Does anyone have a track guide for NH? ie what gear for what turn and whatnot. I like to have an idea of what to expect before I go to a new track. Also, how does the Friday practice (before the cheap date weekend) work? Do you need to register beforehand or is it a day of type of deal?
Will any other vees be at the Friday practice?
Thanks in advance!
-Jeff
New Hampshire Track Guide/Practice Day
Re: New Hampshire Track Guide/Practice Day
Hi Jeff,
You do not have to pre-register for Friday test days at NHMS. Just show up and pay.
I would suggest viewing Harry White's NHMS video at his website (harrywhite dot org) to see both the track and his gear selections. We use only 3rd and 4th. Your shift points will vary as your speed increases, but that will give you a good starting point. I'm sure that Dick Stewart will coach you as needed! I look forward to seeing you there. Cheap date always has a great Vee turnout!!!
Paul F.
You do not have to pre-register for Friday test days at NHMS. Just show up and pay.
I would suggest viewing Harry White's NHMS video at his website (harrywhite dot org) to see both the track and his gear selections. We use only 3rd and 4th. Your shift points will vary as your speed increases, but that will give you a good starting point. I'm sure that Dick Stewart will coach you as needed! I look forward to seeing you there. Cheap date always has a great Vee turnout!!!
Paul F.
Re: New Hampshire Track Guide/Practice Day
Took my driver's school at NHMS and hope to be back there next month for the cheap date. You have a choice at this track as far as gearboxes go, you can run successfully a 1:26 3rd gear short box, 1:22 3rd short (most common) and a 1:26 3rd long box. For the short boxes, you'll be in 3rd gear for the uphill (turn 3/4) carousel (turn 5) the downhill, and the infield chicane, with usually a brief shift into 4th in between. The long box you put in 3rd for the uphill and leave it there all the way back around until you need to shift on the front straight. The long box is fast, think my dad's fastest regional times up there were with the 26-long, but you run the risk of getting slowed to a crawl going up the hill should somebody divebomb you into turn 3 and then come to a stop.
My dad's tricks for getting around the track well (Tim ran 4th fastest lap at the national this year probably 2-3hp down on everyone else):
-In the bowl (turn 1-2) keep your foot in it. the car will shimmy and shake it's way thru. you'll wind up with excessive understeer if you're not under power.
-In turn 3, use all the track. when the national guys come to town, alot of times their outside wheels are on the rumble strip. this, of course, depends on how far back the barrier is from the rumble strips. The second half of the uphill, just let the car decide where it wants to go. The outside or inside doesn't really matter any. The braking zone starts right around the point where you break off the NASCAR oval. 5-10 ft further out is a good place to start assuming the track conditions are good.
-The carousel is a late late late apex, all the dark tire marks there are people who slid off. It should be pretty easy to determine what they did wrong by taking a walk around the track or driving not at speed your first couple of laps.
-You can take the first turn of the downhill either starting wide and swinging in or just staying mostly in. Don't worry about being all the way to the inside at track out like you should be in the left-hander at LRP, this set of corners is a throwaway and the national guys regularly only ever get back to closer than a car-width from the curbing before they turn down the hill.
-In the second turn of the downhill, DO NOT HIT THE INSIDE CURB. bad things happen. To explain myself, if you were to walk out to this curbing and look at it, you'll see that it juts out at about a 45* angle from the track. Hitting this will get you clearance for takeoff.
This is a driver's track, very technical. Horsepower is not a particularly big advantage here, until you're trying to pass somebody on the front straight.
Oh, and one last thing. Somebody correct me if they've changed, but we use NASCAR 3/4 for the start of the race.
Hope this helps
Brian
My dad's tricks for getting around the track well (Tim ran 4th fastest lap at the national this year probably 2-3hp down on everyone else):
-In the bowl (turn 1-2) keep your foot in it. the car will shimmy and shake it's way thru. you'll wind up with excessive understeer if you're not under power.
-In turn 3, use all the track. when the national guys come to town, alot of times their outside wheels are on the rumble strip. this, of course, depends on how far back the barrier is from the rumble strips. The second half of the uphill, just let the car decide where it wants to go. The outside or inside doesn't really matter any. The braking zone starts right around the point where you break off the NASCAR oval. 5-10 ft further out is a good place to start assuming the track conditions are good.
-The carousel is a late late late apex, all the dark tire marks there are people who slid off. It should be pretty easy to determine what they did wrong by taking a walk around the track or driving not at speed your first couple of laps.
