dan30252

So, today for work I had to be at this thing we were sponsoring for "Safe Teen" driving at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. After baking in the sun from 8:00 am-3:00 pm, they let us get on the track for a few laps.

Since my everday drive to work (60 miles each way) is an F1 race I'm used to consitantly driving between 80-1XX MPH depending on my mood. Anyways, its definitely an experiance taking a high banked corner in the C63 @ 140 MPH. I was rather surprised with the downforce on the car around the turns. This is a NASCAR tracks so its a huge oval with really high banking around the turns. If you stopped and parked in a turn, you'd swear the car would flip over. lol

Anyways, here's what I have logged. I have a laptimer from my old motorcycle racing days, but I just used it for speed recordings:

Lap 1: Average speed 122.7 MPH
Max speed 138.2 MPH
Lap 2: Average speed 134.7 MPH
Max speed 147.91 MPH
Lap 3: Average speed 87.2 MPH (damn Honda S2000 with an old man behind the wheel infront of me. I did pass him in turn 3.)
Max speed 112.3 MPH
Lap 4: Average speed 119.1 MPH
Max speed 152.1 MPH
Lap 5: Average speed 139.4 MPH
Max speed 157.8 MPH

Now, that's not too shabby considering I had to get on the brakes rather hard going into the turns off the straight. After all, it was a "safe driving event." I did manage to kill off the rest of my tire life to the point that I need new rears. Unfortuantely, the track took a toll on the passanger side of the car and I also need a new front there, so I'm going to have to buy all 4 tires but oh well.

Did I mention that there were tons of cops there, and for the first time in my life I was getting chased by a cop with his lights on trying to keep up and not worried about going to jail.

Anyways, so if anyone is wondering how the C63 performs on a NASCAR track, there you have it. I probably *could* have gone a little faster on the turns, but the last thing I wanted to do was blow a tire at speed and hit the wall so I tried to take it as easy as I could even though my right foot was fighting it with natural reaction of more throttle.

In respects to handling, the car really liked the high speed turns. I was never uncomfortable with the handling even at speed around the turns. The car is a 09' C63, no PP, no mods.

I also have in car video in HD and I'll post that sooner or later once I find a place to get it hosted.

Fantasm

how well did the cop car keep up?

dan30252

It didn't. It was a Georgia State Patrol Dodge Charger and he had a Hemi in it. We drag raced from the start/finish line to turn 1 and by the time I hit second gear he was a memory.

I did find out one thing though from the cops. I have a Passport 9500ci, and 2 out 5 times the shifter didn't work and they still got a reading on their laser gun.

<and yes, it is installed right. I'm an electrical engineer so no problems there.> All 5 times they tagged me with laser I was coming down the straight and they were hitting me at a slight angle but almost straight on. Same as if you were flying down the freeway on a straight and the cop was parked on the median with a door open taggin people.

80% of my day was spent making friends with the local cops so I can weasel out of tickets, the other 20% was working a booth at the show.

yaymitch

Very cool, thanks for sharing the experience.

thwalkerjr

Man, what an awesome experience that must have been. Can't wait to see the video.

gravedgr

Very cool, but I'm disappointed you didn't invite your Atlanta buddies. :P

dan30252

Sorry, unless you were a sponsor, you couldn't get on the track anyways.

I was thinking of doing a local meet again. Just hang out for some beers somewhere downtown. Virginia Highlands/Midtown/Buckhead or whatever.

There is a pretty good carwash in the Lenox Mall parking lot. There is a Ferrari club here locally that meets there every Thurs. night. Maybe we can crash their party.

bushburninc63

This thread is 7/10 until we get to see the vids :o

MRAMG1

It sounds like you had a freakin ball

A question regaurding your timer. As you don't have the PP mod, which means you have a 155 limiter, how did it read 157.8

Not trying to bust your stones my friend, I just think your timer is off a little.

I have had the fun of taking my road car to pocono's and even though it is NOT banked as steep, it sure is fun to do ludicrous speeds

See yeah

dan30252

The lap timer is pretty accurate. I trust it more than a speedo, that's for sure. It uses GPS for speed readings so I'm guessing its accurate enough. No idea, I was more worried about not crashing. Just set the lap timer on top speed hold for every lap.

dan30252

Yeah, I'm having a hard time with that. The video is huge in size (7.9 GB) so I have to find a way to shrink it in order to host it somewhere.

groupB

groupB

Find a friend with a Mac. Open it in iMovie (they all have it) and then export it or save it (or something) for "web" output. That should do it.

bushburninc63

i click on this thread again expecting a video, but there is none. So thread has degraded to a 6/10 :o

id64

Where is the VIDEO?

We want VIDEO!

bushburninc63

thegreatfnr

sounds like a blast

dan30252

I have to edit it. Its still 4GB even after I ran it thru iMovie

alumar

i will give you a ftp address to upload it to when i get home, i can reduce it and host it for you

gravedgr

Change the format. If you set it for YouTube, for instance, it will cut it down greatly. I'm talking GB > MB.

redfarsi

wow 60 miles each way to work, now that's a trip....in an amg..
I drive to school 5 miles and 9 to work each way and I thought that was a lot.

id64

I guess, we are not going to see it....

bushburninc63

I'm going to save this thread from failure I will hook my camera and go for a spirited drive this weekend and record it for you guys. :o

Chappy

I did Talladega a couple weeks ago....is that banked more steep than AMS?

lauer87

Video??????