iodine23

iTrader: (1)

TDE had a good mix of cars this weekend, though not a lot of race cars. The guy next to me had a 550, which was pretty cool to see up close and in person. There was also an old GT40 there, which was really cool to see. That group brought the GT40, a GT350 mustang thing, and a viper. All blue with big white racing stripes.

Mister2zx3

I think I know the GT40 you're referring to. It's out there for a lot of TDE - TWS events.

How many people turned out for the event?

iodine23

iTrader: (1)

I counted a little over 100 on the number/pit assignment list. I don't know how many actually ended up showing up.

Jessalyn

so was that cobra Isaw driving south on SH 6 going to that? Just curious. It was on Sunday and .. yeah.

very pretty...

Treefallen

Same here, enjoyed it, very tired here too. Each instructor has his own ways, this time I had a very thorough one. Iodine was instructed from none other than Bill Kim...and probably wished he had a harness when Bill was driving. QAT-R was having problems with some hose clamps not holding (turbo)...cheap EVO hoses darn it.

iodine23

iTrader: (1)

I don't remember any Cobras there. I'm assuming you mean Shelby Cobra...

Jessalyn

^ Yes. Not the Mustang. :P

I saw one going south on TH 6 and was about to **** in my pants and jump outa my boyfriends car to run after it... Not that it would have done anything cept give me a few bruises... :\

... yeah.