-You can take the first turn of the downhill either starting wide and swinging in or just staying mostly in. Don't worry about being all the way to the inside at track out like you should be in the left-hander at LRP, this set of corners is a throwaway and the national guys regularly only ever get back to closer than a car-width from the curbing before they turn down the hill.
-In the second turn of the downhill, DO NOT HIT THE INSIDE CURB. bad things happen. To explain myself, if you were to walk out to this curbing and look at it, you'll see that it juts out at about a 45* angle from the track. Hitting this will get you clearance for takeoff.
This is a driver's track, very technical. Horsepower is not a particularly big advantage here, until you're trying to pass somebody on the front straight.
Oh, and one last thing. Somebody correct me if they've changed, but we use NASCAR 3/4 for the start of the race.
Hope this helps
Brian
Re: New Hampshire Track Guide/Practice Day
if you want video of how not to do it, this guy's in a GT1 and misses most of the marks and obviously suffers from it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rihesra3 ... re=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rihesra3 ... re=related
Re: New Hampshire Track Guide/Practice Day
[ external image ]
Not the best drawing & not the exact shift points... but this will give you a basic idea of the track.
Most of the Vee's pit in this area "vee's pit"
Looks like we're the first group on 9/12-13 ... ouch...
![[ external image ]](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3431/3865995529_f8473c23c1_o.jpg){kind=link}
Not the best drawing & not the exact shift points... but this will give you a basic idea of the track.
Most of the Vee's pit in this area "vee's pit"
Looks like we're the first group on 9/12-13 ... ouch...
Re: New Hampshire Track Guide/Practice Day
Thanks so much guys. Time to do some laps in iRacing.
The correct config is with the south oval correct?
The correct config is with the south oval correct?
Re: New Hampshire Track Guide/Practice Day
be carfull when you go out for the test day. I always start in the very back you will be on the track with some very fast open wheel cars and some spec fords. you want to let them go by early, they can pass you anywhere and their closing speed is ridiculous you will see me there in the afternoon, way in the back.
Re: New Hampshire Track Guide/Practice Day
Does anyone know what time the morning practice starts at?
Thanks!
Thanks!
Re: New Hampshire Track Guide/Practice Day
Jeff,
If memory serves
morning sessions 8am-12, lunch break 12-1, afternoon 1-5pm
I usually do a half day and you get lots of track time.
You will need to pay the cost of the test day I believe either 150 all day or 100 half plus 10.00 per person gate entrance.
A valid SCCA license is needed and GCR conforming car and you will need to present your paid receipt and license at the press building before going on track so they can register your car with the course observers.
You may want to call the track to confirm these times, but plan on 45-60 minutes of prep time between unloading, final car prep and presenting yourself and suiting up beforehand. There can be up to 3 groups rotating, with no down time so be ready. It is your responsibility to keep track. Before going out cars line up in the pit lane and are released when the previous cars are all off track.
As stated elsewhere, this is a test day, but some peoples version of testing is different than others. Drive heads up and watch those mirrors for the faster cars and hold a steady line when coming onto the main straight. The fast cars really get going there. I remember being surprised by a FF that thought between me and the wall was a his best passing option. I was looking mirrors left and he buzzed me on the right, and we almost made contact as that was my track out point.
Hope this helps
Jim Regan
If memory serves
morning sessions 8am-12, lunch break 12-1, afternoon 1-5pm
I usually do a half day and you get lots of track time.
You will need to pay the cost of the test day I believe either 150 all day or 100 half plus 10.00 per person gate entrance.
A valid SCCA license is needed and GCR conforming car and you will need to present your paid receipt and license at the press building before going on track so they can register your car with the course observers.
You may want to call the track to confirm these times, but plan on 45-60 minutes of prep time between unloading, final car prep and presenting yourself and suiting up beforehand. There can be up to 3 groups rotating, with no down time so be ready. It is your responsibility to keep track. Before going out cars line up in the pit lane and are released when the previous cars are all off track.
As stated elsewhere, this is a test day, but some peoples version of testing is different than others. Drive heads up and watch those mirrors for the faster cars and hold a steady line when coming onto the main straight. The fast cars really get going there. I remember being surprised by a FF that thought between me and the wall was a his best passing option. I was looking mirrors left and he buzzed me on the right, and we almost made contact as that was my track out point.
Hope this helps
Jim Regan