SoCal-SERCA at Streets
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SoCal-SERCA Track Day #4 at Streets of Willow Springs, 7 February 2003.
It was a great event. Freezing cold up at Willow Springs/Lancaster, though. High of 52F... when the first of us showed up aroud 6:45am, it had to be in the 40's. Maybe even the 30's- nah, probably not that cold.
Things got off to a slow start due to the cold weather... among the first to pull in were a trailered AE86 (driver: Moto (sp?) Excellent driver!), a 350Z Touring, a RSX Type-S, and myself. We put on our gloves, unloaded, and waited for everyone else to show up- something like 35 cars total had registered and paid to run- and by 7:30 things looked like they were going strong.
Martin (I think that's his name) was among the first to start teching cars- he pointed out slack in my throttle cable and that I wasn't completely full (to "MAX") on brake fluid. Other than that, things looked about as good as they got on my car, with Porterfield R4 race pads, stock suspension and not-exactly-track-suitable Bridgestone RE930's. Everyone got teched, then Carlos, Mike, and Mark (track safety official) gave the driver's meeting. Group 1 (novice) drivers such as myself were paired off with group 3 (advanced) drivers to act as our instructors, to prevent a remake of my dirt-farming tendencies I displayed at Buttonwillow.
We squeezed in 5 run groups over the day, which was superb- at most events you only get 4. As a novice driver monkey with Zak instructing, I learned quite a bit- he's a superb driver. Session 1 was full course yellow, just to learn the track itself. Session 2 I took the wheel, and started exploring the track. Slightly hairy experience in the Bowl (too fast going in), but nothing too traumatic. Session 3, Zak did a few laps before letting me drive- he said the car was pretty well balanced, which surprised* me. As soon as I started driving in session 3, I felt that I had a lot to learn- my car wasn't "feeling" nearly as good with me behind the wheel rather than Zak or another more capable driver.
* = why I was surprised. My car's got stock springs/struts (40k miles old?), with FSTB, ES front swaybar bushings, and Stillen RSB at default 1" behind the beam). It's just not much of a handling-oriented vehicle yet! I'm quite pleased to see that others like its balance, even if it is much too soft! If it's reasonably well balanced as-is though, I can imagine that once I get coilovers in, I'll have to spend some time getting the balance right again... unlike now, which was mostly by luck!
Sessions 4 and 5 were solo ones. Having an instructor in the car forces me to concentrate a lot more on being smooth, and following the "line" (the best/fastest way) around the track- I noticed where I got more aggressive, and more important, where I got more inattentive or distracted.
Front straight of Streets is 1000' long according to the track map. That's good into 80-90mph range, maybe a little faster. Setup properly, you can keep accelerating through turn 1, although I found beyond the 80mph range, things got a little scary. Brake hard into turn 2, 2nd gear... short straight, angle from left to right to setup for a tight left turn (smacking the top of 2nd gear, 3rd wasn't worth it). Understeer out of turn 2, setting up perfectly for turn 3- still in 2nd gear, brake hard, then another left turn... track curves a bit, then you can wind out into 3rd gear, setting up for "Bowl Turn". Bowl Turn is banked 20 degrees, but really isn't as fast as the 20 degree bank suggests- entry speeds of around 50mph were all I could manage. Lots of ways to do this turn, but Zak's line started high, cut low in the middle, then you could hit the gas and still steer right, understeering and powering out into the back straight, hitting 80-90mph in my car. This setup for the chicane (esses). Hit the brakes before the apex cone to slow to 60mph or so. You could do it faster, but I found that reducing entry speed from 70mph to 60mph was a lot faster through the chicane. One bump, two bumps, car has slowed to 50mph, grab 2nd gear, take the last chicane with the gas mashed as you exit! Wind out 2nd gear (maybe into 3rd), slow down (40mph? slower?) for the 90 degree hairpin, again mash the gas, angle left, hit the right hand turn next- beautiful when done right!- go straight in 2nd gear, hit the brakes, rather sharp turn left, then a wide right-hand sweeper through the skidpad... at the middle of the turn, turn in more, hit the inside of the right turn and off you go back down the front straight...
