Had an awesome time at Hallett this last Saturday and thought I'd share my experience. I'd ran this track last year a few times but was hampered by crummy tires and bad driving.
My setup: '91 NSX, stock engine, koni adjustables set to full firm, eibach springs, kumho ecsta V700, Dali brake ducts, Motul 600, and Carbotech Panter +.
Background: Hallett offers their High Speed Touring Class which means anyone can run but no passing in the corners. Prepaid speed ticket. 5 sessions that are 15 minutes long for $75 bucks. Not too shabby.
1st session: first thought that came to mind; "Jeez, do I suck this badly?" Missed braking points and shift points that I spent all last year learning. I'd brake and then have to coast or accelerate again to make a turn. "What the. . ." New personal top speed record on the front straight: 115mph. And that was just trying to get a feel for the limits of the tires and brakes. Wow! Tempertures for the rear tires were high in the center. Figured I had them too high in PSI - hot temps read 47. Brought them down 2 PSI. Same indication with the fronts. They read 39 PSI. Brought the fronts down to 37. Front rotors were reading around 280 degrees each. Rears were 190ish.
2nd session: took the wife, distracted by her giggling. Much better handling. Wagged the tail on one lap coming out of turn 3 and was easily corrected. Figure my PSI is still too high or adjust the shocks a bit softer. No understeer at all just a bit of oversteer. Started in back of a RUF CTR: they waved him to start, 5 seconds later they waved me on, and I saw nothing but his brake lights in the distance. I say, "damn, I hate that guy." 500hp and AWD from what I've heard. Apparently he shows up a couple times a year to crown himself King of the Hill (we only have hills in Oklahoma). He is not aware of his nickname; "The Humbler." He is a very nice individual that brings kids from his church group for rides. Wow, I wanna go to his church. Anyway, wifey and I are having a blast. Bring down PSI by another 2lbs for each tire. Rotor temps read slightly hotter. Pass a Vette and notice that it's a '91+ ZR-1. On the way by, I think "glad I didn't get one of those." Wifey is smiling from ear to ear.
third session - invited a local hotshoe to ride with me. He notes I take turn 5 a little wide and questions a shift point. He asks why and I answer like a 5 year old, "ahhhh, I don't know." Two Z06's are acting like brown starfish and passing in the corners. Local hotshoe is going beserk and swears there's going to be an accident. Neon and Miata that were passed in the corner are none the worse for wear. Miata driver is very good. Make mental note to say something in the driver debriefing. Mustang drivers holding smaller, better handling cars up. EXCEPT for the blue mustang (which happens to be a participant in the Open Track Challenge). Local hotshoe times me at 1:35. Local hotshoe notes that I'm catching the Z06. Not too shabby. I can probably take off another second or two by actually hitting the apex in turn 5 and downshifting into second on the front straight. Local hotshoe says I'm flying on the track. Me thinks he's being gracious. Very gracious. Rough 68mph average lap speed.
fourth session: Debriefing went all right. ZO6 drivers told to cool it down by the rest of the drivers. The RUF and Z06's are having a grudge match and passing in the corners. I have only seen them behind me once all day. Anyway, all alone. Me and pretty baby (NSX) ready to rock and roll. Wife left to go take care of baby (actual 3 month old baby: Isabella Grace, she's beautiful BTW). So I'm the first in line to take off and am salivating at the opportunity for some open space. Vroom vroom. I'm gone for the first lap and for the fist time I getting a hang of the new braking and shift points. I'm was kinda getting a rythm to it. Anyway, I pass the ZR-1 on the front straight and set a new top speed record: 120mph. That's a 6mph improvement from the tires. I'm loving these tires! Boooyaahhh! There's a much hyped (by owner) Z-28 behind me (I'm catch traffic) and I know (by type of personality) that he's just ranting about passing me. I'm reserved to if he passes me, good for him, he's faster, if he doesn't then good for me. Z-28 has supercharger, dyno'd 366rwhp, Kumho VC 275's, gutted interior, reworked suspension. It sounds awesome with the Borla exhaust. Session ends and he says afterwards he was trying to catch up. Tire wear looks even, temps are pretty even. I think I can go a little lower in PSI though. The edges are worn but not much. Maybe another 2 PSI for each tire.
