[Mackpipes]

What a way to end the season! Great weather, company, and a patient instructor. My first run was so F'd up I though my instructor was going to send me back for an HPDC so I could get my sh#t together. Things started comming back to me the next session.

Humbling moment: Realizing just how fast Lucky really is. Congrats to both Lucky and Blacktalon on the promos to white.

Pucker moment: Hearing a loud bag comming through 9 only to find out is was someone elses car backfiring.

Fun moment: Seeing Pari's face after an obvious good run with Betty the Uber Instructor. Pari, you're a good sport for sticking it out til Sunday. It was worth the wait though wasn't it.

The last run of the day on Sunday was by far the coolest. I got to watch Doug and Charlie dice it up. Doug has the smoothest lines I've seen. Every turn is well thought out. Charlie pushes himself and his car further every run. They fed off each other. It was cool to watch.

I think I feel worse about RL's car than he does. I hope it turns out to be minor. Consider yourself luck, you weren't hurt. Cars can be fixed.

So til next year, let the winter projects begin!

[bettyc]

Instruction rates.....agents....and here I was thinking I couldn't afford a bigger motor over the winter! :o

My going rate is that the driver have a good time, not wreck the car and come back and do it again, oh, and learn something. Actually that is the rate all the instructors charge.

Lesson of the weekend: if it's not going well with your instructor, talk to the the CI. It's not considered a failure or whining. It's almost always just a personality issue. Believe it or not, and it's really hard to believe after hearing that I am now worshipped as an instructor, I've struggled with students in the past. It happens. Don't let it ruin your event or your passion for doing this.

If you really want, you can request specific instructors for events. There's no guarantee that it will happen but they do try to honor requests when possible.

And don't worry Firoze, I only taught Pari a couple tricks. You've got a little time left.

[}{arlequin]

Pari, I'm glad you accomplished what you set out to do. Now that you're on that slippery slope, look out. First it will be the pads, then wheels and tires (luckily cookie cutters are cheap), a seat and some harnesses will follow... don't forget that helmet too

Maybe I'm reading it wrong but my edition of Panorama lists the following:
DE Oct 18-19 Shenandoah @ Summit
DE Oct 30-31 Shenandoah @ Summit
DE Nov 5-7 @ VIR
DE Nov 19-20 @ Carolina
(I'm not even mentioning the one on Oct 23-24 which is in Alabama, b/c it's over two states away, I think.) Since we're practically in VA (some of us) I think N.Carolina can't be *that* far away. Can it?

Am I missing something or do you guys strictly go to the ones held by your region? I thought the benefit of PCA was the intechangeability/availability of doing different tracks at different times. By now the southern regions may be getting tired or having broken cars which means the snowbirds that do make it there would probably have more tracktime too. (I'm just hoping I can get my brakes sorted before the end of the month)

[BlackTalon]

Dave - the Shenandoah circuit probably will not be complete for the October events. If it is, Potomac is going to have a "test" event with only Rad/ Black/ white groups...

NASA is pretty much the only way to go if you want any more SP time this Fall. Audi may still have some openings, but their event is not on a weekend...

[BobNovas]

Forbidden secrets of the Dorki Ninja Master Tony

I asked Tony to come for a ride with me, hoping to get some pointers and coaching. I gotta tell ya, I got way more than my money's worth! I'll bet I picked up a couple of seconds (faster) with what I learned.

I was braking too early in 1 - the problem was how I applied the brakes. If I jumped on the brakes, I could brake at the 4 marker and be too slow at turn in. If I jumped on the brakes at 3, I couldn't get the car under control in time to turn. If I squeezed on the brakes instead, I could brake at the 3 marker and still be good for turnin. The difference was in how jumping on the brakes upset the car whereas squeezing on the brakes (smoooooth) but with as much maximum brake pedal pressure settled the car before braking it.

The other place I made up major time was in the carrossel. Tony had me stay down low, way down from the alligators. My old line was up on the alligators - if you stay low, you can't get parallel to the little straight-away after 7, but you really don't have to be track right for the turn in to 8 - track middle is good enough. I think that cuts a ton of distance out of the carrossel.

Tony's final advice was to ease up on the wheel for the bump after 9. That bump has eaten a lot of cars over the years. I never thought of just straightening the wheel slightly about 2/3 towards track left, but that is what I did and it seems to help with the car's stability.

So I was real happy with the results. Thanks Tony!

[Mackpipes]

Bob, I also adjusted the way I brake into turn one. I was braking way too late and wasn't carrying enough speed into the corner. A side result was cooking the brakes. Nothing better than a soft pedal going into 10. After a classroom session on braking, I tried braking earlier and less. It worked. I found I was carrying more speed intoo the corner and had breaks for the whole day. I think what I really need to do is get rid of some weight.

[Lucky]

Originally Posted by Mackpipes

I tried braking earlier and less. It worked.

See, Smack... I wasn't joking when I said your braking problems would go away if you used them less.

There may be one or two tracks where you need the 993 caliper/custom rotor upgrade you have planned, but your stock brakes are more than good enough for SP, VIR, and many, many other tracks.

[Mackpipes]

Actually, I've changed my mind on the 993 brakes. I was watching Speed Vision late one night and saw racing Semis on the track in Europe, and got to thinking. So I did a little research.

My new brake project will require me to run 22" tractor trailer wheels and tires, but.... I will install the 19" racing Semi brake rotors with 10 piston water jet cooled calipers. I know, I know the added 1200 lbs of brakes and the weight of the wheels and tires, and the 500 gallons of water for the water jet system might hurt my power to weight ratio. But I'll never have to worry about losing the brakes going into turn 10 at SP again! :P

Mackpipes-Mackbrakes, the next logical progression

[APKhaos]

Damn I love those trucks! There was a program running this year to introduce the euro race trucks to US audiences. They ran the trucks at Mid Ohio with 'name' drivers as a demo for the crowd and Speed cameras. Gunner Jeanette was one of hte drivers. Talked to him a few weeks later and he said they were a complete blast to drive. Nothing like bump drafting in several tons of truck at 100+

The steaming brakes are cool Ted. I wanna see that.

[Parenn911]

Originally Posted by Mackpipes

Seeing Pari's face after an obvious good run with Betty the Uber Instructor. Pari, you're a good sport for sticking it out til Sunday. It was worth the wait though wasn't it.

Ted, thank you man! If you wouldn't have gone to speak with Betty, I probably wouldn't have said anything because I didn't want anyone to feel akward or offend anyone.

Originally Posted by BettyC

if it's not going well with your instructor, talk to the the CI. It's not considered a failure or whining. It's almost always just a personality issue. Believe it or not, and it's really hard to believe after hearing that I am now worshipped as an instructor, I've struggled with students in the past. It happens. Don't let it ruin your event or your passion for doing this.

Betty is so true. I didn't know whether or not to request a new instructor, but after looking back on it I am glad I did. Anyone that loves to drive their car fast should do a DE, and if you are not happy with the way things are going let someone know. The Potomac folks are kind enough to change something to improve your experience.
Dave D. you got promoted to white, I must have missed the promotion ceremony. Congrat's on moving up .
Firoze, nice meeting you. It is good to see another fellow Dorki taking the plunge into the DE scene. Watch out, I'll be driving with red in no time and giving the 996's a run for their money .