A lap of Buttonwillow

A lap of Buttonwillow raceway this weekend with Tracquest. Was running in the red group, so I chose a fairly clear lap without keeping an eye out for about 6 Radicals all the time in the rear view mirror. What this video does not reveal is the revelation from a friend that I should really short shift to 4th in a couple of places to gain more time, and to make it easier on myself. I should have shortshifted to 4th at the Bus stop (yes, I know the map on the front of the QT is incorrect) as we were using that config (#26) so I don't have to feather the throttle so much at the exit of Bus Stop. Secondly, I should short shift to 4th right at the first ess so I can be fully on the gas all the way through instead of being such a wimp. Other than that, there are obvious tweaks I need to do with the Off Ramp (T2). While you can take that in 3rd gear, the porkchop is quite a dog. 2nd gear is a bit low, and the porker chomps at the bit when you accelerate out like a rabid pit bull. The compromise was to take it in 2nd gear and then just hold it a bit in before letting out the steering so that when you do have to shift into 3rd right before you reach the exit, the tail will swing just enough to put you back onto line. Anyways, that's it for now and I can ramble on forever. Any critique other than what I am aware of or pointers are greatly appreciated. Quicktime Video, Sorenson3 codec, 41mb.

'little more heel and toe'in might help, but, oh yea, gotta love that e-gas.....

Coming from an S4, where there is a turbo lag, coupled with drive by throttle that really feels like additional turbo lag, this e-gas is a definite improvement. Since I've never had a porsche, let alone with a throttle cable, what do you see in the video that makes you go, "gotta love that e-gas" I can't heel-toe if my life depended on it.

Nice video, a little heel-toe action here and there would be just right. I was the same way until I went to PDE, I finally re-learned the proper technique, now heel toe is second nature. The other thing they are big on at PDE is trail braking, I couldn't tell if you were doing it, as they say "if you're not trail braking you're not road racing".

Heel/toe; Try this, In your driveway apply the brake pedal with the ball of your foot, then roll your foot to the right and that should blip your throtle (really has little to do with the heel)

jyoteen, I was there too running in the blue group. I had a great time. I knocked a bunch of time off my previous best. I think I'm using the same gear selection as you are in the spots you mentioned. I hadn't thought about short shifting to 4th before the first 's'. I usually cruise through in third and shift to fourth just after the last 's'. Maybe this would be a spot to cut some time. I also experienced the same thing on the 'Off Ramp' (T2). You could almost steer the car with the throttle in second gear in that turn. I think I wuss out at the 'Riverside' sweeper. I take it in third but I think I could go faster through there. I just have this fear of flying off there. It was fun doing a session with the track wet. I couldn't believe how well my car handled even with the wet track. I think the Bridgestones were a pretty big part of it though. Overall, it was an educational day for me.

Jyoteen: I was being a bit facetious about "gotta love that e-gas" I meant that on my '02 C2, I don't like it. My past experience, 1986 930, throttle cables make it easier to blip, the e-gas is, and, like you say, e-gas seems to emulate a turbo lag. Oh well, a little practice has helped me out. I did a few laps at Calif. Speedway a few weeks ago in my car at the lunch time parade, and got to 135 on the back stretch. Your video was great.

Anybody get times on configuration #1 going clockwise? I think I drove that way several weeks ago at NASA event with Magic Mountain, lots of fun..#26 must be crazy as your full throttle from the Mazda turn all the way to Talladega? That's fast.. Anybody get times from their transponders??

Holy crap that's fast. I timed one of my laps from my in car camera and got a 2:25. Not sure if that was my fastest but I'm sure that's about it for me at my current skill level. Nice job.

Thanks for the great video clip. I'm looking forward even more to my 3rd Buttonwillow track day next wednesday! Just a couple things that I try to do: as long as you setup and hit the "club corner" as well as "lost hill" apexes correctly, you will be able to go FULL throttle straight through to the end of the "bus stop" and the "sweeper." That'll help you carry a lot more speed through those two sections. Steve

Kim had R compounds (Pilot Sport Cup), so yeah, that helps a lot. I think an R compound is worth probably 5 seconds or so (at least). And his car isn't stock. i gotta say that the Sport contact 2s SUCK hard core. Specially after using Kumhos and RA-1s with my Audi. Oh well. I guess, it's better than having to change tires and wheels when you go to the track.

joyteen i run RA 1 on spec miata and my C2. i got to 2:18-2:19 with it on saturday. didn't turn hot lap on for sunday, i think i was maybe 1-2 sec faster on sunday. yes, conti's suck big time. unfortunately i don't think RA1's come in sizes wide enough for C4S. you need MPSC like kim... yellow cars are faster, my silver C2 is slow. your yellow C4S should be able to chase down kim's yellow zonker ;o)

only because Kim will be too busy trying to find out why he got black flagged from the pit lane crew.

jyoteen, Where is your camera and microphone mounted? The video looks great. I was getting some high pitch whine from my cheap microphone that I stuck behind the rear seats. Can anyone recommend a good microphone for this application? Actually, I was thinking of running two microphones so a could narrate also. I narrated during a few sessions and found it helpful when I cam home and watched the video. mooty: yellow is fast but arctic is way faster. (maybe not mine though) Thanks,

Always those damn Radicals in the way...... Good looking video! Saw all those wires hanging from the car and thought you were trying some automotive EKG or something. I purposely didn't time myself last weekend (new to track with this car, using old, old tires, always with a passenger), hearsay was ~1:57-1:58 v. realistic race laps sub-1:50. But back to 911's--the PRC ran the same config 2 weeks prior. Results are here under group B http://www.mylaps.com/results/showevent.jsp?id=20771. Never raced the RSA in that config, but in my fuzzy memory I seem to recall 2:07ish during open lapping.

2:11's are fast for a street Carrera, did you trailer the car there or drive it? The fastest guys there were arounpd 2:11 in a 500hp vette on Hoosiers. I think for a street driven Carrera(996) 2:14-2:15 is pretty good??? This is on MPSC's not street tires.

Cool vid but yeah, you should (an can!) be MUCH faster through most of those turns.