Track Photo Thread

[Intuit]

Good grief, no, he was taking tarmac rally lines in a rally car, locking the rears to induce rotation with lots of wheel drift everywhere. That was a great driver making a car do things it didn't want to do with massive inputs a.k.a. a rally driver in a rally car. A sports racer or open-wheel car with a similar power:weight ratio and gearing would be much faster but with much less outward drama.

For reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Top_Gear_test_track_Power_Lap_times. An Atom, which is a track rather than a rally car, will do the same lap 3.5 seconds faster with the "little" engine and 4.4 seconds faster with the crazy 2x motorcycle V8 and will do so with less tire smoke (and $400k less for the little version).

Good grief an Atom is basically ground up purpose-built gokart. 😆



Actually that was a driver taking advantage of the fact that it's four wheel driven on a short wheel base with enough power to "point and shoot" after entering corner(s) too hot in an attempt to hold the line. Don't see the "massive inputs" you reference. Frequent inputs because he as the option of independent braking, (and it's a manual shift,) but yanking the wheel lock to lock because "it's all over the place", no. We'll agree to disagree. Before we get into any additional straw man responses, never indicated it was THE fastest; merely that its suspension kept it very well composed on that track in comparison to other vehicles pulling a slower pace. It's obvious that it's not an Atom or McClaren. Vipers aren't exactly known for cornering...

 

[M-Sport fan]

That car, fully set up for SMOOTH tarmac, or even a WRC Rally 1 car, also set up for SMOOTH tarmac (vs. the rough/broken stuff they must face on some of the Euro/WRC tarmac rallies) would have done much much better.

They do pretty darned good for rides with such a sky high cg, as compared to the on the ground, yard high at most, full aero downforce equipped formula and sports racer type rides.

That Atom is as close as one can get to a formula car which can be legally driven on the street.

 

[Jabbit]

Vipers aren't exactly known for cornering...

You should look into how the Viper ACR is setup if you think it isn't known for cornering. It is a monster.

Also that Atom is a V8 variant made from two Haybusa 1.3L engines mated together with a sequential. I think there were well under 100 made, closer to 20.

 

[Intuit]

Don't know what they did suspension and weight-balancing wise but visually it looks like they made a lot of tweaks for aero / down-force... the stereotypical "ricer" treatment.

 

[kevinatfms]

I drove a Spec Atom at VIR with TMI Autotech for their track day program and had an absolute blast. It was the 200hp Honda powered version. On Hoosiers and with the LSD it just hooked up through the corners.

Back to Track Day Photos: Summit Point Main during the Colonial Cup Challenge.

 

[Woods247]

T3 at Road Atlanta

 

[cidsamuth]

Summit Point Shenandoah Circuit.

Not pictured, I went up fully on two wheels once during the day. Scared the crap out of me, as I thought I was flipping. Car came back down with a bang and I kept movin'

 

[cidsamuth]

Definitely may favorite so far.

 

[jeffreylyon]

You’re driving the wind shield trim off of the poor thing!

 

[cidsamuth]

You’re driving the wind shield trim off of the poor thing!

Ha, I just noticed that. It must be laying back down when not at speed, cause it’s fine now

 

[Cdnmr2v6]

From last weekend at The Ridge Motorsports Park in Washington

 

[Intuit]

@Cdnmr2v6 - That a Civic in the bottom pic? Did you successfully undercut it in that corner?

 

[Cdnmr2v6]

@Cdnmr2v6 - That a Civic in the bottom pic? Did you successfully undercut it in that corner?

I wish. I was in the A group, but I wasn't able to bring my track car, so the Fiesta was one of the slowest cars in the group and as soon as there was space I was pointing people by.

 

[Dr.Prutteklutt]

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[cidsamuth]

Blew a hole in the block at 118MPH at Summit Main. The oil and coolant hit my tires and sent me spinning into the gravel trap.

 

[Woods247]

Blew a hole in the block at 118MPH at Summit Main. The oil and coolant hit my tires and sent me spinning into the gravel trap.

Man!! Sorry to hear. Glad you’re ok.

 

[green_henry]

Blew a hole in the block at 118MPH at Summit Main. The oil and coolant hit my tires and sent me spinning into the gravel trap.

Wow! Glad you only spun and didn't roll.

 

[cidsamuth]

Wow! Glad you only spun and didn't roll.

I thought I was going to roll, honestly. Engine let go at 118MPH, speed was still 90 when the car spun, and was at 45-50 when I hit the gravel pit.

I had already beat my best time by 2 seconds during the session, and I was on track to cut off another full second as I headed into the final turn . . .

"That was some of the best flying I've seen to date. Right up to the point where you got killed."

 

[Jabbit]

Definitely going to do something about my hood after seeing these pictures.

 

[Woods247]

Atlanta Motorsports Park I think