Difficult Corners, At the track Options

[john rogers]

Yes, it is Phoenix. I just saw this weekend that the track surface will be redone so hopefully there will be some changes/upgrades to the infield road race portion also. There are only 3 or 4 drivers that go into that section flat out: Wayne Baker, Frank Beck, Jim Patrick and the guy who wrenched/drove for Edie Arrowsmith in her light blue 914. The rest of use stayed to the right and out of their way!

[MikeSpraggi]

VIR turn 8-9, climbing esses at speed.

[Richard Casto]

VIR turn 8-9, climbing esses at speed.

First this is from someone who has only driven VIR DE in a low HP Civic so my speed through the esses may be much slower than you...

With that being said, I love the the esses. Maybe with a faster car I could carry more speed and expose the dangerous side of the esses. It seems it is turn 10 is the one that catches people out and you don't need a fast car to screw it up.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fqfv2tYhkDk


The video shows the climb up through 8, 9 and into 10. Turn 10 is a blind crest left hand turn. If you apex turn 10 too early, you track out onto the grass on the right. Typically what then happens is that you spin around back across the track and into the tire wall on the left. The right thing to do is to know in advance that turn 10 bites so when you realize you have screwed up your entry to just drive straight off to the right as there is plenty of run off.

[DanT]

you got to love Corvette drivers (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) Looks like he got in too early and too hot and lost the back end (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

[stownsen914]

I think Big Bend at Lime Rock deserves a vote or two for degree of difficulty. I happen to love that turn ...

Back in the day when you saw mostly 911s, 914s, and 356s at the track, 914s ruled the roost in Big Bend.

Scott

[Downunderman]

Turn one - Eastern Creek, needs big balls.

[Randal]

VIR turn 8-9, climbing esses at speed.

First this is from someone who has only driven VIR DE in a low HP Civic so my speed through the esses may be much slower than you...

With that being said, I love the the esses. Maybe with a faster car I could carry more speed and expose the dangerous side of the esses. It seems it is turn 10 is the one that catches people out and you don't need a fast car to screw it up.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fqfv2tYhkDk


The video shows the climb up through 8, 9 and into 10. Turn 10 is a blind crest left hand turn. If you apex turn 10 too early, you track out onto the grass on the right. Typically what then happens is that you spin around back across the track and into the tire wall on the left. The right thing to do is to know in advance that turn 10 bites so when you realize you have screwed up your entry to just drive straight off to the right as there is plenty of run off.

Now that was an ugly mistake. That tire wall.... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

No question, that corner is difficult and looks to be easy to screw up.

[MikeSpraggi]

VIR turn 8-9, climbing esses at speed.

Here's a couple. With too much speed and not enough down force ... well ... you see.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ailTwxulnR8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQLM-K9TwWM

[john rogers]

Any corner with a rise or fall in it is a big challenge! I forgot one earlier, guess old age is really setting in, but here is the turn 2, 3 and 4 hill from the street circuit in Tecate MX that I raced several times. There is a slight dip between 3 and 4 as you can see and the first turn is off camber as is the top and there were 2 to 3 cars a day crashing on it and a couple rolled off the right side and down into a tree filled gully!

[stownsen914]

Turn one - Eastern Creek, needs big balls.

Reading this reminded me of Bridgehampton turn 1/2 (maybe 3 also?) It was a blind, descending series of turns after the long front straight that could be taken at max speed or close to it in many cars. Once you committed to the first turn, there was no lifting until you completed the series of turns! Always in your mind as you navigated this was the sand that was pretty much everywhere (sometimes including the track surface), so if you left the track there was a good possibly of overturning the car as your tires dug into the sand and the rest of the car kept going!

Bridgehampton the track is gone now and replaced by a golf course, and sadly so.

Scott

[JFJ914]

Turn one - Eastern Creek, needs big balls.

Reading this reminded me of Bridgehampton turn 1/2 (maybe 3 also?) It was a blind, descending series of turns after the long front straight that could be taken at max speed or close to it in many cars. Once you committed to the first turn, there was no lifting until you completed the series of turns! Always in your mind as you navigated this was the sand that was pretty much everywhere (sometimes including the track surface), so if you left the track there was a good possibly of overturning the car as your tires dug into the sand and the rest of the car kept going!

Bridgehampton the track is gone now and replaced by a golf course, and sadly so.

Scott

Tell me about it! Back in 1975 I put my FV on top of the hill outside 2 after a rear tire went down under the Lowenbrau Bridge. Spun across 1 into 2 hit the bottom of the cliff and flipped to the top. Landed right side up. What a ride! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

[Randal]

Any corner with a rise or fall in it is a big challenge! I forgot one earlier, guess old age is really setting in, but here is the turn 2, 3 and 4 hill from the street circuit in Tecate MX that I raced several times. There is a slight dip between 3 and 4 as you can see and the first turn is off camber as is the top and there were 2 to 3 cars a day crashing on it and a couple rolled off the right side and down into a tree filled gully!

Those concrete walls! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

Challenging to say the least.

[carr914]

Back before they "civilized" Sebring Turn 12 was wicked - you lifted, turn the wheel left, brushed the brakes to put it into a drift and away you went. If you missed there was Armco everywhere.

Another one was the series of Turns after the back straight @ Moroso - many people killed, at least one drowned

[smg914]

Slightly off subject......but.....

Quote from Andy Lally in 2007;
"Turn 17 at Sebring is the wildest corner in North America"

The Sebring course has changed so much over the years, so maybe this isn't as true today as it were a few years ago but; Many accomplished racers have said something to the effect of; "There are 17 ways to take turn 17 at Sebring and their still not sure they got it right".

[john rogers]

Here are are a couple more picts from "south of the border". Notice the plentiful armco and the nice red curbs which are about 10 to 12 inches high. In the race I won down there I had red paint on the sides of both right side tires! Some others were not so lucky, generally one or two cars would flip and/or roll over and one even ended up hanging in some trees! In the one pict you can see the car just over my inst. cluster doing a really nice barrel roll as we were still going like hell for some positions.