The whole point

[Manshoon11]

 

i watched the video -- two things i noticed....1. like racing in the highway, almost all straight or "slightly bend" - 2. the camera speed seems double the speed?

3. yawn....BARELY A RACE

 

 

 

What? MSR Cresson isn't like "racing on the highway" It is a track that does not discriminate against low power.

 

 

I never hit more than 105 (GPS speed) in my Elise

 

or watch what I did to Corvettes.

 

[xcarguy]

Xcarguy,

 

Hey, Pass the popcorn !!!!!!!

 

Here ya go . . . . . . . . :lurk:

[bigdog]

Seems this thread has gone from the virtues of a small light weight car not needing big HP to be fun or fast. To the brochure wars of engine size, HP numbers, and car reviews based on "track day" passing. And that's not meant as a poke in the eye of the track day folk.

A "track day" means nothing about a cars real maximum capabilities Vs. another when just a very few on those track day events are racing at maximum 100% effort on every lap. It's apples to oranges as no one at a track day are making their living or trying to impress other race teams for a possible future driving position. They are there to have fun and maybe learn to drive a little better. So it means nothing really to pronounce that this car or that car are better or worse because they passed or got passed on a track day. Now if you had passed that Corvette during a sanctioned race. Then you should be proud for having trounced a much more powerful car. However to my eye that red Corvette looks to have backed off a bit. But who cares, the Lotus driver was having a good time. I'm sure the Corvette driver was as well.

 

When I drove the Nurburgring I didn't drive at max effort. I was there to have fun. It wasn't a race, blocking another car would get you ejected from the track as would dangerous passing. At the ring, should you crash and block the track you are responsible for the track loosing revenue and you WILL be presented with a bill. That little fact is generally left out of those ring videos on you tube. It cost me $37 per lap to drive the ring.

 

here is a breakdown: 1 Euro=$1.38

 

• Base fee for attendance of armco truck: €150
  
• Removing damaged armco: €10/metre (x2 or x3 or x4 for multiple-height sections)
  
• Replacement armco: €31/metre (x2 or x3 for double/triple height)
  
• Removing damaged armco posts: €5.10 each
  
• Replacing armco post: €39 each
  
• Safety car attendance: €82 per 30 mins (car + 2 people)
  
• Circuit closure: €1,350 per hour
  
• Recovery truck: €190 (inc VAT)
  
• Hospital stay & air ambulance: Let's just say, do NOT go there without travel insurance! (Though a European Health Card - which replaced the E111 - may cover the hospital bit.)
  

Everything except the recovery truck is then subject to 19% VAT.

The record armco bill I'm aware of is €15,000. That was a car that managed to flatten a very impressive length of armco between the Quiddlebacher Hohe bridge and the crest on the approach to Flugplatz. But even a minor bump can turn into a surprisingly expensive day out.

 

 

But based on all the conventional wisdom of track day automotive reviews. After having been passed. I probably should have went home and got rid of my BMW Zed 4 or tried to drop in an M5 V10 to replace the inline six. After all, having been passed at a track day means I was in a crap car. Right? Probably doesn't matter that I was driving at 7/10s or less and the folks that passed me were driving harder or had a lot more track time than me. That track day at the ring meant nothing about anyone nor any car. It was a fun day on the track. Nothing more nothing less.

Edited December 12, 2013 by bigdog
clarification

[sdca7]

It wasnt until I became a competent driver that I learned that I didn't need insane amounts of HP. The 3-400 hp difference between my elise and vettes accounted for very little. I gained that back and more under braking. Some people get slower with more power, as they Tend to not get on the power until they are at track out.

 

I chose to go to a lower powered car this year to improve my driving skills. I'm going to run in Boxster spec this year, and it is quite a learning experience for me! Among other things, I am learning that braking and turn-in points on the lower powered car are extremely critical. If I lost too much speed with the vettes or cats or the 996 turbo, I could make it up pulling out of the corner. If I lose too much speed on entry or through the corner with the boxster, I am screwed! Not only do I need to be on the throttle early, but also not have lost too much speed setting up the corner.

 

I am also enjoying running against cars that are all exactly alike. It is a blast trying to jockey for position in the pack!

 

That being said, I obviously love horsepower too!

 

Justin