Croc Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 (edited) Since we settled on a date I thought I would post all the links and details in one post to make it easier for you to plan and book things. This year we are going with TrackDaze on their event at New Jersey Motorsports Park Lightning Circuit on Saturday June 22 and Sunday June 23, 2013 The booking page is located here: https://www.trackdaze.com/index.php/events/event/48/June-Lightning-2013 You will need to register first at here: https://www.trackdaze.com/index.php/events/event/48/index.php?option=com_comprofiler&task=registers Cost is $435 for both days which is discounted to $400 if you book by May 31, 2013. This is much cheaper than prior years with SCDA which had a regular price of $150 higher. It is also on the weekend which should help those who actually work for a living (like most of us!). Looking at the "who's registered" page on the TrackDaze site you can see 4 of us have already signed up (click view attendees on the registration page). And I expect places to fill rapidly given it is a weekend. For accommodation, many of us stay at the NJMP Pit Suites which are located on property at the NJMP Thunderbolt circuit. A very functional motel room concept overlooking the main straight at Thunderbolt. Cost is normally $109pn plus tax. They can be booked online here: http://www.njmp.com/facility/accommodations-rentals/vip-suites-new-jersey-motorsports.html or you can ring the very lovely Leila Wulderk directly on (856) 327-7202 There are a range of other accommodation options in Millville: - Hampton Inn - Fairfield Inn/Suites - Motorsport Inn (they rent by the hour!) - etc. It is possible to rent a garage under the pit suites to store your car overnight which staying in the pit suites. There will be no access (or storage) at the garage during the day as there are 2 major events running at Thunderbolt while we are there. Since we will be running at Lightning, many of you will probably find it easier to store your car in its trailer overnight (assuming you trailered to NJMP). I do have a secure garage unit at NJMP which can fit 2 sevens in it (never tried but it looks roomy enough) so if you drove to the event in your seven I can store one person's car there if you did not want to leave it overnight in the garages at Thunderbolt. Safety stuff: - roll bar above your helmeted head - TrackDaze apply the broomstick rule - top of roll bar to the front chassis cross bar in front of engine. To the top of the windscreen is not acceptable since that will not provide any safety. - helmets must be closed faced SA2005/2010 - there are some detailed tech forms to review, print out and get signed on the TrackDaze website. - I have a question into TrackDaze on whether we are allowed to tech our own cars and will post once I get a response. Updated - TrackDaze confirmed by email today that we can sign the tech forms ourselves if we do the maintenance on our own cars. They still do a pre-event check tech prior to being allowed out on track. - This is not a race, it is a HPDE. There is no trophy for the winner and there are no times kept. I drive with a comfortable safety margin and the other past participants do as well. Instructors are available and recommended to those who want to improve their driving and have a better confidence in their abilities. Sevens go well on Lightning circuit and even if you have a Crossflow Seven you will be fast and easily able to keep up with bulk horsepower cars like Mustangs, Corvettes and Porsche/VW. It is not a challenging technical circuit but it is a little gem of a good fun driving circuit - it rewards flow and smoothness. For those who have not been to NJMP before the Lightning track layout is here: http://www.njmp.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Lightning-Classroom-Board-clean.pdf The map does not show the terrain change - nice dip and compression going into turn 1 which rises up and over turn 1 (Sabbot with instructor): http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a354/mjohnson555/seats/CSR/NJMP%2006252012/20120625_SCDA_NJM_IN1_1949.jpg on its way to turn 2. Turns 2 through 5 is an nice twisty area that suits Sevens well with a "hump" for turn 5 that provides a nice challenge to find the right line. The "straight" (turn 6) does allow the higher horsepower cars to stretch the legs but you usually will have dispatched them in the twisty bits of Turn 2-5 before (Bball blinding us with shiny): http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a354/mjohnson555/seats/CSR/NJMP%2006252012/20120625_SCDA_NJM_IN1_2164.jpg so you can hold your position into turn 7 ahead of the high horsepower cars (front to back - Kitcat, Yellowss7, Croc, Blubarisax, Redgoose and then some big old Datsun at the back): http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a354/mjohnson555/seats/CSR/Sevens%20track%20day%20Nov%202011/IMG_6470.jpg and out from there. Turn 9 is a nice banked turn where sevens really can be fast compared to other cars giving a great run out onto the main straight (Front to back - Redgoose, Croc, Yellowss7, and Doug who is not a member here): http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a354/mjohnson555/seats/CSR/Sevens%20track%20day%20Nov%202011/IMG_6300.jpg We will base ourselves on the skid pad area in front of the classrooms. There is a food concession for lunch a short walk