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c355n4 posted:They don't run AMB transponders for you guys? Yeah you can rent them but it seems like a crappy solution for an HPDE driver. From what I can tell you can only see your times after the session when they print it out. I want something that can display my last lap and let me see sector times after the session. Also I'm cheap so I don't want to pay for a full-blown unit. The one standalone unit I looked into was not that impressive. It didn't have track maps stored on the device so you had to drive the track to "teach" it the layout and it touted a color screen as an awesome new feature. I'm sure the AMB transponders are required for TT/race group but I have no interest in that at the moment.
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# ? Jun 16, 2012 05:56 |
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# ? May 13, 2024 09:59 |
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I use Harry's Lap Timer Pro with a RAM mount I got from Amazon and it has worked great so far. I just purchased the Emprum UltiMate GPS to use with it, but haven't had a chance to try it on the track yet. The internal iPhone GPS will do fine if all you're worried about is timing. Example (2011 Camaro SS at Texas World Speedway): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdb18ZjwQLM And on the subject of cars going off in front of you, I was proud of myself for not following this Mustang off. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LJ9NnWOKAM
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# ? Jun 16, 2012 06:20 |
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Seat Safety Switch posted:The driving styles are really different. I guess it depends which way you go, the FWD driving experience translates pretty well to AWD but not so much the other way around. c355n4 posted:This is very, very good advice. Do not follow the car in front of you. You will often turn in early and apex early. This is a bad thing to do. The following video is a prime example. That's actually the correct line for the old corner before the repave; the camber and elevation change midway through entry so you needed to brake and apex early. Muffinpox fucked around with this message at 06:23 on Jun 16, 2012 |
# ? Jun 16, 2012 06:21 |
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Admirable Gusto posted:Did the same thing at Buttonwillow a year ago when I first started tracking my car. Followed a guy in an S2000 that was just slightly (annoyingly) faster than me, early apexed one of the more dangerous corners and nearly put my car into a pit wall (probably made the corner worker crap his pants too). Thank god for stability control that cannot be fully disabled Here's a lap at a Buttonwillow track day about 4 or 5 years ago in my 100hp VW heh https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6yY84O3IP4 same car at willow springs with a turbo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKZiz_SFvJs aventari fucked around with this message at 09:39 on Jun 16, 2012 |
# ? Jun 16, 2012 09:36 |
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There's a Chumpcar and Lemons thread already going: http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3449174 I race in Chumpcar, you'll be able to follow our exploits at Axis of Oversteer and also Autoweek now. Recap of the first race of the season is here: http://blog.axisofoversteer.com/2012/05/great-american-meltdown-road-america.html Next race is at Brainerd in a couple of weeks, can't wait.
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# ? Jun 16, 2012 12:05 |
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Yes, great thread. I posted about my very first track day experience in a spec ford over here. My friend and I are now on the hunt for a decent E30 or Miata or something to use as a track car. We plan to split costs to keep it very affordable. It surprised me that the #1 recommended beginner track car, by a very wide margin, is the Miata. It's a convertible! You have to install a roll bar! And if you're anywhere near tall, you'll have a hard time meeting the stick test! But the Internet has spoken, so it's on our short list. There's only one raceway near Minneapolis (only one in Minnesota, in fact), which is Brainerd International. It's about a 2 hour drive from my apartment. The next nearest is probably Road America over in Wisconsin, which is about 6 hours away. Oh well, winter makes maintaining a track a nightmare, I bet. Can't wait to get started!
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# ? Jun 16, 2012 14:03 |
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^^^Miata: cheap, RWD, handles great, cheap, light, forgiving, and cheap. Great thread. As soon as my Miata is trackworthy I'm doing HPDEs, can't wait. To all of this I would add that if you've never really driven balls-out before or done any kind of racing or track event or money is an issue; go go-kart racing at a good place with fast karts. It's fairly cheap, easy training and kind of blends autocross with having to deal with other people on the track. Perfect place to learn basics like racing lines and such. Experimenting and screwing up will have very low consequences and if the place (preferebly) has lap timing you can easily see how you are doing and see what effect changing your line has. Getting used to driving with a helmet on helps too. Joe Mama fucked around with this message at 17:26 on Jun 16, 2012 |
# ? Jun 16, 2012 17:21 |
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ColdPie posted:Yes, great thread. I posted about my very first track day experience in a spec ford over here. My friend and I are now on the hunt for a decent E30 or Miata or something to use as a track car. We plan to split costs to keep it very affordable. I used these guys: http://www.findtheline.com/ Reasonably priced and the number of cars is very low. On Sunday you may be the only car on course and they very well may get rid of run groups because there's only 3 cars in the afternoon. Blackhawk Farms (WI/IL border on 90) is one of my favorite courses, but it is slow and probably higher risk than most other courses. (Trees, little run off) Another cheap option for a track car is a 1st gen Neon. No really. Though I guess good luck finding one that isn't all rust in the Midwest.
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# ? Jun 17, 2012 05:07 |
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I time my laps by how long it takes me to cross start/finish on my videos. I really need some kind of stand alone GPS unit. Neons are actually a decent choice, especially if you want to do autocross as well. They aren't terrible cars, are durable, and very cheap. Those are some excellent criteria for a beater. Dodge even put out a homologated Neon racer as the ACR for SCCA. Don't rule out E36s as well. They can be had for cheap and can go nasty fast. The worst part of an E36 is the interior falls to pieces quickly, but who cares about that for a track rat? My brother can fit 4 wheels in the trunk of his E30 and has plenty of room inside for all his tools and gear (moreso after pulling the rear seat). I'm really jealous of that.
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# ? Jun 17, 2012 05:26 |
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SNiPER_Magnum posted:
Make sure to put a full cooling-system refresh in your budget with an E36. Mine got really hot on track until I replaced the radiator, went to a cooler thermostat, and replaced the anti-freeze mix with pure water and water-wetter (which is actually just a really good idea anyway for a track car). Haven't had any trouble with the interior, but it has racing seats in the front anyway.
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# ? Jun 17, 2012 05:30 |
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My TDI's first track day went well....except for me getting black flagged twice for not following the proper lines. But I got through it and had a blast, only issues I ran into was boiling away my brake fluid.
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# ? Jun 17, 2012 05:33 |
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SNiPER_Magnum posted:Don't rule out E36s as well. They can be had for cheap and can go nasty fast. The worst part of an E36 is the interior falls to pieces quickly, but who cares about that for a track rat? Or the money shifting or LCA problems. The E36 is a fantastic performing car, but it's problem areas are scary as all hell.
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# ? Jun 17, 2012 05:33 |
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nm posted:The best track for Minnesota is actually Mid-America near Omaha in IA. There is basically nothing to run into (in true Iowa fashion is is actually in a cornfield). I enjoy Blackhawk Farms too. I didn't feel scared in my near stock 99 Cobra. Midwest Council does a lot of events there too. Mostly lapping days and High Speed Autocross which is fun. A friend of mine just broke the standing lap record there in his track evo. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=YB_ER2CQfK4
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# ? Jun 17, 2012 06:03 |
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The Locator posted:Make sure to put a full cooling-system refresh in your budget with an E36. Mine got really hot on track until I replaced the radiator, went to a cooler thermostat, and replaced the anti-freeze mix with pure water and water-wetter (which is actually just a really good idea anyway for a track car). Haven't had any trouble with the interior, but it has racing seats in the front anyway. On my very first track day an e36 popped off the upper radiator hose with bits of the neck still inside it. Definitely a required area if you plan on tracking any BMW, really. I've seen two BMWs pop coolant hoses this year alone, I definitely plan on refreshing my 330i before doing another track day.
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# ? Jun 17, 2012 15:32 |
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SNiPER_Magnum posted:I time my laps by how long it takes me to cross start/finish on my videos. I really need some kind of stand alone GPS unit. Traqmate is a pretty good solution. The Traqdash gives you real-time feedback over a lap, like in a video game.
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# ? Jun 17, 2012 16:20 |
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You know what they say about never meeting your heroes? It's like that with me and Laguna Seca, which I visited yesterday for the first time. Yes it's a famous track, yes corkscrew, yes it's impossible to get a weekend track day there, but the overwhelming impression that it left on me after a day of driving was boredom First of all the track's incredibly wide and lots of the corners are some variant on 90 degree turn (tightening, opening, on-camber, off-camber, uphill, downhill). Then it's not that difficult to learn the line for the corkscrew - just stare at the correct tree. As long as you don't get greedy on the gas (and you honestly don't need to, seeing as it leads straight into turn 9), you'll be fine there. Turns 2 and 11 are slow-rear end hairpins that test your patience and are rather boring too. It all seems to be about how much power you bring to the uphill sections (turn 5 exit through corkscrew and turn 11 exit through turn 2) And so perhaps my expectations were set too high going in and I'm being unfair, but Laguna's nothing like to the poetry that is Infineon (oops I mean Sonoma) or the white knuckle experience that is Willow Springs. It just comes up way short (maybe it's better when you're racing wheel-to-wheel) aventari posted:Here's a lap at a Buttonwillow track day about 4 or 5 years ago in my 100hp VW heh https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6yY84O3IP4 Very tidy; I like (somehow it always brings out the in me). Also what happened to your windshield and how has it not cracked into several million pieces by now?
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# ? Jun 17, 2012 20:07 |
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Also here is the completely wrong way to take the corkscrew:
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# ? Jun 17, 2012 20:14 |
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That is why you don't follow the car infront of you, especially when it's driven by Zanadri.
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# ? Jun 17, 2012 20:26 |
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Admirable Gusto posted:You know what they say about never meeting your heroes? It's like that with me and Laguna Seca, which I visited yesterday for the first time. Yes it's a famous track, yes corkscrew, yes it's impossible to get a weekend track day there, but the overwhelming impression that it left on me after a day of driving was boredom I had a complete different feeling re: Laguna Seca. Getting the corkscrew right (which I only managed a couple of times) just feels so cool.
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# ? Jun 17, 2012 20:28 |
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Dr JonboyG posted:Traqmate is a pretty good solution. The Traqdash gives you real-time feedback over a lap, like in a video game. I am sure that if I got a heads-up lap timer, my track days would end up much like my Forza sessions: stuffed in a wall. How does the Traqmate sync stuff work? Do I have to use Traqmate software to get the overlays? Is there a way to get it to spit out the raw GPS data?
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# ? Jun 17, 2012 20:38 |
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TrackDaze is another group that runs a good show.
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# ? Jun 17, 2012 20:52 |
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I'm signed up for the July TrackDaze event at Summit Point. Very excited about it. Anyone have helmet recommendations?
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# ? Jun 17, 2012 23:26 |
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If you're not in a convertible, open face.
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# ? Jun 17, 2012 23:28 |
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Unless you ever want to drive in NJ, which has legislated the requirement for closed face helmets.
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# ? Jun 18, 2012 04:36 |
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I want to take my TDI on another track day
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# ? Jun 18, 2012 04:46 |
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DogDodger posted:Unless you ever want to drive in NJ, which has legislated the requirement for closed face helmets. That is stupid. Full face in a car with an enabled airbag can be dangerous, plus full faces get warmer inside.
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# ? Jun 18, 2012 05:20 |
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Admirable Gusto posted:Laguna Seca is Boring If you aren't making GBS threads bricks every time through Rainey curve you're doing it wrong. Also, it is one of those tracks that is for RACING, preferably in low-powered momentum cars with insufficient grip (read: Formula Vee). Here's my two bits about track days for first-timers. 1) Prep your car. a. Fill your tires to the recommended air pressure. b. Get an oil change if you are over halfway to the next scheduled service. c. Make sure that your brake lights work and that you have enough brake fluid in the reservoir. d. If you are doing a two-day school, strongly consider getting your brake fluid flushed and replaced with some DOT4 fluid (ATE, Motul, Valvoline are all good choices) because you will boil your fluid, probably after you get confident and start braking late for turn 1 on your second day. e. If you have removed the wheels lately, re-check the torque on the lug nuts. 2) Prep the driver. a. Know the basics: when to show up, where to check in, where to park your car. Some clubs will assign parking based on run group, others will leave everyone to find their own spot. The generic track day is as follows: show up at the track at least 60 minutes before you have to be anywhere. You'll need to complete tech inspection and find somewhere to paddock the car. After you get the car checked, head to registration to check in. Listen to the registration people carefully. At the appointed time, there will be a driver's meeting to welcome the participants and parse them into run groups. Once with your group, you will receive instruction about the track layout, particularly tricky or dangerous areas, flags, and rules of the run group. Then you're off and running, hopefully with an instructor to help you find your way around. b. Know the track map before you show up. Everyone will be referring to turn 1 or turn 9b or the carousel or whatever -- it will be very helpful if you can envision what that corner looks like. c. Check your ego. No one enjoys dealing with an overconfident douche at the track, least of all the instructor who has to strap in with you. The more closely you listen to instruction, the faster you'll go. d. Don't be discouraged. Everyone sucks their first day and there is plenty of time to learn down the road.
