Difficult Corners, At the track Options

[Randal]

The most challenging corners I've experienced are turn 1 at Thunderhill (counterclockwise) and turn 10 at Sears. I'd also say turn 9 at Thunderhill when running clockwise.

By challenging I mean corners that are tough to get right and take at maximum speed.

[DanT]

If we are talking about TT/DE lines here goes.

Turn one TH CCW.
after the pit wall get as far right as possible for set up for entry. stay right during braking (don't cheat left). Smooth turn in (fairly high speed turn entry) and very late apex at the end of the inside berm. Then exit all the way right using the entire exit berm.

Turn 9 at TH CW.
Going uphill can not see the apex. Either get off the gas as you get near the top of the hill or completely crest the hill and do some pretty aggressive braking (yes there is enough room to wait to brake here). Get the car all the way to the right at the apex(end of berm). Exit all the way to the left.

[Randal]

If we are talking about TT/DE lines here goes.

Turn one TH CCW.
after the pit wall get as far right as possible for set up for entry. stay right during braking (don't cheat left). Smooth turn in (fairly high speed turn entry) and very late apex at the end of the inside berm. Then exit all the way right using the entire exit berm.

Turn 9 at TH CW.
Going uphill can not see the apex. Either get off the gas as you get near the top of the hill or completely crest the hill and do some pretty aggressive braking (yes there is enough room to wait to brake here). Get the car all the way to the right at the apex(end of berm). Exit all the way to the left.

T1 TH CCW - Yup that is the line, still challenging to do and not have to stop to change your shorts, if on the limit.

T9 TH CW Again, that is the line, but difficult to not leave time there. Likewise for the other direction where I've always felt I had to drive to the corner after braking. That is the perfect corner to practice for hill climbs, as the uphill part (CCW) commands you brake much later than normal. Just have to find the spots without going off.

Speaking about braking T2 at Laguna is kind of like that, but I think with a little practice the braking points there can be found.

[neilca]

Turn 12, Road Atlanta

[campbellcj]

Turn 9 at Willow Springs should be on the list. Very late entry decreasing radius, at the end of a top speed (in many cars) long sweeper, and often nasty rain run-off ditches on one or both sides where you might go off. If you get it wrong, you'll get smoked on the front straight, assuming you aren't off-roading in the desert.

[SirAndy]

Turn 9 at TH CW.
Going uphill can not see the apex.

Do you stay all the way left going over the top? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif)


I've only run it that direction once and had nobody with me to show me the lines ...
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif)

[bam914]

Turn 12, Road Atlanta

12 is easy. You just keep your foot to the floor and don't look at the wall, or any of the walls around there.

[d914]

turn 1 at roebling road....Ive seen it taken wide, short and everything in between..

agree on turn 12 Road atlanta ,, late apex, foot down, upshift to 5th at start finish!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[wobbletop]

Turn 2 at Mosport.

Blind corner, double apex, over a crest into a downhill with off camber.

Edit: For example, at about the 2:10 mark in this video.

Mosport

[DanT]

Turn 9 at TH CW.
Going uphill can not see the apex.

Do you stay all the way left going over the top? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif)


I've only run it that direction once and had nobody with me to show me the lines ...
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif)

to be honest Andy, it has been quite a while since I have run it that direction....but IIRC nip the left side going up the hill, straight over the crest, then nip the late apex on the right.

[sww914]

Turn 4 at Willow Springs kicked my ass until a friend pointed out that it wasn't a very important corner at all in a TT. In between 2 slowish corners. After I stopped worrying about it (that corner) I actually went a little slower there but gained speed coming into 3 and leaving 5 so I got 1/2 a second off of my lap times by throwing away turn 4.
It's still a good place to pass or get passed in a race, but for TT it's not a big deal.

[Randal]

Turn 9 at TH CW.
Going uphill can not see the apex.

Do you stay all the way left going over the top? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif)


I've only run it that direction once and had nobody with me to show me the lines ...
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif)

That was my question as well after reading Dan's first tutorial. Thanks for the clarification Dan.

Actually there is a lot going on at that corner. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving-girl.gif)

[grantsfo]

I dont think T10 at Sears is especially difficult its just scary if you screw up.

This post has been edited by grantsfo: Feb 23 2011, 01:26 PM

[carr914]

Turn 12, Road Atlanta

12 is easy. You just keep your foot to the floor and don't look at the wall, or any of the walls around there.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

[carr914]

Going into the Boot (Laces) @ Watkins Glen - It's downhill and I've always felt I was going to go into the tire wall

[J P Stein]

The problem with corners is the black stuff don't go straight no more.....not that you can't. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

[grantsfo]

For me T3 at Laguna is always tricky to execute well. Go in to slow and it always seems to induce understeer, go in too fast and oversteer is possible result with not much run off room. Its easy turn to do at moderate speeds but at the limit it always freaks me out. My one off is at that turn. I just drove spec miata style and kept my foot in it and drove along in the dirt until I got back on the track. ITend to go with safe very late apex scrub off speed and do a little toss of the car to get rotation and full power if I get the rotation. If no rotation then its painful rolling onto throttle which never seems to get speed I want down that short straight. The rest of the turns are pretty darn easy there.

I find Infineon to be much more challenging. T2 to T4 is difficult combo to execute well all the time at high speeds. Lots of strange loading and unloading to contend with there. From Exit of T7 to T9 is challenging too. Again there is a difference between moderate speeds and "balls to the wall" in these sections. It takes cool head to hit those sections fast and to keep the car collected and stable so you dont slow down or spin or end up in area of the track where you wont be setup for next turn.

[john rogers]

Most all tracks have a corner or two that are hard, I.E, turn 9 at Willow Springs is hard because the outside edge of the exit is not in sight due to the crown in the pavement.

NASCAR turn 1 at the CA Speedway is where your brain says lift a little just as you have gotten to full speed of 140 or so but then you remember that the NASCAR guys are doing over 200 when they get there!

NASCAR turns 3 and 4 at PIR for the same reason as above and then the turn 1 - 2 - 3 complex because the pit out wall makes it blind and there are about 75% of the drivers who tap the brakes as they start to turn off the main track but a few who do not and brake after the first turn in....

[neilca]

My issue with turn 12 at Road Atlanta begins with the exit of 10B. I am in second gear on exit as I approach the bridge I grab third. If you have never driven Road Atlanta, the bridge is a blind. I line up with the middle marker on the bridge and hope I am in the right spot for entering 12. Now before I reach twelve I have to grab fourth gear or I run out of revs in the middle of the corner, things just get busy. Not a complaint, but I am shifting with my left hand. This takes getting used to. A little more track time and perhaps my toughest corner will change.

[andys]

Most all tracks have a corner or two that are hard, I.E, turn 8 at Willow Springs is hard because the outside edge of the exit is not in sight due to the crown in the pavement.

NASCAR turn 1 at the CA Speedway is where your brain says lift a little just as you have gotten to full speed of 140 or so but then you remember that the NASCAR guys are doing over 200 when they get there!

NASCAR turns 3 and 4 at PIR for the same reason as above and then the turn 1 - 2 - 3 complex because the pit out wall makes it blind and there are about 75% of the drivers who tap the brakes as they start to turn off the main track but a few who do not and brake after the first turn in....

John,

PIR = Phoenix or Portland? If it's Phoenix you speak of, then I'm on board with that T1-2-3 complex. That decreasing radius always had me thinking I could have gone faster, and never felt I got the most out of that part of the track. I thought it was a very tricky complex, but not scary fast like say T8 or T9 @ WSIR.

Andys