NARRA 2013 Road Atlanta - Videos/Pictures, etc..

[Magnus_]

Post yours.

Here's mine:
https://vimeo.com/64068410 Just a couple of 1:28.5 laps. Def a few areas to improve but overall I was very satisfied with these laps. My sunday however did not go as well.

Lot of fast drivers out there this weekend, so the pressure to perform felt great!

- Keith, blue/white 06 viper, TT1

 

[TowDawg]

Keith, Any chance of putting some vids on youtube? I don't know what it is about vimeo, but every time I try to watch a video on that site, it's horrible. The sound and video don't match and it skips a lot, even though the buffer is showing completely done.

 

[Magnus_]

Sorry, all my vids are on my vimeo account.

Vimeo processes videos MUCH faster, allows larger vids, and has higher quality. The only drawback is you can't search vimeo on youtube.com.

 

[Torquemonster06]

That vid is soo cool. There sure is alot of blind corners there. Nice job. Thanks for sharing

 

[Johnbennett]

Is NARRA televised anywhere? Last year it was on the Speed Channel, but I cannot find anything about NARRA this year on television. I checked their web site but there is no mention.

 

[Magnus_]

I don't think it will be televised.

They do put out ~20 min vid recaps of each event though via youtube.

 

[TowDawg]

Here's one of my DE sessions. I've got a few more from the weekend up, but no need to link them all.
I'm about 10 seconds off Magnus, running 1:38's in my lowly Gen III vert. After getting acquainted with a wall and blowing the tranny last year, I'm trying to take it a little easier on the Viper this year and save the "pushing" for the new race car.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7QJesUNwHA

I guess the link helps. lol

 

[bluestreak]

You forgot the link?

 

[TowDawg]

Oops. Link is there now.

 

[Magnus_]

TowDag, just an observation..

Some people like the hand shuffling.. Personally, I don't.

For example, in turn 6 and 7, I notice you have your right hand basically on the top center of the wheel, as you're turning right. Now, in the event you need to make a quick correction, chances are you're going to be turning the wheel left, not more right. If your wheel is already on the top center of the wheel (when the wheel is level), and you have to quickly whip that wheel to the left to save the car, your right arm is going to be pretty damn far over to the left, probably out of reach.

To give you an example, here is a quick save of me through turn 7.
https://vimeo.com/64068410#t=357

Notice that my right hand is basically at the 3 oclock position, but as I save the car and turn the wheel, it peaks at the top of the wheel. If my hand was on hte 12 oclock position of the wheel, when I saved it, it would have been at the left most position, all the way across my body.

This is actually a VERY minor steering input correction, but for the weekend, my most major. Sometimes when driving on the limit, corrections can get MUCH larger. That's when you really want to have the ability to whip that wheel around both left and right as fast as you can.

Slow wheel corrections are the big reason why the back end of the car steps out and continues to, or it snaps back and around you go.

Thanks for sharing!

 

[DrumrBoy]

Nice times indeed Magnus. I picked up some ideas for T1, T7, T9 from watching. I'll try your line through T1, I'll try not to be such a ***** around 9 (I sometimes pedal it starting down the hill ;-( ) and go to second for T7. What mods have you done and what tires are you running?

 

[redtanrt10]

Keith, great video! Only know RA from TV and being a spectator years ago and you look real fast. I'm also envious that you have the $$$'s to run with the Archers!

TowDawg, agree with Magnus, you have an odd way of holding the wheel with your right. Try his recommendation

To both you guys; how are you postioning your go-pro? I like the in car view vs. the dash cam I've been doing. I've got a roll bar, are you mounting off of that or on the top of the bulkhead? Like that view in both your video's, also, how do you get the angle so you can see the track and not just the rear view mirror?? thanks Mike

 

[DrumrBoy]

Here's one from last year, an early practice session, mostly 1:38s. Got into the 1:34's later in the day but still WAY slower than 1:28's. Magnus, any pointers'd be much appreciated.

http://vimeo.com/40459334

 

[Magnus_]

Drumr, the car is very built and has great suspension. We tuned the suspension a bit at the track but I should have taken more push out of the car, I just was hesitant. It's built to be a TT1 spec car though and is very competitive. I was running the new pirelli tires.

Need to stay flat through 9 up to your brake point. Basically, you want to eliminate any coasting you do. If the car has the grip, be on the gas!

Your laps look smooth. You're not using any exit curbing on 5, which many don't. I was hesitant but found the car didn't mind being up on the curbs at all.

My pointers? Heh, I'm no expert driver. I just remember a lot of the things my instructors have told me:
- Remove the coasting duration between a straight and your braking zone.
- Use all the track. Make it as wide as you can.
- Hit your marks, try to remember what you use as a brake marker for every turn, and work on it every lap. Do you need to tweak it? Is it good as-is, can you move it deeper 5 feet? etc.. Every lap I do I'm making mental notes so the next lap I can make an adjustment per turn.

Smooth is fast for sure, but with that, its really to maximize your apex speeds. You really want to hit every corner as FAST as the car can take it without sliding off the track. There's a lot of time in that. If you're consistent with your marks (brake/turn in), then you can really dial in those apex speeds.

I often broke too early into 6
I was slow after 10b (should have been in 2'nd)
Too slow on 12


My GoPro (hero3 black) is mounted to the roll bar. The in-car view is GREAT, at least in my opinion. You can see your head movements, steering wheel inputs, as well as a little bit out the side of the car. I find its much easier for me to really see what I was doing and also makes it easier to relive the moment.

I shoot my videos in 1080p@30fps in a medium fov I think. I use the wireless app to align the camera, but its pretty easy, just point it toward the nose of the car, and don't forget ot make sure spot mode is on.

Running with Archer ha definitely made this season great so far. They know exactly what to do to the car, how to set it up, plenty of brains to pick, tons of advice, and overall just a great group of people.

I do plan to be at all the TT NARRA events this year. I'll prob drop in a GT race as well eventually.

- Keith

 

[TowDawg]

I'll have to give the hands thing a try next year. This was the only trip to the track for the Viper this year, and I don't physically have the room to move around as freely in the TR. I guess that's how I've always done it (at least on tight corners) because, right or wrong, I feel like I can react quicker (and with more control) with my hands in that position instead of cranked way around on the wheel. I sure as heel don't have the experience or speed that you do though, so I'm open to all suggestions and tips.

RedTan,

Shoot me a PM with your email address and I'll send you a couple of pics of how/where I have the GoPro mounted inside. Since I dropped my VCA membership, I'm WAY above the amount of pics I'm allowed and I don't feel like going through and deleting all of them.

 

[DrumrBoy]

Thanks Keith. Yeah, I gotta trust the brakes more going into 10A....I definitely do some nor-full-throttle after 9. Also, on 5, I do use the gators sometimes but the car seems to be OK with running right up to 'em.....so I use the big gator as a safety valve in case I'm too hot on the normal line ;-) You car is very fast!