VIC Phillip Island Track Day

I would imagine as a driver if you already know your car has set up/performance issues (whatever the reason for that may be?? wet weather setup vs dry etc) BEFORE heading out onto the track!......... & once out there you can obviously see in your mirrors that another car is up your clacker for the best part of the lap!.......it sould just be 'common courtesy' to let them pass??........then you can get back to dealing with your own issues without ruining the experience for someone else???

I don't think a long winded explanation is going to change anyone's perception of what should simply be a 'common courtesy' scenario!

 

Adding my 2cents worth ... as someone who has been involved with motorsport since the late 60's .... at club track days like this as well as open races nationally.

There are a couple of "rules" and these are ....

in sprints we are only competing against the clock and not against each other ... sprints are not "races".

In a sprint, if you are unable to effect a clean pass (and the responsibility for a clean pass always vests with the overtaking driver), then drop back a bit and go again.

For a driver who is aware of an impending attempt to pass, you are expected to hold to your racing line and not diverge ... to let someone past is as simple as a momentary lift off the throttle which should not cost more than 2 tenths ...

Circuits days are all about respect - giving your co-entrants your respect by paying attention to your mirrors, driving within your (and the vehciles) abilities, and also not "monstering" those on the track ahead in an attempt to "force" a pass.

I am not making any comments about either protaganist in this post, other than to simply observe that the driver of a car that is demonstrably quicker than another should be able to effect a pass in a simple and efficient manner. If a driver is not able to effect a "surgically clean pass" when enjoying a 3 seconds/lap advantage, then perhaps he ot she should look to their technique and understand why it was that the pass could not be effected.

I can demonstrate on video this evening at the NDSOC meeting what "leaving enough room" actually means with #32 going underneath me on the run down to T3, and how to effect a pass, with vision of a corner entry pass into T1 and T2 - perhaps the quickest parts of the circuit to do so.

IMHO opinion, anyone who bitches about "billy bloggs not letting me past" is making excuses for a lack of technique, and a less than adequate appreciation for what it is all about - which is basically to have fun and enjoy our cars "at speed" in an environment where Plod won't rip us off.

The other point is that any driver who is struggling with some deficiencies in the vehicle does need to be sensitive to the situaiton unfolding in his/her mirrors and be ready to yield track position when safe to do so, in the interests of all entrants enjoying their day.

I'd be more than happy to have a (mature) discussion with the two scribes in this thread who are directly affected, on the basis that I do have something to offer - just speak to WYKKED who found 1.5 seconds out of a small piece of advice offered ... and bear in mind that I personally have still not stopped learning ... that's all part of the FUN - which is what it should be all about (rather than a bitch-session on a blog).

RB

 

My in car video is now up at Youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHAKCbJRrac

 

It's not working for me teky.

 

is anyone else having issues with the clip? works OK for me

 

Well it must be me then. All good.

 

My thoughts

Well said Rob. I must admit I was a little hot under the collar after a double move by a clubbie in my session, and a cut-off manoeuvre through hayshed. I thought about getting out after the session and giving a piece of my mind, but then I took a moment.
What am I here for? Fun.
Does it really matter what time I get? Not really.

Look maybe he was concentrating himself, on getting his lines right, watch something going on in his car, looking for me in his mirrors. But, really what is the matter I was having a ball.
The day was a great event, I got to prove a few more things with the car and we all had a great time. Especially, noting the fact that we all drove our cars home. Think how poor of a day it was for the lotus elise guy who buried it in the tyres and has done significant damage.

Regardless I know I need to take turns a lot fast than I do, brake later, hit more apexes, do less burn outs out of the corners, etc. But, I don?t care as I had a ball.
PI is the best circuit and I am thankful that as amateurs we are still able to access it.
I am already planning next year?s attendance.
So who?s in?

 

nice video tekky. that spin at 5:20 looked pretty intense.

 

was going pretty fast about 140klm/hr. But I knew I couldnt steer so waiting till i got past the tyre wall to flick it around. If I had gone straight I wouldnt have stopped before the fence.

The sun was a bastard. I couldnt see the edge of the track till i was over it.

 

What a top day. I've been a bit slow to respond because I wanted to get some videos edited and uploaded before I did, and that took longer than expected. I love motorsport and that was my 7th track day so far this year, but what made it even more special was sharing it with so many other members both as drivers and spectators/support crew. I have to thank Rob who took the time to shadow me for a few laps and then pointed out where I had some time to make up. Being told to go harder and deeper into turn one is a little daunting but I trust Rob, who knows what he is talking about when it comes to racing, and he proved himself right. Shaving 1.5 seconds off my lap time and getting under 2 minutes was a real buzz.

