Chasing a Atom. Buttonwillow 6/3/07 with Speedventures. HPDE

[Mrwillers]

is that an sti that you are in?

[SubyFi]

2005 Subaru WRX STi as stated in the video info :)

[socaldriven]

Your statement is true but take a look at your video again there sparky.. I pointed you by because of the way you drive. You took lost hill like a newbie, which caused your spin..

[SubyFi]

First of all smudgey the armchair racer says I could not pass a blind man that is driving a Atom 2. I was not referring to you. I am sure when you get better in your Atom you will def kick ass. Do not tell me you never make a mistake socaldriven. Even F1 drivers make mistakes. You pointed me by because I was faster than you.

[SubyFi]

If you were behind me and driving better, I would of pointed you by as soon as we were in a passing zone. HPDEs are just for fun. If you want to race, try NASA and Time Attacks.

[socaldriven]

My advise is to hook up with who you perceive as the fast guy on track and ask for some lead follow laps, check you ego and camera at the door and have some fun. Generally the high end street cars aren't there to run their car 10/10ths. Who wants to spend the next week cleaning out the dirt from the inside of a $100k car or smack the wall? But we're all there for different reasons. Props for going on track, the forum racers can only stat about it..

[SubyFi]

I already know what you're saying about the high end cars. I have my ego checked. I don't drive 10/10ths either. This is my only car that I also use to go to work Monday to Friday. I can't afford to wreck it. No trailer queen here. I have been doing HPDEs since 2003, about once a month. I can drive in Advanced but I prefer required point-bys for that extra margin of safety.

[smudgey6120]

hey my armchair is fast

[socaldriven]

you betcha' my first year I made plenty of mistakes. I started to learn once I turned the camera off and quit "video trophy chasing." There's fast and then there's fast to be trophy chasing. I'm there to enjoy the car, the track and the day. Some laps I'm only interested in improving my skills on a few particular turns, never to be first. I'm happy to let you by and that seems to be a trend in your videos.

[SubyFi]

Trophy chasing, that's a new one. I actually like to post videos of nice cars so that others can see how they handle. It is also better entertaiment. Most people go to YouTube to be entertained. I also use my videos to study what I did wrong and where I can improve. Did you notice that I never bash the cars I pass in the details or comments of my videos? I totally respect all drivers that have the gumption to take their car out to a road course than a drag strip.

[SubyFi]

If a faster driver is behind a slower one, it is courteous to point the driver by in HPDEs. I don't understand why you are offended by this. If you did not point me by, I would of just hot pitted and asked the start/finish guy to give me space. If I come up to you again and you do not point me by, I will report you to the event organizer. I have never "road raged" during a HPDE. All participants should respect the point-by and passing rules they mention during the driver's meeting.

[SubyFi]

The blind man would of rolled it in the first turn. Typically an unskilled driver at the wheel of a fast car can be passed by a slower car with a skilled driver on a road course.

[KuostA]

What do you mean by point-bys required?

[SubyFi]

Some driving sessions (depending on experience level) require a hand signal to let the car behind you pass safely. I like it because it lets me know the driver in front is aware I am there and will let off the throttle to let me pass safely.

[KuostA]

oooh, I see. Is the signal always a hand out to the left, and do you always pass on the left? Shouldn't this operation be applied to ALL people on the track, as a common way of letting someone pass? So if they are in the most experienced level, what, do they just not need to signal ever?

[SubyFi]

You can signal to pass on the right by hooking your arm over the roof pointing to the right. HPDEs usually employ point bys depending on skill level. Passing side varies from track to track. The passing car has to drive off the ideal line. The passed car maintains the driving line and maybe lets off the throttle a little so it can be passed easier.

[SubyFi]

Beginners group usually pass only on the straights with mandatory point bys. Intermediate group usually pass anywhere with mandatory point bys. Advanced group (near race conditions) has passing anywhere with optional point bys.

[KuostA]

Very informative, thanks a lot! One quick thing though, you said the passing car is the one to go offline..are you sure about that? In all the thousands of incar videos I've seen, the car getting passed always moves off line, lets off the throttle, and signals the passer by, letting him have the ideal driving line for a quick pass. Isn't that more ideal?

[SubyFi]

Of all the events I run locally, it was this way. It may depend on the event organizer's rules. Either off or on the line, you want one as the preferred method to prevent confusion or contact. You don't need the ideal driving line for a quick pass. You already lost overall laptime being stuck behind the slower car.

[pett86]

good vid... the atom was the supercharged version?

[SubyFi]

I am not sure.

[yyjack23]

i kinda rather go off straight to the left side! i can see u try to save the understeer first, but not the oversteer after that?

[SubyFi]

I think I needed to crank the wheel more to the left and downshift into third to try and recover.