thewird

iTrader: (8)

I know I know, I have been told by many concerned people. I've been considering a roll-cage for over a year now but just can't get up and hack my interior. There has also always been other things to address as I "perfect" my car. I agree completely though that safety should always be your number one priority.

The last lapping session i had in 09, my rear calipers seized. It wasn't very serious but it was enough to upset the brake balance. I had finished passing a car on the back stretch and was setting myself up for the turn (moving from the right to the left), when I pressed the brakes, the car kicked sideways and I had to give up on a proper line and brake enough to just make the turn. Later I found out it was the calipers that seized because the rear rotors cracked and I had that looked at. It was the first time using race pads on the rear so more heat was probably being generated there. Anyway, it could have been nasty if the seizing was a lot more serious and I had not realized what the car was doing and done the needful to correct and stay on the pavement.

Anyway, I can do 1:33's pretty consistently as long as everything is working right and theres no traffic which can't be instantly passed. Getting 1:32's happens when I get into a rhythm usually, and I just barely touch it (1:32.9).

And I realize I really do need a proper seat and harness! Using my leg and arm for support on fast right-handers, as well as holding onto the steering wheel like my life depends on it isn't gonna work anymore if I wish to improve. Every day after a track day my body is always completely dead and sore and I need a few days to fully recover.

I'm definitely over 240 at the end of the back stretch but I don't think I'm anywhere near 200 in turn 4, I'd **** my pants lol.

But anyways, my car is going to do 1:29.xx or better this season even if its the last thing I do with it . I just need to figure out 5b and get more ***** in 2 and it should be doable. Turn 4 could use a bit of tweaking but that turn is dangerous, don't want to push too much.

thewird

01Racing

One day soon there will be another fatality at a lapping day with street cars and it will change the landscape forever. The fastest I think any street car went on sticky tires was a documented 1.31 and that was a 2009 Z06 with a pro driver. If your car can run a 1.29 at Mosport its suicide to get in that car without a full cage and full driver protection.

thewird

iTrader: (8)

If anything happens, I blame you for teaching me to run lower tire pressures and making me improve 4 seconds in one session in the spring (1:40 --> 1:36) I'll put in a cage eventually, just a matter of when.

thewird

RacerJason

iTrader: (5)

5b is a compromise corner, what most would call the perfect line at first glance isn't the perfect line because your exit is most important.

And a cage can be built to mesh with the interior quite nicely. The pacecars we had in Champcar were works of art. Ian has a nice cage that hasn't sacrificed the appearance of the interior greatly. There are a few very talented cage builders within an hours drive of the GTA.

IAN

iTrader: (3)

I agree. Get a good helmet. If you frequent the track alot get a roll bar at least. I have half a cage. It makes me feel a little bit safer but should have done a full cage. The roll bar was around $1500 which is nothing if I still get to keep my head or survive without a major injury. How much would it cost if I messed up my legs or shoulders etc and can't work...


Funny the only time I'm concerned about a cage is at mosport. (Have not been to calabogie yet). Shannonville cayuga I don't see the point

And 01racing is going to the dark side!! He is selling his track FC!!!

01Racing

At anything under 1.45's at Mosport it isnt just ahoop over your head protection you need. If you hit a wall sideways your body will stop the concrete if your going 100mph (every corner almost). You need side intrusion protection and shock tower into interior protection on both ends of the car

thewird

iTrader: (8)

I realize that because it leads to the longest straightaway on the course but I can't figure out how to set my car up for it. I mean, I go fast through it but I feel there is someway to get through it faster. I have tried multiple ways of setting the car up but it never feels right. It just feels like theres more in that corner and I just need to figure out how to do it. Maybe I'm doing something wrong tackling the problem wrong. Theres something I'm missing there, I know it.

thewird

DynoDragon

iTrader: (1)

If anyone is interested in Bell helmets - Peter: hanson_gtr@sympatico.ca

23Racer

I may be able to help as I only have about 8 million race laps at Mosport and I have more than a few good laps there.

A good Turn 5 actually starts at the apex in Turn 4. You need to slightly late apex Turn 4 with a lot of momentum. I am flat in 4th. The g forces will force your car towards the middle of the track entering turn 5. I use the steeper right side of the entrance to 5a to help slow the car and downshift into 3rd. So the pattern is at the flat between 4 and 5 brake hard, ease the brakes, downshift, stick the car into the steeper entance side and brake really hard. Lift off the brakes as you crest 5a at the apex, down shift again into 2nd, let the car drift out to the outside left between 5a and 5b, I go about 3/4's out. Use the off camber portion on the left side of the track between 5a and 5b to help you get the car rotated. You then need to plant your foot as you drive down to the apex in 5b and steer out of the corner.

I am usually hard on the throttle from the outside point of your line between 5a and 5b all the way into turn 8. I steer hard and use the exit curbing a bit so that I don't need to lift.

Am I able to do this every lap? With traffic, defending your position, tires going off, track conditions, smoothness of the down shift it doesn't always happen. But every so often everything is correct and it just flows. the dip at 5b helps plant the tires and you just rocket out of the corner and pick up half a second over your regular laps.

There I gave you almost 20 years of knowledge about Turn 5. Now go buy a good helmet, LOL.

Take care,

Eric

01Racing

There are tons of in car video's with touring style cars that will handle similar to your car. Just go to youtube or Vimeo and you will find them. I have 6 or 8 vids posted on vimeo where you can see the lines that work best for me and my RX7. There is even a vid of what doesn't work which is demonstrated by me driving off turn 5 lol

JDK

iTrader: (8)

Eric drives my line.... But I can only manage 1:36's, maybe i'm to old.

23Racer

Thats because there really is only one fast line through 5. A lot of the speed at Mosport comes through the speed you carry through Turns 1, 2, 3, 4 and 8. The bigger the b@lls the lower the lap time.

Oh yeah grip and HP have a lot to do with it as well, LOL.


Jim, I should put you in the racepig and see how you like it. Somewhat less HP than your car, but more grip and responsiveness. Who knows, you may really like it!!!!!!


Eric

thewird

iTrader: (8)

Very insightful but what do you do when you can't plant your foot down until your well out of 5b. If I did what you describe with my car I will very likely do a nice 360 at 5b .

Basically, when I get it "right" with my current experience. After braking for 4, I get a little queasy after transitioning into throttle at the entrance, I slowly put down the power and am WOT before the apex, then straighten the car and full brake and downshift to 3rd, turn into the corner tight and while apex'ing 5a rev match downshift into 2nd, give it a little gas and go to the outside and brake. Then turn into 5b and very carefully apply the throttle and about halfway out of the corner I'm WOT. That's how I do it anyway...

And I do have a helmet, 2 in fact. I have a $40 ebay helmet and a $300+ HJC helmet. I give the HJC helmet to my passengers, I never used it once >_>.

Yup, I need to grow my ***** in 2. I still haven't got over when I did a 180 in turn 2 in the rain on my first lap at my first track day 2-3 years ago.

thewird

JDK

iTrader: (8)

[QUOTE=23Racer;9755442]


Jim, I should put you in the racepig and see how you like it. Somewhat less HP than your car, but more grip and responsiveness. Who knows, you may really like it!!!!!!

OK..... I'm sure i will

23Racer

Interesting. What you are talking about is an overall lack of grip. This could be caused by many many things and I am not going to go into it here, but your issues through 4, most racers give a quick lift going in full through it then a double brake going into 5. How far out are you going before transitioning into 5b? Most of the really high HP cars ease into the throttle until the apex of 5B then are flat all the way up.

I would suggest a few things to improve your exit grip like softer rear springs, softer rear bar or bigger front bar use adjustable bars to fine tune, more tow-in at the rear, reduce the compression damping in the rear shocks to allow more squat, bigger sidewall rear tires and softer pressures. All of these things will compromise handling in other parts of the track so you need to test and see what works the best for you and your car and your driving style.

On a general note, I usually find that cars are easier to drive fast at Mosport when you start them off with a slight understeer at the limit and slowly pulling it back as you get more comfortable.

The other issue more than likely is that your car has way to much power for the tires, the car is too heavy, the rubber bits are all squishing all over the place and changing toe and camber under load, you have no aero helping you at high speeds and your car's unibody is deflecting because you are putting almost 500 hp through it with really sticky tires.

All I can say is that a 1:32.9 is very very fast with what is essentially a street car and street cars really really really don't like going that fast, even if they can.

Good work on the speed.

Eric

thewird

iTrader: (8)

Eh, I had completely forgot about that. I had decided late in the year to try softer rear springs after following Sasha around Shannonville for a few laps in his race car. The way his car plants coming out of corners is completely different to how mine just drifts coming out of corner following the exact same line so I can't put the power down because of it.

My suspension is very stiff with 900 pounds (16k) in the front and 1000 pounds (18k) in the rear and I run 275/45/17 Hoosier R6's all around. I have already tried playing with the suspension dampening and have found a setting I like. Also, have more camber in the rear and a touch at the front. I was thinking of reducing my rear to 900 pounds (16k) for this year and trying it out.

My car definitely oversteer's which might be my overall problem. But at high speed corners its a very controllable oversteer using the throttle. I especially like how it feels in turn 8 being able to have a slight drift while following other cars that are perfectly straight and catching up to them in the corners like that even so.

Thanks a lot for the detailed explanations, I always enjoy hearing from people who have a lot of experience.

thewird