away at the karting facility. There is a Wawa convenience store less than 5 minutes drive from the track so that covers breakfast. There is also a general store on track at the Thunderbolt circuit during the day. Friday night will probably be drinks and dinner at the Clubhouse on the NJMP property as it is easy for most of us to drop our trailers/gear at Lightning after a long drive, drop our overnight gear at the Pit Suites or elsewhere and then head to the clubhouse. Traditionally we have gone offsite for the Saturday night but we will firm up those plans as we see what numbers eventuate. Some of you have expressed interest in doing an introductory program beforehand to get some experience with your new cars on track and blow the track time cobwebs away. To those who have been in contact by PM, I will respond by PMs to you separately on this - your date choices all work so mark them in your calendars. If anyone else wants to try a gentle introductory program before attempting something like this Sevens track day (recommended if you are new to track work) then please PM me offline. So there we are - time to sign up! How many times do you get to run with so many other sevens in the environment they were built for AND have a great social time with lots of laughs with a bunch of like-minded souls? Come and join us - spectators welcome too! Edited March 16, 2013 by Croc Updated for tech info Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blubarisax Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 Nice write up Croc. This event will be the high point of the driving season! Now what about the umbrella girls??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitcat Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 (edited) Thx Croc: I used your link just now to reserve a room at the track: $258 for the 2 nites. Worth it for the convenience but ya get a lot more motel for that at H. Inn Express, etc. The track map does not do Lightning justice. The elevation changes add so much that does not appear in the two dimensional representation. Turns one and five are blind uphill turns to the right (you go up and turn right without being able to see where the track goes) Start slowly and memorize where track will be when you ''land" on the other side. Add speed incrementally. Easy to gain lots of time here (especially on 5 as it leads to a straight) as confidence/knowledge rise. The easy-does-it approach throws away a lot of time but, nonetheless, stay in your comfort zone. The 2-3-4 turn sequence is the easiest to get wrong but once ya got it (if you do) yer much faster than almost everyone there except other se7ens. Those twisties really, really reward our nimble little cars (see ya Mr 'Vette). I like going into turn 2 a bit slow and way up on the outside curb then drive as "straight" as possible thru 3-4 using maximun amounts of curb (cars go faster in a straight line:)). This leaves you well positioned way left into turn 5's blind right uphill turn. My goal is to drop the hammer as soon as possible here leading into the ensuing turn 5 downhill which is gentle right bend (called turn 6) into the next straight. If you start accelerating as soon as you crest the top of 5 (or ideally a bit before )then you are accelerating down hill and all the way to the next turns braking zone (see you Mr GTR). If you hit the apex at ther top of 5 just so, your acceleration will cause your car to drift to the left (Arrggh, I'm slding off the track!!!!!) and it will just catch at the outside left of the track, just before you slide into oblivion and you can just keep 'er floored. I consider any part of the track where I can run flat out to be a straight. So turn 6, in our cars, is a ''straight" If you are lifting here, you are losing time. Turn 7. Who knows? It's a sharp left hander that I have never, even one time, felt that I got right. it's a very shallow ''down hill". In my car my entry speed is 2nd fastest on the track so poised, firm, but not drastic braking helps. I try to have all my brakling done here before turning the into the sharp left. Then I try to accelerate thru the apex and thru the uphill hump that is turn 8 without lifting. If you follow the classic line and get left over the hump you can get light and spin (Done it). So, following the advice of an istructor, I stay more to the right here as the hump is less drastic, then move over to the left to set up for the huge, bowl shaped right hand tunn 9. Turn 9. What fun, many different ideas abt how to do it right. Most seem to agree that it's best to start slightly to the right of the center as you enter 9 at the high side of this right handed bowl. Then acccelerate down, down, down to the apex at the far right at the very bottom of the bowl. Lift if you have to to scrub off a bit of speed to let the car drop down to the apex (if you brake, that works too but costs a ton of time). Force your eyes to look down to the turn 9 apex as you initiate your turn into 9 (dont just know where you want to enter nine, know where you want to go once you are in turn nine by looking down at the distant apex to the right at the bottom of ther bowl in advance). As mentioned, if you have to sacrifice a little speed to get way down to the apex do so (your car's momentum will want to keep you high in the bowl and far from the apex way down below). If you hit that apex just right (rare for