5th session: All alone again. This is a blast. I'm smokin' my buddies on every straight. Ok ok ok, one's driving a MR-S Spyder and another is driving a Golf 1.8 turbo. Take local hotshoe's advice and fix my apex and shift points. But I'm surprised about my corner exit speed - the car is a lot quicker and much more nimble. I late apex almost every corner there. This is a blast. Get held up by traffic and note that Z-28 is ahead of the Miata ahead of me. Hmmm. . . we both pass the Miata and kind of get in a duel of sorts. He starts about 10 car lengths ahead of me. Seems like he's taking a little different line. About a half a lap later I'm on his tail and he waves me by. Haaaa! Ruf CTR passes me on the straight. WEEEEEEEEE - Am I having fun or what! Session ends. I end up at 33psi hot for the fronts and 41psi for the rears. Front rotors end up at 450 degrees. Make mental note to fix that w/ better ducting. Go home and rant and rave about my day at the track. I'm tired but estatic. Wife says she had an absolute blast and understands the desire for "my hobby" now. But still doesn't know why I want a supercharger a new suspension. She's also questioning my hint about taking the carpet out.
Well, over a full night of sleep, I'm still giddy. These tires and brake pads are awesome! This car is awesome. I couldn't believe how late I was braking. And I was rocketing out of corners like Saturn 5. I decide to do the politically correct thing and take some drivers classes before another big mod. I need to learn how to heel and toe and fix my mental mistakes. "Shawney fraidy of the new asphalt on the inside of turn 5."
Playing GT3 and reading driving books until the next track day.
Mucho props to Carbotech, Kumho, and Honda. I'm hooked. Heck, I've been hooked!
My setup: '91 NSX, stock engine, koni adjustables set to full firm, eibach springs, kumho ecsta V700, Dali brake ducts, Motul 600, and Carbotech Panter +.
Background: Hallett offers their High Speed Touring Class which means anyone can run but no passing in the corners. Prepaid speed ticket. 5 sessions that are 15 minutes long for $75 bucks. Not too shabby.
1st session: first thought that came to mind; "Jeez, do I suck this badly?" Missed braking points and shift points that I spent all last year learning. I'd brake and then have to coast or accelerate again to make a turn. "What the. . ." New personal top speed record on the front straight: 115mph. And that was just trying to get a feel for the limits of the tires and brakes. Wow! Tempertures for the rear tires were high in the center. Figured I had them too high in PSI - hot temps read 47. Brought them down 2 PSI. Same indication with the fronts. They read 39 PSI. Brought the fronts down to 37. Front rotors were reading around 280 degrees each. Rears were 190ish.
2nd session: took the wife, distracted by her giggling. Much better handling. Wagged the tail on one lap coming out of turn 3 and was easily corrected. Figure my PSI is still too high or adjust the shocks a bit softer. No understeer at all just a bit of oversteer. Started in back of a RUF CTR: they waved him to start, 5 seconds later they waved me on, and I saw nothing but his brake lights in the distance. I say, "damn, I hate that guy." 500hp and AWD from what I've heard. Apparently he shows up a couple times a year to crown himself King of the Hill (we only have hills in Oklahoma). He is not aware of his nickname; "The Humbler." He is a very nice individual that brings kids from his church group for rides. Wow, I wanna go to his church. Anyway, wifey and I are having a blast. Bring down PSI by another 2lbs for each tire. Rotor temps read slightly hotter. Pass a Vette and notice that it's a '91+ ZR-1. On the way by, I think "glad I didn't get one of those." Wifey is smiling from ear to ear.
