The Unofficially Officially Unofficial MT.net Miatas @ MRLS Meatup Thread (2019)
10-04-2016, 07:40 PM
#747
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: San Diego
Posts: 557
Total Cats: 54
Spec Miata guy was stationed on the left side of the pre-grid by the fuel pump (if you are facing the track and close to D group gathering spot) and all his stuff was in the trailer for the car. He came there with his dad who is a decent Spec driver, but engine in his car gave up on Saturday during R&T test. I didn't have a problem with 07 car - he came up on me a few times and I would just let him by. I couldn't pass him - he was a bit faster and had better lines. D group had a few complete beginners who would go really wide in turns and brake considerably even in turn 4 and 6.
Some people just didn't pick the right group - like a few drivers with Mazdaspeeds and red 2.5 NC which was moved down from C (so I've been told by my buddy in C).
Some people just didn't pick the right group - like a few drivers with Mazdaspeeds and red 2.5 NC which was moved down from C (so I've been told by my buddy in C).
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10-04-2016, 07:41 PM
#748
Junior Member
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: OC
Posts: 75
Total Cats: -4
I gridded up in the slow lane each time not knowing how well the car was going to do. I had traffic and made sure I was really filling some mirrors to get point-bys but I wasn't going to pass unless we were on a straight even if I got the point by early. I knew I was inconsistent both in my current driving ability (rusty) and power output so I wasn't stressing and I was happy to point people by who were faster.
Where I had an issue was how they let us onto the track. They let everyone go out in a big conga line and it took 2-3 laps before you could make it past the 3-4 really slow drivers and get spread out a bit.
I had a guy who came up to me after one of the sessions. I had given a point by after 11 but he didn't come around and he wanted me to lift. Well I did lift (all the way off the gas and just coasted) but honestly he could have only have passed if I put on the brakes and pulled over. The problem was he just wasn't close enough on my bumper to come around. I totally understand where he was coming from because I was there too when I had stock 1.6 power and better handling skills but I knew I couldn't pass higher horsepower cars unless I was right up on them for a few corners and jumped around as soon as I got the point by. It was Doug Gale from Track Masters who actually taught me that it is appropriate to "fill someone's mirrors" before you can expect to get a point by and be able to actually capitalize on it.
Where I had an issue was how they let us onto the track. They let everyone go out in a big conga line and it took 2-3 laps before you could make it past the 3-4 really slow drivers and get spread out a bit.
I had a guy who came up to me after one of the sessions. I had given a point by after 11 but he didn't come around and he wanted me to lift. Well I did lift (all the way off the gas and just coasted) but honestly he could have only have passed if I put on the brakes and pulled over. The problem was he just wasn't close enough on my bumper to come around. I totally understand where he was coming from because I was there too when I had stock 1.6 power and better handling skills but I knew I couldn't pass higher horsepower cars unless I was right up on them for a few corners and jumped around as soon as I got the point by. It was Doug Gale from Track Masters who actually taught me that it is appropriate to "fill someone's mirrors" before you can expect to get a point by and be able to actually capitalize on it.
It's also because TrackMasters packed the C and D groups to the maximum allowed per Laguna Seca's allowances of 35 cars in each on Saturday to allow more attendees to put rubber to the track instead of just parade lapping during lunch. This makes sense, but has the drawbacks that you mention. C had 35 Sunday, but D had about 28. A and B were limited to ~20 cars to allow for vendors and instructors to freely drive in each group. The pace of the B group is likely substantially faster than C, so keep that in mind during next year's reg. Our group has a lap time requirement for the A group (<1'45), but don't think we have a requirement for B besides 20+ track days, so I'd use that as a barometer for B-group driving. (C group is 11-19 events; D is 4-6 events).
Remember - you can always come into the hot pit lane and request space. If most of the cars are bunched up, this can work quite well; but if you have 35 cars spaced out equally over ~2 miles, the traffic should be flowing relatively well.
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10-04-2016, 07:43 PM
#749
SADFab Destructive Testing Engineer
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Join Date: Apr 2014
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I did pull into the pits. Nothing. You just ended up in a different conga line.
I have close to 25 track days under my belt, wish I had gone with B.
The spec miata guy was fast, but also a ******* *******. I was stuck behind 3 people. And he expected me to point him by. And then just about took me out in 11.
I have close to 25 track days under my belt, wish I had gone with B.
The spec miata guy was fast, but also a ******* *******. I was stuck behind 3 people. And he expected me to point him by. And then just about took me out in 11.
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10-04-2016, 07:58 PM
#752
Junior Member
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: OC
Posts: 75
Total Cats: -4
I did pull into the pits. Nothing. You just ended up in a different conga line.
I have close to 25 track days under my belt, wish I had gone with B.
