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 Post subject: Driving Laguna Seca
PostPosted: Sat Jun 14, 2008 12:40 pm 
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One of a series by Hank Watts, a well known and respected PCA instructor and author on driving our local race tracks and AutoX schools.
http://www.pca-ggr.org/files/pdf/Tracks_LS.pdf"

Trackpedia.com page for Laguna - includes lap times, other guides, videos, ...
http://www.trackpedia.com/wiki/Mazda_Laguna_Seca

My Note/Additions:

Turn 2 (T2), Pg. LS-8:
The Miata line is the double apex line: you can keep it much tighter between apexes than shown.

T4, Pg. LS-12: Note Skid Marks at Exit.

T6: Note Skid Marks at Exit.

T11: Note Skid Marks at Exit

When you do your warm up laps, no need to speed:
While warming your tires and brakes, note where the flag stations are, and exits with excessive skid marks shooting across to the wall on the opposite side.
Make note to self: "I will NOT be doing THAT". It would seem one of the most common mistakes at the track is to pinch the turn (add steering input when you should be unwinding). If you do this at the exit, and drop a wheel, YOU WILL be adding one more set of these tell tale skid marks. Better to straighten and let 2 wheels off, than to pinch and go across.

Cheers,

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 Post subject: Re: Driving Laguna Seca
PostPosted: Tue Jul 08, 2008 7:40 am 
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Location: San Jose/Almaden Area
Car(s): 91 Miata
Car(s): 07 BMW 335i sedan
Ski_Lover wrote:
One of a series by Hank Watts, a well known and respected PCA instructor and author on driving our local race tracks and AutoX schools.
http://www.pca-ggr.org/files/pdf/Tracks_LS.pdf"

Trackpedia.com page for Laguna - includes lap times, other guides, videos, ...
http://www.trackpedia.com/wiki/Mazda_Laguna_Seca

My Note/Additions:

Turn 2 (T2), Pg. LS-8:
The Miata line is the double apex line: you can keep it much tighter between apexes than shown.

T4, Pg. LS-12: Note Skid Marks at Exit.

T6: Note Skid Marks at Exit.

T11: Note Skid Marks at Exit

When you do your warm up laps, no need to speed:
While warming your tires and brakes, note where the flag stations are, and exits with excessive skid marks shooting across to the wall on the opposite side.
Make note to self: "I will NOT be doing THAT". It would seem one of the most common mistakes at the track is to pinch the turn (add steering input when you should be unwinding). If you do this at the exit, and drop a wheel, YOU WILL be adding one more set of these tell tale skid marks. Better to straighten and let 2 wheels off, than to pinch and go across.

Cheers,


Laguna is much easier to go fast than when the berms were bigger about 3 years ago. T6 is actually fun now..not a puckerfest. T9 is still the most difficult for me...with the exit being slightly off camber. I wish I could run Laguna more frequently...but the only way to do that is to run with Skip Barber. :)


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 Post subject: Re: Driving Laguna Seca
PostPosted: Tue Jul 08, 2008 6:10 pm 
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Steve-90 wrote:
Laguna is much easier to go fast than when the berms were bigger about 3 years ago. T6 is actually fun now..not a puckerfest. T9 is still the most difficult for me...with the exit being slightly off camber. I wish I could run Laguna more frequently...but the only way to do that is to run with Skip Barber. :)


Laguna is my favorite. Check out http://www.trackmasters-racing.com/

They do more Laguna and Sears Pt. events than any HPDE group I know of. As an instructor you'll also appreciate that they have well behaved Group A with open passing.

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The best things in life aren't things.
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 Post subject: Re: Driving Laguna Seca
PostPosted: Tue Jul 08, 2008 6:58 pm 
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Location: San Jose/Almaden Area
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Ski_Lover wrote:
Steve-90 wrote:
Laguna is much easier to go fast than when the berms were bigger about 3 years ago. T6 is actually fun now..not a puckerfest. T9 is still the most difficult for me...with the exit being slightly off camber. I wish I could run Laguna more frequently...but the only way to do that is to run with Skip Barber. :)


Laguna is my favorite. Check out http://www.trackmasters-racing.com/

They do more Laguna and Sears Pt. events than any HPDE group I know of. As an instructor you'll also appreciate that they have well behaved Group A with open passing.


Might have to try them...but after paying very little to run..or nothing..it is really hard to pony up the bucks just to relax and drive. Get spoiled when you instruct. Ugh.


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 Post subject: Re: Driving Laguna Seca
PostPosted: Tue Jul 08, 2008 10:05 pm 
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I hear you. I'm doing the same thing.

Cheers

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Craig

The best things in life aren't things.
http://www.justracing.com/homepage/cnorthcu


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 Post subject: Re: Driving Laguna Seca
PostPosted: Sun Mar 21, 2010 1:27 am 
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Location: San Mateo
Car(s): S2000 AP1
Car(s): Miata NB
Car(s): Mini R53
Skip Barber MX-5 challenge current Laguna Seca track record. Nearly stock MX-5 with Koni/Ground Control suspension


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 Post subject: Re: Driving Laguna Seca
PostPosted: Tue Jun 15, 2010 8:28 am 
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Location: onion city
Car(s): '92 mutt (.5 mazda)
Car(s): 3bmw+2.5nissan
Car(s): +1vw = 7
Steve-90 wrote:
Laguna is much easier to go fast than when the berms were bigger about 3 years ago. T6 is actually fun now..not a puckerfest. T9 is still the most difficult for me...with the exit being slightly off camber. I wish I could run Laguna more frequently...but the only way to do that is to run with Skip Barber. :)


T6 is fun. i did my first dry day recently and learned to keep constant steering through T6. which for me is an accomplishment because there is enough movement that i have to fight the impulse to move the steering in the middle of the turn. but i kept it constant knowing that i would land on the other side in about the right spot. by last session it felt really good.

T9 and T3 are quite difficult for me.

It seems T3 apex is actually past the apex. you have to keep turning (while getting back on the gas) which i found very unintuitive. any hints?

T9 is proving hard for me to work up to. if you apex it right, you need to be going pretty fast so the car tracks out where its supposed to (so you get far enough out where the off camber part of the track comes back on camber). however, if you blow the apex, if you are now carrying a whole lot of speed in an off camber area.


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 Post subject: Re: Driving Laguna Seca
PostPosted: Tue Jun 15, 2010 11:11 am 
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Car(s): 94 miata
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suggest getting a ride in some advanced drivers's cars to compare their lines, entry speeds, etc.


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