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# ? Jun 18, 2012 08:09 |
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Question time! Have any of you raced both on the east and west coast? I always get the distinct feeling that the two are somewhat different in terms of track culture. On the east coast, we definitely seem to charge more for track time. It also feels like we have an "older" crowd in general. If you run HPDEs or TTs, what, if anything, keeps you from wanting to run sprint or enduro races? What do you consider a good day? Personally, I like a day with no incidents for anyone on the track. Do you tend to always run with the same organization? Or do you just go by track? I know a few people who will only race at NJMP. What do you look for in a good organization? It is always interesting to see what people like to get out of racing their car around the track.
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# ? Jun 18, 2012 13:55 |
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SNiPER_Magnum posted:I am sure that if I got a heads-up lap timer, my track days would end up much like my Forza sessions: stuffed in a wall. Yes, you need to use their software to get it out, but you get a copy and a license with the camera controller thingy. It's relatively intuitive but I do wish they'd make an OS X version. No, I don't think there's a way to get raw GPS data, but don't forget that the Traqmate can collect more than just GPS, you can also acquire data from the car.
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# ? Jun 18, 2012 14:32 |
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c355n4 posted:If you run HPDEs or TTs, what, if anything, keeps you from wanting to run sprint or enduro races? poo poo. Is. Expensive. quote:What do you consider a good day? Personally, I like a day with no incidents for anyone on the track. Do you tend to always run with the same organization? Or do you just go by track? I know a few people who will only race at NJMP. What do you look for in a good organization? Good day = no terrible offs/nobody gets hurt. Personally, seat time is fantastic and an instructor can make it or break it. I had a track day the week after a 14 hour Chump Car race on the same track/config, and the instructor added zero to the HPDE weekend. I wound up making my own fun because I was in a brand new front wheel drive car, but the dude literally added nothing to the weekend and wasn't capable of teaching me new lines through the track. I've only run with one organization, but I have no qualms about running with several other organizations in the area due to the crossover in membership for many people in the local car club. I know that Chin Motorsports like to play fast and loose, so I'm going to hold off on doing a day with them until I'm comfortable in Red group. Joke answer: I look for orgs with the most expensive/fastest cars so I can pass them in a Miata.
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# ? Jun 18, 2012 14:42 |
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nm posted:If you're not in a convertible, open face. Disregard this, get a full face with a visor. Here's a video from this weekend at Summit Point, I bet he wishes his visor was down: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8FBxS-00xU&hd=1 Overall it was another great weekend at Summit. Great weather and the temps weren't too bad. Quote of the weekend came as I was packing up: “Oh you’re leaving? That’s good; it’s embarrassing to point by FWD cars.”
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# ? Jun 18, 2012 14:46 |
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c355n4 posted:Question time! The east coast definitely is primarily older folks. I'm 28 and still usually one of if not the youngest drivers at the tracks I go to. c355n4 posted:If you run HPDEs or TTs, what, if anything, keeps you from wanting to run sprint or enduro races? as Phone said poo poo Is Expensive. It's a whole nother world having to maintain an additional non street legal car, have a truck and trailer to tow it, and deal with the consequences of "racing incidents". I would love to make the jump into proper racing, but my budgets tight enough as is. c355n4 posted:What do you consider a good day? Personally, I like a day with no incidents for anyone on the track. Do you tend to always run with the same organization? Or do you just go by track? I know a few people who will only race at NJMP. What do you look for in a good organization? A personal good day? Slow cars/drivers staying out of my way, feeling in the groove and ripping off a bunch of 10/10ths laps with nothing breaking and good weather. On time sessions is always another part of it (which also means no one wrecked their car on track). There are 3 or 4 organizations I'll run with, but I definitely prefer SCDA up here in the north east. If they don't have a day at the track I want to go to that fits my schedule I don't have a problem going with another group though.
