Watkins Glen Track Day

[shotgunslade]

Drove up to Watkins Glen for a HPDE event with Performance Driving Associates on September 18th. About 80 minutes of seat time for the day. Not a bad deal at all. Awesome track. Beautfiul landscape. A lot of elevation change. Many blind apexes. Much different from Pocono. The track is 3.45 miles in the long configuration, including the boot. Here's a map.



Travel is clockwise. Here's my car going through turns 2 and 3, "The Esses." About to get eaten by a G35 coupe. He was pretty fast.



There is so much elevation change here. This shot just after turn 8 gives you some idea.



Many different kinds of cars there. I passed this Elise a couple of times. The driver was not capable of extracting the full performance of the car. Here it is just past turn 9.



The car ran very very well. I was really suprised at the cars I could keep up with. I was never satisfied with how I did turn 7, the "Toe" of the Boot, decreasing radius turn with a steep uphill exit. At the end of the day, we "walked the track" Drove around to selected spots, got out and really looked at it. I then saw why I was having trouble. Need to stay wide almost all the way around, then a quick turn in, put the hammer down and let the wheel run-out quickly to avoid scrubbing off power on the uphill exit.

In addition to driving my car, I rode with some other drivers. This STI had a few mods, and was very fast, but I really didn't like the way it seemed to handle. Even as a passenger, I was aware of the understeer, especially power-on.



The next car I rode in was really awesome. A Noble M12. Fastest car I've ever been in. It just carved. Lateral G's like you wouldn't believe. Look it up on the web. 2400 lbs., 400 hp for this version. It flew.



To warm the hearts of SVX Net, how about an EG33 powered Subie RS. Stock engine except for stand-alone engine management. WRX 5MT, tricked out suspension. 2800 lbs. 200 whp. Faster than the STI. Handled better too. Just a little bit of oversteer after turn-in, to point the car better through the apex. (Maybe he was just a better driver) Then solidly getting power to the pavement without detectable scrub. Very fast (not as fast as the Nobel) with no drama.



Nice engine



Finally, the best car of the weekend. Didn't get to ride in it, but will be looking for it on upcoming track day. A D Jaguar replica, built on shortened and lightened XJS running gear with an E-Type 4.2 liter engine with 3 Solexes.



To Lime Rock October 2, thanks to Young Tom, who diagnosed my cam angle sensor failure this week. Will post pictures.