• Registered: 2009-09-01
  • Posts: 405

Topic: Best Infineon configuration for" Sears Pointless" event

Now that some people witnessed the Chumpcar event at Infineon, what configuration do you and others think would be best for the "Sears Pointless" event?  I'll give you my 2 cents worth based on my previous experience running the "typical" road race configuration and one Lemons event.

IMHO the objective would be the best compromise of safety, longest track length, passing zones and fun to drive.  So based on these factors I would NOT run that T-1 that Chumpcar ran, it funnels the cars down too much at one of the SAFEST passing zones; coming out of T11 and up the hill.  Sometimes it can take the whole length of the track between T11 - T2 to make a clean and safe pass and that T1 "dimple" would eliminate that needed passing zone.

To keep the track as long as possible (because of all the cars) run the carousel instead of the NASCAR chute.  Keep the track as long as possible, again for safety (space between the cars)  Furthermore that wall exiting onto the NASACR chute is dangerously close to the track -scary close IMHO. 

For T7 I think it best to have as much room as possible because it seems it is in braking zones and slow corners is where most of the contact occurs, so in T7 use the far left "entry" and then the "boot" or NASCAR exit, this makes T7 much more "forgiving" on entry and in the middle of the corner(plenty of room) and the boot slows the cars down more for the "esses". The esses are probably the most dangerous part of the track so slower the enrty, the safer it is. 

IRL T9 for sure, the IRL T9 makes 8a much more foregiving since you only go about half way around  before "peeling off" into the IRL chute for the T9 chicane.  If they use the normal 8a - 9 - 10, serious carnage can ensure.  If you loose it in 8a normally the result is a hard hit into a tire wall.  T9 is not a problem, but it is fast and the normal T10 is fast and dangerous, again 90% of the time you loose control - and it is a fast corner - you end up hard into a tire wall.  The IRL T9 removes all the "danger" out of the normal 8a and T10.  I've seen too many cars smashed-up in T8a and T10 in single-car crashes.

As for T11, I like the normal  route.  There is plenty of room for passing and if you mis-calculate your braking zone, you can still slow the car down enough without hitting a tire wall. I know there is a concrete wall on  exit, butsurprisingly  there is very little wall contact at the T11 exit at most races. The corner is so slow anyway, that you can have restraint on exit and not ruin your lap and generaaly all cars have sorted themselves out by the time they exit if there was a passing attempt under braking.

That is my opinion to keep the track safe, long, with good passing zones and fun to drive.

  • trekkor
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Re: Best Infineon configuration for" Sears Pointless" event

I like what you suggest with these two observations:

T1 is extremely high speed.
T11 is a disaster if you lose brakes.

I'd like to see more tire walls added.
T's 2, 3a, 10 and exit of 11 along the concrete.

It's going to be great regardless.

Normal Sports Car configuration into T10 ( without IRL chicane ) could result in hard wall strikes if there is any car to car contact.


KT

TH 2009- 40th ~ SP 2010- 13th Class Bad win!! TH 2010- 17th ~TH 2010- 16th  SP 2011- 20th ~ RF 2011- 13th Least Horrible Yank Tank ~ TH 2011- 79th
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  • trekkor
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Re: Best Infineon configuration for" Sears Pointless" event

T1:

http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs180.snc3/20759_256993839328_671564328_3006289_7377982_n.jpg

http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs200.snc3/20759_256993849328_671564328_3006290_6010028_n.jpg


KT

TH 2009- 40th ~ SP 2010- 13th Class Bad win!! TH 2010- 17th ~TH 2010- 16th  SP 2011- 20th ~ RF 2011- 13th Least Horrible Yank Tank ~ TH 2011- 79th
SP 2011- 105th ~ SP 2012- 119th ~ SP 2013- 139th ~ BW 2013- 17th
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  • From: Davis, Ca
  • Registered: 2009-04-30
  • Posts: 1,843

Re: Best Infineon configuration for" Sears Pointless" event

trekkor wrote:

T1:

http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs180.snc … 7982_n.jpg

http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak … 0028_n.jpg


KT

That's my car!!!!  Or one of them anyway, we rebuilt it after that impact and it is racing still...  Welded on a new front end, etc... Very fast car.  Jeff Smith was driving in that race. it was a huge hit!

Gosh, my business card says 'Tech Tyrant'
  • trekkor
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Re: Best Infineon configuration for" Sears Pointless" event

That was scary to watch.

Everyone was OK, I take it?


