Here is some video from last Saturday, including my spin.
The start was solid and I was able to make a nice pass to move up a spot on the first lap.
There was some back and forth with other cars, but later in the race, I got too deep into a turn and ended up out in the marbles, then lost the rear end and went into the dirt. The dust cloud was spectacular!
As always, full screen, 1080p, and audio improves the experience.
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1999 996 C2 - sold - bought back - sold for more
1997 Spec Boxster BSR #254
1979 911 SC
POC Licensed DE/TT Instructor
Last Friday, I spent the morning at Willow Springs (prior to the race weekend) doing tire pressure testing.
Why? I've been running various tire pressures based on my own experiences and hearing recommendations from others. However, like a lot of drivers, I felt that I wasn't really maximizing or optimizing this important variable - it was all a bit of hit and miss for me.
What did I do? I ran the following test plan:
(1) 10 laps to warm up the car, the tires, and my driving. The goal was to run consistent 1:34 - 1:35 lap times to set a baseline. This isn't a super fast lap time for a Spec Boxster at this track (the record is 1:31) but it is fast enough to get the tires up to temp and to evaluate the handling and feel.
(2) Pit and quickly set the tires to 35 psi hot. Then immediately go back out and run 5-7 laps with as low of a lap time that I could muster while making note of the grip level, handling characteristics, and min lap time.
(3) Pit and quickly set the tires to 32.5 psi hot. Then immediately go back out and run 5-7 laps with as low of a lap time that I could muster while making note of the grip level, handling characteristics, and min lap time.
(4) Pit and quickly set the tires to 30 psi hot. Then immediately go back out and run 5-7 laps with as low of a lap time that I could muster while making note of the grip level, handling characteristics, and min lap time.
The total test time was about 50 mins and 28 laps. The goal was to keep the track and weather conditions as constant as possible. Of course, the biggest variable was the driver but I did my best to run consistent laps from group to group.
What did I learn? My fastest lap time came in the second, 32.5 psi group, however I felt that the car had more grip in the 30 psi session but I didn't take full advantage of it.
Based on these results and some other qualitative inputs like how I like the car to feel, I settled on a tire pressure setting for the upcoming weekend of racing that was highly successful in terms of providing strong grip and consistent handling characteristics throughout the three races.
The exact tire pressure that I selected is somewhat irrelevant since it is highly dependent on the setup of my car and my particular driving style - the key point to share is that if you haven't done any testing like this, you might want to consider it to help you dial in a more optimal tire pressure.
As usual, it was a weekend of very tight racing (so tight that I had a bit of incidental contact!). Race videos are coming soon!
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1999 996 C2 - sold - bought back - sold for more
1997 Spec Boxster BSR #254
1979 911 SC
POC Licensed DE/TT Instructor
I didn't take any tire temps on this test date. They were taken at another test day and then I had the car aligned/set up taking the tire temps into account. This was done before I attempted to fine tune with tire pressure. And yes, as the tire pressure changes, I might need to make minor alignment changes to make them all work together. The same is true if I happen to find more speed and lower my lap times which means the tires might be working harder. It can seem like an endless loop but at some point I just set up the car to the best of my knowledge and drive it!
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1999 996 C2 - sold - bought back - sold for more
1997 Spec Boxster BSR #254
1979 911 SC
POC Licensed DE/TT Instructor
This week I received a very nice (and heavy) gift in the form of a GT2RS paperweight for my home office from the folks at Porsche! It's always nice to be appreciated.
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1999 996 C2 - sold - bought back - sold for more
1997 Spec Boxster BSR #254
1979 911 SC
POC Licensed DE/TT Instructor
Here is video from the three practice starts at the PCA Buttonwillow race last month. Starts are always a ton of fun and excitement! Lots of close side by side racing. I could do these all day.
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1999 996 C2 - sold - bought back - sold for more
1997 Spec Boxster BSR #254
1979 911 SC
POC Licensed DE/TT Instructor
Here is video from the three practice starts at the PCA Buttonwillow race last month. Starts are always a ton of fun and excitement! Lots of close side by side racing. I could do these all day.
You guys must get really good at gauging dust/sand and available traction.....I found myself clenching a little watching the side by side in turns, on sand.
You guys must get really good at gauging dust/sand and available traction.....I found myself clenching a little watching the side by side in turns, on sand.
