"Official" Lap Times Thread

[Waltari]

Had 3 good sessions at PIR this past Friday. Lower enrollment made for lighter traffic and more opportunities for clean laps. The weather was great giving us some cool dense air so everything seemed to be running well. Spent time trying to work on my braking to help keep the front end planted through a few of the turns on the course (though it pointed out I could probably use some better brake cooling so I'll be trying out some RS3 ducts for June). Link to my 3rd Session with my best lap time below. Apologies for the crap audio...was trying out a new external mic setup and didn't have the settings dialed in yet.

SCCA TNiA 5.7.21 Intermediate Group Session 3

Track name: Portland International Raceway
Track location: Portland, OR
Lap time: 1:36.757
Year/model: '15 GTI
Estimated total vehicle weight with driver: 3200
Estimated wheel horsepower: haven't dynoed, but would est over 300 with mods
Fuel: 92
Tire size and model: Bridgestone RE-71R 225/40/18
Estimated ambient temperature: 60F
Notes on setup (turbo, suspension setup, rain, frightened, etc.): 034 RSB on stiffest setting, PP calipers F/R w Slotted rotors stainless lines EBC Yellow and RBF600, OZ Ultraleggera 18x8.5, APR Stage 1, APR Open Carbon Fiber CAI and Pipe, BMS turbo inlet pipe, Clubsport exhaust, rear seats, cargo shelves, and spare removed.

 

[R Golf]

Finally got my video uploaded from my PB at Lime Rock with BMWCCA, 1:04.5. The two 1:04 laps are sandwiched between 2 laps with traffic, passing and getting passed. The BMW and Porsche turbo on the final lap were working on a lead/follow, which is why they looked so slow.
Pretty much a perfect track day... open track, no trains, passing on full track with point-by, and great weather to boot.

 

[Oversteermybagel]

Track name: Canaan Motor Club
Track location: Canaan NH
Lap time: 1:10.0 CW / 109.8 CCW
Year/model: '17 GTI
Estimated total vehicle weight with driver: 3300
Estimated wheel horsepower: 230? stock
Fuel: 93
Tire size and model: Dunlop Z3 225/40/18. delaminate slicks
Estimated ambient temperature: 70F
Notes on setup (turbo, suspension setup, rain, frightened, etc.): Low washer fluid

Quality day at Canaan. Open track all day and drove for like 3hrs. I think my longest session was ~35min. Oil temps really wanted to get up there but remained stable in the 260s: high 260s I would start to feel bad about the car and do some cooldown. I forgot how challenging this track is -- I didn't feel great about any one lap. The most fun of the day was had driving the 20 minutes of wet track after lunch on nearly slick 200tw. The grip was good until the car hit a puddle and then the car would be transported into an alternative astral plane. Moreover, it was drying so fast that each lap I was getting faster which feels like cheat codes. Also s/o to the $60 HF tent I bought; it really is a solid track day mod. Likely no video this time, I only recorded 10 minutes of content and haven't look at it yet to see if there is anything worth sharing

In absence of video here is some pictures of my Donelops.

.

 

[R Golf]

Track name: Canaan Motor Club
Track location: Canaan NH
Lap time: 1:10.0 CW / 109.8 CCW
Year/model: '17 GTI
Estimated total vehicle weight with driver: 3300
Estimated wheel horsepower: 230? stock
Fuel: 93
Tire size and model: Dunlop Z3 225/40/18. delaminate slicks
Estimated ambient temperature: 70F
Notes on setup (turbo, suspension setup, rain, frightened, etc.): Low washer fluid

Quality day at Canaan. Open track all day and drove for like 3hrs. I think my longest session was ~35min. Oil temps really wanted to get up there but remained stable in the 260s: high 260s I would start to feel bad about the car and do some cooldown. I forgot how challenging this track is -- I didn't feel great about any one lap. The most fun of the day was had driving the 20 minutes of wet track after lunch on nearly slick 200tw. The grip was good until the car hit a puddle and then the car would be transported into an alternative astral plane. Moreover, it was drying so fast that each lap I was getting faster which feels like cheat codes. Also s/o to the $60 HF tent I bought; it really is a solid track day mod. Likely no video this time, I only recorded 10 minutes of content and haven't look at it yet to see if there is anything worth sharing

In absence of video here is some pictures of my Donelops.

