Did a track day at Thunderhill

[clill]

This was a couple weeks ago. It was a NCRC open track event and I took my 65 Mustang. Here is in car camera view around the track for those that have never been to Thunderhill in Willows Ca.

Video (http://www.supersnake.org/videos/thunderhill_320.wmv)

[68protouring454]

great video
what are your lap times

[clill]

I have no idea. I'm just a dope trying to stay on the track and get more experience.

[68protouring454]

cool, man i can't wait for the day to do a track day in my car..... nice video clill, i stop watched you and it was around 2 19, which sounds about right for thunderhill and how you were driving, killer. any more vids of the mule or other cars on the track?

[L8ONBRAKE]

:woot: :woot: :woot:

How often do cars run through the cyclone, I thought that they usually took the bypass?

BTW, if you don't mind me asking, how many TD's have you done at T-hill? Looking to go faster or just enjoying the fun?

[L8ONBRAKE]

haha check this guy out, watch him catch air on the bypass following the porshed, its not really PT related but still a cool video I came across, looks like he's running just under 2:00.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=P8OpT-e0zmc

[clill]

Not sure on how many times there. A couple times with a 993 Porsche, Once with SL65, maybe 3 times with the Thrasher, Once with the Mule,probably 3 times with a Mustang...Maybe 10 times ? Yes I wanna go faster. I am amazed that I can notice when tires are going away. The Mustang has Hoosier R6's that I worship. My neighbor races and she says their nickname is Crack tires. You get hooked on them. I had started with a new set at a Shelby event in Utah and the car was on rails. Same set at Thunderhill and they had lost the rails feel. Spun out once. Still rubber left but apparently after about 6 heat cycles they are done.

[Vince@Meanstreets]

Not sure on how many times there. A couple times with a 993 Porsche, Once with SL65, maybe 3 times with the Thrasher, Once with the Mule,probably 3 times with a Mustang...Maybe 10 times ? Yes I wanna go faster. I am amazed that I can notice when tires are going away. The Mustang has Hoosier R6's that I worship. My neighbor races and she says their nickname is Crack tires. You get hooked on them. I had started with a new set at a Shelby event in Utah and the car was on rails. Same set at Thunderhill and they had lost the rails feel. Spun out once. Still rubber left but apparently after about 6 heat cycles they are done.


Looks like fun C. Did I hear a giggle when you went up turn 5? Nice friendly group too.

I need to get out there. My cars ready to go...thats why i keep it in Woodland.

[L8ONBRAKE]

Not sure on how many times there. A couple times with a 993 Porsche, Once with SL65, maybe 3 times with the Thrasher, Once with the Mule,probably 3 times with a Mustang...Maybe 10 times ? Yes I wanna go faster. I am amazed that I can notice when tires are going away. The Mustang has Hoosier R6's that I worship. My neighbor races and she says their nickname is Crack tires. You get hooked on them. I had started with a new set at a Shelby event in Utah and the car was on rails. Same set at Thunderhill and they had lost the rails feel. Spun out once. Still rubber left but apparently after about 6 heat cycles they are done.

Cool, judging by your lines and driving, I could tell that you know the track fairly well. First thing that struck me when watching the video is that you setup nice and wide and square the turn off which is great. The thing about apexing late and squaring off the turn is that it allows you to run a straighter line which allows you to open the throttle sooner. You spend less time in the turn. You are running the correct lines but I noticed that you don't seem to be taking full advantage of these lines. You could be getting on the gas harder but more importantly earlier on corner exit. Of course opening the throttle harder is the key to going fast but obviously its easier said than done :_paranoid

Try turn 2, you can open the throttle sooner and come wide out of the turn. Let the throttle pull the car out of the corner and let it float a little wide. You don't have to stay in the turn so long. Yes, once you exit T2 you will be on the right, and will have to jump back over the the left to take turn 3(although some people enter T3 tight and hug the line all the way through) but the time you drop by getting on the gas will make up for the extra effort.

Have you started using or picking up on reference points? For example on the back straight before T14, most people use the bridge as a reference point to let off the gas and start getting on the brakes.

On the front straight right before turn 1, start using the flagman tower as a point to start letting off of the gas. Using these points will help you keep a consistent entry speed into the turns off of the straights. It will also help you later down the road by sometimes maybe going even deeper. By using a reference point, you can judge how much longer you are holding on the gas or waiting to get on the brakes than usual. Once you get comfy with the flagman tower, start holding off until the checkered flag across the track on the ground, you'll be able to tell just how much deeper you went. :cheers: (did that make sense?)

