spc_cwby

At the risk of sounding like an echo chamber, if you have not yet come to this festival you are missing out! As a first timer, the camaraderie, sevens expertise and facility were top notch... this group had great drivers, friendly personalities, steady pace and a few fast cars in the straights (mine included). I learned from Simon and Seb that my factory suspension setup is too stiff and needs to be revised on the 620R... had Simon not driven it I would never have known. If you have a seven you belong!! Mike and Tom organized the event flawlessly. Now.... I vote for Thunderbolt next year :hurray: Otherwise, watch out for turn 7! Great meeting everyone... thanks for making it safe and fun! Can't wait for next year.

I went last year in the summer. They test both sides but my 620R with cat bypass was fine. I don't recall the db limit offhand but they sell some baffles there and if you call the track, they will likely tell you the details. They measured 10-20 yards from the track with a db meter. Unfortunately, you get one warning and if not corrected on the second fail they won't let you run anymore, even for both days during a two day event. Only one car did not pass initially. Then, after some baffles were installed on track, he was fine. NCM is a fun track with some good elevation and technical turns. You will really enjoy it!

Todd - Thanks for sharing that video and your 'fast in fast out' approach! You have explained the danger of this additional challenge! Part of the issue for me is feeling such speed in the car, it is a bit terrifying but I am approaching it slowly and the more I get out there and push the more I can become used to it. COTA and Sebring are coming up in April and as of now I am planning on taking the Caterham but I am kinda wary of getting it up near top speed as I have seen the video where the prototype 620R lifted up the front wheels at 155 mph. The COTA straights are long and while I think I can keep up I have never been above 125-130 in the 620R. =] Sebring is its own monster, I have heard it is very rough on cars since the pavement is quite old. And also the brakes... good thing the Cat is light on consumables vs my other cars. I would be RV-trailering the 620R to both, one right after the other, and I really hope I can take it through the paces and furthermore provide some more track reports on here. Also, Kitcat -- thanks for the heads up about the RV sites there... are there full hookups? Look forward to meeting you there.

MikeG's video helped me prepare for Barber along with sim racing the track on iRacing and my SimXperience rig for it! Croc - Glad you enjoyed the write up. It helps me to do a track report and think about what I learned and where I can improve.... I went with Chin Motorsports (now Chin Track Days), they were very professional; great instructor and lead instructors. They have a neat format where they run a mixed session at the end of the day. No matter your experience if it is the first time at the track you are a novice. Then, you can qualify for solo driving if the instructor feels you can do it. That started for me on the second day. Well, the novices here would be intermediate or advanced with any other group. They were great about point bys (required in all groups) and while day one I was passing a couple Porsche GT3s and Vettes during the mixed session I was being passed by the Ginetta LMP3. =] The Caterham was a draw for guys in GT3 RSs or older M3s... Chin drivers were a social and welcoming group. Now for the tough question: CSR vs 620R handling. The CSR was more streetable by a LARGE margin. I prefer the seats in the 620R but its very rough trying to drive the car back from the track at my home track, especially in traffic for over an hour after having the car beat you up during an event. I would rather tow and have room for tools and gear. My take is that the limit is harder to find on the CSR (I had one way adjustable Nitrons put in) and seems to be one notch higher in handling ability (roughly CSR 8/8 vs 620R 7/8), but once exceeded harder to manage. I honestly think the tires help the 620R a large amount vs CSR and I am actually switching to a set of AVON slicks and wets. If I was going to go really crazy I would also have a set of street tires. But I have too many other cars and sets of tires around for those, too, I would need another garage rather than having bits at different places to house everything. I think this is the key: my impression is the CSR could handle sweepers better but the 620R is better in a succession of turns and also I am faster to get on the throttle upon exit in the 620R. However, it's hard to say because I think I would need to be in it again as I have become a bit better of a driver. How about giving me a ride along at the NJMP event?? That could be definitive. =]