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# ? Jun 18, 2012 15:11 |
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kill me now posted:as Phone said poo poo Is Expensive. Thought about Chumpcar? More than one driver means shared costs.
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# ? Jun 18, 2012 18:54 |
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Admirable Gusto posted:Also here is the completely wrong way to take the corkscrew: It's funny my first time a Laguna, this girl in my run group noted that "The oak tree is smaller than last year". One of the officials claimed the old one died and they replaced it for safety reasons. That being said, I don't get why the Corkscrew is so celebrated. Yes, it's fun to catch that little bit of air but personally I poo poo my pants round the Rainey curve every time. 195/55-16s baby! c355n4 posted:What do you consider a good day? ... Everyone goes home with their car in roughly the same condition it came in. Good times and traffic free running all boxes in the great column for me.
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# ? Jun 18, 2012 19:12 |
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Dr JonboyG posted:Thought about Chumpcar? More than one driver means shared costs. It costs me about the same as a DE in $/Hr to be mid-pack in a Chumpcar team. c355n4 posted:What do you consider a good day? Car gets on its trailer under its own power and I don't have to open the motor when I get home.
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# ? Jun 18, 2012 19:40 |
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Dr JonboyG posted:Thought about Chumpcar? More than one driver means shared costs. My first/only Chump Car ride was about $13-1400/weekend. The safety stuff has another 3-5 years (depends on cert), and the cost of entry and consumables was about 550/person for our small team.
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# ? Jun 18, 2012 20:49 |
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blk96gt posted:I use Harry's Lap Timer Pro with a RAM mount I got from Amazon and it has worked great so far. I just purchased the Emprum UltiMate GPS to use with it, but haven't had a chance to try it on the track yet. The internal iPhone GPS will do fine if all you're worried about is timing. Example (2011 Camaro SS at Texas World Speedway): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdb18ZjwQLM That app looks realy cool, is there an android version available or something similar? Mind you alot of trackdays in the uk frown on you timing laps and such as it encourages people to push too hard and the inevitable happens.
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# ? Jun 18, 2012 22:37 |
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iDiOt RaCe posted:That app looks realy cool, is there an android version available or something similar? Mind you alot of trackdays in the uk frown on you timing laps and such as it encourages people to push too hard and the inevitable happens. Trackmaster is the one I've heard talked about. Pretty sure it does the video overlay as well.
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# ? Jun 19, 2012 00:29 |
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I just retired this from dual duty: Because I bough this as a track rat: It came stripped and caged with all the right suspension upgrades already on it. I took the porsche to the track for the first time a week ago and had to learn to drive all over again. It's got a radically different driving feel than my street M3. It was a whole bunch of track firsts in one: first time driving a rear-engine car, on track suspension, on DOT-R rubber, without ABS, in seats & harnesses, without power steering. After I got my 1st spin out of the way (on the 2nd hot lap, no less) I settled in and picked up the pace session by session as I got more confortable in the new car. By Sunday morning I was maintaining a quick enough pace that I actually got to actually pass someone - I'm in the advanced run group, so it takes a lot of hustle to keep up with those guys. Then I flat-spotted and corded a tire ending my weekend early. New rubber is on the way, and the thrashing at the track revealed a few more maintenance items I need to take care of. Can't wait to get her back together so I can sign up for the next event.
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# ? Jun 19, 2012 00:45 |
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# ? May 13, 2024 09:59 |
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j3rkstore posted:Disregard this, get a full face with a visor. At Barber last month, I was using a full face helmet with the visor up (temperature was mid-upper 90s) and sunglasses on. While going through the hairpin one lap, something (rock, marble, etc.) made it through the car's open window and through the open visor slot to hit me in the cheek. Luckily it wasn't half an inch higher, and luckily I had sunglasses on.
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# ? Jun 19, 2012 01:16 |