KT

TH 2009- 40th ~ SP 2010- 13th Class Bad win!! TH 2010- 17th ~TH 2010- 16th  SP 2011- 20th ~ RF 2011- 13th Least Horrible Yank Tank ~ TH 2011- 79th
SP 2011- 105th ~ SP 2012- 119th ~ SP 2013- 139th ~ BW 2013- 17th
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  • riu
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Re: Best Infineon configuration for" Sears Pointless" event

we ran AMA motorcycle turn 1 last weekend, it seemed to be a good way to make sure no one dives into that corner too fast and make sure everyone gets their braking done while still going straight.

coming up the drag strip after the carousel and getting onto the motorcycle chicanes was also a good way to scrub off some speed too as well as the IRL chicanes, overall, I liked the configuration at chump car on sunday, but maybe full course would be better for Lemons since there will be an enormous turn out.

  • trekkor
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Re: Best Infineon configuration for" Sears Pointless" event

When will we know the Lemons race configuration?

Is the normal 'sports car' configuration, without chicanes, on the table?


KT

TH 2009- 40th ~ SP 2010- 13th Class Bad win!! TH 2010- 17th ~TH 2010- 16th  SP 2011- 20th ~ RF 2011- 13th Least Horrible Yank Tank ~ TH 2011- 79th
SP 2011- 105th ~ SP 2012- 119th ~ SP 2013- 139th ~ BW 2013- 17th
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  • Registered: 2009-09-01
  • Posts: 405

Re: Best Infineon configuration for" Sears Pointless" event

With as many cars that will be on track, you want the track as long as possible while maintaining safety, at Infineon all configurations are fun, but for 100+ Lemons racers the longer the track the better, use the IRL T9 chicane and you have safety and a long track.

  • From: Saratoga, ca
  • Registered: 2009-06-29
  • Posts: 182

Re: Best Infineon configuration for" Sears Pointless" event

ifb_mole wrote:

Now that some people witnessed the Chumpcar event at Infineon, what configuration do you and others think would be best for the "Sears Pointless" event?  I'll give you my 2 cents worth based on my previous experience running the "typical" road race configuration and one Lemons event.

IMHO the objective would be the best compromise of safety, longest track length, passing zones and fun to drive.  So based on these factors I would NOT run that T-1 that Chumpcar ran, it funnels the cars down too much at one of the SAFEST passing zones; coming out of T11 and up the hill.  Sometimes it can take the whole length of the track between T11 - T2 to make a clean and safe pass and that T1 "dimple" would eliminate that needed passing zone.

To keep the track as long as possible (because of all the cars) run the carousel instead of the NASCAR chute.  Keep the track as long as possible, again for safety (space between the cars)  Furthermore that wall exiting onto the NASACR chute is dangerously close to the track -scary close IMHO. 

For T7 I think it best to have as much room as possible because it seems it is in braking zones and slow corners is where most of the contact occurs, so in T7 use the far left "entry" and then the "boot" or NASCAR exit, this makes T7 much more "forgiving" on entry and in the middle of the corner(plenty of room) and the boot slows the cars down more for the "esses". The esses are probably the most dangerous part of the track so slower the enrty, the safer it is. 

IRL T9 for sure, the IRL T9 makes 8a much more foregiving since you only go about half way around  before "peeling off" into the IRL chute for the T9 chicane.  If they use the normal 8a - 9 - 10, serious carnage can ensure.  If you loose it in 8a normally the result is a hard hit into a tire wall.  T9 is not a problem, but it is fast and the normal T10 is fast and dangerous, again 90% of the time you loose control - and it is a fast corner - you end up hard into a tire wall.  The IRL T9 removes all the "danger" out of the normal 8a and T10.  I've seen too many cars smashed-up in T8a and T10 in single-car crashes.

As for T11, I like the normal  route.  There is plenty of room for passing and if you mis-calculate your braking zone, you can still slow the car down enough without hitting a tire wall. I know there is a concrete wall on  exit, butsurprisingly  there is very little wall contact at the T11 exit at most races. The corner is so slow anyway, that you can have restraint on exit and not ruin your lap and generaaly all cars have sorted themselves out by the time they exit if there was a passing attempt under braking.

That is my opinion to keep the track safe, long, with good passing zones and fun to drive.

For what it's woth - I agree with most of the above, although I'd like to keep the standard esses.  We have been in 4 Lemons now and many, many instruction days.  I have found the new drivers will drive too slow in fast turns and too fast in slow turns.
At Thunderhill, the offs were at 10 and 11 - the slowest turns and not so much 1 and 8 - the fastest turns.
At Sears, I predict turn 4 will have the most offs while very few at 10.  Now that leaves 11 - but I think that one look at that turn will slow drivers down.  In any case, it will be a great time and lots of action.
Jim

  • Registered: 2009-10-25
  • Posts: 1,993

Re: Best Infineon configuration for" Sears Pointless" event

since I haven't driven Sears before....I will defer to the experienced drivers.....  but with 120 cars on track...adding a bit of length to the track is always a good idea...but that slower T1 looks more dangerous to me than the usual setup

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  • Registered: 2009-05-01
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Re: Best Infineon configuration for" Sears Pointless" event

http://images.belgian-dude.be/smileys/ttiwwop.gif

http://www.trackpedia.com/mediawiki/images/0/08/InfineonRaceway.jpg

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  • Registered: 2009-09-01
  • Posts: 405

Re: Best Infineon configuration for" Sears Pointless" event

OldFart wrote:
ifb_mole wrote:

Now that some people witnessed the Chumpcar event at Infineon, what configuration do you and others think would be best for the "Sears Pointless" event?  I'll give you my 2 cents worth based on my previous experience running the "typical" road race configuration and one Lemons event.

IMHO the objective would be the best compromise of safety, longest track length, passing zones and fun to drive.  So based on these factors I would NOT run that T-1 that Chumpcar ran, it funnels the cars down too much at one of the SAFEST passing zones; coming out of T11 and up the hill.  Sometimes it can take the whole length of the track between T11 - T2 to make a clean and safe pass and that T1 "dimple" would eliminate that needed passing zone.

To keep the track as long as possible (because of all the cars) run the carousel instead of the NASCAR chute.  Keep the track as long as possible, again for safety (space between the cars)  Furthermore that wall exiting onto the NASACR chute is dangerously close to the track -scary close IMHO. 

For T7 I think it best to have as much room as possible because it seems it is in braking zones and slow corners is where most of the contact occurs, so in T7 use the far left "entry" and then the "boot" or NASCAR exit, this makes T7 much more
"forgiving" on entry and in the middle of the corner(plenty of room) and the boot
slows the cars down more for the "esses". The esses are probably the most
dangerous part of the track so slower the enrty, the safer it is
IRL T9 for sure, the IRL T9 makes 8a much more foregiving since you only go about half way around  before "peeling off" into the IRL chute for the T9 chicane.  If they use the normal 8a - 9 - 10, serious carnage can ensure.  If you loose it in 8a normally the result is a hard hit into a tire wall.  T9 is not a problem, but it is fast and the normal T10 is fast and dangerous, again 90% of the time you loose control -and it is a fast corner - you end up hard into a tire wall.  The IRL T9 removes all the "danger" out of the normal 8a and T10.  I've seen too many cars smashed-up in T8a and T10 in single-car crashes.

As for T11, I like the normal  route.  There is plenty of room for passing and if you mis-calculate your braking zone, you can still slow the car down enough without hitting a tire wall. I know there is a concrete wall on  exit, butsurprisingly  there is very little wall contact at the T11 exit at most races. The corner is so slow anyway, that you can have restraint on exit and not ruin your lap and generaaly all cars have sorted themselves out by the time they exit if there was a passing attempt under
braking.That is my opinion to keep the track safe, long, with good passing zones and fun to drive.

For what it's woth - I agree with most of the above, although I'd like to keep the standard esses.  We have been in 4 Lemons now and many, many instruction days.  I have found the new drivers will drive too slow in fast turns and too fast in slow turns.At Thunderhill, the offs were at 10 and 11 - the slowest turns and not so much 1 and 8 - the fastest turns.At Sears, I predict turn 4 will have the most offs while very few at 10.  Now that leaves 11 - but I think that one look at that turn will slow drivers down.  In any case, it will be a great time and lots of action.
Jim

You know your probably right, I too would like the normal essess, but I have some experience at the track, for someone who has no experience at the track or in a race car, the essess can be quite daunting and then in a $500 "race car" YIKES!!

I know it is the slow corners where most collisions and offs occur, but it is nothing compared to punching a car into the T8a or T10 tirewall.

  • Registered: 2009-08-19
  • Posts: 183

Re: Best Infineon configuration for" Sears Pointless" event

I agree with OldFart - the dirt on the outside of T4 is going to get a workout.  The down hill braking zone and the exit falling away catch a lot of folks out!

My one "worry" about running the normal T7 into the esses is that I suspect there will be HUGE speed differentials in the esses, and the track seems to close in on you, there.  It's like a high speed funnel.  I suspect there will be a lot of car-to-car, side-to-side contact there.  And some of those will result in cars going around.  There's no doubt that the Chumpcar tactic of going down the drag strip and then the hard-left, hard-right into the esses would make the funnel in the esses lower speed.  Anyone who drove in or spectated at Chumpcar care to comment on that specific part of the track?

Cheers,

Dean