Battle at VIR + Bloopers!

[Eclipsor]

Just got back from an awesome weekend at VIR. This was my second (and a half) race weekend with Skip Barber, and I loved every bruising minute of it. I took some pretty cool video that I think you guys will enjoy. I will discuss more later, but I'm tired right now, so I'll get straight to the point and then straight to bed...

Copying/pasting the description from the youtube video:

Good back and forth battle between Chris Hawley (me) and Gus Doppes during race two of the Skip Barber Summer Series Opener at Virginia International Raceway. It's quite apparent how much these cars benefit from a draft, as we slingshot past each other multiple times at the ends of the front and back straightaways.

This was my first time running at VIR and I have to say that it was a great track. Very fast, very technical, and very safe. Can't get much better than that.

The car is a Skip Barber Formula 2000 open wheel racecar with BFGoodrich g-Force Sport street tires. My best time of the weekend was a 2:13 flat, without a draft, and with a transmission that was popping into neutral on downshifts.

The camera is an original GoPro Hero, mounted on my helmet, shooting in 1280x960.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJp-ZRobDsw&hd=1

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Now that you guys have seen that one, here are the other two exciting videos that I have. First...

Again, copy/pasted from the Youtube description:

Felt the sudden urge to test the traction on the grass during race one of the Skip Barber Summer Series Opener at Virginia International Raceway.

In reality, however, I dropped my right rear into the dirt just before turn 10. I got a bit squirrely in the right hander coming out of the climbing esses (turn 9), so I was more towards the middle of the road than I would have liked. I should have just stayed towards the center of the track, slowed down a bit more than normal, and compromised the turn. Instead, I made the mistake of darting over to the right in order to hit my normal turn-in spot, and that proved to be a bad choice. Thankfully, I have pretty quick hands and the grass is pretty friendly at VIR. Speaking of hands... don't even bother mentioning it; I know I need to get some gloves.

This was my first time running at VIR and I have to say that it was a great track. Very fast, very technical, and very safe. Can't get much better than that.

The car is a Skip Barber Formula 2000 open wheel racecar with BFGoodrich g-Force Sport street tires. My best time of the weekend was a 2:13 flat, without a draft, and with a transmission that was popping into neutral on downshifts.

The camera is an original GoPro Hero, mounted on my helmet, shooting in 1280x960.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbVgPNE0GU8&hd=1

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Lastly, here's my spin in turn 17...

Again, copy/pasted blah blah:

Felt the sudden urge to do a sweet 360 and stall my car right at the track-out of one of the higher speed corners (turn 17) during a practice session at the Skip Barber Summer Series Opener at Virginia International Raceway.

In reality, however, I entered the corner too hot for my comfort, and hesitated (read: no maintenance throttle). This put extra weight on the front tires and the car rotated a bit more quickly than I was anticipating. My hands weren't quite fast enough to catch the rear, so I locked the tires up and entered a five second spin. Thankfully the corner men were quick with the yellow flag and the car behind me was observant. Don't even bother mentioning it; I know I need to get some gloves.

This was my first time running at VIR and I have to say that it was a great track. Very fast, very technical, and very safe. Can't get much better than that.

The car is a Skip Barber Formula 2000 open wheel racecar with BFGoodrich g-Force Sport street tires. My best time of the weekend was a 2:13 flat, without a draft, and with a transmission that was popping into neutral on downshifts.

The camera is an original GoPro Hero, mounted on my helmet, shooting in 1280x960.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4R2qPEhSjk8&hd=1

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That's all for now, folks; I hope you enjoyed that. I should have more video later in the week. Night!

[dalyduo]

Nice vids Chris, thanks for sharing.

You had a great battle going there. Looks like you learned a lot. A logistical question. Did having the camera mounted on your helmet create any turbulence or wind resistance for you and where exactly did you mount it?

Your driving was very good considering how little racing you've done with SB but I see you have an M3 race car so this clearly isn't your first rodeo.

In your off-track video its good that you left the track as early in the corner as you did as later in the corner the drop off is more precipitous and perilous. Nice job riding it out and bringing it back on.

The analysis of your spin is spot on. You were stretching 3rd gear so your revs were high which meant any slight hesitation or pull back on the throttle would have a big affect. Where were you going to 4th gear?

Being your first time you wouldn't know the disincentive harsh rumble strips on the backs of many key apex curbs are new. It's appropriate that they're there because most were putting wheels behind the apex rumble strips to widen the radius or shorten the curve.

[Eclipsor]

Originally Posted by dalyduo

Nice vids Chris, thanks for sharing.

You had a great battle going there. Looks like you learned a lot. A logistical question. Did having the camera mounted on your helmet create any turbulence or wind resistance for you and where exactly did you mount it?

Thanks! As for your question: boy did it ever create wind resistance, and I mounted it a bit forward of top dead center on the helmet. In between these two little vent thingers. I can take a pic for you if you want. The GoPro is like a brick in the wind. In the high speed straights, I could barely push my head forward off the headrest. It was even hard to turn my head left or right at high speeds.

