ThunderHill Backwards September 24th, 2004
ThunderHill CW 09/24/2004 NCRC Event
Prepping the Cars for the Track
Before every track event we get the cars ready to go. Check for leaks, brake pads, fluids, tires, wheels, tire pressures, and torquing (Note: this involves a torque wrench, not turning every bolt as tight as you can get it) everything you can think of down.
Justin ready to own up some EVO's, 3rd in Class for the Time Trial.
We recently added some new stuff to our bag of tricks. Erik bought a set of SmartStrings and InterComp Scales. This gave us the equipment to be able to align and cornerweight the car. We didn't think we had time to do both cars so I kept my appointment with Custom Alignment.
Cornerweight and Alignment
First Attempt Erik's Car: So we read some FAQ's did a little research and proceded to try and cornerweight Erik's car which we had just installed some Ground Control coilovers and camber plates on. We just used a ruler to set the initial height slightly lower than stock all around. We ended up getting the car cornerweighted and aligned. Yeah, we are Pros. Ok, so now, the car tracks straight, but the steering wheel is crooked as a dogs hind leg and it handles like crap.
Our "Workshop", AKA Erik's Garage.
Crossweights, not bad for a first try.
Ground Control Sleeves.
Ground Control Top Mount Camber Plate
First Attempt Justin's Car: We rolled the fenders so that we could squeeze some 245's under the car, then we dropped the car off with Kevin at Custom Alignment in Mountain View. I picked it up in the afternoon and paid them several hundred dollars. The car was cornerweighted and aligned beautifully. Kevin even Left us a little note since he knew were probably going to give this a shot in the future. Kevin is Pro.
245s Finally! Yes, they rub if you don't roll the fenders.
And another view, notice the lip is pulled out.
Kevin Patten from Custom Alignment left us a note. The Suspension Ninja was HERE. Hands Off!
Second Attempt Erik's Car: We figured out what we did wrong. The cornerweight was right, but the ride height was all wrong. We cranked the ride height down to where we thought it should be while keeping the cornerweighting and suspension geometry correct. We also ordred a steering wheel holder since the wheel will tend to move around as you fiddle with the alignment, in the mean time we just had someone sit in the car while we straightened the wheel out. Ok, So we aren't pro's yet but we are getting better. The self alignment worked out very well, but you need the right tools for it
Close up of the Strings, these work really well. Buy a good ruler.
Smart Strings and Intercomp Scales
Justin's Account of the Weekend
Just like every other time we have ever gone to the track, we got up early (for us) to head to track, register, prep the cars, etc. We brought a couple extra friends this time. Jeff sold off his Maxima for a Z06 and Chris, who recently bought an 05 STi. I think that early for us = nearly the last ones at the track. I also had my wife bring our truck to the track. The Avalanche held a ton of gear and it meant we didn't have nearly so much stuff to unload from the cars in the morning. It made things much easier.
Chris Mille ready to go out on the track for the first time.
Jeff ready to flog his brand new z06.
Seriously, I have driven several hundreds of miles at ThunderHill now. Chances are you would think I would know the track, and you would be right, except this time we are driving it backwards. It may as well have been a different track, running it backwards is NOTHING like driving it forwards unless you count it still being fun, and maybe turn 2.
Track Write Up
When running THill backwards you enter it backwards too, you enter the track out by Turn 15. Stay all the way inside to avoid any traffic that may be coming down the front straight at 130+mph. Turn 14 is still a fairly low speed turn that you have to really concentrate on to not early apex it. It is a long turn that tends to lure you in early, so stay outside and follow the rubber. You won't get into much trouble from going in early, but it will slow you down.
You follow this up with a nice straight away that will quickly see you over 100mph in a decently powerful car. You'll need to brake hard and kill lot of speed and turn in fairly early for turn 13 part one of the esses to set yourself up for the next turn, burn off some more speed with the brakes and late apex turn 12 as much as possible. You are going to have follow this up with some more braking and probably a down shift to get ready for turn 11 which is very quickly approaching.
Turn 11 is a relatively slow slightly downhill right hand turn that tends to get you turning in too late and will quickly push you towards the outside of the track. Turn 10 has you almost flat out on the gas and ripping thru the turn as you start your way up the hill towards turn 9. I saw a couple of approaches being used here, I stayed all the way inside and boogied up to the top of the hill (Blind Turn) as quick as I could manage. There is plenty of track up there but it is easy to be fooled since you can't see anything. At the top of the hill you need to slow down to make turn 9, a fast right hander, I don't think I ever quite carried full speed thru here but was getting faster by the end of the day.
Brakes slow you down Jeff!
"My alignment worked!"
This starts you back downhill towards the ever fast turn 8, it isn't as fast backwards as forwards though, I had to get on the brakes a little on the downhill from turn 9. There is plenty of track on the left for you to move out so you can make a nice late apex on turn 8 a speedy right hander, but be careful, though 8 is a fast turn it is easy to not apex correctly and slide too far left and potentially off the track. Turn 7 is a flat out right hander if you look far enough head and will push you nicely to the outside to get ready for for the next turn.
