AH HEM..... <clearing throat>


Perhaps a few more people should read this statement from the Lotus "chassis set up" manual:



The more time you spend in the car, the more you will learn what can be achieved with the vehicle. Until you gain sufficient experience, do not make any changes to the car. Get used to the car in its standard, very good, base setting. Only when you are fully comfortable with the car should you begin to consider the adjustments described within this manual.


I think the point they're making is ---- learn how to drive first.... and once you can really drive to a cars POTENTIAL -- then you can start to customize it. Until then - leave the SOB alone.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

One of the things that BONDURANT beat into my fat little head was "you have to hit EVERY APEX"... At first I was getting "close" to the apex -- and an instructor came out and ran in front of me (I was in a single seat Formula Mazda) and showed me how much easier it was to carry speed IF I hit the apex because it makes your exit better. Hope that makes sense.

Now -- in wheel to wheel racing - that's not possible and it's why you see banging and all manor of mayhem. But in track days -- you should be able to hit your marks.


I'm not trying to be narcissistic here... I certainly don't think I'm a great driver - I'm a beginner... I can still spin anywhere on the track. I'm just making a point to those that perhaps are interested in doing this kind of driving with their cars.... Hitting the apex is really important. I try to do it in every turn. As I get better I'll practice being off line and still be able to negotiate the turn -- that's much harder to do!




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The other thing they'll beat into you -- is how important it is to LOOK UP LOOK AHEAD AND LOOK THRU THE TURN TO YOUR EXIT. It doesn't make a lot of sense until you do it. It slows everything down as far as your eyes/brain go... and there's some magic link between your eyes/brain and your actions with hands and feet. Again I'm TRYING to practice good habits when on track. I'm TRYING not to get caught up staring at the guys bumper in front of me - drive my own line - and LOOKING AHEAD. So when I was sent this shot - I was glad to see that it "appears" that I'm doing that. It's so easy to stare at the cone in the apex etc.



While following Tommy McCarthy --- I was turning consistent 2:16 laps -- that's probably 10 seconds slower than what I'd have been running if I was just out there hittin' it. BUT what happens when you're doing that is you're able to think about something else other than OMG I hope I make this turn! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA His line was very smooth - he didn't have the power to smoke down the straights - but he carried that speed thru turns and in a lot of cases he exited the turn faster than I did because I had to brake to stay behind him... and he had the momentum and now I'm hard on the juice to keep up. It really showed me A LOT by doing that for a few laps.






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What do they know at LOTUS!?:_paranoid

Great pics!!!

They're by "GotBlueMilk" --- they come out to the track and then post them on their website and you can order digital or prints. He does a real good job.

Alot of great points Greg. Especially the one about looking through and ahead of the turn. I was given the same advise for turn 8 at T-Hill and it certainly did help. Even with that advise I think I have only nailed it perfectly once.

You should go up and see the "tank slapper" double black stripes exiting 8 and heading up to 9 !!


OMG..... I was pounding the top of 5th gear (127mph) and the steering on the Lotus is so light and precise... and I was trying to not saw it but I had to catch the ass which was trying to do the f'n rumba.


I've been having a running dialog (gee who'd a thunk it?) with the Unlimited Champion (2 years!) in the Lotus Cup.... about the set up and tires etc and have learned a few things about the little POS... and it seems the issues I was having with the car are very well known - and there are "fixes" for them. Such as the RAKE (the body is designed a particular way to aid downforce and if WRONG - makes a mess of things in the rear) --- the tires --- and the AERO WING settings.


Of course Jack wants me to move up to TRIPLE ADJUSTABLE shocks from the current double adjustable Ohlins. That ain't happenin'. To F'n' many knobs. I only need to turn one "knob" -- it's connected to the front wheels.

I have made some MAJOR strides in getting my head wrapped around this little POS.... and have GREAT INSIGHT for set up and modifications required by the Lotus Cup Unlimited CHAMP (2012 and 2010) who campaigns a 2008 2 Eleven.

What a great guy and I can't thank him enough.


Then today -- as luck would have it -- I run into the Lotus Service Engineer - whom also has massive race pedigree including F1 teams.... and he printed off some super useful "notes" for me! Wow...


Just to pee off Gaetano and Todd.... I've even upgraded a couple of tools.


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F1 experience = LISTEN to that guy!! How fortunate you are to have someone like that to give you advice, Greg

This could be my new signature!!!

:bang: :bang: :bang:

:popcorn2: