dmichaels

Set a new quick lap for myself. Had a passenger for it as well, so there is quite a bit left on the table with the new aero!

There were like 8 mustangs out yesterday! Bert donyou have video too?others?

dmichaels

Forgot to mention, this lap was on Hankook Z214 C51 tires which had a couple heat cycles on them. The grip was very close to new BFG R1's. I am highly impressed with the tires so far. Pricing is about $100/tire less than Hoosier R7's as well!

Bert

Yes I do have some video and I guess it's about time I opened a YouTube account so I can post them. Will work on that later.

D, I could see you had your hands full yesterday, busy day! I did get another mustang guy Matt to take a drive in my car . . . will post the results and video. He was with the group that had that black 3rd? gen mustang race car with "my drinking team has a racing problem" on the back. Let's just say I learned that there is more left . . .

Weather was awesome, I was worried it was going to be too hot but turned out just fine. Great way to end the season . . . or was it really the last track day???

dmichaels

I know Matt pretty well. He is a fantastic driver, you were wise to put him in the car for a couple laps! I'd love to see the videos of you and him driving!

Looking at another event? I'm attending VIR in exactly 2 weeks, but as an advanced student for the first time in a couple years. I want to finish my season with an ice low key, stress free event of only driving! Oh and with the new rear wing 😳

Were you happy with how you ran? Sorry I barely got to chat. It's the downfall of instructing. Left with almost zero time

Bert

Yes, I do have direct comparison of my laps and his, will edit and post when I get a chance, maybe tonight. Our lines are almost exactly the same. He just does it faster! Also he was getting the car to rotate/turn better than I do, with less understeer. I learned that my tires are not the limiting factor that I thought they were; it's more my nerve and skill to handle it if I go over the limit.

There is another event at Palmer in a couple weeks, might do it, I don't think I want to do any major traveling.

Yes I was happy with how I ran, until I saw how Matt ran in my car! LOL . . . like you said there were several mustangs there, most of them Coyotes, I didn't get passed by any of them. I was hanging around with two guys with 2013-14's and they couldn't catch me. Then Matt took 4 seconds off my best time . . . .

And no worries, I could see that your time was very full. At least I got a chance to check out the carbon fiber wing!

UPDATE Friday night: got busy and didn't have time to create the videos and post, now going to a college open house tomorrow, probably will post on Sunday . . . until then I will keep you in suspense on Matt's lap time in my car, but will say you are close

dmichaels

So what did Matt run for a lap in your car? High 1.50's? I know what he's run in his car on slicks... I'll watch for video footage later

That's great you got some learning in though about the car's handling and capabilities. It should instill some confidence that you're not right on the edge (yet) and you can push a little harder without risking much. Easier said than done of course!

5.M0NSTER

Bert, now I'm curious. Do you feel the same way as before about the S04s, or was this event a game changer for you in terms of tire outlook?

Bert

Well, it turns out that posting videos to YouTube is a bigger challenge than upgrading the brakes and suspension on my car! It just won't let me do it . . . looks like I need some help with the basics.

When I go to YouTube, I was expecting to see some kind of "log in" or "my account" or something to create an account, or to indicate that I have a username and I am signed in. But I do not see anything like that. In the upper right it shows a generic picture, if I click on that it shows my e-mail address . . . apparently it is getting that from my Google account. I do not remember ever creating a YouTube account. This seems to suggest that it has recognized my Google account and has "signed me in" with that.

Next to the blue blank face icon, there is "upload." If I click on that, a window comes up and prompts for "Upload As . . ." with blanks for first and last name. I can click into those blanks, but nothing that I type shows up. Then if I click on "create channel" it says "please enter a name" but it won't take anything I type to enter a name. I thought maybe my keyboard was not working, but I am typing this just fine.

I watched several videos, and they all say you need to "sign in" first . . . makes sense, that's what I expected . . . but there is no "sign in" button on my screen.

