Watkins Glen, Finally Some Video! Options

[wndsrfr]

My first DE outing at Watkins Glen....simply awesome...words can't describe it. I'm simply overloaded by the immersive visuals of it all. At the drivers meeting this guy offers to give coaching so I sign up with him. Turns out to be Pete Argetsinger....I drive half the session then he takes over! Whoa baby! He made Kermee dance out there...I mean point by's from GT3's! Like he dives into turn 1 in 4th and upshifts to 5th going into the esses! Flat out all the way to the bus stop and he doesn't leave any loose change there either. World class.....what a day. By the way Josh--he pats the dash & says "nice car". Way to go buddy--good work.

[ChrisFoley]

You were driving the long course I hope.

[wndsrfr]

You were driving the long course I hope.

Yep, the full monte as they say. This is such an incredible place--the visuals that you're processing on these first days are simply overwhelming. I know, I know that I'm supposed to be focused on the track, eyes up & situational awareness, but those huge grandstands behind the massive wall coming onto the front straight and the whoopdee down turn 1 with its banking and then whoop yikes yessss of the esses & the bus stop coming on so fast & then down, down, down into the carrousel & hard on the gas down the boot---what a hoot! And all the while the incredible scenery to watch to try to pick out the flaggers, wow!
Summit's nice, VIR's great but the Glen is tops on my short list of tracks.
Momentum is of course required & Pete really taught that to me as I had been taking the esses in 4th (stock gearing but with 225/45/15's giving about a 5% shorter gearing overall) and getting into 5th passing the apex at the top. Pete had us coming off the front straight through turn 1 with enough speed that he was in 5th entering the esses and took them flat out. I found that I was able to duplicate that & finished the back straight at 6100rpm, about 133mph before braking for the bus stop, so the gearing is a good match at this point.
I'm still too slow coming off of turn 11 in 4th gear onto the front straight due to the visual impact of the wall & stands but am just touching 6000rpm in 5th before braking for turn 1. My rev limiter is set at 6750, so there's room to grow...