I managed to pair data with vid with TrackVision.
I wand to go back on fresh tires.
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I managed to pair data with vid with TrackVision.
I wand to go back on fresh tires.
Your G meter is showing the opposite of what is happening.
I'm aware.Quote:
Originally Posted by ken o
Things are different on planet Trey.Quote:
Originally Posted by ken o
Does anyone else ever get tired of this hobby? No matter what I do, I'm not fast enough and I don't know why. I've been doing this for 3 years now and I ran dog-shit, sad, pathetic time last weekend. My times were so pathetic that I'm a little scared to show my face at the next event. A guy in a TTC WRX with suspension and Hoosier A6 beat my TTB Miata by almost one second. I really have no excuse other than being a fucking retard. I wasn't even under the SM record, which is pathetic and sad. I'm functionally not a man.
Thoughts on when to give this shit up and save my money for bullshit hobbies like wearing spandex on a bicycle or sex with animals?
Even though I don't have the scratch, maybe I need to slap these spare Continentals on and go to the track for a day so I can feel like a man again. If not, I guess I'll sever my penis.
First you need to give it a shot at the same level your competition is giving it. I think you have the skills but lack in equipment and I am not talking about your junk. Don't bring a knife to a gun fight. You know the level they are bringing it, why go less?
Sack up and buy some tires for that beast. Eat Ramen or whore yourself out, but get fresh tires. I am almost willing to buy tires for it and drive it to show your bitchy little ass what it could do. Just let me know when I need to place the order.
Thanks man, but I don't have the scratch to drop $1000 every two days on tires, especially when I'm looking at layoffs, and a student loan. I also don't have enough room in points to run R6s which sucks. There's always the option to run R6 and aero in TTA though.Quote:
Originally Posted by ken o
So why not take it a little less seriously and try to enjoy the experience a bit more? After all, the serious $$$ that is being spent ultimately gets you what--temporary bragging rights and a small trophy?
Instead of trying to WIN, work on improving as a driver. Try to better your TTD, figure out how to become smoother or to optimize your set-up. Incremental improvements will add up to big changes after a while. I'm sure there's an appropriate quote out there about how playing the game well is just as important as winning. YMMV.
I've worked on it long enough. I should be 5-10 seconds faster at every track I run. I should be running a 1:19 at MSRC, 1:42 at MSR-H, 1:24 at Hallett, 1:52 at TWS, and 1:24 at HHR. Until I run those times, I won't feel better.Quote:
Originally Posted by miataspeedracer
I don't understand what you're saying about "win" vs "better driving". What do you think I'm doing out there all day? I'm working on line theory and managing the car on every corner of every lap of every session. I basically ran two laps at the end of the day where I thought I had done all I could do and needed to put it together. The essence of the competition and desire to win is rooted in driving the car properly.
You'll pick up 1 second per mile of track when you're able to tow the car home. The TTC WRX is a dedicated track car, and I believe the driver is ok with binning it - your green car is dear to you, so that is holding you back.
You're capped on points, power, and weight, but how many of the zero point mods have you done? There's some no kidding go fast stuff in that list.
I'm saying if you're not having fun, you're there for the wrong reason.Quote:
Originally Posted by mr brg
Let someone who you respect as a quick driver (and someone you trust) drive your car back-to-back with you. Best way to find out if it's you or the car that's not performing at peak levels. Maybe your car WON'T do the times you think it should no matter who is behind the wheel. And that ckearns guy makes a good point: like me, you want to drive your car home at the end of the day. That comfort margin costs time. No shame in that.
I still have problems obsession over wheels breaking, ball joints breaking, overheating, or grenading the engine. This is a problem considering none of these failed in the last 3-years of tracking the car. I need anti-anxiety medication for the track.
That might not be such a bad idea then that way you can't contaminate mankind with your offspring...yikes the thought Trey having kids!Quote:
Originally Posted by mr brg
You're really dreaming on some of these times. Let's step back to reality for a moment.Quote:
Originally Posted by mr brg
1:19 at Cresson is GT3RS times. You can't compare yourself to Keith Verges in his Turbo SM on Hoosiers.
1:42 at MSR-H is very possible. I think you'll need at least 245mm Hoosiers to get close to it.
1:24 at Hallett. This one is reasonable but to get those last 2 seconds, I think a Hoosier will be required.
1:52 at TWS. This one is utterly ridiculous. That's an F-Production time! I know JZ ran a 1:54.xx with Aero and Continentals and he was still 2 seconds off of that time. Your realistic goal with your car should be a 1:58.xx
1:24 at HHR is possible with Hoosiers.
See the trend? Time to either join the arms race and buy Hoosiers or be content running NT-01 times.
I just lap, I don't race so take anything I say with a big ole grain of salt...
Best advice in the whole thread. There's some other very good advice too, but in my humble opinion this is the best. There's no shame in hiring a coach. Just $$$. I did one day with Jason Hart and dropped 3 seconds at ECR. For the price there is no part I could have bought for my car that would drop time that much. I have a lot to learn.Quote:
Originally Posted by ken o
The other thing that was improving my lap times, before I had to rebuild my motor, was spending a ton of time in iRacing. May sound silly but I offer up this proof. I didn't drive at the track for 4 months between work and replacing my trans last year. I did spend a ton of time in the Miata and the Skip Barber Formula 2000 car on iRacing. My previous best at ECR was a 2:06.4 and my first day at the track after not tracking for 4 months I equalled that time in the first session, beat it in the second session and killed it in the third session with a 2:04.8. And I was faster and more comfortable driving faster all day. Your mileage may vary but it worked for me.
Also, you shouldn't feel bad about Ken O beating you. He drives a lot more than you do. I have serious Ken O seat time envy. And skillz envy. And tire envy.
I agree 100% on the sims. I like rFactor for a sim. It is cheap and the tracks are free. All the local tracks are available.
I'd love to use Jason Hart, but after $1000 to get him on the track and $300 to get me on the track...that's way more than I can afford. I just can't throw down that kind of scratch. It becomes more clear everyday that I don't make enough scratch to be in the hobby. I've been toying with the idea of signing up for a TDE day in the novice group to work on fundamentals, but I'm very weary of letting anyone drive my car because it's so easy to money-shift, and I have to get a set of tires since they won't let me run R-comps in TDE with my limited experience. I know Ken is going to beat my no matter what I do...being so far behind is the part that hurts my pride. It's just not fun anymore. I even got worked by a TTC car on this last race weekend. That is totally unacceptable.Quote:
Originally Posted by MINI-P
I'm giving serious consideration to scratching the rest of the season and only running Miatas at Hallett in my daily to save face, lol. I don't know that I can deal with running Hallett again and not running a 25 or better.
Well you could consider starting to autocross, focusing on driver/car development in a more competitive & low cost environment.
When you consider the cost compared to seat time, auto-x is more expensive and again, I'm not trying to blow an entire day to run 4-laps. I get that you're trying to help, I'm just not going to pay $50 to rearrange cones all day. That's not fun for me. I've been to probably a dozen auto-x events, I'm not going to do it again.Quote:
Originally Posted by 762
I split the cost of coaching with two other dudes. Not sayin it was cheap but it wasn't AS costly. Also, I could work on stuff on my own while he was riding with one of the other guys.
With your NASA experience I bet Rick at TDE would at least put you in yellow group and by the end of the weekend you'd be in red. You can run R-comps in both groups. You can also have an instructor. If you sign up early enough you should request Brett Gabriel as an instructor. He's an awesome driver and a very good instructor. He races Spec Miata. I has him ride along with me several time and learned a lot from him.
Wow, I started typing all Ebonic there for a moment.
I feel you are looking at the wrong metric to measure the value of autocross. If you go by seat time it is terrible, and no one should ever do it. The value of autocross is in the competition and the level of driver involvement over the 4-8 runs you get over the day. The amount of steering inputs in autocross and level of driver talent (especially in DFW) is so high that you must put the car right at ten tenths constantly. This happens in new situations every week or so, and when combined with an instructor you can learn so much in the high pressure environment.Quote:
Originally Posted by mr brg
I have been autocrossing seriously for just about 2 years with some sporadic events the year before that. However, having people like Ken O, Iain, Thomas, and David Whitener just to name a few constantly helping me, pushing me to get faster, I have developed an incredible amount as a driver. From their help I am now just tenths of a second off some of the best drivers in the nation, who all drive well developed cars on a monthly basis.
I have learned to switch from a FWD hatchback that changed its own gears to a RWD sports car, and then how to make it handle properly.
By focusing purely on "seat time" you miss out on the overwhelming benefits that autocross can provide.
BMW events are $35 and you get 8 runs.Quote:
Originally Posted by mr brg
What about running NASA TT in the morning sessions when it is the fastest and switch to HPDE with an instructor in the afternoon? I sure Dave would work with you. This way you still get to run TT and you get an instructor in the car.
I'm more focused on standing out in the sun for 5-hours to pick-up people's cones. I'm not going to clear a day for 7-minutes of seat time. I know it does everything better and it's the most exciting racing in the world, but I have better things to do with my time...like watch paint dry.Quote:
Originally Posted by 762
Well if you can't afford an instructor on track, refuse to autocross with an instructor, refuse to let other people drive your car, and refuse to buy the tires your competition runs, what do you think is going to all of a sudden help make you a faster driver?
It seems like you are unwilling to put in the next level of commitment needed to move forward.
I only refused to do Auto-x. I have fresh rubber and signing up as a novice with TDE in the fairly near future but no one will drive the car.Quote:
Originally Posted by 762
You don't need to go back to square one. You just need a qualified person/instructor to watch you drive and get you from square four to square five. I'm not that guy, but from watching the videos and reading your posts, I just think you are trying too hard to do too many things. Slow down your brain, slow down your hands, and faster times will come.
Not that you need another opinion, but...
I think you will be incredibly frustrated and be wasting your money driving in Green group with TDE. The first session is no helmets and no passing. They are more concerned with looking for flag stations and in your mirrors than with the line and actual driving technique. Blue group is better but all you'll be doing is waiting for a pass. Yellow is where people are typically driving fast and you get some good laps. You're fast already and in a fast car. Tell Rick when you sign up that you want an instructor and that's that. He may start you in Blue anyway until you prove you're not a danger to yourself or anyone else and then they will move you to Yellow very quickly.
Trey,
Come and run with Apex. Sign up in the Advanced Group and request an instructor. Be specific when you sign up about what your goals are (serious goals - you're not going to run a 1:19 at MSRC in your car unless it gets shot out of a cannon).
One of the great things about Apex besides the level of instructor quality and the small run groups (lots of time to spend working on technique, not traffic) is the fact that at least one Advanced driver per session is datalogged, and then that data is broken down in a classroom setting. If you ask for this specifically, I think it would be a great benefit to you.
Also, you need to get over your fear about letting someone else drive your car. If your car is that damn fragile than it probably shouldn't be on the track, and if you're that damn afraid of breaking it, that's where you're losing time.
Not sure if this post is really needed, because its just saying the same thing that everyone else has been saying but,
I was the worst about not letting anyone drive my car. Even still, I DO NOT let anyone drive my car. It just makes me feel uneasy about the whole thing. Except when it comes to track and auto-x events. Now I dont just let anyone hop in, but there are a lot of really good drivers and instructors around here that are nice enough to share and help other people.
But I can tell you, that once I got the the point where I could handle pushing my car (where you are now), what gave me the best improvement was letting a better driver (mostly Thomas) drive my car while I data logged. Then I would compare everything. Lines, speed, acell/decel points, I would watch the vidoes and see what he would do different. Take full advanage of thier knowledge.
And while auto-x is the most boring thing on the planet, it is actually worth a day to learn something. A run might only be ~45 seconds, but you make so many inputs, so quickly that you learn more than you think.
Another thought.... you could co-drive with someone in thier car.
Thanks Ian. I worry about others money-shifting it because I think I'm 0-4 with instructors grabbing the wrong gear. If the statistics weren't so strong and the trans didn't move so much when loaded-up, I wouldn't be so worried about it. God damn the power-plant-frame design, and lack of liability for stupid mistakes where the guest-driver walks and I'm stuck with ~$4k in damage and a tow-truck ride home. The last time this happened was when the instructor looped my car on a rain day, spun the engine backwards, the car wouldn't start, so he walked to the grid for the next student while I dealt with the car. That pretty much sealed the deal for me.