report, pics: PR lapping 12/12

[an nguyen]

It was cold but luckily the rain arrived as I was leaving, an hr after the last session.  First time entering the track that day, I started slow, knowing the tires were really cold, and brand new in back.  Barely gave it gas and spun; I couldn't believe it!  luckily other cars on track were far away and I had plenty of time to get going in the proper direction.  quite embarrassing, although not as bad as the lotus elise 190 race car (!) that ran outta gas minutes after the driver said he had to get gas.  Fyi track entry is an off camber, declining right hander (does not promote traction!).

I lapped 250+ km (woulda been ~275 if the lotus hadn't run outta gas) and top spd was 200kph for an instant just before turn 2.  that was fast enough to scare me, given that the surface there is rough/uneven and there's barely enough space to fit betw the big pavement crack on the left and the column of brake zone cones on the right (proformance arranges it tight, unlike alfa club's cone placement).  I only went that fast twice, and once I braked too hard:  even in a straight line and w/ abs (I'm puzzled why it didn't kick in) I began deviating left and right for a second.  Then I slowed down enough to go straight again once skidding subsided.  Then heel/toed to 4th.  The stock protégé 5 couldn't scare me like that; I only went 165kph at the same spot.  

Pics:
http://www.freewebs.com/anguyen

[KevinBuckham]

The pictures were great. I am really itching to get my car back on the road and do some lapping days.

How did you transport your race rubber?  Did you have a "support" car come with you?

[Kimyee Lai]

Ooh...that's painful.  Track crash = no insurance coverage!  Sounds like you had fun...

[an nguyen]

thanks, glad u like the pics =).

2g's have plenty of space!  i bring 4 race wheels and spare, 6.6 gal gas tank, jack, tools, & helmet w/o using passenger area or removing trunk cover.

i don't wanna tow; that's why i ruled out buying cars like a c4 vette, rx7, etc.

[Martin Raska]

Wow even late in the season that's some nice cars there too.  That's awesome too how much track time you got 250kmh is pretty darn nice.  Definitely a workout on the car.  Did you have to refuel at all during that?  I don't think my car would stand 250km of lapping on a full tank.

[an nguyen]

only proformance lapping days give that much track time =).

Got a full tank, drove 5km to pr, ran 2 ~30 min sessions and the gas gauge read ~3/8.  I went for session 3 and about midway thru had fuel cutout due to sloshing; fuel warning light never came on.  Made a mistake of trusting the inaccurate gauge and not using that 6 gal jerry can I brought, which was actually taken to bail out the lotus that got stranded later on track.  Went for lunch/gas and lapped another ~75 mins; probably used ¾ tank for that.

[Mike Schmid]

Cool pics.  Good to see some of the people who can afford those awesome cars have the balls to put them to the abuse they were built for instead of babying them around town just above idle.

[an nguyen]

actually the stradale only dropped by.  but there was another elise on track; didn't get a close look so dunno what version, but likely not 190 like the one i shot.  also tracking were gt3 and other porsches, viper...

[Mike Schmid]

Oh, that's too bad, I guess it's still more respectable than dropping by the country club tho.  :roll:

I'd love to do a lapping day sometime.  My car would need some serious work and I'd need more money first tho, hehe.  Somehow I just dont think a stock SMIC, stock injectors and 274k km motor would last long at WOT for upwards of a minute.