Sunday, May 24, 2009

PCA Day 3

Porsches need to get the hell out of my way.

I mean, seriously: for an event supposedly dedicated to Porsches driving fast, I've never seen so many rolling chicanes! Most of the guys were nice enough, and I met a bunch of really stand-out folks, but some of them were either clueless, stupid, or just angry to see an orange Mazda in their mirrors.

Fortunately, I was not alone in this opinion, as another Porsche guy in the paddock was griping about the same cars.

Today was out of control! I only ran 3 sessions, beating the weather and getting to see my boy. But what a group of sessions!

First off, I had met up with a guy who flies F-18's for the Navy yesterday, and he and I decided to go play in our first session. We did a little trade-off lead/follow session, experimenting with different lines and braking points, but basically staying together.

We started to do the same in the second session, but then I found a boatload of extra confidence and started REALLY probing the limits. He receded into the background, and I started logging 2:29 laps. That's pretty darned fast, in a Miata.

In the 3rd session, I had agreed to get some from-behind footage of my paddock-mate's yellow Boxster. I followed him for a couple of laps, then took off. Then things turned ugly. I caught a Carrera that simply would not let me pass. He was fast as stink in the straights (and even pointed me by at one point, but without lifting), but I caught him every single time in the turns. I wound up having to get on the brakes coming out of Oak Tree for 3 straight laps before he gave me the pass. Unfortunately, there were only two more laps, and the group of cars I'd wanted to catch up to and play with all session were just pitting in when I got up to them.

I got a little angrier than I needed to, but the session was still killer, with more consistent 2:29 laps, consistent 87 - 90mph apexes through South Bend (even caught it going away from me at one point), and braking for Turn 1 at the 3 marker.

Session stats for today included 1.2G in the turns and 0.99G braking.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

none of that makes sense to me, but it sounds like you are having fun, or at least going very fast. which are the same thing?
-Vanessa