Click on the link to view the clip. It is 5.5 MB, 3'10" about a lap and a half. you need Real Player 8 or above, available from www.real.com. Shot March 29th during a Driving School organized by www.chinmotorsports.com
Roaring onto the front straight in 3rd gear, past the start/finish line, into 4th, then into 5th and about 90mph right before a right/left kink, straigth enough to be taken flat out. In my V12 E-type, speed climb to about 115mph till I lift to check the brakes... no need to play hero and brake at the last minute.. this is not racing and there isn't that much run off in case something goes wrong... downshift into 4th, then 3rd by the nr 1 marker and tackle the long 180 left hander. Patience is key on those long corners, it's tempting to get on the throttle too early and be forced to lift later on. A bit of oversteer is easily controled by relaxing the pressure on the steering wheel and power comes back on at the apex. On one of the laps, I tried to follow a Miata running on slicks... didn't work... the rear went, I corrected, and corrected, and corrected until I ran out of steering and had no choice but go for the ride in the full spin. Luckily I kept it on the track and the guys behind avoided me. When all goes well, exiting the turn front end first, you can always use the curb at track out if needed but that's the insurance policy... the wall is only a few feet from the edge of the track.
Get up in 4th on that short run to the next corner, could stay in 3rd but this is an original 30 year old / 130k mile engine so everything 1000 rpm counts... plenty of low end torque anyway... back down to into 3rd for another 180 degree turn, a right hander... plenty of curb to help keep things straight at track out... check the mirror as this upcoming short straight is a passing zone.. no one on my tail, accelerate briefly into 4th then hard on the brakes for the next corner, a tight 90 degree right hander. Again, off camber run off, walls are not far, little margin for error. Accelerate in 3rd, thru a slight left/right kink and set the car up for turn 6 leading onto the back straight which runs paralel to the main staight; the exit is very wide but marble build up on the outside and it can get a bit slippery.
We're now on the drag strip runoff heading back, very wide part of the track in contrast to the rest which is pretty narrow. Accelerating into 4th and about 100mph before a left/rigth tight chicane which will take us off the drag strip. Plenty of run off in the braking zone ( the whole 1/4 mile drag strip) but once you commit to the chicane, you'd better get it right as the outside curb is steep and could cause damage to the underside of the car... they also placed hay bales there... Exit is tight with no curb... you don't want to drop wheel in the dirt there... accelerate flat out into 4th gear for another flat out left / right kink.
Quickly set the car for the final turn and brake for that long double apex right hander... it can get slippery there as this part of the track is used to stage drag racers.. Turn in the first part of the turn, track out toward the outside then turn in the final turn onto the front straight. There is a dip/bump right near the apex, but the car rides it nicely then track out toward the outside. With a wall on both sides only a few feet away, little room for error.. as we were told in the drivers briefing.... if you find one wall there.. you will also find the other one...
I didn't find the walls... but I do find a pair of 911 GT3s in my rearview miror...as soon as I have upshifted into 4th, I can spare a hand to wave them by. No need to lift for those all out race cars as they thunder by... The start finish line flashes by... let's do it again!
Enjoy the clip... and if you like it... see you at the track!