VIR North

Stacy King · **Posted:** Wed Apr 11, 2007 10:29 am

I thought I posted some of Mark's photos somewhere on here... I guess maybe I didn't...

Here's a sampling:

David Spratte · **Posted:** Wed Apr 11, 2007 10:46 am

Stacy King wrote:

Kevin Butler wrote:

Pics are up from FandS.

http://www.fandsenterprises.com/vircar.htm

KB

I know I shouldn't say this... but I'm gonna anyway...

F&S pictures are horrible.

I guess they're nice guys and all, and convenient... but these pics might as well be taken out on Leesville rd or something... completely without character, framing, lighting... etc, etc.

This is why we've been paying Mark Boudoucies to snap pics for us since Novemeber. Mark's email is mark.boudoucies@dayzim.com

Email him with your car info and run group... he'll send you all the images of you in low res for you to look over. High-res images are $7. We'll have a Picassa site up soon so you can view them online.

No point in spending good money on bad pictures.

We don't ask F&S to be there (which is suppose to happen since I was told among track-day photographers that they are supposed to be invited). I guess they have something worked out with the track.

Damn. I'm glad it's not just me. I was thinking the same thing. I'll be emailing Mark in a moment.

Ron Spencer · **Posted:** Wed Apr 11, 2007 10:55 am

Couple comments:

Its Stevie Wonder not Wonders:) Named by Holland Hale

Who has time to look at the speedo when going into turn 1? Now Bernie did tell me he cheats: has a heads up display for that. Neat! I had so much brake hammer that I was lucky I could still see the track. Anyone have a cure for that?? Rotors aren't warped. Maybe a combination of old rotors and new compound pads but I've had it before with rotors and pads that were matched. Really annoying!

Yes pics in context are really wonderful. A static closely cropped photo of my car really holds little interest for me. As Stacy said I can get that in my driveway. But a heads on shot of the cars loaded up in a corner or, as one that Stacy posted, in the early stages of oversteer, now that's interesting!

R

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Wed Apr 11, 2007 11:04 am

Ron Spencer wrote:

Its Stevie Wonder not Wonders:) Named by Holland Hale

Two turns = plural to most of us. Sorry!

Ron Spencer wrote:

Who has time to look at the speedo when going into turn 1?

I agree. I may be tempted to look, but I have to interupt the VSS signal (via a toggle switch) to defeat my speed limiter. That in turn puts the speedo back to zero. Like I tell Sonya when she asks "How do you know how fast you are going?" I reply "As damn fast as the car will possibly go!".

jimpastorius · **Posted:** Wed Apr 11, 2007 11:11 am

Ron Spencer wrote:

Who has time to look at the speedo when going into turn 1? R

I always wondered about people quoting their speeds and especially their top speed :-)

Going into turn 1 is pretty busy, checking your mirrors, catching the worker at start/finish, checking pit out, looking for the turn 1 worker and checking over into turn 2. Toss in a pass or being passed, getting set for braking; I really do not have time to check.

Once I enter the braking zone (where the top speed would be any ways), I am planning any escape routes....in case my brakes fail or the car in front of me does something unexpectedly.

I think a HUD would drive me crazy.

David Spratte · **Posted:** Wed Apr 11, 2007 11:12 am

The MINI has a digital speedo right below the tach mounted on the steering column.

I can glance at it when I'm looking down at the pedels to make sure I've found the brakes.

(And in-car gets the dinner plate speedo in the center.)

Ron Spencer · **Posted:** Wed Apr 11, 2007 11:13 am

Stevie Wonder is one turn, turn 10. Not 10, 11 and 12. I don't name 'em just passing along the history.

Vincent, good answer on the speed question. speed only matters when you're checking different lines. Otherwise its all, at least for me, times. Now I do use speed at track outs to check to see how well I did a turn but that's about it. If I'm seeing 90 or a bit over at the track out of 17A I'm pretty happy. Same with the track out of 10 on full course. Anywhere else I really have no idea.

R

David White · **Joined:** Tue Jul 13, 2004 1:19 pm **Posts:** 54

jimpastorius wrote:

I always wondered about people quoting their speeds and especially their top speed :-)

data acquisition makes it easy... :wink:

ps- i never really believe folks that qoute top speed numbers from their stock speedo anyways...

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Wed Apr 11, 2007 11:33 am

Ron Spencer wrote:

Stevie Wonder is one turn, turn 10. Not 10, 11 and 12. I don't name 'em just passing along the history.

Ah, to me that is a "section" of the track, not just one turn. I'll call it what I want to...dammit. :wink:

I think T1 technically has a name also (Horseshoe?) but I guess it never stuck since I've never heard anyone use it.

Patrice Bousquet · **Posted:** Wed Apr 11, 2007 11:57 am

For speed I'm using the RPM, it's easy to see in my car, right in the middle and the biggest one.
Then after I can calculate the speed from the trans. ratio and tire size.
My Speedo is not accurate due to tire size and will show a much higher speed. ( good for show off )
So just before braking for turn 1 it's 6200 about 136mph. Under the bridge before the crossover I will hit
the rev. limiter in 4th sometime depending how well I did the Snake, so I do not even need to look at the
RPM, that will be 114mph.

I'm thinking about a Data Acq. system also.

Patrice

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Wed Apr 11, 2007 12:09 pm

David White wrote:

ps- i never really believe folks that qoute top speed numbers from their stock speedo anyways...

My TS numbers were aquired via GPS. Like I said before, it doesn't matter anyway. I'm going as fast as the car will go!

jimpastorius · **Posted:** Wed Apr 11, 2007 12:13 pm

David White wrote:

data acquisition makes it easy... :wink:

With all expenses to get to wheel-to-wheel racing, data acquisition is low on the list. Plus when push comes to shove, HANS device or a gizmo?

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Wed Apr 11, 2007 12:17 pm

jimpastorius wrote:

Plus when push comes to shove, HANS device or a gizmo?

Gizmo! You own and ride a motorcycle Jim. Safety obviously isn't tops on your priority list.

That is unless they make a HANS for bikes now. :wink:

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Wed Apr 11, 2007 12:31 pm

David Spratte wrote:

Damn. I'm glad it's not just me. I was thinking the same thing. I'll be emailing Mark in a moment.

I just received my pics from Mark and he does do good work. My one complaint is he gives you five pics of the same shot. The ones he took at Rockingham were mostly the same shot, but a better variety than these IMO.

Still Mark's stuff puts F&S to shame.

David White · **Joined:** Tue Jul 13, 2004 1:19 pm **Posts:** 54

jimpastorius wrote:

With all expenses to get to wheel-to-wheel racing, data acquisition is low on the list. Plus when push comes to shove, HANS device or a gizmo?

i agree, there a lot of things that have to come first (mostly safety items) to go racing...

i wouldnt really call data acq a "gizmo" though, its an extremely valuable tool when used correctly...people spend tons of money on "go fast" bits while neglecting driver development (imho, data acq is a very important part of driver development)...

a good data system and some driver coaching can significantly lower your lap times (even if you are already a skilled driver)...imo, its the best bang for your buck when you want to go faster...i'm a believer :wink:

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