The spec miata guy was fast, but also a ******* *******. I was stuck behind 3 people. And he expected me to point him by. And then just about took me out in 11.
I have close to 25 track days under my belt, wish I had gone with B.
The spec miata guy was fast, but also a ******* *******. I was stuck behind 3 people. And he expected me to point him by. And then just about took me out in 11.
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10-04-2016, 07:59 PM
#753
SADFab Destructive Testing Engineer
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Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Beaverton, USA
Posts: 18,642
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From what I overheard at registration they were putting everyone in C. A guy showed up never having done a track day "There is only room in C, so we'll put you there"
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10-04-2016, 08:09 PM
#755
Elite Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Santa Clara, CA
Posts: 5,165
Total Cats: 855
There were a bunch of slow Spec Miatas in A, but fortunately passing them wasn't a problem.
--Ian
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10-04-2016, 09:01 PM
#757
Spec Miata guy was stationed on the left side of the pre-grid by the fuel pump (if you are facing the track and close to D group gathering spot) and all his stuff was in the trailer for the car. He came there with his dad who is a decent Spec driver, but engine in his car gave up on Saturday during R&T test. I didn't have a problem with 07 car - he came up on me a few times and I would just let him by. I couldn't pass him - he was a bit faster and had better lines. D group had a few complete beginners who would go really wide in turns and brake considerably even in turn 4 and 6.
Some people just didn't pick the right group - like a few drivers with Mazdaspeeds and red 2.5 NC which was moved down from C (so I've been told by my buddy in C).
Some people just didn't pick the right group - like a few drivers with Mazdaspeeds and red 2.5 NC which was moved down from C (so I've been told by my buddy in C).
That's red NC with the gold graphics is a super douche. He was a big issue the previous 2 years in the beginner groups. I'm not sure how they let him run in C on Saturday.
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10-04-2016, 09:12 PM
#758
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C was an utter shitshow all day. Traffic, traffic, and more traffic. Cars not running on the line, or even using full throttle on the straights (yes, it was that obvious).
So frustrating.
So, I bumped to B on Sunday and had a blast.
Here's a link to the full pic package I purchased. Really enjoyed the pics this year. Probably not worth the full cost but whatever.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B7...0p5bmxHWDNzQkE
I'll be uploading my last session video... and I'll have to edit some clips to put into the bad track driving thread, haha.
So frustrating.
So, I bumped to B on Sunday and had a blast.
Here's a link to the full pic package I purchased. Really enjoyed the pics this year. Probably not worth the full cost but whatever.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B7...0p5bmxHWDNzQkE
I'll be uploading my last session video... and I'll have to edit some clips to put into the bad track driving thread, haha.
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10-04-2016, 09:33 PM
#759
Originally Posted by turbofan
C was an utter shitshow all day. Traffic, traffic, and more traffic. Cars not running on the line, or even using full throttle on the straights (yes, it was that obvious).
So frustrating.
So, I bumped to B on Sunday and had a blast.
Here's a link to the full pic package I purchased. Really enjoyed the pics this year. Probably not worth the full cost but whatever.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B7...0p5bmxHWDNzQkE
I'll be uploading my last session video... and I'll have to edit some clips to put into the bad track driving thread, haha.
So frustrating.
So, I bumped to B on Sunday and had a blast.
Here's a link to the full pic package I purchased. Really enjoyed the pics this year. Probably not worth the full cost but whatever.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B7...0p5bmxHWDNzQkE
I'll be uploading my last session video... and I'll have to edit some clips to put into the bad track driving thread, haha.
I had -2 cars per session spin immediately in front of me. Need to make a greatest hits compilation.
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10-04-2016, 10:36 PM
#760
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: San Diego
Posts: 557
Total Cats: 54
By the way - how was the camping at the track?
Was it cold at night? Were there hot showers? Just want to find out to possibly camp out next year. Which they have already announced dates for - October 7-8 2017.
One more thing - the Saturday banquet was totally worth $20: good food (meats, cheese plates, cold cuts, fresh salads, scalops with bacon, fresh made pastas, grilled chicken skewers, sodas, wines, beers, energy drinks, coffee, tee, ice-cream with bananas, orange liqueur and whipped cream desert). All you can eat/drink and with an awesome view over the track.
Was it cold at night? Were there hot showers? Just want to find out to possibly camp out next year. Which they have already announced dates for - October 7-8 2017.
One more thing - the Saturday banquet was totally worth $20: good food (meats, cheese plates, cold cuts, fresh salads, scalops with bacon, fresh made pastas, grilled chicken skewers, sodas, wines, beers, energy drinks, coffee, tee, ice-cream with bananas, orange liqueur and whipped cream desert). All you can eat/drink and with an awesome view over the track.
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