Getting ready for Barber....
05-21-2008, 09:59 PM
#1
Le Mans Master
Thread Starter
Getting ready for Barber....
So this may be a bit premature, but I'm trying to gather as much info as possible before I hit the track June 7th & 8th at Barber. The main thing I've learned so far is that this track is tough on brakes and tires. My '03 Z is bone stock other than a set of Nitto 555R2's.
From all the videos I've seen, it looks like most guys in the C5 choose to run a lot of the track in 3rd gear; yet it appears they are carrying enough speed (in some of these areas) to use 4th which would allow the car to roll a bit "free-er" through the apex and corner exit. What are you guys doing?
Lastly, how does this line look to all of you?
From all the videos I've seen, it looks like most guys in the C5 choose to run a lot of the track in 3rd gear; yet it appears they are carrying enough speed (in some of these areas) to use 4th which would allow the car to roll a bit "free-er" through the apex and corner exit. What are you guys doing?
Lastly, how does this line look to all of you?
Last edited by sperkins; 05-22-2008 at 12:11 AM.
05-21-2008, 11:51 PM
#2
Burning Brakes
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Line looks pretty good. A few things I do differently:
1. Carry the "arc" all the way out to the grass exiting Turn 1; the video looks pinched off. Then, after sweeping out to the grass, "hook" it back to the left about one lane to set up for entering T2.
2. Swing wider exiting the Corkscrew (Museum turn). If you let it track out a little sooner, you can pick up the throttle sooner.
3. At the end of the back straight, before the Tunnel Turn hill, hug the left, DO NOT "diagonal" it. By staying left until the access road, THEN cutting back right, you square up your run over the hill. You can gain ground on someone ahead of you doing this, AND it is safer going over the hill because you aren't turning/cresting/accelerating all at the same time.
As for gear choice, you'll want to go from 3rd to 4th and back again 4 times:
- onto front straight: up to 4th
- end of front straight: back to 3rd
- cresting hill (T4) after Carousel: up to 4th (I like to short-shift before cresting here)
- down into Hairpin: back to 3rd (some people go down to 2nd here, but 3rd is plenty torquey)
- between Hairpin & Corkscrew: up to 4th
- then back to 3rd again
- after Corkscrew and before Kink: shortshift to 4th and feather throttle through Kink
- end of back straight PRIOR TO Tunnel Turn: back to 3rd
- maintain 3rd all the way until front straight
Here's a page w/ a bunch of my in-car stuff:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/77850704/sites/racin
Come see me and our group in our "corral" at the Turn 1 end of the 2nd level of the paddock!
Fred
1. Carry the "arc" all the way out to the grass exiting Turn 1; the video looks pinched off. Then, after sweeping out to the grass, "hook" it back to the left about one lane to set up for entering T2.
2. Swing wider exiting the Corkscrew (Museum turn). If you let it track out a little sooner, you can pick up the throttle sooner.
3. At the end of the back straight, before the Tunnel Turn hill, hug the left, DO NOT "diagonal" it. By staying left until the access road, THEN cutting back right, you square up your run over the hill. You can gain ground on someone ahead of you doing this, AND it is safer going over the hill because you aren't turning/cresting/accelerating all at the same time.
As for gear choice, you'll want to go from 3rd to 4th and back again 4 times:
- onto front straight: up to 4th
- end of front straight: back to 3rd
- cresting hill (T4) after Carousel: up to 4th (I like to short-shift before cresting here)
- down into Hairpin: back to 3rd (some people go down to 2nd here, but 3rd is plenty torquey)
- between Hairpin & Corkscrew: up to 4th
- then back to 3rd again
- after Corkscrew and before Kink: shortshift to 4th and feather throttle through Kink
- end of back straight PRIOR TO Tunnel Turn: back to 3rd
- maintain 3rd all the way until front straight
Here's a page w/ a bunch of my in-car stuff:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/77850704/sites/racin
Come see me and our group in our "corral" at the Turn 1 end of the 2nd level of the paddock!
Fred
Last edited by fhturner; 05-07-2012 at 09:31 AM.
05-22-2008, 12:05 AM
#3
Le Mans Master
Thread Starter
Thanks Fred. That's exactly the type of information I'm looking for. I will definately try to find you. Maybe I can find some one who'll give me a ride along.
05-22-2008, 12:08 AM
#4
Burning Brakes
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05-22-2008, 03:22 PM
#5
Just to add a few comments:
Barber is not real hard on brakes or tires...not like Road America is hard on brakes or a NASCAR oval road course is hard on tires. At RA you are braking from 165 mph to 45 mph @ T5 and 3 other similar corners, with some heavy braking @ a few others. at Barber you are baiely hitting 130 at just a couple of places.
