Timz06

Enjoyed my second race weekend! Had good races both days.

On Sat someone crashed during qualifying and the gridded us by car numbers. In the race there was a crash and someone oiled down the track. They ended the race with only a few laps run. The day was not progressing very well- about 3 laps practice, 1 lap qualifying, and 3 laps race. Jim was nice enough to let us race again at 5! It was a great race, first with Jody and then with Rob L. I ended up 2nd, I could not pass Rob even though I was on his bumper for a few laps. Any tips on passing?

http://www.timz06.com/raaugust2010/RaAugustBig.wmv

AU N EGL

Great Job Tim.

Loved the editorial comments on the Green Jetta .

Car sounds Much better too

Timz06

OOPS! He actually moved out of the way so I felt bad that I blurted that out, but that's what happens in the heat of the moment!

0Vector Vette

The first thing I would say is you were way too far behind the red car at the start. Had you been right behind him like you should have been, you would have been past Jody and the turquoise panoz by turn one and right behind him the whole race. Road Atlanta is a tuff place to make a pass, applying pressure for the whole race instead of a few laps is a great way to force the other driver into a mistake. Stay off the rumble strips at 5 (easier said then done), look how much ground you lost when you went up there toward the end of the race. Turn 6 has more banking then most people realize, you can really fly through that corner. I try to make up ground thru turn 6, get as close as you can thru 7, and try to outbrake them at 10.

Other then the start, I thought you drove a very good race.
Robert Finlayson

Short-Throw

Tim,

Very smooth and under control driving!


2 suggestions on passing (and yes it's always easier to drive from the keyboard) I was taught by a few pros (and will be working on it perpetually :o) :

1) You never really stuck your nose out to either of his side view mirrors to try to 'deke' him out, you merely followed him. Sometimes that can make the leader drive more of a protected line as he watches his mirrors giving you more chances.

2) There were times when you closed the gap in the braking zones. Climbing up a car in the braking zone will get you closer earlier but will usually make you get to the gas later. The best way to catch somebody going onto a straight is to get on the gas earlier. This is performed by allowing just enough space between you both so that driving a fast line through the corner will not slow you down as you near the lead car. I know, a lot easier said than done! That's why it's an Art......and I'm a lousy painter!



Mike

Timz06

Robert, thanks for the comment. The Turquoise Panoz was not lined up correctly, he should have been in the spot in front of me. I didn't know if I should just take his spot, so I hung back, since I didn't want to get DQ'ed.

I did notice the starts are hard, I don't think the people up front are doing them right. After the pace car left, they were gradually speeding up we were already at 70 mph when the green flew.

Tim

Timz06

Thanks Mike, I was trying to time my runs at turn 7-and sometimes in 5, he was really slowing me down there. Another factor was that I didn't want to get into a wreck, and was being a bit conservative, I still have one more race to finish to get my rookie book signed off, and I am not allowed contact (and my car is way to pretty.)

Tim

sperkins

It was fun watching you guys run on Saturday.
I had to leave early Sunday and was bummed about missing the race.

0Vector Vette

I have had that dilema myself a few times. The first time it happened, I hesitated as well, not sure if I should move up or not. Now, if someone doesn't line up correctly, I just move up and take the spot. My thoughts are that if questioned, you can always say you weren't the one lined up incorrectly.
Robert

Timz06

Sunday was not as exciting. I was looking forward to get ahead of Rob at the start-I qualified 1st, but I found out that didn't help, since he was right next to me on the outside (arguably better position.) At the start a stockcar passed me half on the grass and I decided to just let him in rather than have contact. Then he proceed to dump fuel out of his tank on every right turn so I backed off. Rob got way ahead and then Jody was trying to pass, so I ran some of the lines he taught me on Saturday and hit the nitrous. After a bit, Jody was way back there, (I think he was dreaming of big pine key and a cold one), Rob was too far ahead, so I just ran consistent laps. I was basically running alone in 2nd, and after a while I was getting pretty warm in my suit (no cool suit.) We had been out on track for about 20 minutes and I thought that was pretty long not to have seen a red flag. Sure enough, the next lap the red flag was thrown. We sat there for a while, did a parade lap and that was it.

Falcon

Tim, a hole someone left on the parade lap is like a vacuum in nature, it will be filled by someone. If that hole is because someone in front of you left it, fill it up quickly...it's called the lucky bump in NASA. Don't cross lanes to fill it, just if it's in front of you.

You pick up 2 spots immediately.

Good racin!

96solo

Fun race. I wish I could be there running wth you guys! Thunderhill is the closest we have for something like VIR and it is 800 miles away!

varkwso

Nice work rookie

drivinhard

5 is a mixed bag. if you have your car set up soft enough to run up over the rumbles and you can keep it on the wood while doing so, you can make a lot of time on other folks pinching the car 15' over to your inside.
basically aim for the 2nd corner stand and stand on it.

if you're car is sprung too stiff to jump the curbs, you have to pinch it in. no other option

sperkins

Shhhh!

Timz06

Actually, that was the last lap-I trying a bit too hard. I got too far out and the reason I slowed down too much was that I was driving in the dirt. The green porsche also appeared out of the blue right then.

Tim

The Panther

Nice video. I watched Sunday's race from Turn 10. Anybody else see the guy jump the fence and walk out onto the track after the Mustang caught on fire?

fcarga

Very nice race, Tim.

LeMans05C6

Sweet Video, this is what i want to be doing eventually. Nice to see what a race looks like.

clubracer6

Cool video... Agree with the other comments made and I can only add is that you could have worked traffic a little better. When you passed the 993 GT2 car you had plenty of space and time to get back on the race line so you could have a smoother arc through the corner and not let him open up a gap there.... I don't know your car at all, but a couple times it sounded like you could have downshifted (or carried more speed) to improve your exit speed.

Hope more than anything, you had a lot of fun!