View attachment 213839.View attachment 213840

Very toasty tires. "Donelops" indeed. ;>)

How do you like Canaan? I know MassTuning runs there a lot, and that's a club I will be doing more events with in the future. 3 hours from my house, so another hour gets me to the Glen, but I would like to add more tracks to my seasons.

 

[Oversteermybagel]

I quite like canaan but I know it is polarizing. It feels a bit oversized autocross course--my car might barely touch 90mph in either direction. Nevertheless the track absolutely abuses tires and brakes more than any other track that I go to. I think there are quite a few interesting problems to solve and even though I have been there many times already I leave wondering about approaches to various sections. The lower speed 2nd gear corners really upset my slow transitioning car which adds an element of chassis management that I think is entertaining. The track is also very bumpy-- it is a test track for Subaru factory rallyx program after all --which suits the very compliant car. Masstuning runs open track sessions on Sundays: I paid $150 (on sale) for a 3hr morning session (CW) and a 3hr afternoon session (CCW).

My only video from the day:

 

[R Golf]

Nice driving, and consistent laps. I have never been to Canaan, so solely from various videos I'm siding with the " large autocross" crowd. It does look like there is huge runoff pretty much everywhere, so a great place to test your limits. It's a 3 hour drive for me which means a hotel stay.

We met at Lime Rock at a MassTuning event, and as you know I tried MassTuning for the first time this year and was very happy with them. Nice bunch of people. Verrry laid back. Maybe not to everyone's tastes, but everyone on track was great with point-by's, no cowboys, and it was very well run. Will be doing more of their events next year.

 

[R Golf]

Great day at Lime Rock with SCDA on Thursday. New PB at 1.03.98. It was my first time hitting the 1:03's which has been a multi-year goal. Yes, only .002, but it counts, and I was very stoked.
Tried Falken 660's for first time and they were great all day. I was sharing the car with my daughter (Please read the post about "Neophyte driver at Lime Rock passing everyone") ;>). We did 119 laps and I ran my best time late in the day even though temps were mid 80's. Good treadwear as well, so I give the tires an A+, at least for one day, albeit a very long day. Nice price to boot.

Short vacation coming up. Video will follow in about a week or so.

6/10/21
Track name: Lime Rock
Track location: Lime Rock, CT
Lap time: 1:03.98 (0.5 faster than prior PB)
Year/model: 2017
Estimated total vehicle weight with driver: 3550
Estimated wheel horsepower: 325
Fuel: 93
Tire size and model: 225/40/18 Falken 660
Estimated ambient temperature: mid-80's
Notes on setup: APR Stage 1, camber plates, IC, rear sway, APR Ground Control springs, pads: Ferodo DS3.12 F, DS 1.11 R & Castrol SRF fluid, stock brakes, & struts.

 

[Waltari]

Great day at Lime Rock with SCDA on Thursday. New PB at 1.03.98. It was my first time hitting the 1:03's which has been a multi-year goal. Yes, only .002, but it counts, and I was very stoked.
Tried Falken 660's for first time and they were great all day. I was sharing the car with my daughter (Please read the post about "Neophyte driver at Lime Rock passing everyone") ;>). We did 119 laps and I ran my best time late in the day even though temps were mid 80's. Good treadwear as well, so I give the tires an A+, at least for one day, albeit a very long day. Nice price to boot.

Short vacation coming up. Video will follow in about a week or so.

6/10/21
Track name: Lime Rock
Track location: Lime Rock, CT
Lap time: 1:03.98 (0.5 faster than prior PB)
Year/model: 2017
Estimated total vehicle weight with driver: 3550
Estimated wheel horsepower: 325
Fuel: 93
Tire size and model: 225/40/18 Falken 660
Estimated ambient temperature: mid-80's
Notes on setup: APR Stage 1, camber plates, IC, rear sway, APR Ground Control springs, pads: Ferodo DS3.12 F, DS 1.11 R & Castrol SRF fluid, stock brakes, & struts.

