Watkins Glen July 22nd 2017

[Racingswh]

A few laps. It was raining in the first part of the session almost to the point of me pitting in so I was a bit off the pace but I picked it up a little right at the end. Hoosiers, wet track and Watkins Glen can be a bad combination if you like your car to stay looking the same way it did when you brought it to the track.

Car was flawless all weekend. Could not be happier with this car!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2M3ccG3i1A&t=99s

[09 ACR]

Nice laps looks like it was a lot of fun

[Racingswh]

Nice laps looks like it was a lot of fun

It was! Too much traffic when it was nice but I knew it going into the weekend. If the Sun came out sometimes there was upwards of 50 cars on track. All in all though a blast.

Here's my Wife's C7GS, my Dad's C6GS, the Viper and my friends 652 rwhp C5 ready to give all the Porsche's a real hard time!!

[LmeaViper]

Pretty cool. A few corners on that track don't leave much room for error.

[Racingswh]

A few corners on that track don't leave much room for error.

That's definitely true.

Unfortunately we had two car to car crashes that resulted simply from the tight confines in 9 and then later in the weekend from big mistakes by both drivers into the bus stop.

I happened to be a passenger in the first incident when a driver in front of us lost control trying to keep the thing off the wall exiting 9, the left hander where the guard rail is just feet from the track, and came across the track in front of us. We speared into the Porsche just in front of the drivers side door spinning it around and smashing it against the guard rail facing the opposite direction. Both cars were totaled.

It's a track that demands patience, respect and great situational awareness when shit goes sideways.

[Dr.Ron]

Nice driving Steve!

Ron

[Racingswh]

Nice driving Steve!

Ron

Thanks! That's kind.

Made a bunch of mistakes on that quick lap. Wrong gear selection. Missing my rev matching into 6. Slow out of the bus stop. Sliding the car too much in 9. Considering all that and reduced grip from the rain earlier in the session it wasn't terrible.

Quick time for the weekend was a 1:59.66 and even on that lap I had to lift for a point by on the back straight that cost me time and slow entry into the bus stop.

On clear laps or even better, with a pack of Vipers setting quick laps, I think the cars have 55's in them if the laps are mistake free balls out laps. I am not sure I want to be in the car though. Winnings aren't enough :).

[Arizona Vipers]

Great video dude! Glad you didn't get hurt in the crash! What care were you in when it crashed into the Porsche?

[Racingswh]

Great video dude! Glad you didn't get hurt in the crash! What care were you in when it crashed into the Porsche?

Thanks!

I was in a 2014 C7Z51 car. We had pulled up behind a pack of 3 other cars following closely together and going along ok. Car in front of us dodged left suddenly and all we saw was the car directly in front of that one getting sideways and coming across the track.

It was a weird one because the speeds weren't very high but once the rear of the 911 started sliding the driver didn't have much luck saving it. The driver of the car I was in had obstructed view, did lift and move the car left but it wasn't enough. My side went straight into the Porsche right behind the driver's side wheel tearing the suspension off both cars. Probably a 45 mph impact. No video or data though. What was weird was no airbags went off. No one was hurt at all. Just chalked it up to bad things happening once in awhile.

[Bryan Savage]

Nice driving Steve!

Ron

Thanks! That's kind.

Made a bunch of mistakes on that quick lap. Wrong gear selection. Missing my rev matching into 6. Slow out of the bus stop. Sliding the car too much in 9. Considering all that and reduced grip from the rain earlier in the session it wasn't terrible.

Quick time for the weekend was a 1:59.66 and even on that lap I had to lift for a point by on the back straight that cost me time and slow entry into the bus stop.

On clear laps or even better, with a pack of Vipers setting quick laps, I think the cars have 55's in them if the laps are mistake free balls out laps. I am not sure I want to be in the car though. Winnings aren't enough :).

1:59:66??? Holy balls that's fast. Best I've been able to do is 2:14:89 on Corsas in my TA. You stock aside from Hoosiers?

[str5010]

Glad to hear you're ok Steve! That situation is obviously a major fear of mine at track events.

[Racingswh]

1:59:66??? Holy balls that's fast. Best I've been able to do is 2:14:89 on Corsas in my TA. You stock aside from Hoosiers?

Thanks!! Not as fast as Gary though. He put down a 1:58.45. That's a nice lap!!

My car is stock except for the 18" Hoosiers albeit they had a bunch of sessions on them before I put down the quick time.

Nice times on Corsa's!! I am not sure I would go any quicker in a TA on them at WG either. Car moving around, blue bushes staring at you with that "come a little closer" look just waiting to get a taste of Viper. There are many other tracks I would rather push the limits on. Never as a driver yet but I have personally been involved in the destruction of 3 cars there by either a student, a relative or a good friend.

[Racingswh]

Glad to hear you're ok Steve! That situation is obviously a major fear of mine at track events.

Thanks Shawn! I was and am totally fine. Sad for the people involved though. I hate crashes.

Track insurance is my friend. I have destroyed far too many cars to not have it. Why throw away 50k to 125k if I don't have to? People say you should be able to afford to walk away from the destroyed car and not care. That's cool but just because I can why on Earth would I when I can guard against that for the paltry sum of $1000?

Driver in his BRAND NEW Porsche Boxster Spyder, claimed to be a 110k car, and took a late pass into the bus stop. Instructors in BOTH cars. Driver that gave him the pass didn't see him anymore and turned down on him. How that happens I have no idea but it did. Both cars wrecked. Entire passenger side of the Boxster smashed in from front to back. NO TRACK INSURANCE.

He was trying to blame the incident on the club. Really?? You're on a race track in a brand new car with other cars flying around you at over 100 mph, driven by who knows how good they are, with no track insurance all the while driving in a way that puts the car, yourself and your instructor at risk. Not his smartest day imo.

[str5010]

I try to stay away from the late passes. People point me by sometimes and I'm thinking - are you crazy?! I'm not ignorant to the risk, but still try not to think about it.

[ek1]

I try to stay away from the late passes. People point me by sometimes and I'm thinking - are you crazy?! I'm not ignorant to the risk, but still try not to think about it.

+1 I never take those. There is only one prize worth winning in all these events - it's taking your care home in 1 piece :)

[Arizona Vipers]

Thanks!! Not as fast as Gary though. He put down a 1:58.45. That's a nice lap!!


What is "Gary" driving?

[Racingswh]

What is "Gary" driving?

Gary Wimble. 09 ACR -1st person to respond to this thread.

Stock Viper ACR-E on Hoosier R7's. Looks to be currently one of if not the fastest guy in the Eastern US and possibly the whole country in a stock Gen V ACR.

I apologize for the assumption that everyone here would know him. Because he runs at some of the tracks I frequent his times are relevant to me. 58 at Watkins Glen. 55 at VIR. He's posted these videos on this forum before but here he is again and this is flying.

https://youtu.be/XAkBPGBNI4Y

https://youtu.be/1F-lcOpEG_g

[ek1]

Thanks Shawn! I was and am totally fine. Sad for the people involved though. I hate crashes.

Track insurance is my friend. I have destroyed far too many cars to not have it. Why throw away 50k to 125k if I don't have to? People say you should be able to afford to walk away from the destroyed car and not care. That's cool but just because I can why on Earth would I when I can guard against that for the paltry sum of $1000?

Driver in his BRAND NEW Porsche Boxster Spyder, claimed to be a 110k car, and took a late pass into the bus stop. Instructors in BOTH cars. Driver that gave him the pass didn't see him anymore and turned down on him. How that happens I have no idea but it did. Both cars wrecked. Entire passenger side of the Boxster smashed in from front to back. NO TRACK INSURANCE.

He was trying to blame the incident on the club. Really?? You're on a race track in a brand new car with other cars flying around you at over 100 mph, driven by who knows how good they are, with no track insurance all the while driving in a way that puts the car, yourself and your instructor at risk. Not his smartest day imo.

Pretty insane....just curious, what was his reason for blaming it on the club? Never heard that one before :) What I did see in a few events I have attended is the club pushed drivers from Group 1 to Group 2 because Group 1 was full and they wanted the money. Those guys were tripping all over themselves. Scary.