Streets doesn't seem nearly as technical as Buttonwillow. It's considerably shorter and slower, and it's easier for beginners like me to get used to because it is less technical. Slow into turns, fast out of turns, concentrating smoothness, and only brake when going straight... much easier to execute at Streets than my (only) previous experience at Buttonwillow, because "using" the entire track is easier.
What myself and my car need next: lots more practice. Some performance tires (got 16x7.5" wheels already). Maybe some suspension mods, but more track time and sticky rubber need to come next!
Definitely a great time and a great event, even if it was much too cold that day!
Who showed up:
- Three (4?) Corollas (AE86's), the two white ones were well setup with excellent drivers.
- Two R32 Skylines, one owned by Steve-o barfing out around 400hp with Steve's skilled driving, the other owned by Ken H. from MotoRex and probably modified as well.
- Two Civics, I think both were hybrids. One was especially well driven, although he should have used hood pins for his CF hood. Ouch.
- Two S13's (240SX) with SR20DET swaps.
- One Subaru WRX, lightly modded (not even Stage 0).
- One Mini Cooper S, owned by a track-loving old guy who's really cool.
- Matt's RSX. R-compound tires, Tein-HA, AEM CAI, and Comptech Cat Back.
- Ron's RSX Type S, modded up the wazoo. Video from Ron's car. The black RSX-S early in the video is Matt's car, they did an acceleration comparison test (where Ron passes Matt). Ron's mods: AEM CAI - Progress Rear Sway - Hondata K20A reflash - K20A cams/intake manifold/LSD/final drive - Hondata intake gasket - bored TB - Comptech Race Header - ES motor mount inserts - JIC FLT-A2 - neg. 2.6 camber w 1/8" toe out (corner weighted & balanced 50/50) - Specialty Products Rear camber arms - 2.25 neg. Zero toe - Exedy Flywheel & Organic Clutch - UR SS pulley set - NEO synthetics: Tranny & Motor Oil - 5zigen Fire Titanium Catback - D3 Designs CSK - Revo SS and Capyoda bushings - ES sway bushings - ES control arm bushing set - Rotora Big Brake Kit - Axxis Ultimates rear pads - ATE Super Blue brake fluid - 5zigen FN01-R - Azenis 225/45/17
- One VW Jetta 1.8T, had to be modded 'cause I couldn't pull on him in the straights- so probably chip and downpipe.
- Two 350Z's. One Touring, with Injen intake and exhaust (supposedly good for 25rwhp over stock!), one Track (that was bone stock).
- One Porsche 911 Turbo (a 2002, I think). Driver had was a complete track newbie, but man, AWD and 415~450hp makes up for a lot!
- One Honda S2000 on race rubber and coilovers, I think...
- Mike's Dog Car, his B14 Sentra SE race car.
- Naji's B14 200SX SE-R race car.
- Jude's B15 Sentra SE-R Spec V with race rubber and other goodies.
- One P10 Infiniti G20. Not sure who this belongs to.
- Carlos' B13 Sentra SE-R track slut. (his hotlap car, not quite a race car)
- Amber's NX2000, SR20VE powered with 177fwhp...
- Some others... a B14 Sentra SE and some more B13's, I think...
One notable event. Session 3, I think. We've just switched from Zak driving to myself driving. I'm heading on to the front straight, waving my arm over the roof to let a 350Z pass me. As we get down the front straight, I'm on the line on the left-hand side, the 350Z is passing me on the right... when the Porsche 911 Turbo passes BOTH of us like we're standing still on the far right. Now... umm... this is the beginner group and we're 3-abreast on the front straight? Woah! Zak said as much later... geez.
edit 23 March 2006: dug out some pictures of me on, courtesy of Zak's camera. one two three
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