Barber Motorsports Park is located in Birmingham, Alabama has 15 turns and is 2.38 miles long. Easily one of my favorite tracks to visit. They have a museum that overlooks the track and houses primarily vintage motorcycles. I took a quick peek inside the museum but did not have time to go through it. Unlike my home track in Joliet, IL (Autobahn) which has little elevation, Barber has some very engaging turns up and down hill. The Caterham 620R was well suited to the task but the performance envelope of the car is well beyond my capabilities. I have done 14 events and more than half in the Caterham, although some were in the CSR which I started HPDE events with in 2015. I would characterize the 620R as a momentum car that has the ability to keep up with high horsepower cars in the straights. Yes, you can drift it and I am sure that much closer to the limit the car is more like an open wheel racecar like the Star Mazda, without more extreme g forces of lateral acceleration. At my home track it is certainly more in line with that grouping, my own driving skills and locals with such cars considered. The sequential gearbox requires some real effort to change gear (strength to pull and push the shifter) but allows virtually continuous power and is a very strong reason I went from the CSR to the 620R (although the added 50hp is also great)! I find that flat shifting is easier to control with the sequential and less footwork vs heel-toe shifting, resulting in faster lap times. Since there is really just one short straightaway, Barber is a great test of cornering ability and finding the powerband at the right time and place. Since the Caterham is so light there is a natural advantage with late braking. One tricky thing about driving such a lightweight car like the Caterham is that since you can “point and shoot” the car where you want it to be at high speeds there is a tendency to drive to the track out point. This is where I started to learn from an ex-IMSA driver who imparted this dangerous advice: let the car take you to the track out point. That means even more speed which can be jarring, brutish and downright scary. This happened to me going up the hill on turn four the second day and while it was unsettling trusting that at this speed the car could be controlled, it is moments like these that need to be revisited to really harness the 620R. Unfortunately, on day one the car sustained some minor damage when I spun out and on some slippery grass rolled back into the guard rails. Fortunately, the car was able to continue running safely by tapeing on the right rear wing (fender) and removing the rear tow and fog lamps. In another one of my cars this could have been much more catastrophic. The tube frame underneath the Caterham gives me comfort that had the situation been worse, I would still have walked out of it. Conditions were damp the first day and threatening to rain on the second day (luckily, it didn’t) and despite two other cars in pieces on the track, the crew at Barber was expedient in cleaning up the incident and allowing the next run group on. Plenty of corner workers in well placed positions, too. The facilities at Barber were wonderful as I brought my RV to tow the Caterham and they had power hookups, clean bathrooms and decent food all right there with some great vistas from the surrounding road and tiered parking lot. Overall, a great experience that I look forward to repeating.

Its an Avery product but I may have some other rocks and chips from Barber or COTA prior to NJMP. Trying to decide if I want to take the Caterham to COTA or one of my other cars. It is a long way to trailer so I will probably drive my Viper ACR down there. I think anyone with intimate knowledge of NJMP will be able to pass me at first but I will at least try to stay ahead of KitKat!!

Hey - Thought I would post photos of a wrap I just did on my 620R stripes since I'm not a big fan of the F1 livery colors and also not a big fan of the Packers (no offense, still like them more than the Patriots)! What do you guys think? The new scheme is based on what I believe was the last Caterham F1 livery, just not team Lotus. http://www.usa7s.net/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=12182&stc=1http://www.usa7s.net/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=12183&stc=1

I think my wife and I will tow the 620R to the event... and we are excited to join the group! After a few track days last year and finally sorting out 6th gear, a throttle body recall and my alternator dying at NCM hopefully it will stand up well. I'm taking it to Barber next month so we'll see how that goes. Who should we email with our driving resume?

Hey Steve - Awesome tip! I will check out the pedal position. I was wondering if the ECU could be remapped, I think I may have source an unlocked unit. I am not sure on the sequential box. I think it is the Sadev. Also, I'm not sure if there is an issue getting it into 6th. I can only get it into 5th and no higher. Maybe I wasn't going fast enough? Doubt it! :driving: For right now, all 620Rs are RHD. I think there are some engineering issues to workout that make it not a simple flip to LHD. Personally, I like RHD. I am to understand they will not re-engineer it without stronger demand from the US market. Maybe we are getting close with the units on order?

I would like to do both of these events. When exactly are they!?

Absolutely right. Here are a few photos!

Hey guys - I had my CSR last year and loved it on the track, but was looking to upgrade to a sequential. I decided to go a bit further and take the plunge into the 620R. It was delivered this afternoon and I was able to put a few miles on it. I am not sure if my CSR was setup very aggressively as I had the Nitron 2-way adjustable suspension added to it with the 2.3L Cosworth 260. It was difficult to drive when not pushing the car and just driving it on the paddock or to refuel. I was not able to street drive it much because I had not yet known about registering the car in Montana under an LLC (which does not require a rigorous inspection by the Illinois State Police). My 620R will have (still on temps) real plates, so I was able to actually drive it on the street here. Some major differences in the 620R. I found it to be more streetable by a very wide margin and also I think the sequential helped me feel more in control and that I could focus more on holding my line than shifting, heel-toe-ing and all of that. The power band is much different with the supercharger. The CSR liked to be in the high revs but at lower revs and lower speeds did not want to get up and go nearly as much as the 620R. I think the 620R is actually a bit quieter as well. I installed the cat-bypass on my CSR but it seemed to be actually louder (620 R also has cat bypass). The S3 chassis I think fits me better (I'm about 5'-4.5"). The foot extension when engaging the clutch is a bit long for a guy at my height, but I am getting used to it. When cornering, I believe the 620R is more on the knife-edge vs the CSR which seemed a bit more planted and was harder to shake loose. It is also very soon to tell and it was cold here, about in the 40s, so I think I need more time to really get into handling differences. I'm not sure if this is helpful for anyone considering the 620R. I am to understand there are a few units on order, but mine was the first here in the US. If you guys have any questions, I will do my best to answer. I am still mostly a novice racer, but I found it difficult to read some impressions that weren't from a car magazine and an actual 620R owner. Thanks to all who post and share knowledge. :seeya: