High speed tracks

[boss351]

Has anyone on here tracked at TWS (College Station, Texas) in a Seven?

 

I am interested to hear your experience, especially what kind of speeds you have gotten to at the end of the front straight in either direction and how the car handles coming of the banked straight back down to the level infield.

 

What kinds of speeds are you guys reaching on faster tracks and where if any does the lack of general aero downforce start to cause chills down you spine and a genuine worry for safety and jittery handling?

[drew...]

with a full windsheild my caterham S sees an indicated 130 mph at BIR entering the banking in 1. At this speed you definitely notice the lightness of the front end but I wouldn't call it jittery handling. It just doesn't feel as planted - as soon as your on the brakes at the entrance to corner 3 the front end feels VERY planted again.

[boss351]

Thanks for the reply Drew. I started scouring the internet and at least have found a lot of evidence of Caterhams doing very well in the SCCA events around the local tracks including TWS.

 

I am guessing that their owners aren't on the forum unfortunately.

[WestTexasS2K]

Kevin ran Mojito at TWS several times he was hitting about 145 or so in the straight running CCW. He has front and rear wings so it will drive different than yours.

[boss351]

Wings on his Caterham? Any pictures? I'd like to talk to Kevin, sorry I am new on here, whats his screen name?

 

Thanks,

 

Adam

[boss351]

Don't worry found what I was looking for re the Mojito! Wow...

 

Still, like to know how a more traditional Seven handles on a track like TWS, I've done 165 CW there at the end of the straight (996TT), left the braking too late on that one and blushingly took the banking instead of risking the inevitable spin instead..

 

Either direction with the banking to inside course transition being so brutal I'd like to know how the Sevens handle that..

[pksurveyor]

Contact Andy Barron at Rice University. He recently sold his Caterham EP. He has been running the white/blue Caterham successfully against the big horsepower boys at SCCA for many years.

 

http://python.rice.edu/~arb/arbmotorsports/arbmotors_2003/arbmotors_practice2.html

 

This weekend is SCCA National at MSR Houston. There will be several EP Caterham running. Stop by and check it out. SCCA used to be at TWS till the local chapter SCCA switched to MSR.

[7evin]

PS that was in the rain...

 

 

It was a little faster in the dry...

 

 

" I insist you move me to a faster run group so I can run flat out, I have 15 million fans on USA7s who will be watching me run flat out passing Miata's.

I have driven a Caterham 200 mph on the Autobahn... in the rain with one hand while talking on my cell phone with the other... " LOL

Edited November 20, 2010 by 7evin

[Hank]

Hahah!!!

[supersportsp]

I was talking to a guy I met at a track day out our local big kart track (they run cars there very regularly, 1:10+ lap times). He has the carbon front 'whiskers' on this Caterham and he said when he runs at Pacific Raceways he could really tell the difference with them in keeping the front end better planted.

 

Pacific doesn't have a huge long straight, but it has two kinks in it that emphasize grip at high speed. http://www.bmwpugetsound.com/pr_track_notes.pdf

 

None of the Caterham race series run any kind of front wing, just the little carbon winglets/whiskers. The Masters's series which I think is the fastest run CSR 260's with no windshield and are probably about as aero as you can get with the inboard suspension, aero suspension A-arms and hard cockpit covers.