July 16 & 17 - S2000s at Watkins Glen with SCDA
07-23-2018, 06:24 AM
#61
Former Moderator
Thread Starter
Phew! I was relieved that you didn’t lose the 710 cap. Glad you could make it.
One question, was it your first time out there after the repave? That also could be a contributing factor to the lower lap times in addition to the other factors.
One question, was it your first time out there after the repave? That also could be a contributing factor to the lower lap times in addition to the other factors.
07-24-2018, 02:44 PM
#64
Holy shit, Aashish, you’re a novelist. I don’t post much but when I do, I tend to keep it short.
I do want to thank Aashish for organizing. This year was better than last year because I got to do the 2 days instead of 1. I also got to meet Mike and John. I’m very relieved that this bunch (Aashish, Jeff, Mike and John) is down to earth and good people to hang out with. With that, I look forward to future track days with you all.
I want to share videos of my run. It’s the first time for me posting videos of my driving. I’d appreciate your constructive feedback. Thanks!
I do want to thank Aashish for organizing. This year was better than last year because I got to do the 2 days instead of 1. I also got to meet Mike and John. I’m very relieved that this bunch (Aashish, Jeff, Mike and John) is down to earth and good people to hang out with. With that, I look forward to future track days with you all.
I want to share videos of my run. It’s the first time for me posting videos of my driving. I’d appreciate your constructive feedback. Thanks!
07-24-2018, 03:35 PM
#65
Former Moderator
Thread Starter
Rico - you were consistent in what you did. And as Greg used to tell me, its easy to make tweaks when someone is driving consistently. I think you improved massively as the event progressed. A 2:24 lap is very quick and you seemed to get the best out of your car as your familiarity with the track kept increasing.
I'm not a novelist. I just have a problem with brevity. It is our friend Mr. Osprey that is the budding novelist. And as I said to you, use all of the track and make sure you're on the gas at the apex. You were most certainly doing that in the videos you shared with me so job well done on what was only your third day on track at Watkins Glen.
I'm not a novelist. I just have a problem with brevity. It is our friend Mr. Osprey that is the budding novelist. And as I said to you, use all of the track and make sure you're on the gas at the apex. You were most certainly doing that in the videos you shared with me so job well done on what was only your third day on track at Watkins Glen.
08-06-2018, 04:54 PM
#66
Can't believe I'm this late to the game on posting! Time is seriously flying down here. It was real smack in the face being at work on day 1 rather than ripping around the Glen with you lads. As always, your track reports made me feel like I was there Aashish. Plus that video you sent me definitely lifted my spirits. As always glad to see that everyone got out nice and safe and had a great time. Also, it seems like the weather really held out this year which is awesome! Although this year was a bust for me, I will definitely be back next year!
The following users liked this post:
A 2 (08-06-2018)
08-07-2018, 02:09 PM
#69
The Mellow Yellow was having trouble. I think he was over heating; and the car seems to be a work in progress. He was there at the Glen last year, also having trouble. Plus I'm not sure how experienced a driver he is. Even I passed him.
08-08-2018, 02:55 PM
#70
My two days at the Glen started in the Adirondacks, first with the Solidarity Drive for Levi in unsettled weather, and then to make up, on Sunday afternoon with an absolutely glorious ride across the ‘dacks from Elizabethtown to Rome. Late enough for all the summer weekend traffic to be gone, early enough for me to have daylight, top down and traffic so light that I didn’t get behind a slow car the whole way. Perfect!
On the Thruway between Rome and Seneca Falls, then south on Route 114 along Seneca Lake to the Glen – downhill all the way! The only negative on the whole ride was the smell of the massive landfill on the northern outskirts of Seneca Lake.
Met most of the boys at the Budget Inn having a brew on the porch well after dark. Of course, Rico is keeping Liz at a safe distance in some other hostelry, so they are not there. JJ has sent a sandwich for me and Mike offers one of John’s beers. Perfect way to end the drive.
Of course, I bunked with Aashish. As always, we are like two school girls talking late into the night. It wouldn’t be so bad except that he sets the alarm for about 5:00 a.m. Gone is the 8 alarm fire response in New York City that has me on the ceiling. Instead, it is gentle chimes this year and I feel like I’m floating in a boat on the pond. Of course, I have to pull myself out of bed hours before it is absolutely necessary.
Good conditions for the track; and I have a good first run to warm up. Also feeling quite good about the second run when I clocked a 2:50 lap time. I thought this was a great time for me – that is until I checked my times from last year and saw that on day 2 that I had been running in the mid to high 2:30s with a best lap of 2:34. I had a long way to go to get there again this year.
But I improved and by the end of the day on Monday, I was clocking some 2:36 laps.
Rained at dinner time, but we had our usual social gathering at the Harbor House. Some je ne sais quoi was missing. I wasn’t making my usual “under my breath comments” about my table mates or thinking about how the bill would be split when it came time to pay. So I had fun without this extra pressure. I did my best to behave for fear of retribution from the #MeToo Movement. They have been out for me lately!
On Tuesday, I had a new plan. Since I seemed to be stuck running laps in the 2:38 to 2:36 range, I made a concerted effort to roll more speed through the corners, especially the two left handers, turn 7 and turn 10, as they seemed to be my slowest corners. I tried not to overbrake, and felt that if I could roll through these corners at just 1 or 2 mph faster, my lap times would improve.
In the first run I picked up a bit of time, and then in my second run. I really found my mojo. I ran seven laps under 2:35 and my best lap was run at 2:29.971. I was very happy and I must admit that I felt quite comfortable at the increased pace.
Alas, it was not to last. In my third and final run, I seemed to slow a bit. I only ran 4 laps in under 2:35 and the best I could do was a 2:30.864. Of course, that was about 20 seconds faster than my first run on Monday, so who’s complaining.
I needed to drive the car to Saratoga to drop it off for my daughter. I bagged the fourth run and waited for Aashish to finish his day. He was anxious to get home to see the baby. We had a nice scenic run along the road between Binghamton and Albany and split up west of Albany as I headed north on the Northway.
I dropped off the S around 9:30 and then headed home. Tired eyes and ground fog made slow going. I pulled off and took a micro nap for 20 minutes off of Route 22 south on Hillsdale. Then headed on home arriving around 2:30 a.m.
Had another great time and look forward to returning next year. Upstate New York in high summer is God's Country and I loved driving across.
On the Thruway between Rome and Seneca Falls, then south on Route 114 along Seneca Lake to the Glen – downhill all the way! The only negative on the whole ride was the smell of the massive landfill on the northern outskirts of Seneca Lake.
Met most of the boys at the Budget Inn having a brew on the porch well after dark. Of course, Rico is keeping Liz at a safe distance in some other hostelry, so they are not there. JJ has sent a sandwich for me and Mike offers one of John’s beers. Perfect way to end the drive.
Of course, I bunked with Aashish. As always, we are like two school girls talking late into the night. It wouldn’t be so bad except that he sets the alarm for about 5:00 a.m. Gone is the 8 alarm fire response in New York City that has me on the ceiling. Instead, it is gentle chimes this year and I feel like I’m floating in a boat on the pond. Of course, I have to pull myself out of bed hours before it is absolutely necessary.
Good conditions for the track; and I have a good first run to warm up. Also feeling quite good about the second run when I clocked a 2:50 lap time. I thought this was a great time for me – that is until I checked my times from last year and saw that on day 2 that I had been running in the mid to high 2:30s with a best lap of 2:34. I had a long way to go to get there again this year.
But I improved and by the end of the day on Monday, I was clocking some 2:36 laps.
Rained at dinner time, but we had our usual social gathering at the Harbor House. Some je ne sais quoi was missing. I wasn’t making my usual “under my breath comments” about my table mates or thinking about how the bill would be split when it came time to pay. So I had fun without this extra pressure. I did my best to behave for fear of retribution from the #MeToo Movement. They have been out for me lately!
On Tuesday, I had a new plan. Since I seemed to be stuck running laps in the 2:38 to 2:36 range, I made a concerted effort to roll more speed through the corners, especially the two left handers, turn 7 and turn 10, as they seemed to be my slowest corners. I tried not to overbrake, and felt that if I could roll through these corners at just 1 or 2 mph faster, my lap times would improve.
In the first run I picked up a bit of time, and then in my second run. I really found my mojo. I ran seven laps under 2:35 and my best lap was run at 2:29.971. I was very happy and I must admit that I felt quite comfortable at the increased pace.
Alas, it was not to last. In my third and final run, I seemed to slow a bit. I only ran 4 laps in under 2:35 and the best I could do was a 2:30.864. Of course, that was about 20 seconds faster than my first run on Monday, so who’s complaining.
I needed to drive the car to Saratoga to drop it off for my daughter. I bagged the fourth run and waited for Aashish to finish his day. He was anxious to get home to see the baby. We had a nice scenic run along the road between Binghamton and Albany and split up west of Albany as I headed north on the Northway.
I dropped off the S around 9:30 and then headed home. Tired eyes and ground fog made slow going. I pulled off and took a micro nap for 20 minutes off of Route 22 south on Hillsdale. Then headed on home arriving around 2:30 a.m.
Had another great time and look forward to returning next year. Upstate New York in high summer is God's Country and I loved driving across.
The following users liked this post:
A 2 (08-08-2018)