I have never been to a PCA track event yet (didn't hear too many good things about those), but otherwise I have not been to a single track day in my life where I have not seen at least one person driving well beyond their ability. A lot of them ran out of talent.

[Racingswh]

Pretty insane....just curious, what was his reason for blaming it on the club? Never heard that one before :) What I did see in a few events I have attended is the club pushed drivers from Group 1 to Group 2 because Group 1 was full and they wanted the money. Those guys were tripping all over themselves. Scary.

I have never been to a PCA track event yet (didn't hear too many good things about those), but otherwise I have not been to a single track day in my life where I have not seen at least one person driving well beyond their ability. A lot of them ran out of talent.

I didn't do the debrief of the Driver. Just heard about it 2nd hand. He was apparently pretty upset and getting a little animated.

I have driven with a few PCA regions and they are all quite different. Some good. Some bad. They don't push people up in our region. You drive in the run group you are assigned. If that group fills up you can't run at that event. We have 2 instructed groups and 3 non instructed groups. The middle group has clearly defined protocols and places on track for passing. The top two groups have open passing with a point by.

With these cars at PCA DE events it's the pace of everyone that is the inhibitor. You can not get away from traffic. You are always coming up on someone and that slows you down because you have to wait for them to see you and point you past. I had one friend come up to me after the session and apologize. He's a really great guy and meant no harm. He was in his 997 Cup Car running probably solid 2:03's or so not paying any attention to his rear view because stuff rarely comes up on him. I followed him for 1/2 a lap before he even saw me. Wrecked the entire lap for me and he was the only car I saw the entire lap.

Lastly, in this car, lately I just feel myself lap time chasing. Trying to see if I am going to get a clear lap. I am starting to have more pure fun in my Wife's C7GS because it's slow like the other cars at the event. I can work really hard, slide the thing all over, don't care nearly as much if I wad the thing up, and be on a similar pace with other fast cars out there with me. I get to mix it up which can be lot's of fun!! Using the ACR-E is like using a sledge to open a glass bottle. It's more than is needed at regular DE events.

Looks like NARRA Time Trials is a must!! Open track and super fast Vipers!!!!

[str5010]

Haha that's awesome in a way Steve. That was my goal with my ACR. Hopefully learn how to drive well enough to someday be qualified to participate in NARRA TT.

[ek1]

I didn't do the debrief of the Driver. Just heard about it 2nd hand. He was apparently pretty upset and getting a little animated.

I have driven with a few PCA regions and they are all quite different. Some good. Some bad. They don't push people up in our region. You drive in the run group you are assigned. If that group fills up you can't run at that event. We have 2 instructed groups and 3 non instructed groups. The middle group has clearly defined protocols and places on track for passing. The top two groups have open passing with a point by.

With these cars at PCA DE events it's the pace of everyone that is the inhibitor. You can not get away from traffic. You are always coming up on someone and that slows you down because you have to wait for them to see you and point you past. I had one friend come up to me after the session and apologize. He's a really great guy and meant no harm. He was in his 997 Cup Car running probably solid 2:03's or so not paying any attention to his rear view because stuff rarely comes up on him. I followed him for 1/2 a lap before he even saw me. Wrecked the entire lap for me and he was the only car I saw the entire lap.

Lastly, in this car, lately I just feel myself lap time chasing. Trying to see if I am going to get a clear lap. I am starting to have more pure fun in my Wife's C7GS because it's slow like the other cars at the event. I can work really hard, slide the thing all over, don't care nearly as much if I wad the thing up, and be on a similar pace with other fast cars out there with me. I get to mix it up which can be lot's of fun!! Using the ACR-E is like using a sledge to open a glass bottle. It's more than is needed at regular DE events.

Looks like NARRA Time Trials is a must!! Open track and super fast Vipers!!!!

You are right on point about the pace getting faster. I spoke to a guy that I have been tracking with for the past 4 years. He has a VW bug. He told me he was tired of giving point by's every 5 seconds, throughout the entire lap, every lap. Add to this cars that practically drive themselves around the track with dual-clutch automatics, all-wheel drive, drift modes, e-diffs and computerized suspensions and the overall pace doubles.