Joined
·
602 Posts
From my previous post on my Z06 sputtering at 4k RPM I mentioned that I spun four times at Buttonwillow Raceway at the Speedventures event April 15th.
Some of you have asked why I spun 4 times on Friday. The simple answer is I overdrove my car for my driving abilities. If you are familiar with Buttonwillow, we were running configuration #13 counter clockwise. I was running on my CCW's with Hoosiers. My first off-track was not actually a spin, but more of a sprint car slide across the infield coming into the Sunrise turn. I started braking just before the slight drop away on the little knoll coming into the turn. I let the car get just a little sideways and I drifted inside and onto the dirt infield and layed a rooster tail of dirt onto the inside of the turn. Shame on me and apologies to the other drivers. I ended up back on the asphalt and cranked a hard left and just made the exit of the turn.
My next two spins were on the slowest part of the track through Cotton Corners. Both times I was following faster drivers and learning what I could. But while I was keeping up, I was obviously driving just beyond my means. Through these corners the back-end of the car tends to get pitched back and forth a bit from the quick direction changes. Twice I just let the momentum on the rear get away from me while simultaneously not keeping the rubber interface hooked up to the asphalt. The 2nd time I did it I was following John Wurth of Speedventures. He set the fast lap of the day at 2:01. I was running mostly 2:05s and 2:06s, so you get the idea why I pitched it away there.
My last spin was entering the big Riverside turn. I usually come in at around 115mph or so, I brake very lightly while entering to get the front wheels hooking up and then drive through to the apex and exit. On my last session of the day I over braked, got the a$$-end hanging out again and drifted in a slide from the outside entrance of the turn towards the inside of the turn. First my left front hit the dirt, then my front right. At this point I knew it was over so I stabbed both pedals. She spun around completely and I ended up with my two right wheels on the asphalt. The dust cleared quickly and I checked for traffic. A yellow GT3 that I had passed on the front straight had still not cleared the dogleg from the Lost Hills turn so I took off and stayed ahead of him.
The guy in the GT3 was telling me how he is a BMW driving instructor and that he owns two other race cars. He was a little arrogant considering I passed him every session. He did get much faster as the day progressed, but not fast enough. My friend Kevin kick my a$$ in his GT3 when we go out together. So I know his car could do it.
I ended up with the 4th fastest lap time of the day and a 3rd session averaging 2:06. I am pretty happy with that being the novice that I am. While I am progressing quickly, I do have a faster car than most other drivers, so I still have a lot of work to do to consider myself a good driver. I plan to keep working on it. Therefore I will be back out there May 6th.
Come on out and join me, Kraff, Americanmusl, RCorr, Jairl, and several others here on the Z06 forum.
:ity: :ity: :ity:
Some of you have asked why I spun 4 times on Friday. The simple answer is I overdrove my car for my driving abilities. If you are familiar with Buttonwillow, we were running configuration #13 counter clockwise. I was running on my CCW's with Hoosiers. My first off-track was not actually a spin, but more of a sprint car slide across the infield coming into the Sunrise turn. I started braking just before the slight drop away on the little knoll coming into the turn. I let the car get just a little sideways and I drifted inside and onto the dirt infield and layed a rooster tail of dirt onto the inside of the turn. Shame on me and apologies to the other drivers. I ended up back on the asphalt and cranked a hard left and just made the exit of the turn.
My next two spins were on the slowest part of the track through Cotton Corners. Both times I was following faster drivers and learning what I could. But while I was keeping up, I was obviously driving just beyond my means. Through these corners the back-end of the car tends to get pitched back and forth a bit from the quick direction changes. Twice I just let the momentum on the rear get away from me while simultaneously not keeping the rubber interface hooked up to the asphalt. The 2nd time I did it I was following John Wurth of Speedventures. He set the fast lap of the day at 2:01. I was running mostly 2:05s and 2:06s, so you get the idea why I pitched it away there.
My last spin was entering the big Riverside turn. I usually come in at around 115mph or so, I brake very lightly while entering to get the front wheels hooking up and then drive through to the apex and exit. On my last session of the day I over braked, got the a$$-end hanging out again and drifted in a slide from the outside entrance of the turn towards the inside of the turn. First my left front hit the dirt, then my front right. At this point I knew it was over so I stabbed both pedals. She spun around completely and I ended up with my two right wheels on the asphalt. The dust cleared quickly and I checked for traffic. A yellow GT3 that I had passed on the front straight had still not cleared the dogleg from the Lost Hills turn so I took off and stayed ahead of him.
The guy in the GT3 was telling me how he is a BMW driving instructor and that he owns two other race cars. He was a little arrogant considering I passed him every session. He did get much faster as the day progressed, but not fast enough. My friend Kevin kick my a$$ in his GT3 when we go out together. So I know his car could do it.
I ended up with the 4th fastest lap time of the day and a 3rd session averaging 2:06. I am pretty happy with that being the novice that I am. While I am progressing quickly, I do have a faster car than most other drivers, so I still have a lot of work to do to consider myself a good driver. I plan to keep working on it. Therefore I will be back out there May 6th.
Come on out and join me, Kraff, Americanmusl, RCorr, Jairl, and several others here on the Z06 forum.
:ity: :ity: :ity: