PBOC @ Barber Motorsports, 11/17-18/12

[rodhx]

Here are some of my videos from Saturday's sessions. I had grand plans of running two cameras (front & rear) and stitching the segments together but my software would not cooperate and I got tired of fighting it. These are all "bumpercam" from sessions 1 and 2. I soloed in the third session and ran video from the rollbar.

Session 1, second lap: following the Ferrari
Session 1: Catching a Cayman R
Session 2: Special guest star Joseph Brakhage
Session 2: Finally getting a point by from the M3

New addition: all of Session 3 recorded from inside the Miata. 21 minutes long. This one shows how brutal the setting sun was late in the day and how a Miata can catch an M3 lap after lap but not get a point by until the session is almost over.

[Jedi1]

Nice!!!

[ZX3Focus]

Thanks for posting! You really had me through the last third of the lap. I got faster there in day two.

[rodhx]

Thanks Joseph. That's where I made the most gains on everyone. Hank (my instructor) helped out with the line and it was working really well for me. When following that white M3 through there he was braking in places where I was just lifting a bit and then I'd have to really lose momentum just past pit-in just to stay behind him.

Never followed an RX8 before. I was surprised by just how fast you were on the straights.

[bimmertech]

Nice! After watching a couple videos I'm pretty sure you could go into 1 with no brakes. I can also guarantee you can go through the kink without lifting.

[rodhx]

Thanks for the feedback Casey...we'll have to team up there sometime.

In the past I have gone through the kink without lifting, but my 2-year-old RS3s have finally reached their limit and were just a bit "greasy" when pushed harder. I chose lifting versus a possible agricultural excursion.

No brakes into 1 huh? That sounds interesting...

[ZX3Focus]

I think Barber plays well with the RX-8's gearing (2nd to about 66, 3rd to about 94).

The car was in the happy end of 2nd out of Charlotte's Web, Museum, and 15. Into 1, 7, and 11, the car was on the limiter in 3rd for a second or two. If I found some more speed, I'd have to start wondering whether 4th gear would be worth it or not.

[bimmertech]

Thanks for the feedback Casey...we'll have to team up there sometime.

In the past I have gone through the kink without lifting, but my 2-year-old RS3s have finally reached their limit and were just a bit "greasy" when pushed harder. I chose lifting versus a possible agricultural excursion.

No brakes into 1 huh? That sounds interesting...

Yep. I think if you lift at the 4 marker and adjust your turn-in for the speed it would work. There is a lot of race track left there.

It all looks nice and smooth though.

[rodhx]

Yep. I think if you lift at the 4 marker and adjust your turn-in for the speed it would work. There is a lot of race track left there.

Interpretation: the miata is so slow why would you possibly use the brakes? get a car with some power why don't cha?

[Jedi1]

I'm in the same boat Rod. The FRS is so much fun, but it's absolutely gutless in a straight line. I saw about 98 mph at the end of both long straights, lol. I'm sure if I kicked it up to 10/10's I'd be running 106-107ish or if I go back out there with tires that have anything remotely close to decent grip

So much fun on track though!

[rodhx]

Yep...fastest I saw was 96. More grip coming onto the straights would bump that up, but it is a miata after all. Ultimately I'd much rather be fast in the twisty bits...it's more fun and anybody can plant their right foot and hang on

[JohnW8]

Yep...fastest I saw was 96.

and you have lap times in the 1:50 range?!?!

My fastest at Barber in the ITA car was a qualifying lap last year of 1:50:xxx.
I'm slow.

[rodhx]

No John...my best on Saturday, per the Trackmaster app, was a 2:01 flat in the third session. Pretty sure I could have improved if that BMW had not held me up almost all of the third session. I was having to come off throttle through 13-15 to avoid him. It was fun having someone to chase though.

[Jedi1]

High 50's on Prius tires .

[chuck schultz]

. . . and the lap I clocked the Ferrari, it was about a 2:08. . .but he was really smooth through 5/6, reminding me of Scott Pruett's line through there. He either had a good instructor or natural talent (or luck.)