Always great to hit personal goals. When I started track days, I used to always be in the high 1:40's with traffic and surprised myself when I started hitting 1:37-1:38 regularly. Really surprised myself with 1:36.757 last session and am shooting to hit 1:35 before the end of the season. Sounds like fun getting your daughter out on the track. A guy came down from Seattle in his 2018 GTI with his 19 old son at our first session this year. They traded the car back and forth running in multiple groups and I don't think I've ever seen a smile that big on a kid.

 

[Oversteermybagel]

Spent a day with Masstuning at Club Motorsport in Tamworth, this is my first time at Club. This track is a recent induction to New England tracks and has a different aesthetic then all the other tracks in the area. Its still a WIP: still working on permanent structures and also a paddock. Its new, its fresh, and because the property is so large it can be different. I suspect the owners ordered one large spa francorchamps but when it arrived they only got the back side and were not totally sure how to put it together and built 15 long sweeping corners. Extremely wide pavement and flat multi-colored curbs and a wrong way grid complete the euro feel (yah yah I know they drive on the right side of the road in Belgium). A club track seemingly inspired by GT racing.

Being the first time here for me and actually quite a few fellow drivers given the early day straw poll: getting up to speed was the first challenge and then traffic the second. Every corner is somewhat derivative making it somewhat easy to get up to 8/10ths. The corners are so long they don't upset my slow to react small-truck-in-some-markets car. What does upset my car is heat: in one session I got relegated to limp mode (max speed 53mph baaybee) and had to pull off and restart the car. This happened after downhill braking turning into heavy throttle. Codes say multi-cylinder misfire and I suspect maybe PCV? Something to keep an eye on. Oil temps up in the mid 260s most of the day in 80deg very sunny weather. On the straights the tune (stock) felt inconsistent like it was pulling massive amounts of power (I thought I sold my old Subaru) -- again something to keep an eye on.

Overall enjoyable track. Constant views of the Sandwich range remind me that I should have made a weekend out of the small trip. NH cartographers correct me if I am wrong but I believe the peaks in driver sightlines of about equal prominence are Whiteface and Passaconaway.

6/12/21
Track name: Club Motorsports
Track location: Tamworth NH
Lap time: 1:52.0 (data > /dev/null maybe it was a 1:51.9 maybe we just call it a 1:52.0 because its slow all the same)
Year/model: 2017
Estimated total vehicle weight with driver: 3300 (still with the spare for that good-good weight distribution aka laziness)
Estimated wheel horsepower: 230 (but boy did it feel like less)
Fuel: 93 (hopefully)
Tire size and model: 225/40/18 Kuhmo V730 on 8.5s
Estimated ambient temperature: low-80's
Notes on setup: DS2500 and RS3 vents. Stock everything.

Racechrono continues to give me problems. Failing to save sessions (including my PR, not that I really care). The video below in the intersection of having saved data and having battery charge in the camera--a rare serendipity. A full session from blend line to checkers.

 

[Oversteermybagel]

6/19/21
Track name: Canaan Motor Club CCW
Track location: Canaan NH
Lap time: 1:08.26
Year/model: 2017
Estimated total vehicle weight with driver: 3300 (still with the spare for that good-good weight distribution aka laziness)
Estimated wheel horsepower: 230
Fuel: 93
Tire size and model: 225/40/18 Kuhmo V730 on 8.5s
Estimated ambient temperature: 85deg
Notes on setup: DS2500 and RS3 vents. Stock everything.

So I plan on getting Ohlins on the car next week, as a fellow forum member and friend pointed out: I bought them because I am bored but totally not to solve any specific problem I have with the car. I am not going to lie: I am going to miss my track day ritual of answering the question "Ok so what have you done to this car". The people in the 'know' tend to be insistent that the car has an aftermarket RSB so at least we can keep that one undone for a little while longer yet. Anyway here a couple laps from the afternoon advanced session. This sustains my other ritual of not recording my fastest lap of the day on video. Likewise, racechrono continues to suck--anyone have an old transponder for sale?

Other fun facts. Maybe I should have left this nugget for kep: 225 V730s definitely have more grip than 255 accelera sport 651 (200tw). Bonus round: heat soaked v730s have better grip than fresh-off-the-out-lap sport 651s . 730>651 that's just math.

 

[kep]

6/19/2021
Track name: Canaan Motor Club CCW
Track location: Canaan NH
Lap time: 1:09.21
Year/model: 2016 Golf R DSG
Estimated total vehicle weight with driver: 3600 (I have a passenger in my car)
Estimated wheel horsepower: 300
Fuel: 93
Tire size and model: 255/35/18 Accelera 651 Sport 200TW on 8.5" wheels
Estimated ambient temperature: 85deg
Notes on setup: Stratified Tune, Bilstein B6 Dampers, Eurosport Camber things, 24mm RSB, Pagid RSL29, RS3 ducts

First time taking my Golf to Canaan, and first time tracking it since I've gotten it tuned and installing the new suspension. My primary observations are:

1. Wow this is a rocket in a straight line
2. I understand why these tires are popular with the drift crowd

@Oversteermybagel and I did some ride alongs, and I drove few laps in his car. I can confirm a stock GTI feels fantastic with no mods apart from some good tires. The lap timer was misbehaving, but the v730s felt like they more than offset the power difference between our cars. The B6/stock springs did a good job on the few times I clipped a curb or dipped a front wheel in the dirt. On my 2nd to last session, the car went into limp mode with P164B (oil pressure switch malfunction). I believe this was from a momentary drop in pressure due to the oil being 270F, slightly low oil level, and taking a high-grip uphill corner. I added half a quart to get the oil level back to the top of the dipstick, and had no issues on my last session.

You can hear the tires screaming to be put out of their non-grippy misery below:

 

[R Golf]

Sounds like you guys had a blast. Nice driving.

Did you guys like the track? Looks beautiful but a little uninteresting... although I'm sure it is MUCH more interesting at 9/10ths !

 

[R Golf]

Finally posting a video of my new PB at Lime Rock from 6/10 with SCDA. After a lonnnng time, I achieved a personal goal of getting into the 1:03's...only by .002 seconds, but still. All specifics about the car are six posts above.

It is always so helpful to chase someone who is faster than you, in this case I was chasing a fast Cayman S whose tires were still getting up to temp. He was about a second or so faster than me throughout the day, and made a great rabbit. A really fun day.

 

[kep]

Thanks R Golf, it was a fun day.

While Canaan may not be a particularly high speed track (I barely broke 90mph), it is far from boring. The track can be driven in either direction, so on open lapping days, you basically get two tracks in one. I've driven this track about 5 times now, and am still learning new lines. Between camber and elevation changes, every corner rides differently.

With the low speeds, and and ample runoff, this is the only track I've never seen a crash at. As a result, I am more comfortable really pushing on this track than any other I've driven.

 

[Oversteermybagel]

Sounds like you guys had a blast. Nice driving.

Did you guys like the track? Looks beautiful but a little uninteresting... although I'm sure it is MUCH more interesting at 9/10ths !

Assuming you are talking about Club Motorsport here. Just me an no kep this time. I like the track and want to go back -- if only to drive 9B less offensively slow. The track feels a bit like a its designed as a vanity track perfected to generate perfect pictures for the Porsche GT3 crowd: elevation change, colored curbs, and a good backdrop make for the best track pictures. This isn't a dig on it, I think long-wide corners can be fun.

The best part of the track is 7,8,9. 7 Is just light trailing brakes to get the nose turned in--I don't even think you need to completely throw away 6 to setup for it because its faster than most people were taking it, myself included. 8 is just a lift to get the noise turned in and then a touch of curb--I am OK with my entry to 8. 9 is way faster than I think it is and the only place on the track that makes me hesitate. I am clearly meandering on the throttle here and as a result turning in way under-speed (i am turning it >10mph too slow!) and pinching the exit (easy to do with so much grip from turning in way too few mphs). The uphill that follows 9 (horsepower hill) is so steep that full throttle miata loses speed here.

I also like the giant bump on the inside of 2a. You hit it at ~90mph and the whole car bounces to the turn in point to 2b which is good fun. I just like bit for the spectacle of an otherwise uneventful lap.