Originally Posted by dalyduo

Your driving was very good considering how little racing you've done with SB but I see you have an M3 race car so this clearly isn't your first rodeo.

I actually haven't gotten that bad boy on the track yet. I'm hoping to take it to Summit, VIR, or NJMP sometime here in the next couple months for its debut.

Originally Posted by dalyduo

In your off-track video its good that you left the track as early in the corner as you did as later in the corner the drop off is more precipitous and perilous. Nice job riding it out and bringing it back on.

Thanks. Yeah, I didn't want to mess with that curbing. The grass seemed much more friendly... plus, my rear end was leaving the pavement rather quickly.

Originally Posted by dalyduo

The analysis of your spin is spot on. You were stretching 3rd gear so your revs were high which meant any slight hesitation or pull back on the throttle would have a big affect. Where were you going to 4th gear?

Your analysis is spot on, as well. The guy giving me feedback from that corner told me I was holding it in 3rd gear too long. After my spin, I started shifting into fourth before the track-out curbing.

Originally Posted by dalyduo

Being your first time you wouldn't know the disincentive harsh rumble strips on the backs of many key apex curbs are new. It's appropriate that they're there because most were putting wheels behind the apex rumble strips to widen the radius or shorten the curve.

I actually did notice the change. While I haven't ever run on the track at VIR before, I've spectated many a race there. Also got to run one or two slow speed parade laps in previous years. In addition to that, I was studying Skip Barber vids at VIR before I left for the race, and I noticed many a driver cut across the dirt behind the curbing, before the yellow/green curbs were put in place. The interesting part is that the yellow/green curbs are actually very friendly almost everywhere around the track. I think they were just tired of the track getting torn up.

[cdh]

Cool vids, thanks for sharing Eclipsor, looks like perfect VIR weather too, good stuff
Interesting how the helmet cam location gives a greater sense of speed than a roll hoop mount, very noticeable.

[GregS]

Originally Posted by cdh

Interesting how the helmet cam location gives a greater sense of speed than a roll hoop mount, very noticeable.

agreed!

and.. why were u not wearing gloves in one of the videos?!

[Eclipsor]

Originally Posted by GregS

agreed!

and.. why were u not wearing gloves in one of the videos?!

Why are you not reading my video descriptions?

[Redneck]

settle down, settle down

[Eclipsor]

LOL, in all seriousness, though... I just don't have a pair of gloves and I find that the Skippy folks don't seem to have a batch of them like they do racing suits. A mechanic was nice enough to give me his while I was sitting on the grid before my last race, though.

[Eclipsor]

dalyduo, this should answer your question as to where I had my camera mounted:



http://www.flickr.com/photos/skipbar...57629948817649

[Drice]

Hey! I took that picture! Ha ha ha!
Nice to know my photography skills aren't quite as bad as I thought

[Eclipsor]

Originally Posted by Drice

Hey! I took that picture! Ha ha ha!
Nice to know my photography skills aren't quite as bad as I thought

Thanks Drice! Great picture.

[dalyduo]

It is a nice shot and perfect avatar pic... As I would guess we're never going to see you driving a race car with Mr GoPro stuck to your helmet again, given the description of what you have to overcome to keep it there. It's probably costing a couple of tenths in wind resistance not to mention the loss of focus and concentration overcoming all that wind resistance with your neck muscles. You did a great job as the picture is remarkably stable given your description of what you overcame. Nothing a good roll bar mount or Mike Marino's Helix In-Car Video can't fix.

[Eclipsor]

Originally Posted by dalyduo

It is a nice shot and perfect avatar pic... As I would guess we're never going to see you driving a race car with Mr GoPro stuck to your helmet again, given the description of what you have to overcome to keep it there. It's probably costing a couple of tenths in wind resistance not to mention the loss of focus and concentration overcoming all that wind resistance with your neck muscles. You did a great job as the picture is remarkably stable given your description of what you overcame. Nothing a good roll bar mount or Mike Marino's Helix In-Car Video can't fix.

Thx for all the supportive comments. You are certainly right: I don't think I'll ever stick a GoPro to my helmet again while driving an open-wheel car.

It was actually pretty hilarious in my first practice session of the morning on Friday. I was sort of rushed getting into the car and failed to ask one of the mechanics to put an adjustable headrest on my car. Once I started rolling and got up to speed on the front straight, I realized very quickly that I had made a pretty big mistake. If I rested my helmet back on the headrest, my head was angled up towards the sky and I had to look downwards in order to see the track. So I held my head off the headrest for as long as I could stand, but about halfway down the back straightaway I just gave up and my head was tilted up to the sky for the rest of the lap. If anyone saw me, I bet they got a good laugh out of it.

I do have a roll-bar mount for my GoPro, but I figured I would just stick it out with the helmet-mount this time around and go with the roll-bar mount if/when I do another event with Skip Barber. As you mentioned, though, I bet I'm losing a couple tenths to wind resistance over the course of an entire lap. I might have to make the jump to a *gasp* CONTOUR setup! Their form-factor is quite a bit more sleek.