me), you can run flat out all the way to the braking zone to turn 1. And if you have your wheel turned just right as you hit the apex, you can keep the wheel pointed exactly like that all the rest of the way thru the back 1/2 of turn 9 and up to the top of the bowl again and onto the front straight, where you can finally straighten your wheel, clear your head, and start drifting back left to set up for the blind right hand turn 1. I typically hit 115-120 mph at the end of this straight. The big boys (Croc/Blubarex) can hit 125-130 mph, and motocycle guys say they hit 180 mph there!. And repeat:). Edited March 16, 2013 by Kitcat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Croc Posted March 16, 2013 Author Share Posted March 16, 2013 Nice write up Mike. Like sports, women and beer - everyone has a favorite number and track lines are no different. Here are two videos to get you in the mood for booking: Video 1- me cruising around at Lightning: Video 2 – 4 of us cruising around for comparison at Lightning: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelD Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 is anyone else not able to view these videos? I am gettin this message: The Adobe Flash Player or an HTML5 supported browser is required for video playback. Get the latest Flash Player Learn more about upgrading to an HTML5 browser I have tried downloading Flash player 8 times and still can not poen them. Any suggestions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Croc Posted March 17, 2013 Author Share Posted March 17, 2013 Michael - it means your computer needs updating. Youtube updated its minimum specs for seeing their videos. Try these links to the Boobtoob website: (wave to yourself in this one!) and Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blubarisax Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 Croc is right about registration filling up early. They were sold out last year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowss7 Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 Alright, who's the wise guy that took the numbers 17 and 71:toetap05::toetap05::toetap05: I'm registered now. I was surprise at how many drivers are already signed up. I guess you are right Karl that this will fill up quickly. Those of you planning on joining us should get to it. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitcat Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 Tom: I think VII is available:). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bball7754 Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 Just registered. Snagged 74 (no numbers with curves - much easier to make with tape ). Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelD Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 Croc, Thanks. OK I can watch those links. Just not the other ones ??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Croc Posted March 18, 2013 Author Share Posted March 18, 2013 Michael - They are the same video links - the first were embedded in the forum page and the second were just linking you offsite to a youtube page. If you are not seeing the embed then it is a HTML/Flash version issue with your computer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Croc Posted March 18, 2013 Author Share Posted March 18, 2013 As of this morning, the Trackdaze website is showing 7 of us registered: - Sabbot - Yellowss7 - Blubarisax - Kitcat - Bball - Redgoose - Croc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blubarisax Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 (edited) Great start, I hope most everyone is in Intermediate so we can all run together. Should make for some fantastic photos!!! Now, back to the umbrella girls... I think we should import some from AC for the event! http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac336/blubarisax/228901_10151377704919024_909963976_n_zps13c5ce69.jpg Edited March 18, 2013 by blubarisax Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitcat Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 She definitely ''added Lightness". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blubarisax Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 I am mostly worried about keeping Croc's head cool in his new solar heat generating helmet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowss7 Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 I was a little disappointed with Croc's design. I think he should have gone for an open mouth Crocodile with the visor being the open mouth. :jester::svengo: Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Croc Posted March 18, 2013 Author Share Posted March 18, 2013 For those jealous souls with boring white helmets.... :jester: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowss7 Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 Dave D. Check your PM's :seeya: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveD Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 Hey Tom, Last PM was from 3/15. I am going to check my roll bar height today. My helmet is below the roll bar. I just need to make sure it is low enough to clear the line from the bar to the hood. If all is good I will register today. I will try to get one of the suites at the track as well. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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