I went yesterday with the Sports Car Driving Association (SCDA) http://www.scda1.com/. Highly recommend this club for track day events - everything is first class and organized.


http://www.thompsonspeedway.com/site...k_1_7_mile.jpg


It's a 1.7 mile, 11-turn road course. I would call it technical, because you're pretty busy all the time. Of the courses I've been to, it's most like the Loudon NH road course - it's about the same length, and both courses use part of the existing oval layout. In contrast, Watkins Glen is also 11 turns, but the Glen is 3.4 miles long so it's a much higher speed track.


I hit 120 mph at the brake markers at the end of the front straight. Downshift to 3rd for Turn 1, and I just stayed in 3rd gear all the way until I got back on the front straight. So it wasn't much shifting, but it was a lot of braking and hard turns.


I talked to another guy there who was at his first track day with a stock 2013 5.0 with the Track Pack. He said he was hitting the rev limiter on the long straight in 4th gear, but it didn't seem worth it to go to 5th, because he was almost immediately downshifting to 3rd for Turn 1. I was thinking maybe he should have shifted into 5th earlier to avoid the red line, but I wasn't driving his car so not sure what the best gear is for him.


Here's about 3 minutes of video from my Hero 2 GoPro:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kY14KJ9-OQ

 

Nice - your experience sounds similar to mine when I went out to Thompson last week. Very fun track. Quite technical, but it had good flow one I got in a few laps and learned the track. Any idea what you were running for lap times by chance?

Good to see overs on this forum out at track days. These cars do very well!

I also was using 3rd for the entire course except I grabbed 4th before turn 11 ( last turn before the crest onto the front straight) because I needed 5th after coming over the hill and straightening out the car. only touched redline in 3rd exiting the oval before tapping the brakes going into the left turn. Per Harry's lap timer I was getting mid 120's (125-126) on the main straight before braking for turn 1. I'll be going back on July 22. If your interested let me know!

 

And why not share a lap

 

No doubt you were faster than me. The all-season tires are the biggest culprit. My car was a daily driver until I got a Mini last year, so I just went with one set of tires for year 'round. Plus the 5.0 has a huge horsepower advantage. But as you saw from the BRZ in front of me, horsepower is not the end-all be-all at that track, except for the long straight. I hit 120 mph on the straight. Not sure of my exact lap times, but a friend was timing me with his iPhone during my 3rd session and said the best laps were just under 1:40.


What were your times?

 

Well, I just noticed all the mods in your signature and watched your video clip. That's a totally different animal from what I have. Almost embarrassed here...


At least I have a bike that's fast. :-)


I have been watching the 2015 Mustang really close since the Dec 5th reveal last winter. Haven't ordered one yet, but if I like them when I see them in person, I may order one during the winter so I have it next spring. Or maybe wait until the 2016 model hoping that price negotiation is possible and maybe a special edition like a Boss, Mach 1, or Bullitt. Whatever it is, no doubt it will have some sticky rubber!


BTW, if you haven't tried Watkins Glen yet, you really should. Your car would kick major butt there. Pretty sure you'd hit 140 mph on the back straight. I've been to Lime Rock, Loudon, NJMP, The Glen, and now Thompson, and Watkins Glen is by far the best. Lime Rock would rank next for me, but it's really like a mini version of the Glen.

 

haha no need to be embarrassed, I bought my car with the intention of making it very track worthy... I might have put a few things into as well Track days are fun no matter what you're driving though. I ran a 2002 Audi S4 for 3 years at the track before upgrading to the Mustang. That was a blast too especially in the rain!

I think you would be smart to hold off for the 2016 (if you can wait!!). I'm always nervous about buying a first model year car. I think the 2015+ cars have excellent potential though. I can't wait to test drive one myself!!

Regarding the Glen, yes I've been there with my old Audi and with the Mustang when it was bone stock except for Pagid track pads and Motul brake fluid. I roasted the brakes within 10 mins each session until I backed off for the rest of the event, but yes it is a fantastic track. My favorite without a doubt. Headed back in August for a 2 day event this summer. Can't wait to give it a shot with the car in its current state. The rear straight is extremely fast...

Limerock is a fun track - I had the Mustang there for the first time this past May - it did really well. Got myself into the 1.04's at LRP on my Sumitomo tires, which I have absolutely no complaints about! Can't wait to get either R comps or slicks... If I had not purposely bought these Sumitomos which wear very very well, I think I would have bought sticky tires already. Glad I did the "smart" financial move for once

Hope I see you out there some time - looking forward to Thompson on July 22nd and especially Watkins Glen in Aug!! Got a couple days planned in the fall too

 

First time for me at Watkins Glen I was in my third (of 5) sessions following a Lamborghini on the back straight just nipping 130 mph, and when I braked for the chicane, the pedal went to the floor! Definitely almost crapped my pants. Fortunately (for both of us), you really only have to slow down to about 90 for the bends and I was able to do that. I pitted next time by for a cool down and then eased off hard braking the rest of the day.

First thing I did when I got home was to buy a Motive Power Bleeder and some ATE Super Blue DOT 4 racing fluid. No more brake issues after that.

Anyway, yes I will look for you. I usually only do one event per year, but now with Thompson only an hour away from me, I may go there plus one more event farther away each year.

For lap times at Lime Rock, I did a 1:09. I thought that was decent, (again considering the tires), but then I was talking to a guy with a stock BRZ with Toyo Proxes, and he did a 1:08. In any case, your 1:04 is excellent. Nice job on that. A few years ago I saw a NASCAR Busch East event at Lime Rock, and Mike Kobyluck was doing laps under 55 seconds in his live axle 3500 lb stock car! I believe they had 700-800 hp, but still, that is incredible driving too...

 

Not braking into the bus stop will get the adrenaline going huh!?? I haven't lost the brakes that bad, hopefully I never do...

With the new clubs out there running at Thompson, I am also getting in more days now compared with previous years. It's quite nice!

I've seen some of the race cars at LRP pull mid 50's before too - it's amazing. Really humbles me!

1.09's at LRP is not bad - in my previous car the best I ever got to was 1.08 flat. The new 5.0 combined with the suspension I put in just makes this Mustang whip around LRP though! Largely the car.. partially the driver

 

Excellent! I used to live in CT, that track looks great. I now live on the west coast, and track my 2011 GT at a facility called Spring Mountain. Keep up the good work!