SANDOWN - 1min 29sec

AROCA Trackday - Sandown 8th October 2006

i did my PB 1min 29.067sec



i did 1min 29sec for my best time....
mod spec:
- K&N Pod Filter
- 4 x 17x8 BBS
- 4 x 235/45/17 RE55s
- stripped interior - 37.2kg saved

here is the list of the times for that day:
http://www.racetime.com.au/?event=s0607&e=g01&view=fastest

and here is per session, detailed time record:
http://www.racetime.com.au/?event=s0607

it was showering and damp in the morning... lol... and the wind freeze my butt... but the day getting better as it reach midday... its great to meet few other Z driver... Yun (blue CWest 350Z) and David M (silver 350Z)... but the main reason i go to the trackday was David M... his reputation precede him... and i thank him for all the tips and advice....

starting with more than 2 minutes lap time... and then work my way up to 1min 34s on the first session... that was with VDC / traction control ON...

so the next session, i thought i'll try without them...as soon as i turned the VDC - OFF... i spun at the first corner... semis still cold and im just crap at it.... after few laps, i managed to get consistent 1min 30sec....

it was lots of fun... after i started following david M, then i realised how late his braking is, how he took the lines and other stuff.... but i always spun after sticking behind him for 1-2 laps,

i dont think i will ever did my best time without learning from david, also david keep encouraging me to try to break my 1:30 (i was stuck with 1:30 for a while)... i was giving up and ready to go home, then david ask me to do another session. that session was pretty empty (most car have gone home) and i'm lucky to get behind david's slip stream and follow his lines.... thats when i got my PB... thx to him once again... i didnt think 1min29sec was possible for me....

i learn alot from that day and being FWD driver in most of my driving experience, i panicked when i experience my first oversteer on 120kmh turn.... nearly hit a wall by less than 1 meter.... my hand goes everwhere trying to steer back while the wiper and indicator accidently turned on... and before i know it i've done 180 turn....

350z is so well balance.... although i wouldnt know how it compares on track against other RWD (since i havent driven other RWD on the track), i thought it was pretty easy and forgiving for me to handle... i still need to be gentle on the accelerator and i still need to learn a clean line... i tend to slide the car too much and hard on the rubber... i think the 350 really does has lots of potential and i feel like i've got sooo much to learn to be able to drive this beast properly.. its also handle great! even with my messy line and spinning out of the track (at least once every session), its very forgiving... what a great car...

i cant wait to be back at winton and try this car out there... more tricky corners and more skills required there... while at sandown i felt like it wasnt as driver oriented as winton...