• m610
  • m610
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Topic: Skid Pad

Tinyvette Jon is pushing to get us all to the skid pad up at Thunderhill next week. He was so humbled (his words) at Sonoma in the rain and he wants to confront this head on and improve his skills. If it doesn't rain, he's ready to pay extra for the track to wet the skid pad down.

At first it didn't sound like a great idea. Their skid pad seems a bit small for trying to learn some rain techniques. And by small, I mean there are concrete walls all around it.

I've always wanted to find a big patch of dirt to learn to drive loose on. I'm beginning to think Jon has a good idea.

Thoughts?

Join us?

Mike

Momentum is a terrible thing to waste.
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  • From: SF, CA
  • Registered: 2015-02-11
  • Posts: 592

Re: Skid Pad

That is tempting. But I agree with you. The Thunderhill skid pad is surrounded by them K walls, plus it's got quite a slope.

I know very little about wet skid pads because there aren't any in NorCal/CentralCal normal humans can get access to (?). I know wet skid pads have sprinklers, plus I think they have painted (or polished or ?) surfaces to get the sliding to happen at minimum speeds. Can someone confirm/deny?

I did witness a "nature's wet" skid pad at Sonoma. I was doing a track day and there was a drifting group that had half the paddock. It was monsooning. The drifters looked like they were having a much better time than I was. I remember a Miata just going in circles around a cone over and over. It looked like a blast and educational too.

So any details you can convey. Date, cost, wetness?

25X Loser - Delinquent Racing - '86 Rust-Tite Merkur - 9 years (when do I get to stop?).
  • m610
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Re: Skid Pad

Jon's message with the details:

Tinyvette Jon wrote:

I've been thinking that it would be GREAT to get some skid pad experience to improve my driving in the wet.  Thunderhill has half-off on their skid pad from now until the end of the year.

Do you guys think this might be a worthy thing to do?  If not now then maybe in January?  Not too expensive if we get a group of people to go in with us.  And invaluable experience in a safe environment.

Skid Pad – December 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

$300 for 1-4 cars. Additional Cars Over 4 Are $100 each..

Let me know your thoughts.

Also, I notice that there is no March race at Sonoma next year.  Bummer. So I think you can count me in for February.

We're shooting for Dec 30, which is next Wednesday.

A water truck will cost $350 extra per day.

Momentum is a terrible thing to waste.
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4 Reply by billybobster (edited by billybobster 2015-12-24 12:51 AM)

  • From: SF, CA
  • Registered: 2015-02-11
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Re: Skid Pad

That's our anniversary so probably a non-starter. Have fun!

25X Loser - Delinquent Racing - '86 Rust-Tite Merkur - 9 years (when do I get to stop?).
  • m610
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Re: Skid Pad

We never did Dec 30, but we're trying again for this Thursday, Feb 4. Cost is $600 for 4 cars, $150 extra for a water truck (The weather does not seem to be cooperating. Clear skies are expected.) and $100 for each additional car.

We'd love to have company and help with the costs. At this time it looks like it will be the Tinyvette with 3, maybe 4 drivers. Jon might have another team coming, too.

Besides the slip-and-slid practice I want to use this to reward our non-driving crew, to get them a little seat time, just not on track or in traffic.

Mike

Momentum is a terrible thing to waste.
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  • m610
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Re: Skid Pad

Two other Lemons teams will be joining us.

Once we all get there we'll figure out how we want to share the skid pad. Jon and I want it to be wet, like Sears Point was on Sunday at Arse-Freeze. Ian wants to get some lateral G's measurements on different tires. Maybe we can wet the lower half, or bring on the water in the afternoon. I wouldn't mind measuring some G's, too.  Friends have suggested doing a figure 8, or a square, both being challenging.

Momentum is a terrible thing to waste.
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  • From: Pepperell MA
  • Registered: 2009-12-06
  • Posts: 536

Re: Skid Pad

Won't you know Randy Pobst just made a video about the benefits of a skidpad...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhe3UIH3Wak

Nick
Focke Ewe racing -> Muttonheads! Racing -> Torque Junkies
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  • From: SF, CA
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Re: Skid Pad

I would attend if I could, but cannot. Too busy a two weeks coming up, including pre-Pointless (re)build. Have fun! Post pictures and verbal account.

25X Loser - Delinquent Racing - '86 Rust-Tite Merkur - 9 years (when do I get to stop?).
  • m610
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Re: Skid Pad

Thursday has been canceled. Someone rented the whole track and wants to keep us spies away. We're trying for Friday or soon after. April and the Ranger team is testing on Friday. It would work out well for us if we had the skid pad that day. (April is driving for us at Sears.)

Momentum is a terrible thing to waste.
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