Any clues?

Edit: I confirmed that I am definitely signed in. The problem is that I cannot type in to the boxes to create my channel. I can see the cursor in the box; I can highlight the text; but nothing I type is accepted.

Bert

OK . . . . so I had to create some kind of "business" channel on YouTube but it seems like it worked . . . so here is video of some of my best laps:

Bert

And here is Matt in my car. That sumbich took 4 seconds off my best lap . . . 1:56 versus 2:00 . . . . LOL

5-dot -- yes, this did change my outlook on the S04's somewhat. Matt was pretty impressed overall . . . if I remember correctly, he said he runs 1:52 in his Boss 302 on slicks. Could be the track was not super hot that day. Also could be he has more confidence on the edge with hot tires than I do.

5.M0NSTER

Bert, good job man! Glad you got the videos to upload. You're looking pretty good in my book. There always seems to be a bit more left, and I can see it in my own videos as well.

Good videos, glad you got it to upload. I like it!

P.S. 4 seconds on slicks seems about right. My sources tell me 2s per 1/min lap is about what to expect.

Bert

DMichaels can confirm Matt's time in his Boss on slicks, I'm pretty sure he said 1:52 . . . so considering the difference is both the car/engine and the tires, my little old 4.6 is more competitive than I thought.

My line and Matt's are very similar. There are a few places where he turns in a little sooner than I do. In turn 12 he stays wider to the right coming in, which allows him to get the car turned better and set up better for 13.

I'll have to play with my Race Render software some more to see if I can compare segments . . . but I think he is making most of the time on me in the stretches between 2-3-4 and 7-8-9. He is getting into 4th gear and just plain going faster . . . I get a bit scared by that rock wall on the right at at 3 (also 8 is similar) and he carries more speed there. I just don't quite have the nerve to push the limits with the car sliding a little and the tires howling at close to 100 mph around a corner with a big rock wall or what appears to be a cliff so close! LOL . . . probably a good survival instinct, I don't have much experience controlling the car in that situation.

dmichaels

I watched both videos yesterday and will give feedback once I hop on my computer. Nicely done overall!

dmichaels

OK a few comments...

You're right about where Matt was faster - turns 2-3 are very, very fast and to make up time there, you have to trust that the car will stick, especially in turn 3. I hit redline in 4th going through it at about 109 and let it run out wide where it wants to track. It's a little nerve racking.

Similar on 7-8-9. Turn 8 is a tough one cause it's over a hill. I turn in early typically, not too unlike your line. Just do not lift there. Not WOT, but maintenance throttle.

The last couple turns are tough too, and I usually go a little wider like Matt, then let it hang out a bit as I crest the hill and go right. You can go WOT from that point all the way down the straight.

Overall, great lap though! It was a fantastic day to be at the track. Wish we got to chat a bit more... perhaps a winter social is in order to talk cars!

Regarding Matt's laps, yeah he hit 1.52 or so on his slicks (same Conti scrubs I had for some outings last year). He would absolutely be in line with my times of 1.47's with some R7's, probably faster cause he's a better driver than me, in my opinion at least. Regardless, his lap in your car looked good and I'm glad you were able to see what the car can do with an experienced driver behind the wheel! Hopefully it gives you some confidence in the car and will inspire you to push a bit further!!

So are you done for the season?

Bert

Thanks D . . . makes sense. But I still don't know if my self preservation insticts will let me do it! LOL

It will have to wait until next year, because yes I think I am done for this year. Unless some kind of miracle happens like a last minute session at Thompson, for us volunteers. (I volunteer at the Thompson track during spectator events)

I am a bit distracted right now with buying a new house . . . primary motivator was to get a garage, which I do not have right now . . . but if we do go through with the house, I won't have much money left for parts to go on the car in the garage, or tires to eat up at track days! Catch 22 . . . we'll see . . . But at least I won't have to look at the Mustang burried under snow again this winter, LOL