It happens fast - in-car spin video from Thunderhill

[dtfastbear]

I'm back with more in-car footage, this time from Thunderhill, turn 9, running clockwise, otherwise known as "backwards".

http://www.momentarylaps.com/videos/dean_spin_8_11_03-2.rm

(It's Real Media - I know this sucks for some of you, but it is the smallest file size I can produce)

The braking zone for this turn is right at the crest of a hill followed by a downhill turn to the right. Normally, with the tiniest bit of trail braking, as the back end starts to rotate I can pick up the throttle and settle the car into a beautiful exit right along the paint. Not this time...

I came in way too hot and was still on the brakes too hard (too much trail braking) as I decide to turn in. Watch how quickly the car comes around! I turn the wheel to the right (turn in) about two inches and then immediately to the left (opposite lock) about 1/2 a turn to try and save it. No dice.

Luckily, no damage to the car at all. When I went to the head of grid to get the car checked out by the safety crew, they told me the left rear tire was corded pretty bad. Cause or effect? We may never know...

Dean

[Vintage911Racer]

Nice Video, atleast you kept it running. Good job. I LOVE THAT TRACK.

[jrdavid68]

Another great video Dean!

When I switched to the Khumos on Sunday from street tires, I began to find out what turn 9 was supposed to feel like!! Now I get to concentrate on going faster!

My scary moment was going in to 15 just after passing someone on the straight (yes that's right, I actually passed someone :-). Naturally I was carrying a little more speed and did not get all the way back to the right. I spent most of the way to 14 with my back end hanging out - sure wish someone got that on video!

Somehow I managed to keep it on the pavement without spinning, but I think I backed off a bit for the rest of the day :-).

Thanks again for all your help and support!!

Ross #923

[Spud]

I was there, car #655 red 911 faux RS. Did either of you guys get any pictures of the car that wrecked on Saturday? Very sad to see an early (73 I believe) 911 meet its end that way. Glad the driver walked away though, that was a hard hit.

Like I said, it was a great weekend

[kfreytag]

Dean -

I was two cars behind when you spun (#605 - White C2). Glad you and the car came out alright. I managed to loop it trail braking into 15 later in the session. I think there were three four-wheel offs that session.

- Kurt

[dtfastbear]

Hey guys - l wonder how many other Pelican-ites were out in that session and drove by as I hung my head in shame, sitting in the weeds... If you look closely during the slow motion part of the video, you can see Jefferies and Sturtz cresting the hill as I'm pointing the wrong direction in the middle of the spin.

I have video as I drove by Chris' wrecked car when we came in from the red flag, but I didn't take any close up pics from when it was sitting in the pits. Yeah, that was a big impact, and I'll bet from in the car it looked similar to my spin, only without the happy ending.

Ross, I would venture a guess that probably half of all offs in 15 and in 11 when running CW happen after a pass was made on the preceding straight. Usually, you are only passing the person in the 2nd half of the straight and you have just a little less time to get the car settled before braking. Also, I think there is that small psychological component of "now that I'm past this guy, I've got to pull away and show him I'm faster" so you brake a little later, turn in a little sooner, etc. etc.

Cheers,

Dean

[dotorg]

Bah, thats how you can tell you guys are from the west coast. Boston drivers would pass someone, and brake early just to be an a$#% ole.

[dtfastbear]

Ah yes, M******* drivers... I remember them well from my time living in the Back Bay. I can only imagine how they'd adapt to track driving. I've gotten plenty of "point by's" when driving/passing around Boston, but now that I think about it they were all with the middle finger!

[Jack Olsen]

Have you done the course backwards before? It's much wilder clockwise, in my experience. Not only do you have to make a scary judgment call on where to brake at turn 9, but the doglegs that follow can be crazy. During the OTC, I lost it coming out of 7, and did a 360 (at or near the century mark) between then and the inside edge of 6. (I wish the video camera had been on for that.)

What kinds of times were guys running?

[dtfastbear]

Hey Jack,

I've actually got about 7 days at T-Hill running clockwise now, I think. Since it is run that direction relatively infrequently, I guess that makes me an expert!

Yes, turns 8 and 7 can be downright scary! That is a crazy place to spin! I can only imagine howling tires. I don't have a ton of power, so I'm flat from turn in at 8 all the way to the braking zone for 6. The car is clawing for traction the whole way through 7 and I'm wondering, "Will it hold?"

The lap I spun on would have been in the high 14 range, probably. Later that day during the time trial portion of the event I ran a pair of low 2:13's on a borrowed set of 16" wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires. I'd only gotten into the mid 14's with my 15 inch wheels, though. I think I could shave off a little more time if I had a full session to get used to those 16's instead of just 3 laps.

When are you and BB2 coming North again?

Dean

[Mike Feinstein]

Man....be glad there is so much run-off room at that track.

[Jack Olsen]

I'd love to come up there again, Dean. Thunderhill is a blast.

I'm at Streets of Willow this month. Willow Springs and Road America in October.

Are there any good September events up there? It'd be great to find a cheap two-day event.

[jrdavid68]

Hank Watts had the TTOD with a 1:58.802

Jack, what kind of times do you run CW?