third session - invited a local hotshoe to ride with me. He notes I take turn 5 a little wide and questions a shift point. He asks why and I answer like a 5 year old, "ahhhh, I don't know." Two Z06's are acting like brown starfish and passing in the corners. Local hotshoe is going beserk and swears there's going to be an accident. Neon and Miata that were passed in the corner are none the worse for wear. Miata driver is very good. Make mental note to say something in the driver debriefing. Mustang drivers holding smaller, better handling cars up. EXCEPT for the blue mustang (which happens to be a participant in the Open Track Challenge). Local hotshoe times me at 1:35. Local hotshoe notes that I'm catching the Z06. Not too shabby. I can probably take off another second or two by actually hitting the apex in turn 5 and downshifting into second on the front straight. Local hotshoe says I'm flying on the track. Me thinks he's being gracious. Very gracious. Rough 68mph average lap speed.
fourth session: Debriefing went all right. ZO6 drivers told to cool it down by the rest of the drivers. The RUF and Z06's are having a grudge match and passing in the corners. I have only seen them behind me once all day. Anyway, all alone. Me and pretty baby (NSX) ready to rock and roll. Wife left to go take care of baby (actual 3 month old baby: Isabella Grace, she's beautiful BTW). So I'm the first in line to take off and am salivating at the opportunity for some open space. Vroom vroom. I'm gone for the first lap and for the fist time I getting a hang of the new braking and shift points. I'm was kinda getting a rythm to it. Anyway, I pass the ZR-1 on the front straight and set a new top speed record: 120mph. That's a 6mph improvement from the tires. I'm loving these tires! Boooyaahhh! There's a much hyped (by owner) Z-28 behind me (I'm catch traffic) and I know (by type of personality) that he's just ranting about passing me. I'm reserved to if he passes me, good for him, he's faster, if he doesn't then good for me. Z-28 has supercharger, dyno'd 366rwhp, Kumho VC 275's, gutted interior, reworked suspension. It sounds awesome with the Borla exhaust. Session ends and he says afterwards he was trying to catch up. Tire wear looks even, temps are pretty even. I think I can go a little lower in PSI though. The edges are worn but not much. Maybe another 2 PSI for each tire.
5th session: All alone again. This is a blast. I'm smokin' my buddies on every straight. Ok ok ok, one's driving a MR-S Spyder and another is driving a Golf 1.8 turbo. Take local hotshoe's advice and fix my apex and shift points. But I'm surprised about my corner exit speed - the car is a lot quicker and much more nimble. I late apex almost every corner there. This is a blast. Get held up by traffic and note that Z-28 is ahead of the Miata ahead of me. Hmmm. . . we both pass the Miata and kind of get in a duel of sorts. He starts about 10 car lengths ahead of me. Seems like he's taking a little different line. About a half a lap later I'm on his tail and he waves me by. Haaaa! Ruf CTR passes me on the straight. WEEEEEEEEE - Am I having fun or what! Session ends. I end up at 33psi hot for the fronts and 41psi for the rears. Front rotors end up at 450 degrees. Make mental note to fix that w/ better ducting. Go home and rant and rave about my day at the track. I'm tired but estatic. Wife says she had an absolute blast and understands the desire for "my hobby" now. But still doesn't know why I want a supercharger a new suspension. She's also questioning my hint about taking the carpet out.
Well, over a full night of sleep, I'm still giddy. These tires and brake pads are awesome! This car is awesome. I couldn't believe how late I was braking. And I was rocketing out of corners like Saturn 5. I decide to do the politically correct thing and take some drivers classes before another big mod. I need to learn how to heel and toe and fix my mental mistakes. "Shawney fraidy of the new asphalt on the inside of turn 5."
Playing GT3 and reading driving books until the next track day.
Mucho props to Carbotech, Kumho, and Honda. I'm hooked. Heck, I've been hooked!
