First HPDE weekend in the NC Miata over this past weekend. I decided to play it safe and run HPDE2 again since it's been over a year. I was cleared for solo after the second session on Saturday. I skipped the last two sessions on Saturday as it was raining and really cold.
![[Image: e23d50d512d2dc337059d61ce4f72250.jpg]](https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180327/e23d50d512d2dc337059d61ce4f72250.jpg)
The rain turned into snow overnight and the first Sunday session was canceled due to fog and then I ran the remaining 3 session on Sunday as it warmed up to 50.
![[Image: 79b8c754c15b4a699e14fd432199efad.jpg]](https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180327/79b8c754c15b4a699e14fd432199efad.jpg)
I slowly started to pick up the pace on Sunday. My instructor (Freddy) made me work on braking late on the back straight and just shifting to 4th for hogpen and planting the throttle. Well I eventually got the nerve to do it and boy it felt good and just stuck in hogpen while still having plenty of brakes. We started braking past the 1 marker in the car....
Freddy kept complimenting me on how the car felt. He was amazed how the car felt. I sometimes turned in early, sometimes turned in late, sometimes had crap inputs on downshifts, braking, trail braked, and hit curbs I shouldn't be hitting (inside of turn 3, inside of hopgen, etc.). The car would just stick and go. When in doubt just throttle it out and throw it in.
![[Image: 36fd428ce41f0a9cb5ae3901722faa84.jpg]](https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180327/36fd428ce41f0a9cb5ae3901722faa84.jpg)
I couldn't believe myself how well the car felt dialed in for it's first time on the track. The car would rotate perfectly through 4 and stick even with the rear squealing the tires. The car would easily trail brake into T1, I would lift off the brake the rear would rotate slightly, I would stomp on the throttle and hold the wheel, and the car would completely settle itself through the whole turn. The car could hard trail brake through oak tree gapping a vette from the esses (see video). The car could be planted entering hogpen at 80 and stomping on the throttle.
This car also had brakes and then some. I started braking at 3-2.75 marker on the front straight and still have a little bit more brakes. I wouldn't push it much more on the front straight as I was getting close to the limit of the stock brakes stopping power. The ABS kicks in hard in this car as I found out this weekend. It lets you know it's there on initial hard braking, stops engaging with the same pedal pressure as the weight settles on the front, but would kick in again with more pedal pressure if I needed to stop more. Also, I started braking at the arrow on the back straight and that had even more brakes. I could push harder on the back straight as I let off the pedal every time, but I didn't have it in me to push it more. It's scary lol. The brakes had no fade and they just remained stiff.
Here is my final session on Sunday. I didn't realize how much I was pushing in some locations until watching and listening to the video. The tire squealing isn't as apparent with the helmet on, but in the video it's pretty loud. The camera angle makes things look pretty smooth and uneventful, but just listen and watch the whole video for the tires squealing at the limit lol. Also, check out Jake abusing Taylor's GTI in the beginning hahaha. That cars rear end was everywhere so I kept off a little.
Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk
The rain turned into snow overnight and the first Sunday session was canceled due to fog and then I ran the remaining 3 session on Sunday as it warmed up to 50.
I slowly started to pick up the pace on Sunday. My instructor (Freddy) made me work on braking late on the back straight and just shifting to 4th for hogpen and planting the throttle. Well I eventually got the nerve to do it and boy it felt good and just stuck in hogpen while still having plenty of brakes. We started braking past the 1 marker in the car....
Freddy kept complimenting me on how the car felt. He was amazed how the car felt. I sometimes turned in early, sometimes turned in late, sometimes had crap inputs on downshifts, braking, trail braked, and hit curbs I shouldn't be hitting (inside of turn 3, inside of hopgen, etc.). The car would just stick and go. When in doubt just throttle it out and throw it in.
I couldn't believe myself how well the car felt dialed in for it's first time on the track. The car would rotate perfectly through 4 and stick even with the rear squealing the tires. The car would easily trail brake into T1, I would lift off the brake the rear would rotate slightly, I would stomp on the throttle and hold the wheel, and the car would completely settle itself through the whole turn. The car could hard trail brake through oak tree gapping a vette from the esses (see video). The car could be planted entering hogpen at 80 and stomping on the throttle.
This car also had brakes and then some. I started braking at 3-2.75 marker on the front straight and still have a little bit more brakes. I wouldn't push it much more on the front straight as I was getting close to the limit of the stock brakes stopping power. The ABS kicks in hard in this car as I found out this weekend. It lets you know it's there on initial hard braking, stops engaging with the same pedal pressure as the weight settles on the front, but would kick in again with more pedal pressure if I needed to stop more. Also, I started braking at the arrow on the back straight and that had even more brakes. I could push harder on the back straight as I let off the pedal every time, but I didn't have it in me to push it more. It's scary lol. The brakes had no fade and they just remained stiff.
Here is my final session on Sunday. I didn't realize how much I was pushing in some locations until watching and listening to the video. The tire squealing isn't as apparent with the helmet on, but in the video it's pretty loud. The camera angle makes things look pretty smooth and uneventful, but just listen and watch the whole video for the tires squealing at the limit lol. Also, check out Jake abusing Taylor's GTI in the beginning hahaha. That cars rear end was everywhere so I kept off a little.
Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk