tpellegr
Go Kart Champion
- Location
- Boston, MA
- Car(s)
- 2016 GTI S 6MT
Thought I'd start a thread to share notes on Thompson Motorsports Park. It is one of the closest tracks to the Boston area (~1 hr drive for me) and hosts a lot events. Have driven the 1.7 mile road course during two separate HPDEs so far and it is technical with 11 turns and a fast straight.
Thompson Motorsports Park Website
I would love to get thoughts from anyone who has driven Thompson, how you are prioritizing corners, reference points, what sort of times you’re getting, gearing, etc.
Here are my lap times from third session of the day and some initial thoughts.
1:32.19
1:31.11
1:38.61 traffic
1:33.99 traffic
1:41.32 traffic
1:35.77 traffic
1:34.96 traffic
1:29.82
1:28.96
1:29.85
1:30.39
1:30.72
Turn 3 - some helpful camber here and blind track out over the crest, can usually carry more speed and let the steering unwind further than you think.
Turn 4 - I found late apex in this corner worked well. Was able to go to the throttle as soon as I was pointed toward the exit curbing.
Turn 5/6 - some drivers were hitting both apexes (in a diamond shape) while others were staying wide in turn 5 and aiming for apex of turn 6 (this is the approach I took and it seemed fast as long as you didn't go too wide during the initial turn in).
Turn 11 - shift into 4th gear (my shift started to get progressively earlier as my laps improved - I think I may be leaving some time on the course by not shifting into 5th during the second half of the straight) and aim at the tallest pine tree around the blind corner into the straight.
Gearing: remained in 3rd and 4th during the entire lap (likely could have used 5th for the second half of the straight to keep the car more in its power band - APR stage 2 tune dies a bit over 5500 RPMs).
Here is my fastest lap from my last day there. Tocus for the session was mastering the line and braking more consistently with the new BBK. Open to any additional pointers you all have.
Thompson Motorsports Park Website
I would love to get thoughts from anyone who has driven Thompson, how you are prioritizing corners, reference points, what sort of times you’re getting, gearing, etc.
Here are my lap times from third session of the day and some initial thoughts.
1:32.19
1:31.11
1:38.61 traffic
1:33.99 traffic
1:41.32 traffic
1:35.77 traffic
1:34.96 traffic
1:29.82
1:28.96
1:29.85
1:30.39
1:30.72
Turn 3 - some helpful camber here and blind track out over the crest, can usually carry more speed and let the steering unwind further than you think.
Turn 4 - I found late apex in this corner worked well. Was able to go to the throttle as soon as I was pointed toward the exit curbing.
Turn 5/6 - some drivers were hitting both apexes (in a diamond shape) while others were staying wide in turn 5 and aiming for apex of turn 6 (this is the approach I took and it seemed fast as long as you didn't go too wide during the initial turn in).
Turn 11 - shift into 4th gear (my shift started to get progressively earlier as my laps improved - I think I may be leaving some time on the course by not shifting into 5th during the second half of the straight) and aim at the tallest pine tree around the blind corner into the straight.
Gearing: remained in 3rd and 4th during the entire lap (likely could have used 5th for the second half of the straight to keep the car more in its power band - APR stage 2 tune dies a bit over 5500 RPMs).
Here is my fastest lap from my last day there. Tocus for the session was mastering the line and braking more consistently with the new BBK. Open to any additional pointers you all have.
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