My First Race Weekend Ever (is approaching... tomorrow)

I signed up for MARRS 1. The forecast is 80% chance of rain tomorrow, and 10% chance Sunday. So not only is my first race tomorrow, my first rain race is tomorrow. I'll be glad to knock both firsts out in one shot! I have already hit a tire wall, years ago, so that first won't happen this weekend!

I have not been on track since my school 4 weeks ago. I have been to the karting track though, and although it was a blast, it was also a little frustrating getting run off the track by over aggressive drivers that believe "rubbin is racin". Knowing that the bumper karts was going to happen, well, that helps with vision and setting up passes, so I tryed to more or less use the session as training for the track. I don't know if it will help my driving, but it did help my sanity!

Rather than obsess with the approaching weekend, I figured I'd show off some horrible video featuring me driving from the school. A friend loaned me a Go-Pro and I forgot until a few weekends ago when he handed me a jump drive with my videos on it.

I think I mentioned one of the sessions where it was me battling with a CRX, and we were both struggling to get by the RX7. Well, turns out I have video of that session! Here is the description and the clip. The clip is a little long (15 min) but I'd say the middle to the end is pretty exciting:

This was one of the sessions in my racing licensing school. The CRX was my nemesis all weekend. It was a blast to drive with him! We had our little battle, and met up with an RX7. Neither of us could get by him to save our lives! I got by the CRX, but getting by the RX7 was a moot point, he just had way more straight line power than I did, so I let the CRX back in front. Finally, the CRX took a stab in the 6a/b area and found an opening. Luckily I was able to follow right behind! What fun!
(I am in the Miata, the camera is a GoPro Hero with wide angle lens)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LibTp2MyaIc

A friend mentioned he thought the RX7 was brake checking us. I don't think so. Or at least it was not intentional. Some of these guys didn't do very well in the beginning with keeping up their momentum through the faster turns like Turn 10. They did better later in the weekend. The hard part was when they slowed down so much, it caused me to lose my momentum, they could gain speed back with the power of the car, it took me FOREVER to get back up to speed. So it is actually not a bad strategy to try to slow down a momentum car... to keep them behind you (I guess).

I also know I mentioned my run-in with "Joe the Greek" in his mustang. Drafting down the straight and making a pass in the braking zone. Here is the clip:

So this guy (Joe the Greek) super cool guy! This was a pretty cool clip from the school too. He was WAY faster than me in a straight line, but slower than me in 10 and in the braking zone in 1 would start braking very early. When he caught me (in 9) I was able to get into his draft and he basically pulled me down the front straight. But he started braking at the 600 or 500 marker, so I pulled out and started my braking at the 300 mark. I was able to take him back in turn 1 and he ended up getting me back in 4. I was quicker in the back half of the track than him, so I gave him room because I knew I could draft down the straight and pass in turn 1 again, but this time, out of turn 10, he went full track right (to throw me off). I tucked in behind and took my tow, but as we approached T1, another car came into my driver's rear and I could not pass the stang. That held up my momentum, and eventually the stang got by, then theintegra got by me when I missed a shift (redlining 3 shifting to 2 is bad)
Fun though!
(I am in the Miata, the camera is a GoPro Hero with wide angle lens)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLW0W_otjLQ