TWS Last Weekend

I went and raced at TWS last weekend. It was my first race 'by myself'. AKA with no trained crew, no transporter, and nobody with me who had done that before. I was a little intimidating, but it worked out ok. My parents came down to crew for me. XS stopped by for a while as well.

This was my first time doing the TWS 1.8 mile course in the clockwise direction. It looks a lot different going the other way!! I didn't get to practice on friday so I had to go into qualifying cold on Saturday. I only made it about 5 laps before I lost it coming onto the banking. I spun going over 80 and hit the apron-banking transition hard sideways. I immediately jumped on the brakes and managed to keep from hitting the wall, but the the transition had been too abrupt. I had bent and partially broken the left rear wheel. My session was over. Despite my few practice laps, I still managed to qualify 20th out of a field of 40.

Starting the race in the middle of the pack is intimidating. You know you're going to be in traffic a LOT. You know people are going to hold you up and you must not let that happen if you're going to gain good track position. I got a crappy start again. I couldn't see the flagger. I really need a spotter on the radio. On the second lap some guys spun in front of me exiting the oval and I had to go off track to avoid them. I think I actually jumped a ditch. I lost a couple spots in the process. The lap after that the same thing happened. I was getting fruatrated. I was in a groove turning good laps and these people would not stop running me off the track!! I finally passed enough people to get in a few solid laps before the end. I finished 13th. Not bad considering I only got 5 laps of practice and qualifying, and it was my first time running that configuration!

Here are the videos. As always Right Click-> Save As:

The full race (125MB)

The start (4.2MB)

Dukes of Hazzard 1 (2.7MB)

Dukes of Hazzard 2 (3.0MB)

This dude was getting passed one way or another (11.7MB)
(I passed him in the grass!!)

Some very close racing with this guy (4.6MB)

A lap of the TWS 1.8m infield road course (7.0MB)

Nearly a photo finish. I beat him across the line by about half a car (4.6MB)

Thanks for the video, John. You're lucky that first red one didn't take you out in the grass. Try and always watch were his momentum is taking him. The inside was the place to go in this case and you would have gained at least two positions instead of losing three.

I suspect your "off" in qualifying was the turn2-to-turn1 area and you tracked out too far....am I right? I've been known to do that myself ;) I have learned to take it off straight when it happens and stay on the gas! It's a bumpy ride, but once you get to NASCAR ONE, it will catch you and you can use the banking to get it turned. You'll still lose a few seconds, but less chance of hurting anything.....

Just another suggestion......The front straight starts exiting turn 4. Your right foot should be planted from that point 'till you come off the banking at the other end. It's better to be on someones bumper there, instead of side-by-side. The difference between the exit of four and the apex on three (about 50') is a couple hundred more rpm which makes a HUGE difference coming off the banking, back into the infield.

You've got some good lines when you're in traffic. Nice to see you gave that guy just enough racing room. Good job!

Cool stuff. You guys make me :mrgreen: with envy...

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Originally Posted by MadMerv

Thanks for the video, John. You're lucky that first red one didn't take you out in the grass. Try and always watch were his momentum is taking him. The inside was the place to go in this case and you would have gained at least two positions instead of losing three.

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The momentum thing always throws me off because I'm always afraid they're going to swing back around the other way and I'll hit them full force. I would have liked to go to the inside, but the turn decreases so hard I think I would have spun trying to do that.

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I suspect your "off" in qualifying was the turn2-to-turn1 area and you tracked out too far....am I right? I've been known to do that myself ;) I have learned to take it off straight when it happens and stay on the gas! It's a bumpy ride, but once you get to NASCAR ONE, it will catch you and you can use the banking to get it turned. You'll still lose a few seconds, but less chance of hurting anything.....

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Yup, thats exactly what happened. I almost saved it, thats probably what got me into trouble. I should have gone straight off like you said. I'll keep that in mind next time.

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Just another suggestion......The front straight starts exiting turn 4. Your right foot should be planted from that point 'till you come off the banking at the other end. It's better to be on someones bumper there, instead of side-by-side. The difference between the exit of four and the apex on three (about 50') is a couple hundred more rpm which makes a HUGE difference coming off the banking, back into the infield.

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I think most of the laps I had outside of traffic I did this but I was getting gun shy in traffic.

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You've got some good lines when you're in traffic. Nice to see you gave that guy just enough racing room. Good job!

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Thanks!! I've only had one or two experiences where people didn't give me room (the pass in the grass!!) so I'm more than happy to give them room. I know if they're faster they'll get around, or vice versa. Patience is something I'm still working on.

What are your thoughts on where to hit second gear on the twisty back section (not sure of the names/#s)? Do you use second on the right hander after the oval (the right after the left, not the exit from the oval)?

Thanks for the tips! I'm always happy to hear constructive criticism!

I love the wealth of info and experience on this site... :D

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Originally Posted by EvilSpeeder

What are your thoughts on where to hit second gear on the twisty back section (not sure of the names/#s)? Do you use second on the right hander after the oval (the right after the left, not the exit from the oval)?

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The only time I've ever dropped to second was if there was slow traffic in front of me that I couldn't get around (Unlike you, I like to stay ON the asphalt!). Otherwise, that's all third gear up to the dog-leg, short-shifting to fourth at turn in. If you don't, you'll probably hit the rev limiter halfway thru, and the centrifugal force tends to put you in second gear...not a good thing :) When i get it right, coming off the banking, I start braking HARD just before crossing the apron, lift a bit at the transition, then HARD on the brakes some more and do a double downshift into the apex (it's a busy place). If you hit the apex correctly (late), you should be able to flat foot it the whole way until the right for the button hook.