It was great to see Alex going so quickly in what is basically a stock car with a very powerful engine. I can only imagine he will get faster once he gets a better brake setup and a decent seat and wheel. Dave and the evade spent the Saturday night at our place and it was great to finally see the car on the track, even better to see the grin on his and Chris's faces after each session. I'm also sure that once Dino gets back to NSW and spreads the word about the top weekend he had and the great track the Phillip Island is we will get even more interstate visitors for the next one. I also finally got to see Graham in action on the track, even if he did spend a bit of the time going bush...... but no harm and no damage done. In fact I didn't see anyone having to do anything major to their cars for the whole day. After seeing Rob in action in the 370 I must say I was impressed. The man can drive, and Nissan have obviously built a decent car because he was very quick in something that is basically straight off the showroom floor. Hopefully we can get him along to other track days as his company and knowledge were great (and I'd love to get down into the 1.20's at Sandown).

Youtube have restricted their video uploads to 10 minutes max so I've shortened these down a little to suit. In the first run I pulled wide and slowed down into turn one to allow Alex to get past. I then spent the session trying to catch him, and while I got close a couple of times it wasn't going to happen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BE1DA_miG9M

Run 2, and I went out behind Rob in the 370 but he had agreed to shadow me and give me some tips so he waved a few cars including me through on the out lap (for some reason I was the only one the stewards wanted to talk to about that) and followed me until Alex caught him, at which point I let both of them past me and once again tried to chase them down. They both managed to get past Paul (MonkeyBoy) into turn one, but it took me another lap before I could do the same. First Alex out braked himself into turn 4, and then on the following lap Rob did. Lucky there is a nice escape road there.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xv7Wg0Go32g

Run 3, and this is after Rob has told me what I need to do to get quicker so watch for some great action into turn one. I started out behind a WRX that had a water spray system which you can clearly see coming out under the car during the lap. I happily got past him because I was getting tired of spray on the windscreen. I then caught up to the slower of the GT40 replicas and try as I might I just couldn't get past him. I could close up quite nicely under brakes into turn one but just couldn't get close enough to effect the pass. Makes for some great footage though. The setting sun was fun in a few sections but a tinted visor meant that I didn't have Graham's problem of going off the track.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gXk4-OAutE

This weekend comming I will be back on the track with the 5th round of the State Hill Climb Championship back at Mt. Leura at Camperdown...I can't wait.

Once again a big thanks to thos who made the effort over the weekend, to Rob for his advice and to Jen for making sure I ate lunch and helping to pack it all up at the end of the day.........Bring on the next one.

 

Nice vids pete

Car looks like it is going and handling very well and the driver looks nice and relaxed, not to much sawing of the wheel going on.
Definately got to get back to that track again, fast and smooth, love it.

 

At that point I didn't out brake my self I just didn't know were the 370 was. So I took the exit road. All I knew is that he was to the right of me and verry close. I didn't take any chances with the car at Philip island because I drove it there and had to drive it back home.

 

Had a great weekend. Got home safe and sound about 8:00pm Tuesday night.

Big thank you to Graham & Jenny for providing the accommodation on the island. What a fantastic track to drive with long sweeping corners. Amazed myself by doing a 2:02.57 late in the day. Definitely got the bug and can't wait to get back down there. The auto was having a bit of trouble changing into 4th at 200kph so I might have to look into getting the valve body mod done and maybe even the flappy paddle option.

My in-car video was a bit of a flop - too much shake in the footage makes it hard to watch. Thanks to Mike for taking my other camera around for the day and getting some nice pics and video from different parts of the track. Was terrific to see so many zedders come down for the day, and it was over before I really got the chance to catch up with everyone.

Had the chance to stop in and catch up with Matt & Mary up the Blue Mountains on the way home, was great to see you guys. Glad I've got a 2+2 - managed to fit 4 rims, a spare heater box, steering wheel and oil cooler (all courtesy of Wokkie) in for the last leg of the trip home. Took the winding route from Springwood to Richmond and then via Wisemans Ferry and on to Peats Ridge before getting back on the highway to head north

 

Top effort Dean, all the way down to the island for some thrashin.

 

You Victorians sure know how to make drama out of a sprint day Then again you have PI, jealous, brilliant circuit, but how do you get the tyres up to temp on a frosty day like that.

 

They come up to temperature quite nicely once you start to lean on them.

 

They dont work cold ( see my first spin on the warm up lap LMAO )

After that I wasnt too confident till the end of the second lap. Then they grip like a BITCH.

RE55's FTW

 

Yeh RE55's are good but too expensive now to replace my worn out ones, gees we get ripped in AU. Imported a set of Nitto NT01's from the US and find them similar to the RE55 so stuff you greedy Bridgestone AU

 

For some reason the RE55's are about $100 each cheaper to buy in NSW than from the QLD dealer. (Assuming its still the same dealer it was when I was living in QLD)