Yes, its intense! No doubt about it. At this point, I have a pretty good idea of what's happening with the tires but thanks to karting, I am also pretty confident in handling the car though whatever track conditions that we might encounter.
For example, at 2:55 into the video as we head into Turn 1, I make a couple of pretty big steering corrections to keep the car heading in the right direction when I drive though the sand that's been thrown onto the track by other cars. That was all muscle memory. If you had asked me about it before I watched the video, I wouldn't have even remembered making those steering corrections. All of my attention was on the other cars and where I wanted to place the car in the turn. Karting can't be beat for drilling basic handling skills deep into your brain so they become second nature.
Thus, I'll be at the kart track tomorrow for practice and then I'm doing a 1 hr kart race on Saturday morning. No easier or cheaper way to get seat time. It's not a perfect replacement for the car, but it's a great way to work on certain key driving skills that do translate into the car.
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1999 996 C2 - sold - bought back - sold for more
1997 Spec Boxster BSR #254
1979 911 SC
POC Licensed DE/TT Instructor
From my very limited past experience, yes; karts are the cheapest racing seat time there is! I find that the intensity is much higher than your average door slammer experience.
From my limited seat time, two things really stand out. On the car control side: reaction to oversteer becomes instantaneous and instinctive; your hands get fast. Granted your but is right down there on the frame but still. I didn't normally lift either as three guys would pass you if you did.
On the mental processing side: racing experience is very fast paced and intense by comparison so you will be more than ready to keep up climbing back into sports cars
Looks like I'll be at the LA Porsche Driving Experience Center to drive some new cars on their short track in January. Four hours in a GT-3 RS sounds like a lot of fun...
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2001 Boxster S Lapis Blue
TS Cat Bypass Pipes and exhaust
iPad Mini Dash Install
DEPO Tail Lights
Wow, what a great present! :dance: Any chance they'd let you slap a go-pro on the roll bar and record the fun for posterity? I'd love to live that experience vicariously.
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GPRPCA Chief Driving Instructor
2008 Boxster S Limited Edition #005
2008 Cayman S Sport - Signal Green
1989 928 S4 5 spd - black
Wow, what a great present! :dance: Any chance they'd let you slap a go-pro on the roll bar and record the fun for posterity? I'd love to live that experience vicariously.
When I was at PEC this year, they wouldn't let me record anything. Although my instructor did use my phone to record a short clip of me failing to catch a spin, but told me not to post to any social media lol
I was supposed to be racing at Willow Springs this weekend but decided to sit this one out. It was raining hard this morning and I would have had a 90 min drive in pouring rain with no windows and no windshield wipers and then raced most of the day in the rain.
I've raced in light rain, fog, and even light snow flurries before but us SoCal drivers don't get a lot of wet driving practice and it looked like a good way to hit someone or go off and damage the car without a lot of benefit.
So, I'll edit a video from December that been waiting for me to have some time to get to it...
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1999 996 C2 - sold - bought back - sold for more
1997 Spec Boxster BSR #254
1979 911 SC
POC Licensed DE/TT Instructor
I was supposed to be racing at Willow Springs this weekend but decided to sit this one out. It was raining hard this morning and I would have had a 90 min drive in pouring rain with no windows and no windshield wipers and then raced most of the day in the rain.
I've raced in light rain, fog, and even light snow flurries before but us SoCal drivers don't get a lot of wet driving practice and it looked like a good way to hit someone or go off and damage the car without a lot of benefit.
So, I'll edit a video from December that been waiting for me to have some time to get to it...
All seriousness aside....
Tom they have a new invention known as a trailer.
Just messin with you my friend.
Don't blame you at all for taking a pass in that weather
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2004 Boxster S 6 speed - DRL relay hack, Polaris AutoTop DIY
2004 996 Targa Tip
Instructor - San Diego region
2014 Porsche Performance Driving School
2020 BMW X3, 2013 Ram 1500, 2016 Cmax, 2004 F-150 "Big Red"
Oddly enough, we've been unseasonably warm here in utah for the last week. Typically this time of year we have snow cover and single digits. But today felt like 70f. I've had the A/C on in my office!
Been out in my shorts and sleeves all day.
Alas.... this comes to an end tomorrow. Cold coming- back in with a vengeance.
2001 Boxster S
2004 Porsche Boxster S
2004 Porsche 996 Targa
Hybrid Mode
