A beautiful day at Laguna Seca

[Dhalsim]

I did the HPDE with NCRC Monday at Laguna Seca. The weather was nice and the car felt great.

I had new EBC rotors, Hawk pads and SSlines put in as well as the Type R chasis bars and this made a very nice difference on the track. I was much faster than before and passing 911s, M3s and EVOs all day put a big smile on my face. :smile:

Plus I took my wife for 1 session and hearing her screams as we careened down the corkscrew and pleading to be let off gave me endless pleasure. :biggrin:

And as usual when I go to Laguna Seca I make it a family day so the little ones got to watch daddy race around the track and see other cool cars.

I had a Ferrari F430 in my group but the 2 times I saw him line up on the grid he was either way ahead of me or far behind. I was just drooling for a chance to get a shot of me passing him on video. I did see him in the dirt after turn 4 but it looked like he had just parked there and I wasn't sure if he spun or not.

I had a great time chasing a 335I around the track and was happy to be able to keep up with him on the straights......I couldn't pass him but I was right there at every turn.

Here are a few pics from a nice day at the track..............

 

[Dtrigg]

Your wife, kids and I think you. Well, at least I thank you. Great photos and so cool you had an opportunity to include the family.:biggrin: Too bad you still drive like an old lady.:tongue:

Doug

 

[NSXAMG996TT]

Roger- you are everywhere man! You're at every meet, car show, and now Laguna on a Monday (I'm jealous). Anyways, sounds like you were kicking ass. Was that F430 as spyder with the license plate "LINXS" (that guy is crazy fast).

There's going to be a group of NSXs at Trackmaster 4/24 THILL - hope you can make it!

 

[Dhalsim]

Your wife, kids and I think you. Well, at least I thank you. Great photos and so cool you had an opportunity to include the family.:biggrin: Too bad you still drive like an old lady.:tongue:

Doug

ha ha ha....bring it on old man.....bring it on......

Roger- you are everywhere man! You're at every meet, car show, and now Laguna on a Monday (I'm jealous). Anyways, sounds like you were kicking ass. Was that F430 as spyder with the license plate "LINXS" (that guy is crazy fast).

There's going to be a group of NSXs at Trackmaster 4/24 THILL - hope you can make it!

I like to get around. :biggrin:

I dont think that F430 was the one you were thinking about. I posted a pic below.

I would love to run Trackmasters on 4/24. I haven't had the NSX at T-Hill yet and it would be nice to have some other NSXs around. Besides I could use some pointers on my driving. If I can ever get my vid to upload to youtube I want to post it and get some feedback on my line and stuff.........

 

[EK]

I was at Laguna Seca on Easter Sunday with the family. Should have
stayed and join you folks.

 

[Dhalsim]

I was at Laguna Seca on Easter Sunday with the family. Should have
stayed and join you folks.

Ahhh....the Skip barber class.....very nice. I saw those cars parked there and I saw that they have an IS-f as well..........

 

[nsxnut]

I would love to run Trackmasters on 4/24. I haven't had the NSX at T-Hill yet and it would be nice to have some other NSXs around. Besides I could use some pointers on my driving. If I can ever get my vid to upload to youtube I want to post it and get some feedback on my line and stuff.........

I'll be there at Thunder Hill. For the most part I'm at all of the Trackmasters Events.

Later,
Don

 

[Dhalsim]

ok here is the vid. I dont know how to put the video in a post so I will just post the link. Ignore the screaming wife......:biggrin:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRREvKDuW-A

 

[Dtrigg]

Nice video Roger. Thanks for sharing.:biggrin:

 

[Hrant]

You are a smooth driver and that is a huge plus. And you are taking the apexes pretty well, center and a bit late as needed. My recommendation is you focus on the track out as you are not using all the track at turns 5, 6, coming down the cork screw and 9. As you pick up more speed, if you don't track out closer to the berm you will be rubbing off speed from the tires.

And, unless the camera's angle being closer to the passenger side is giving a biased view, I would hug the left white line at turn 1 (right after the front straight bridge) as close I can, otherwise at speed you will be tossed to the right edge coming out of that turn ........... and even then it takes some balls asking me how I learned ........ :biggrin:

As Don said, you should come and play with us ...... :wink:

 

[Dhalsim]

You are a smooth driver and that is a huge plus. And you are taking the apexes pretty well, center and a bit late as needed. My recommendation is you focus on the track out as you are not using all the track at turns 5, 6, coming down the cork screw and 9. As you pick up more speed, if you don't track out closer to the berm you will be rubbing off speed from the tires.

And, unless the camera's angle being closer to the passenger side is giving a biased view, I would hug the left white line at turn 1 (right after the front straight bridge) as close I can, otherwise at speed you will be tossed to the right edge coming out of that turn ........... and even then it takes some balls asking me how I learned ........ :biggrin:

As Don said, you should come and play with us ...... :wink:

Great.....thanks for the tips.

Also I did all the sessions with the TCS on. What are the advantages/disadvantages to this? I only could feel the TCS interferring after turn 9 coming down toward 10.

 

[Hrant]

Great.....thanks for the tips.

Also I did all the sessions with the TCS on. What are the advantages/disadvantages to this? I only could feel the TCS interfering after turn 9 coming down toward 10.

You just said it; "interfering" but not sure why at turn 10!

Right at the time that you want some control of the throttle, the TCS on cuts off the fuel hence your traction; this is the last thing you want if you are at the edge.

Also, I forgot to note, try to practice/learn to blip the throttle before downshifting so the engine doesn't do most of the braking for you (rev matching). You did not lock up the rear wheels from downshifts, but as you increase speeds and come to corners where you really need to slow down, like turns: 2, the corkscrew, and 11 at Laguna; turns 7 and 11 at Infineon: or turn 10 and 14 at THill, you will find such a technique very helpful to keep more control of the car.

 

[Prospeed]

Great pics! How did the car feel?

 

[Dhalsim]

Great pics! How did the car feel?

The car felt great and my wife and friends said it sounded great coming down the straight. I just wish I had your re-flash done already.

 

[ChopsJazz]

Looks like fun. I love Laguna Seca.

Nice vid too. I agree with Hrant about your line. But I think you are doing fine to be cautious with speed, and hence the need to use all the track, at turn 6. Notice all the skid marks for a couple hundred feet after the apex that lead off track to the left. That turn can really bite you.

I love the Corkscrew too, but oddly my favorite turn is hardly a turn at all. Turn 1 is such a gas to take full throttle with no lift! Blind and cresting a hill! It's a real gut check. :biggrin:

 

[Dhalsim]

Looks like fun. I love Laguna Seca.

Nice vid too. I agree with Hrant about your line. But I think you are doing fine to be cautious with speed, and hence the need to use all the track, at turn 6. Notice all the skid marks for a couple hundred feet after the apex that lead off track to the left. That turn can really bite you.

I love the Corkscrew too, but oddly my favorite turn is hardly a turn at all. Turn 1 is such a gas to take full throttle with no lift! Blind and cresting a hill! It's a real gut check. :biggrin:

Oh yeah......turn 1 can make you pucker up......I go to admit I let off the throttle a little there.....but as the day wore on I found myself going faster and faster through there.....

 

[ChopsJazz]

Oh yeah......turn 1 can make you pucker up......I go to admit I let off the throttle a little there.....but as the day wore on I found myself going faster and faster through there.....

Fun, huh?

I like to stand in the paddock and just listen to brave souls that go flat through 1. :biggrin:

 

[Prospeed]

The car felt great and my wife and friends said it sounded great coming down the straight. I just wish I had your re-flash done already.

Soon!!! :smile: When are you going back to the track? I would love some feedback on the Rom upgrade.

 

[Dhalsim]

Soon!!! :smile: When are you going back to the track? I would love some feedback on the Rom upgrade.

I'm thinking of doing the Trackmaster event with the other guys on the 24th. Ironically I am in So-Cal right now on a 2 day biz trip and I should have pulled the ECU and sent it to you but didn't.

 

[nsxnut]

Fun, huh?

I like to stand in the paddock and just listen to brave souls that go flat through 1. :biggrin:

When are we going to get you out there?

Later,
Don

 

[ChopsJazz]

When are we going to get you out there?

Later,
Don

Hopefully soon Don. The car should be put of the shop in a week or two.

 

[Cozmo]

I dont think that F430 was the one you were thinking about. I posted a pic below.

Actually that is a 360 not an F430.. not that it makes him much easier to catch. :wink:

 

[NSXLuvr]

1st of all Congrats - Driving a NSX on a track like Laguna Seca must be a blast.

What mods, what suspension, what tires, how much track experience do you have?

Couple of comments: I clocked you at a 1:59 on the 2nd lap(it had no traffic). I have no clue if that is a good time or not but I see a couple of places where you aren't using the whole track and quite a few corners where you aren't close to full throttle at apex. I would say you need more throttle at the apex to get the car to rotate more so that you can have more space at track out. This will/should tell you that you can carry more speed at track out. Obviously I am just being an Interent coach and have only driven LS on Xbox, So take it with a grain of salt and some thick skin.:wink: Either way - looks like you are having fun and that is the most important thing.

 

[ALSWEL]

FWIW, Jeremy Clarkson did a 1:57 in the NSX LS special. He had the track all day, to him self in what appeared to be a stock 2005. Like you said, I also have no clue if that is a good time or not.

 

[ChopsJazz]

Couple of comments: I clocked you at a 1:59 on the 2nd lap(it had not traffic). I have no clue if that is a good time or not but I see a couple of places where you aren't using the whole track and quite a few corners where you aren't close to full throttle at apex. I would say you need more throttle at the apex to get the car to rotate more so that you can have more space at track out. This will/should tell you that you can carry more speed at track out. Obviously I am just being an Interent coach and have only driven LS on Xbox, So take it with a grain of salt and some thick skin.:wink: Either way - looks like you are having fun and that is the most important thing.

Careful! Jeremy thought Xbox ws teaching him something too!

http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=clarkson+nsx&hl=en&emb=0&aq=f#