Also the fact that those other drivers were really slow and were all waving you by, I think shows that maybe its time to jump up to the next group. I'm guessing that was the novice group. You definetly need to make the jump to intermediate, it was pretty obvious they were holding you up. (nice of them to wave you by rather than corner park you) Nothings worse than being stuck behind somebody running their slower pace, just because they are just quick enough to make it hard for a pass. I think you can learn much more being surrounded by faster drivers rather than slower

Signed,
"slower in reality"

[L8ONBRAKE]

Oh and I'm shocked that a set of race tires only lasted 2 trackdays. 6 Heat cycles is nothing, apples to oranges but you should see the punishment that bike tires get on the track and those usually will last 4 trackdays on average. With about 6-8 heat cycles a day.

[clill]

Actually that was the group just below the open group. It was point by. There is open, point by,limited solo and limited instruction. I did notice myself not drifting to the outside of the track coming out of turn two and on previous outings I usually do that. It is neat cause you just keep on the gas till you need to let up because you have drfted right up to it. I guesss I was just daydreaming instead of pushing it to he limit. There is a Shelby event at Infineon on Sept 7 and then I think NCRC has another open track day at Thunderhill on Sept 23.

[clill]

That was the 4th track day on those tires. The Utah event was 3 days and Thunderhill was day 4.

[L8ONBRAKE]

Oh 4 days sounds realistic, too bad you have to buy 4 of them :P

[Blown353]

Did you get a chance to check out the dirt on the inside of turn 10 for me? Wondering if my plow marks are still there. :lol:

[L8ONBRAKE]

no no no, its all about the short cut through the dirt coming over the hill out of 9 :lol:

[J2SpeedandCustom]

Charlie thanks for the video! What is your setup in the stang? I like how you only had to shift a couple of times a lap. :)

[clill]

It is a SVO 302 block making 581 hp@7200 and 512 tq@5000 built by Bob Lambeck in Socal,Jericho 4 speed , Currie 9", Baer brakes and a bunch of the usual suspension stuff.

[XcYZ]

Here are some really cool action shots:

[Stuart Adams]

Charley, looks fun. When are you going again?

[clill]

Shelby Mini Nats is at Infineon Sept 7-9

[Jr]

Thanks for the video.

Does the car have driver/passanger windows? Should it have window nets?

[clill]

It has no windows. I have a net I can install but the events I am doing don't require a net. If you have windows they need to be rolled down.

[ChevyThunder]

Charley next time you go to T Hill let me know and I will come up . I know the track pretty well and can probably help you get some time off if you want. I run a 1:48 there through the nest but my partner is faster and has run as fast as a 1:46 through the nest. I have driven a lot of tracks and even when Thunderhill was only 1.9 miles it was a lot of fun to drive, defintiely one of my favorites ! We should be there in the next 45 days to test the new car.. we hope

The car sounds killer in the video and you have some nice lines.. waving each time on a pass when you get a point by costs you 2/10ths... it has been scientifically proven :) There I just picked you up 4 seconds!

[Speedster]

It has no windows. I have a net I can install but the events I am doing don't require a net. If you have windows they need to be rolled down.

Hey Charley -

Because of my total lack of knowledge here, why do they require windows to be rolled down ?

Cool video. Looks like you had a blast...

[nitrorocket]

You drive pretty good!!

How much power does that car have? You were blowing by everything in the straights.

[ChevyThunder]

Hey Charley -

Because of my total lack of knowledge here, why do they require windows to be rolled down ?

Cool video. Looks like you had a blast...

There a few reasons. Access in case of an accident. Better communication with a corner worker . If you are in an accident and you need to get out of the car and the door won't open. A window can be a hard thing to break plus it can cause further injury should it break on an impact . Window nets are required to keep your hands and arms on the car in case of a roll over. Open cars also require the driver to wear arm restraints . I still have to wear arm restraint because my car has a carbon roof and in a roll over that piece can get peeled away pretty easy

[Speedster]

There a few reasons. Access in case of an accident. Better communication with a corner worker . If you are in an accident and you need to get out of the car and the door won't open. A window can be a hard thing to break plus it can cause further injury should it break on an impact . Window nets are required to keep your hands and arms on the car in case of a roll over. Open cars also require the driver to wear arm restraints . I still have to wear arm restraint because my car has a carbon roof and in a roll over that piece can get peeled away pretty easy

Thanks. Yeah, you definitely want to keep those arms inside in a rollover...

[L8ONBRAKE]

Charley next time you go to T Hill let me know and I will come up . I know the track pretty well and can probably help you get some time off if you want. I run a 1:48 there through the nest but my partner is faster and has run as fast as a 1:46 through the nest. I have driven a lot of tracks and even when Thunderhill was only 1.9 miles it was a lot of fun to drive, defintiely one of my favorites ! We should be there in the next 45 days to test the new car.. we hope

The car sounds killer in the video and you have some nice lines.. waving each time on a pass when you get a point by costs you 2/10ths... it has been scientifically proven :) There I just picked you up 4 seconds!

You my friend are doing it real big:hail: