Learn me the Porsche 924S for track work

I'm not adding anything valuable to this discussion.

If you are uncomfortable with fast cars passing you I would reconsider running in that run group. I would also want to have a word with the people that are running the event. I would also introduce my self to the guys that are passing you adn making you feel uncomfortable. They may not even realise what theya re doing. Making them aware of things will make both you and them safer on track.

Back in the 90's (I think) I was at a test and tune day up at NHIS. It was 2 weeks before the CART race there. I was out testing my FC rx7. Bobby Rayhaul's haller was in the paddock but there was no sign of anyone around for most of the day. At about 3:00 (test and tune was from 1-5) as I was sailing it in to turn one and I just caught a gimps of the nosecone of an Indy car coming on to the front strait (exiting T4 of the oval). The Indy car passed me as I entered T2 of the south oval and then proceeded to pass me 2 more times on that lap. Needless to say it was a bit disconcerting as well as a bit humbling to go from being one of the faster cars on the track that day to being a rolling chicane. Instead of tucking my tail and getting off track I continued to run with the Indy car on track for another 20-30 minutes and then came in and introduced my self to the guys at the haller and eventually got to meet the driver (not Bobby Rayhaul). We ran the rest of the day with the Indy car on track every now and then. It was probably one of the best learning experiences I have ever had in terms of teaching me the importance of situation awareness on track. And by talking with the other driver it helped me understand there side of things. By the way you can not see an indy car when it is next to you. Because of that experience I completely changed my side mirror setup on my car. Side mirrors are for seeing things beside you. Your rear view mirror is for things behind you. You dont use the side mirrors for things behind you as you will not be ale to see anything next to you. You may want to look at your mirror setting if you are loosing a fast car when they are passing you out of your mirrors. If this is the case you probably need to re adjust the mirrors as I have noted above for the usage noted above. Surprisingly no one ever told me about mirror set up before or after my Indy car experience. It took running with the indy car to learn this and talking with the driver of the Indy car to figuare this out.

I really don't care who passes me on track now because of that. Play by the drivers code and hold your line and nothing will happen. It is not your job to worry about being passed it is the faster drivers problem. Also unless it is a actual race people should be leaving lots of room. If this is not the case then the stuards of the event need to speak with those that get the attitude that they are faster and the slower traffic should get off track. Hell even in race conditions this applies.

It sounds to me like the event orginizers need to sit some drivers down as well as firmly explain on track ediquate. And make it VERY clear that an open track day IS NOT A RACE. And yet I have seen it many many times over the years these guys acting like they are running the indy 500 or a F1 event. Bragging about how many cars they passed and what not. Making moves that are just not suposed to hapen during a test and tune day. If this is not kept in check bad things WILL happen. (I ahve seen that as well) I was at an event (open track test and tune) where in the morning sessions there was allot of contact. We were all pulled off track and set down and it was explained to us we were racing for ashtrays was all the bent sheet metal in the morning really wirth is? Well a couple people just did not get it and continued to try and "win" the open track day. This resulted in more bent sheetmetal. They were sat down permanently. Things got a lot calmer after that and in fact I don't ever remember it ever being a problem for many years after that. At another club the HP race got out of control to the point that some one actually purchased an old indy car. Really an indy car at a school / open track day event for sports cars???? Yep they "won" that school and open track day. I decided to no longer participate with that group any more it was just stupid.

So enough of all my experiences. If you are getting nervous about being passed either you need more situation awareness and you should evaluate the run group you are in or the other people are doing it wrong and the event organizers need to be made aware of it. Because when something does happen everyone will pay the price and hopefully no one pays the ultimate price.

In reply to dean1484:

Totally agree with you. I was just trying to say I understand the feeling of not wanting to have the slowest car by a longshot in a run group. My point was there really weren't any run groups at that track day for anything much slower than an e36 m3, and I can understand wanting to get a car that can at least keep up with the cheapest m3.

Robbie wrote: In reply to dean1484: Totally agree with you. I was just trying to say I understand the feeling of not wanting to have the slowest car by a longshot in a run group. My point was there really weren't any run groups at that track day for anything much slower than an e36 m3, and I can understand wanting to get a car that can at least keep up with the cheapest m3.

And that is the problem. Unless you are use to racing in traffic that includes a complete range of cars and driver capability's the track should probably look at this. It seems that some people are not having fun at the expense of others. That is not good. People should not feel that they have to get a M3 or other caliber car just to be on track.

Guess the ZO6/M3/M5/GTR/458 crowd will have to sit for 30/45 min or so while the other group cars run. It really is a safety issue. Being scared / nervous / un nerved in a car in traffic can cause very bad things. It is just normal reactions caused by the fight or flight reaction. Hold your line is easy unless you fear for your life and you move and inadvertently cause contact. That is a bad thing. I had a REALLY close one because of that exact problem and in the end I as the faster more experienced driver blame my self as I should have known blasting up to and by a novice driver could result in that kind of thing.

I think people should speak with the track or the group that is hosting the event and see if changes can be made. It would be safer and more fun for everyone.

At the drivers meetings for the track days I go to they do this chant "this is not racing this is not racing".

At the aforementioned PCA track days I give folks lots of room (I've been on both ends of the speed differentional).

By contrast at last vintage race I ran, I was talking to someone about my race; I mentioned sliding it under a couple of Porsches and how (even by my standards) I was hanging it out the whole race. A crew member for the Atlantic and F2 cars standing nearby overheard and stepped over to us said "I watched you in turn 2 and thought man was that's reeeally aggressive but you've obviously done it before as it was timed perfectly".

I'd never bring this level of aggression to a track day; one of the other reasons I'm ok with the intermedate group is the designated passing areas. I'm very cautious about open passing at track days is the lower level of safety equipment really does warrant a more cuatious approach. Again I have no problem bombing past people while racing ( provided it's a clean pass) but it's not OK at a track day.

Tom

I think if you want to squeeze more power out of a 924 you are better off just getting another car. I considered a 924S a while ago myself but after going through many other vehicles settled on a skyline gts.

There are many cars from that era that are the same weight but more easy power mods or more tried and true methods. If you want more power pick one of those. Otherwise I like the 924S.

It's not a whole lot of fun being a rolling chicane and constantly hanging your arm out the window giving point bys the entire session.

One of the reasons I like my local NASA group is they split the time trial cars up, the faster TT1, 2, 3 cars go in one group and the slower TTB-TTF cars are in another...