Headed to summit point in a couple weeks paid for friday and instructing sat and sunday with NASA.... anyone have tips for the track? I will be running a C5 Z been to VIR / Atlanta / CMP / Barber ... just looking for any insight :-)


Paul

 

If your on main track then turn 3 is blind over a rise and off camber. Turn in for the left hander is late, use the second service road on your right as a turn in guide.

In the carousel, after hitting inside apex get on gas until midway across track. Then slight throttle lift rotates you right setting up for the left exit.

 

Watch for deer. Seriously.

 

I'll be there Friday for seat time and TT3 for the weekend.

I'm not the best there but i've run the track a few dozen times. I would be happy to meet up with you and talk about the place or you can follow me if you are running seat time. Or early afternoon Friday most of the Corvette instructors will show up and they can help you unlearn any bad info i've given you.

Here is a video I took late last year. First couple laps I was just warming stuff up and sorry for it being so dark.

 

Paul,

In terms of safety: a) T10 tends to be a little slippery at times (if there's rain, there's where I notice traction loss first). You don't want to go off track at the exit in T10 for safety. b) The deer I've heard about are on the main straight and turn 2 c) T4 is the 'chute'; make sure your suspension is settled before turn in and be on that gas down the hill. There will not be tons of traction so this is another place not to fool around w/close passes or having to hit brakes coming up on someone d) the exit of T9 has a tree line. Be very careful on throttle here; don't over do it. This is another place you can't afford to go off

Technical terms: For the C5 I actually go into T6 on the inside of the turn of very close. There are a lot of lines from T5 to T6 but I try to make it a straight and stand on the gas which leads me to the inside on T6. T3 is off camber on the exit so you have to be a little careful w/throttle application on exit but it's not a big deal. Just about all of the turns are late apex turns. Also, it's a gear 3-4 track in the stock c5z. Most folks downshift for T10 and T3 but I find it tough...there is not a lot of time there to perform the shift.

HTH

 

I'll be there instructing Sat & Sunday and also running in TT. Try and hook up with Scott Blair aka Joenationwide on the forums. He has a Z06 and knows summit very, very well.

 

Amen. I learned the hard way.


I think it is a fun and fast track, a couple of fun horsepower sections, a couple of technical sections, and one or two sections that will test your stones (the Chute into Turn 5 is a great place to go fast if can ignore the tire barrier and dirt berms that look really close at speed.)

Can be tough on brakes if you are fast so fresh fluid and rotors are a good idea for a long weekend. Wildlife is a persistent problem.

 

Good advice from everyone so far.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSaQx...ature=youtu.be

Here's a video from last year. I just got the car, and I had the stock seat. I do not recommend driving with the stock seat.

Anyway, its a pretty straightforward track.
This is how I would summarize it, hopefully its not too wordy.

T1 - find the turn in point that results in car tracking all the way out under throttle from apex. hardest part will be finding your brake point.
T3 - turn in about 1 car length before the second service road meets the track. Then try to brake later and early apex it more.
T4 - get car settled (brush brake early, then ease onto throttle) before turn in. Look all the way down the chute after turn in.
T5 - you should be coming in on fire...with no choice but to stay track left (inside curb) as you straighten out the wheel to brake. Scrub a lot of speed so your tires sing, not scream through T5.
T6 - slight brush of brakes, set the nose, and turn in just before pavement change, let it drift out wide on the new pavement through the long turn
T7 - slight lift as right hander tightens into T7, then be patient before you make the left for T8
T8 - get as far to left as you can at exit of T8, then without hesitation turn in for T9.
T9 - tricky turn in: too early, and you have to breath off throttle at track out (no good).
Too late, and you have trouble hitting the apex because the road starts to crown as you enter the turn and you will miss your entrance into the "bowl".
Same thing as you exit T9 (in 4th gear) once you cross mid track the road crown may upset the car, so be smooth.
T10 - mid track under bridge, then brake in a straight line to the outside edge of track (turn in point).
Start by turning in at the new pavement, as you get comfortable brake a bit later and turn in a bit earlier with slight trailbrake.
If the rear steps out a bit, be cool and stay smooth it will be fine.

Thanks Mark.
OP - I have to miss this event for a friends wedding, but if you can get Mark to ride with you, you might be setting lap records soon.

I was 100-200 yds behind you when the deer hit you, I saw the whole thing (I'm in the red E36M3 passing by at the end of your video).
I was able to see the deer running on the side of the fence seconds before darting out across the pavement.
I had already slowed down seconds before it ran in front of you.
I even told my wife (in the passenger seat) "whoa, see that deer?"
Seconds later the deer ran out and BOOM!, it was a pink meat sack thrown 10 feet in the air, with a pink mist and black plastic shrapnel everywhere.
I didn't know if you were ok until you posted the video.

 

Agree with jw ... it is a great track. It's ashame ... afraid I'm not going back due to the wildlife. Pack of deer splitting a bunch of us at 135+ was enough for me. I'll stop now so I'm not hijacking...

 

Holy cow! Was the car totaled? Lucky it wasn't worse. One time while flagging at T10 I saw a wood chuck milling around in the grass next to the track. Luckily he stayed off the blacktop.

 

All good tips so far. I will be there also on Friday, assuming I'm not busy wrenching on a car(which I seem to have to do more often than I'd like) I'd be glad to review your notes with you as well.
Joe M

 

Wonder if they will let me ride with you ... (never been with Seat time)

 

Seat time is just a solo version of their Friday at the Track thing they have at Summit. I don't think they allow passengers but doesn't hurt to ask.

 

They don't allow passengers at FATT sessions - instructors only, but they they used to allow passengers for Seat Time - they made some changes to their programs this year; ask for sure! Great track!!

 

Cool ... I am a NASA instructor so maybe they will let me ride along with someone or someone ride with me ... if not I will figure it out :-)

 

kinda bummed about Seat Time .... they do not allow you into the track until 8 AM on the day of the event ... I have at least hour prep time and maybe a bit more setting up tents / getting car inspected ..... hate to feel rushed .... Not sure if it is "open" track but if they have sessions starting at 9 not sure would make that call ..

done bitchin now :-) still excited and ready to rock and roll for 3 days :-)

 

I'll be there too. Last time I was there for Seat Time they did allow passengers in both run groups (street car and race car). If you run a passenger in the race group, the passenger must have a window net too.

There's going to be a bunch of fast cars in the street group, so I'll probably run there this time. If the passenger seat it empty, feel free to hop in for a ride.

 

I read this thread a while back and thought it was cool that an instructor was taking the time to learn a new course before driving it. Paul ended up being my instructor for the weekend. He gave me some different lines to try out. We put down what felt like some decent laps. Most importantly I felt comfortable in the car and had a great time. Thanks Paul hope to see you out on track soon!

 

Glad to hear you had a great time ... You were rocking it out there. Your car is sweet and one of the better dialed in setups I have been in. I ended up getting down to a .23 lap but the seat of my pants tells me you were turning some faster laps... I am off to VIR this weekend then after Moms day headed to CMP ... Would love to meet up with you at another track ... if ya have time look at Daytona in November with NASA SE I think you and your buddy would have a blast there :-)