Turn 6 will have you hard on the brakes and turning to the right (remember, brake in a straight line). This is quickly followed up by sweeping loft hander known as 5a, try to get back to the outside of the track as you are about to take the eagles nest. Go for a late entry here cutting to the inside / left hand side of the track as you are going up the hill. With any luck the group you are out with will be kind enough to put a nice TALL cone out for you to see the apex. Otherwise or even in spite of this, you may turn in a little too late and you'll be driving on the dirt on the other side of the hill. It is a much more technical turn than in the forwards direction. If you aren't in the dirt, you'll be heading downhill towards turn 4, attack this with the standard late apex and you are quickly headed towards turn 3.
Chris having fun
Try to stay about mid track as turn 3 is a fairly long one, as the turn starts to disappear over the hill creep inside for the apex and you will have nice slide towards the right half of the track. Quickly, but smoothly, head back to the left of the track to get setup for for the next turn. Turn 2 is a fairly continuos radius turn at a pretty good clip, I tend to stay in the middle of the track and again gun for the late apex on this turn. Towards the end of the turn a quick lift of the throttle rotated the car nicely and I was able to do a nice point and shoot thru the exit of the turn. This will have you pointed slightly up hill. Turn 2 should have already pushed you to the left of the track, get wide and ready for turn 1.
Shane playing on his new 225 V700 Kuhmo's
It is a very fast right hand turn and even though it is pointing you at the K wall I always felt that I had plenty of room and probably only hit the turn at the right speed a few times as all that concrete will tend to pull your foot off the go pedal, even if you mind says gas it! You have plenty of room here so use a lot of the track you don't want to unbalance the car. This will have you headed down the front straight back towards turn 15. I was getting close to maxing out 5th gear towards the end of the day, so I was probably doing around 130ish towards the end of the straight. You will tend to brake early here. Turn 15 is a much faster turn that it looks, I was eventually able to take it around 90mph, obviously your mileage may vary, but, it is fast turn. Stay in gear thru 15 and then brake down to a lower speed for 14, remember, stay out for it.
z06 hottness
General Stuff
We got started about 15-20 minutes late due to the medical crew being late. It was pain and made the m
orning sessions all shorter. By the time I gridded up, I had missed my first session.
After missing the first session I went out w/ the novice group, one of the benefits of running with NCRC is that you can almost always drive with two of the rungroups and get more track time than you'll want by the end of the day. I had Alan ride with me twice and I was looking a lot better towards the end of the day and managed to be competent and consistant enough to get moved up to the High-Intermediate group.
The Advanced Group Session: So, I heard the grid call, got gas, and signed up the wife to be able to ride in the car. I thought our session was out, I saw Erik on the track and then I knew our session was out. I showed my wristband to the steward and out I went. I got held up behind some car I can't remember and ended up passing him w/ a point by on the front straight, I also pointed a black C5 (plate of C5Tuner) by me since he caught me while I was behind the other car. I ended up being just a little faster than the C5 and was wondering why he never pointed me by. At the end of the session I figured out it was because the advanced group (read: not my group) has open passing. Anyway, no harm, no foul. I was sure to mention it to Troy though so as not to get into trouble.
There were a couple of beautiful Porsche's out. A nice GT3 and a GT2. I was able to catch both of them but neither seemed terribly happy to have to point a rice rocket by. The GT3 ended up never pointing which was a pain, but forutnately the session ended after two laps of that. The GT2 I caught around turn 5 and he pointed me by on the front straight and proceded to hammer the gas pedal, even if I had my race gas program running I wouldn't have kept up with that car. Fortunately he was a really early braker and pointed me by again as we were nearing the braking zone.
Conclusion
This is still a good track for first timers, I would say it is more technical in reverse than forwards. There is still a lot of runoff in all the right areas. It also looks like Turn 8 has been graded a little more since the Derek Wang Open Track Challege incident. So it should be an even safer track now.
Ready to go out on the track
Damage Report
Much like the Laguna event there were a few spins and offs but no major damage. I managed to embarass myself with Custom Fabricator and Head Driving Coach Alan Blaine in the car, though I am fairly sure he is fearless as I think he has seen it all. As soon as I was in the dirt Alan quipped "hehe All Wheel Drive".
Jeff also had an off at turn 5, you really need to watch your speed, there is a turn back there even though you can't see it till you are pretty much over the hill. Jeff also decided that this was a good time to see what the car did without traction control and had a nice slide thru turn 1 into the infield. No damage to the car but it did gain a little weight from the agricultural experience. I also saw a blue civic SI with some Sho-Gun looking front bumper go off in the dirt at turn 8. I heard he cracked his bumper, but the stock one probably would not have due to the extra clearance. Other than that and some bruised egos everyone managed to get thru the day safely.
Nothing like mowing the in-field of Thunderhill
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