Watkins Glen Weekend

[shotgunslade]

Weekend before last I did a 2 day DE event at Watkins Glen. It was the second time I've been to the Glen and it is definitely one of my favorites. Everybody says, "It's a big fast race track," and it's true. It's 3.4 miles, 11 turns and a chicane. Top speed in my car, right before the chicane is about 120 mph. Below is a track map. The NASCAR races use the short track, taking the shortcut and leaving out the part of the track they call "the boot." There is a lot of elevation change, particularly on "the boot".



Saturday was a good day with great weather, but it was marred with a number of incidents. Below is a picture of one of them. This guy's Z06 was supercharged and intercooled with maybe 800 hp at the wheels. This guy's license plate was "Devil Z." After his first session, his instructor refused to ride with him, because he wouldn't follow instructions. On the warm-up lap of the second session, on the exit to the first turn after pit-out, he gave it way too much gas and, then, straight into the guard rail. It took 45 minutes to repair the guard rail with additional expenses to "Devil Z' of about $2000 for the repair. I heard two instructors discussing the incident later. One said he didn't know whether the incident started in the entrance to turn 2 or the exit to the turn. The other looked at him and said "I think it started in the womb."



I did OT's "$20, 20 minute" mod before I went to the track. I think it made a big difference in turn-in transitions. Particularly at the chicane where it's a quick right, then a left that you hold to catch both inside curbs, then back right again to exit back on to the straight. The transition seemed a lot smoother than the last time I was at the Glen. I recommend the mod highly. Here is a shot of me about to be eaten by one of the ever-present Evo's. Evo's and C-5 Corvette's are by far the most popular cars at the events I've been at recently. Both give you very big bang for the buck.



Sunday was a completely different experience. For the first time in my motorsports career, I did RAIN. Eighteen track days, and they have all been dry. It is a different experience. Rain demands smoothness, roll on the throttle, roll off the throttle, roll on the brake, roll off the brake, even quick turn-in's should be started slowly, so as not to break loose the tires with the initial movement. I had a couple of squirrely moments, but nothing dramatic. I think that getting the slight additional camber on the rear cured any tendency to be tail happy. The one time the back end started to come around, when I overcooked the entrance to turn 1, while the course was damp, a momentary application of counter-steer was all I needed to get it back in line. Unfortunately, others weren't so lucky, and we had another series of incidents. The worst in my group involved a 996 GT3, which lost it under braking in the wet and did a header into the guard rail just before the chicane. Both air bags popped, and becaue the instructor was wearing a closed face helmet, the airbag gave him quite a jolt. He spent the night in the hospital for observation. I came up just after he hit and there were pieces of Porsche all over the race track. Did a very strange line into and through the chicane to avoid hitting any big pieces. Here is the money RAIN pic:



As always, I got some great rides from instructors during their sessions, a C-6, a race prepared Camaro with a very good driver, a 997 Carerra S, a 944 Turbo also with a great driver, and a race prepared Integra R. Toward the end of the day, the track dried, and my last 2 sessions were terrific. My instructor signed me off to solo. Below is a pic of me being followed by a friend. Note the empty instructor's seat. My friend said he wanted to follow me around for a couple of laps to look at my line. Then he got bored and blew past me. All in all, a great weekend, and a great way ot end the season.