As far as the driving line goes...IMHO...at 14a,(the pit in turn) as you approach through 14 stay in the middle of the track, don't go wide left for a typical apex. trail brake and rotate the car to line up with the right side of the short chute down to 15 and the main straight. This will maximize your speed through 15 and on to the straight. Also you will be able to gain on anyone slowing for t14a. by trail braking and rotating you will be carring more speed than those slowing for a typical apex.
At 12 and 13...use the concrete curbs...they are made to use unlike gator rumble strips, they don't upset you suspension. Don't go wider the just over half the track width going up the hill after 12. Get the complete right side of the car on the curbing at 13.
7A, 7B. & 8 (the corkscrew) ABS cars can benefit by getting the car on the curb on the left, then right. The car gets a little light on each side but then settles nicely for a good setup through 8. Do it right and you won't have understeer through 8 and will carry more speed. It's kind of like skying from one mogul to another on a black diamond slope.
T5 you don't seem to be pushing hard there, you are back to the left side on exit really soon.
T4 you have to be dead on the apex to enable full throttle up the hill. this is an attention getter and must be done right. If you have 450+ hp you may want to breath the throttle before cresting the hill. You don't want to be full throttle and even slightly off line at the top of the hill.
Just a few things I picked up from a really good instructor the last time I was at Barber...one of my absolute favorite tracks.
Barber is not real hard on brakes or tires...not like Road America is hard on brakes or a NASCAR oval road course is hard on tires. At RA you are braking from 165 mph to 45 mph @ T5 and 3 other similar corners, with some heavy braking @ a few others. at Barber you are baiely hitting 130 at just a couple of places.
As far as the driving line goes...IMHO...at 14a,(the pit in turn) as you approach through 14 stay in the middle of the track, don't go wide left for a typical apex. trail brake and rotate the car to line up with the right side of the short chute down to 15 and the main straight. This will maximize your speed through 15 and on to the straight. Also you will be able to gain on anyone slowing for t14a. by trail braking and rotating you will be carring more speed than those slowing for a typical apex.
At 12 and 13...use the concrete curbs...they are made to use unlike gator rumble strips, they don't upset you suspension. Don't go wider the just over half the track width going up the hill after 12. Get the complete right side of the car on the curbing at 13.
7A, 7B. & 8 (the corkscrew) ABS cars can benefit by getting the car on the curb on the left, then right. The car gets a little light on each side but then settles nicely for a good setup through 8. Do it right and you won't have understeer through 8 and will carry more speed. It's kind of like skying from one mogul to another on a black diamond slope.
T5 you don't seem to be pushing hard there, you are back to the left side on exit really soon.
T4 you have to be dead on the apex to enable full throttle up the hill. this is an attention getter and must be done right. If you have 450+ hp you may want to breath the throttle before cresting the hill. You don't want to be full throttle and even slightly off line at the top of the hill.
Just a few things I picked up from a really good instructor the last time I was at Barber...one of my absolute favorite tracks.
05-22-2008, 10:40 PM
#8
Le Mans Master
05-22-2008, 11:01 PM
#9
Safety Car
[QUOTE= If you have 450+ hp you may want to breath the throttle before cresting the hill. You don't want to be full throttle and even slightly off line at the top of the hill.
QUOTE]
Also, right before you crest the hill, you can unwind the wheel, so you are going straight, this will prevent you car from getting out of control when you crest the hill and the rear gets light.
Tim
QUOTE]
Also, right before you crest the hill, you can unwind the wheel, so you are going straight, this will prevent you car from getting out of control when you crest the hill and the rear gets light.
Tim
05-23-2008, 01:56 AM
#10
Burning Brakes
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Oh, and did I say
? This is the #1 thing I tell my students to be careful of. If you're carrying any speed up the hill at all, you damned well better be sure you're pointed for the scoring tower over to the left side of that next straightaway. IOW, just as Tim says, let the wheel unwind, crest the hill, wait for the car to track out and take a set, then...AND ONLY THEN bring the car back across to the right.
05-23-2008, 08:34 AM
#11
Burning Brakes
Oh, and did I say
? This is the #1 thing I tell my students to be careful of. If you're carrying any speed up the hill at all, you damned well better be sure you're pointed for the scoring tower over to the left side of that next straightaway. IOW, just as Tim says, let the wheel unwind, crest the hill, wait for the car to track out and take a set, then...AND ONLY THEN bring the car back across to the right. I did a 3 or 4 point side to side bounce cresting the hill
But saved it barely..
First time I ran there they sent me out first in TT. Did not want to be in front on a unknown track but after I got to know the track it was a hoot! Blind corners are interesting..
05-23-2008, 10:51 AM
#12
Le Mans Master
must have been because you signed up for TT?
05-24-2008, 10:12 AM
#15
Drifting
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?
05-24-2008, 11:34 AM
#18
Le Mans Master
05-24-2008, 01:03 PM
#19
Le Mans Master
Thread Starter
05-24-2008, 01:10 PM
#20
Drifting
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You know what happened last time you and Tim ran at Barber...