MX5CQ Lakeside Trackday Monday 12th September (Afternoon)

[adidistyle]

4th or 5th?
For my (mainly stock engine) NA6, it was fourth with 4.3 diff, all the way to hungry, then down to third.
Now, with 4.78 diff, I am into fifth just AFTER the crest for 1.5-2 seconds, then double shuffle to 4th then 3rd before Hungry. If I leave it in fourth it gets to the limiter/valve bounce/generally awful sound.
Third through hungry, redline, then eastern loop, and grab 4th going down the hill.

4.78 is NOT the right diff for 5sp + 205/50/15s. If I had another 1000rpm it would be great!

[MXO005]

Finally got my best session uploaded.
Lap times were fairly consistent and better than previous outings but RaceChrono shows that sectors varied dramatically and, in theory at least, I should be able to drop another second or so.

[MXO005]

A link to the full story is in the first paragraph here: http://mx5clubqld.com.au/nat-meet/index/natmeet-2014-track-day-and-funkhana/

Thanks JBT.

Do you know if there are any of Doug's notes for QR floating around?
Doug had already left by the time I got my first outing at QR in August.

[MXO005]

Forgot to ask.
Has anyone found any photos from the day on facebook or anywhere? Thought I saw at least one huge lens in the pits.

[Trackphotos]

Watched your video Ian. Lines look very good in most places, on most laps. Will go through them individually for simplicity.

Good wheel inputs on the kink, minimal steering input means no scrubbing, no wasted speed. Don't need to track all the way to the right edge like higher powered cars, keeping it centred as you have done is good.

Karussel was right on almost every lap, only suggestion would be that you're entering from too far left after the kink. I used to do the same thing, but have found that if you enter from far left, you can't use the ripple strip/first apex to push you wide before the second turn in. The one that stands out as less than ideal was at 2:50, where you didn't go wide enough between the two apexes. The result was hitting the second ripple strip right at the start, instead of toward the end of the strip. It's an early apex that will push you very wide on exit if you do it any faster, and needs more steering lock to pull straight, hence your spin in the other video.

The run out of Karussel toward the bridge is good, minimal steering lock at the crest where the car gets light, will keep you out of trouble. Your turn in for the bridge is dead on, right at the point where the bus stop comes closest to the main track. Crossing 'under' the bridge you have the wheel pretty much straight, exactly as you should.

The only corner that needs a major adjustment for lap time improvement is Hungry, but the quick line there is also the least forgiving if you get it wrong, so debatable whether it's worth changing. Your apex is about right, but if you were carrying a bit more speed it would track you right out to the ripple strip on the outside. It means you enter Eastern Loop from the right side of the track, which lowers your minimum corner speed, but the higher speed through Hungry makes up for it. If you get it wrong, you end up on the grass and quickly running out of room to brake/turn in for the loop.

Eastern Loop looks decent, it sounds like you are coasting to wash speed off though, and not just briefly. Too much time spent rolling isn't ideal. Also looks like you may be taking a wider line than necessary, which means you have to travel a greater distance between the start and finish of the corner. Keeping as close to the inside as possible from turn in all the way to the ripple strip/track out point on exit will minimise how far you travel, even if it costs you a couple of kmh in corner speed. I often use the bumps on the inside where the track has broken away to feel when I am as far right as possible without driving on the grass.

Final turn is pretty much spot on. Flat out of the loop, short shift to fourth to keep the car in control before turn in, flat all the way through until you're braking for Karussel on the next lap.

You've got some good habits. Keeping your hands in one position on the wheel is great, helps to subconsciously know where your hands are on the wheel, and where the wheels are pointed, if you get sideways unexpectedly. Gentle inputs everywhere will minimise speed lost to tyre scrubbing, and keep you in control. Barely any sawing at the wheel in the middle of corners, very smooth. Basically you're doing everything you should be doing, just not as quickly as you could be. Harder on the brakes for less time equates to less time spent coasting, and more throttle earlier. It's up to you to decide how far to push that. The faster you try to string brake/turn/feather throttle/track out at full throttle together, the easier it is to make a mistake.

[MXO005]

Watched your video Ian.

Thanks very much Ross. Really appreciate the time taken for that response.

Lots for me to take in there.
I won't get out to Lakeside again until 14 November and the final club track day of the year, so will take my time to analyse a few (select ) videos.
Actually I might try and get over there just to spectate before then too as I never seem to get much time for that between sessions when I'm driving.

Was quite surprised to hear that Hungry is "The only corner that needs a major adjustment for lap time improvement" so that is very useful information that I wouldn't have necessarily worked out on my own.

