Watkins Glen Track Video
 

Wow. If you haven't signed up for Watkins Glen, go do it now. It is a blast! I think Tony got it right when he said that it is a HP and balls track. It is very, very fast, and there are many blind apexes, so it demands patience. I actually think you could do pretty well in a lower HP car, but you would really have to pay attention to the elevation changes.

My newbie impression was that this track is relatively easy to learn to drive (the turns are well spaced and, for the most part, your car ends up where it needs to be in preparation for the next turn), but a relatively difficult track to learn to drive well (because it is very fast and many, many of the turns have blind apexes). This track seems to reward patience and smoothness more than most, and seems like it would punish errors more harshly than many (pretty blue walls surround much of the track).

Again, I had a great instructor: Dr. Howard Johnson. He provided me with various articles based upon what he thought would help me most. This time, the most important thing I learned related to braking. In an effort to be smooth, I had been using a braking force that most closely resembed a bell curve: smooth application gradually rising in force until I smoothly released the brakes. He explained that, rather than being easy on brakes (which was, although secondary in my mind to smoothness, one of the things I thought I was accomplishing), I was actually unnecessarily heating them and then abusing them after they were heated. He explained that the force curve should more resemble a trapezoid with a smooth application that quickly rises to threshold braking and then released smoothly again with the goal of having constant braking force throughout application over a shorter time period. Very interesting.

This was a two day event. Because I was out of region and at a new track, I ran in D group, which is the most novice. The first day at the track in D group was, as can be expected, hampered by trains. It was also cold and rainy, which kept speeds way, way down, which is not necessarily a bad thing. The first day we had three 20 minute runs. The second day, as usual, the trains started to break up as newbie drivers learned to watch mirrors a little better. The attached clip shows one lap in my third 20 minute session on the second day. As mentioned before, it was cold and drizzly, and the conversations around the paddock about how the concrete patches that helped so much in the dry were now extra slippery in the wet convinced me to take it easy (I did not want to repeat my hydroplaning incident from VIR) so that I did not slam my car into one of the pretty blue walls (which did not intimidate me as much as I thought they would). Accordingly, the clip reflects my conscious decision (1) to drive relatively slowly; (2) to hit very, very late apexes; and (3) to try to concentrate on driving as smoothly as possible.

A bit of good news! My wife joined me at the track and had a relatively good time. We had great dinners at the Red Newt Bistro and the Stonecat Cafe, and we even brought home some NY wine. Most importantly, I received full spousal approval to buy a dedicated track car. I have a few serious leads in mind, and, within the next few weeks, I will be the proud new owner of a 944 NA track car. I am already doing left arm exercises so that I will be ready for the pointbys I will soon have to learn how to give.

One thing I noticed this weekend is that the track is really starting to slow down for me. I feel with each lap that I am driving slower and slower, and yet the lap times (which I know are unimportant at DEs and at this point in my learning curve) are getting faster and faster.

One slightly disturbing thing I saw on the first day was a few drivers who were driving as fast or slightly faster than I was but with lines that were way, way off. I even saw a few saves that could easily have had very bad outcomes. It emphasized to me the need to concentrate on driving very well and let the speed take care of itself . . .

Here is the clip, right click save as . . . As always, constructive criticism is welcome. I know how much I still need to learn. This is, after all, only my fifth DE.

http://homepage.mac.com/porschenosub...eTheater1.html

If you are having problems seeing the video, try this link:

http://homepage.mac.com/porschenosub...eSharing2.html

Nice video. I'll have to hit you up for pointers - I've never been there!

Say, don't you have this data logging gadget and cool software that let's you put speed, etc. on the video? Inquirying minds wanna know how fast you're going! :wink:

Looks like you had the place all to yourself! Nice. Thanks for sharing the vid.

I've never been there, but it is on the gotta do list for 2006.

Overall it looked like a nice smooth lap... Some things I like to do:

T1 - Looked good. I like to get down on the "strips" or "curbing" to feel like I've maximized the turn.

T2 -T3-T4 - The Esses - I try to avoid "crossing over" the concrete patches. For Turn 2, I place the right tires inside the patch and stay right inside along the curbing. Therefore I think your turn in was a bit late. Good transition to the left, but again I try to stick the left side tires "inside" the patch to keep the car smoother.

Bus Stop - Nice smooth arc.. no wheel correction.. Great! Again, I like to hear the "frrp frrp" of running over the edges of the curbing. That way I know I've maximized track space usage...

Carousel .. I think you didn't start out far enough to the left at turn in, which made it look like a "straight" before you finally decided to turn down to the apex. Again, I think you were late here. I prefer to run the riight side tires inside the concrete patch.. Which would allow you to track out a bit farther at exit.

Toe of the boot.. I encourage a tighter entrance line, as long as the car has the cornering grip to do so.

Judging by the empty passenger seat, I would say your instructor was comfortable with you driving solo and I would concur.. You looked good out there, especially since it was your first time at Watkins Glen.. Great track isn't it!

Thanks Dave! I really liked Watkins Glen.

I was a little nervous about touching the paint in the wet conditions, so I stayed out of the paint in T1 in the clip. During some of the dryer runs, I went all the way down the way you describe. T1 seems to me to be extremely important since it can really affect your shift points through the esses. I was taking T1 in 3rd, and then shifting to 4th before T2 most of the time. I can imagine that I might be able to take T1 in 4th, which would allow you to hit 5th in the middle of the esses and would be breathtakingly fast.

T2, yes, I was taking that late, as I was many of the turns. I will start slowly dialing back my turn in points at my next DE there.

Thanks for the comments!

I remember now you saying it was damp/wet. I couldn't really see it on video. I'm glad you liked the Glen. It's a fun track and if you like your racing history, it's certainly even more exciting to think of all the legends that have raced there.

While my car is completely different then yours, I enjoyed the Glen this year for the first time with my new suspension. As you mention the importance of turn one, I was finally able to take T1 in 4th, and go to fifth at or after the cross over to the left in the esses. I was now picking up 8-10 mph (as my speedo indicated..) more speed by the bust stop then before the mods, and this was with a passenger in the car. Clearly getting T1 right is key to a good lap at the Glen.

I think I have a better solution now for windows users. Try the following link:

http://forums.rennlist.com/rennforum...d.php?t=206151

TD in DC