|
There were two other Z3's present - Joe MArkos and a Black, SSB Z3.
What a blast that was. I suvived my first drivers school and the car passed with flying colors. There were 4 session of 20 minutes each - so 80 nimutes of track time, plus an additional 20 for me (for a total of 100 minutes) as I went for a drive with my instructor during the instructor session. Needless to say, by the end of the day I was exhausted.
I felt a lot more tired after driving the Z3 than I was driving the M3 there two years ago, but I felt that the Z3 was easier to control. It takes a lot more concentration to drive a Z on the track. In comparison, I felt lazy driving the M3.
Anyway the day was gorgeous and from what I understand, this being only the third track day Lime Rock was open and the only sunny day so far. There was a time trial on Monday and from I was told, the track ate 3 cars - rollovers - an Audi and a corvette and another unnamed car. I person wound up in the hospital with a broken arm. The guy in the corvette is lucky to be alive - driver lost control, ramed into a retention wall, rolled and skidded down the track on its top!! Cold track, cold r-compound tires = no traction. This was the guys last seesion of the day -run for time and he lost it on his warm up lap.
The z held up impeccably and very nimble. I was able to pass faster cars on the two straights - also the only two passing zones. I could virtually catch anything in the esses, in the straight after the uphill and the two corners, Including the one in downhill. When I timed the last two corners right and get a good run down the downhill leading into the front straight, I was able to pass and M6 an e30M3 and a Audi A4-2.8 to name a few. When I was in the front straight and being caught by faster cars such as a late model Pontiac Firebird - WRS?? I would lose them in the esses.
Amazing little car!!
The suspension set up provided me with no understeer or oversteer whatsoever. The car was perfectly neutral and balanced. The yokohama AVS sports set to 35psi all around were great, exceptionally grippy..virtually no wear. My up graded brakes did great, no fade at all or no warpage. The dustless EBC brake pads did a phenomenal job slowing the car down and noe my car has the dust to prove it - hehe. The pads dusted so much that when I took my magnetic numbers off, the outline of the numbers was still there - good thing I got my car zaino-ed at fix-it day.
The HMS harness bar is a work of art and frikin SOLID and the Schroth 4 pt belts really hold you in. Unfortunately the stock seats were not supportive enough for me, I still slid around - I hope my new seats arrive soon. The harness held me more than the seat.
This was my first event ewere I wore a full face helmet and also a neck colar. Now that took some time to get used to. The colar really restricted my head movement and I guess that is a good thing as I could not really turn my head to look at the mirrors, I was forced to use my eyes.
As I was told - cheap insurance. I m used to an open faced helmet - a la Dale Earnhart. But hey, since I was driving top down at a high rate of speed, the neck colar and the helmet did a hell of a great job blocking the wind. It was actually nice and toasty in the car.
Lets see if I can give a written acount as to how driving the track was. Coming doen the front straight accelerating up to 100-105mph in forth gear just before you pass the #6 sign of the braking zone. I brake at #5 down to #2 and at the same time heel and toe it into third gear and slow the car to 50-60mph before I turn into big bend a huge right hand double apex 180deg arc. As I pass the first apex I let the car track out a bit and then turn in for the second apex squeezing the accelerator down increasingly further untill I can go to 3/4 throttle at the apex and track out to aim the nose of the car directly at the mens room in the infield. At this time I am beginning my run through the esses.
As I am purosely steering the car to the edge of the track where the radius of the first 180 deg of a left hand arc begins, I brake quickly from 70 to 60 mph and turn in left to late apex the inside radius of the first half of the ess. Essentially the end of the concrete strip at the inside of the turn. If done correctly left side of the car should wind up right next to the dirt which sets you up for the turn in and apec of the next parts of the ess.
After I pass the concrete strip and the apex I begin accelerating along the side of the track near the dirt and quickly turn in right to hit the next apex which is a bit late but still virtually in the middle of the the right hand turn and track out left and begin the run into no name straight. ( A straight that meanders slightlky to the right anf then left again before straightning out and then heading into a 110deg right hand turn up the hill.)
At this point in time I am still in third gear accelerating to 90 mph and shift into fourth. I quickly reach a copse of trees on the left hand of the track which is everybodys marker to begin braking. I brake down to 60-70mph and toe and heel into third and then turn in right to late apex the inside right of the turn going up the hill and hit the accelerator.
At the top of the hill I speed up to 80mph and shift back into 4th gear, holding that speed for a second or two before its time to turn in right to hit the apex of the turn which starts the run down the hill and under a bridge
Track out going about 80 mph, go under the bridge and down the hill for a another right hand late apex turn into the front straight. As you go down the hill, you see tire wall at the bottom of the hill - maybe 50 feet from the side of the track - so this turn always scares the shit out of me as it is a turn of faith - faith in the tires so that they dont loose grip as you turn in and send you into the wall-
at 80mph.
There is really no visual reference for the turn in point for this turn so you have to rely on this dip in the track, which once you hit it, you turn in and begin accelerating from 70-80 mph thorugh a semi bumpy section to hit the apex and track out into the front straight.
Well thas enough for now. I have 1.5 hours of video to edit and post somewhere.
But it was a blast and I cant wait to do it again - soon.
© 1997 -
2010
Jump Internet Inc. All rights reserved.