Eastern Loop is definitely where my driving seems to be most 'nervous'; which seems odd as I actually 'fear' all the other corners much more.
I don't think I'm seeing it as one complete corner yet.
Doug pointed out some track damage (motorcycle pegs) around the peak of the corner (middle of track) that I aim for and don't seem to lift my eyes to the rest of the corner and final ripple strip until I've reached that point.
I have had little slides there that I've been able to correct so was kidding myself that I'm pushing hard but my braking and first half of the corner certainly need some rethinking.
I guess this will depend on how hard I decide to go at Hungry. "It's up to you to decide how far to push that."

Harder on the brakes for less time equates to less time spent coasting, and more throttle earlier.

I was quite surprised that I've only been to Lakeside four times when I looked it up (been very fortunate that three of those were full days).
I guess I'm driving on gut instincts.
I have tried harder, shorter braking recently but have ended up dropping too much speed. Is that something that you end up just 'feeling' naturally with more seat time or are you keeping half an eye on the speedo for target turn in speeds?
At the moment I get to catch a glimpse of the rev counter before upward gear changes and maybe the speedo at the kink.

[Trackphotos]

I never look at the speedo, without data logging I'd never have a clue what my corner speeds are. I only know by feel when it's 'as fast as it can go without under/oversteer'. As for tacho, I used to have to look for it on up shifts before I had a shift light or aftermarket exhaust. It was too quiet to hear when it was near the redline. With oem exhaust and no shift light, it's very hard to tell when it's about to hit the limiter. Not much you can do about it other than taking a quick glance at the tacho when you think it must be about time.

As for braking harder/shorter, it's only faster if you push your braking point further. If you brake harder and for less time starting from the same point, you'll knock the speed off before you reach the turn in point. A simplified view of the quickest way around most corners is that you should always be either at the maximum speed for the corner, or getting to it as quickly as possible. Hard on brakes on entry, hard on throttle on exit, and feathering the throttle midcorner to keep your speed at the absolute maximum it can be. Any time spent braking or accelerating anything less than maximum could be improved on. All that is assuming a simple corner that doesn't require trailbraking, an unusual exit line to account for a corner shortly after etc.

I think you'll find time just with more laps. You'll gradually brake a tiny bit later here and there, maintain a tiny bit more speed through corners, and it'll add up to a faster lap overall. Keep filming your sessions and make sure your lines remain close to what they have been, and you'll get quicker.

Sent from my E6653 using Tapatalk

[Magpie]

I still struggle with what a fast 'speed' looks like without looking at the speedo. I find that I will still glance at the speed display especially on T1 at QR.

What Trackphotos has said about seat time is correct, however I would have to add that it needs to be quality time not quantity time. I worked on my heel/toe at the last sprint event at QR and was able to get it right most of the time so will be doing this more and more now.

Shift lights do help and are not that expensive, maybe worth considering as your eyes can stay on the road. Looks like iShift is coming out with a new model and none of their old models are available https://ecliptech.com.au/product/new-shift-model/

[MattR]

When I drive on the trackk, I don't look at the speedo or the tacho. All of my competition cars never had speedos, so the only way I know what speed I'm doing id to have video of the tacho and then calculate the speed using suitable programs. The tacho I don't watch. I listen to the car, even with a standard exhaust you should be able to hear the engine and feel when it stops pulling. I don't drive to a number on the tacho as every motor is different. I drive to the noise of the motor, it will tell you when it wants to go up a gear and when it wants to go down a gear. I have never used shift lights, as the cars tell me quicker and easier.

Datsun L series motors change note exactly when they want to change up. My NA6 just wouldn't pull any more and sounded like it wanted to go up a gear.

More importantly, you mentioned that you looked for the peg marks in Eastern loop and then looked through the corner. Get your vision "higher" that is look as far ahead as possible and plan where you want to put the car early and use and trust your peripheral vision. When I am on the track I am looking as far ahead as I can, that way if a car spears off in front of me I know well beforehand. It also helps plan where I want to put the car and make adjustments on the car position if there is debris, fluid or anything else on the track much earlier.

I can't stress enough that looking as far forward and as far through the corner as possible will get you quicker times.

Another trick to extend the braking points is to count to 3 when you lift off the throttle before you brake. First time you might get to 1 or 1 and a half, next lap you get to 2 after a couple of sessions you will get to 3. Once comfortable at that point you then wait those few meters and then lift off the throttle. If you find that you are making the corner easily, repeat the process. After a couple of sessions you will drop around a second or so, over a day probably a couple of seconds. If yoou have a big moment start again at the earlier point and build up again. You will know when you have gone as far as your brain will allow you to and reach your limits. As you get more comfortable over time you can try to extend the braking pint again. If you go off the track it will generally be just a little too wide and even at Lakeside won't be too bad, unless you really mess up and go way too late.

Also, don't follow someone else's braking points, find your own. Others may brake very different to you due to tyres used, brake pads and different suspension or wheel alignment or even driving style.