Video from our trip to Buttonwillow

[bgriggs]

Put together a small video of some of the clips I have from Buttonwillow on 6/6.

I only have footage from Kurt and Cliff, that explains why it's mainly them.

http://gallery.me.com/bgriggs#100026

[dbratten]

Very nice work. It cracked me up each time you showed Cliff throwing up his hand in frustration. Great footage of Kurt in car and out.

--Dan

[black_em2]

nice vid. looks like cliff was a little frustrated lol
wish i would have remembered about this!

[solo2_z06]

Nice editing Brandon. Sorry I couldn't join you guys. Maybe next time.

[2159ClassicRed]

Great stuff!

[BryanH]

Poor Cliff! Held up by an army of slow Evos and 350Zs. ;) Cliff when that happens to me I pull into the hot pits for a bit to give the slower cars a gap. We probably have the same problem - our cars don't look like they should be that fast when we show up in someone's mirror. :D [I did most of my track days in my old red MR2]

Looked like a couple drivers thought there was a 55mph speed limit at Buttonwillow or something. Weird.

Is that Rob giving Kurt feedback at the end of the video?

Buttonwillow has sure changed a lot since I was last there. Nice new curbs, some new pavement.

[JFine]

Hey Brandon,
Is that the in car video I took with my camera that you used in your video clip?

[Hieb]

Love the vid!! Great job editing. Looks like it was lots of fun!

[rob.ok]

Hey Brian, yeah that was me. I couldn't really comment too much on the line cause I've never driven it CCW. I like to take the passenger with me and show them the line I drive and what the key point are for a few cool laps then speed it up for a demonstration.

It was nothing more than the "watching over my shoulder" nervous ticks. Everyone focuses on passenger and all the other little crap clouds your mind and you have to play around with it order to get that thought out of your mind so you can focus on the next set. If it was a hammer we'd all go home with a smashed thumb sooner or later :lol:

I've been told the same thing many times. Took me a little while to get over it. What I do is just slow it down and drive perfect at 7/10th an tell the instructor this is my 7/10th. Get the feed back and then step it up an the same level of concentration vs my normal relaxed self. By the end of the day I'll grab the instructor for one or two hot laps and then see what he says. I always start out slow with an issue and work my way up. Especially if I use to doing that bad habit at full speed. Much harder to rewire the thinking process without dropping the speed.


So when are you gonna come out? I'd love for you to ride with me and critique! Might not have a passenger seat in the s2k though.

[BryanH]

Now that I have the time I don't have the money really. I could do it after I sell my S2k, but that's my track car so I'd have to get something else. Maybe a cheap RX-8 to tide me over until I get a new job and can afford that E39 M5 I've been wanting. :-) Trouble is the RX-8 resale values will probably continue to be in freefall for a while, so I'd likely lose money on one.

Actually from what I've heard you could probably show me a thing or two on the track. I never got remotely serious about it, just did it for fun in slow stock(ish) street cars. :D And the S2k once. ;)

I do want to get out there again. I was thinking about going to this last event with you guys to watch/ride, I forget why I didn't end up going though. I was probably reeling from the money hurt of the double alternator fail the weekend prior.

Funny, I find that usually when I take a passenger I'm extra focused on the car and track so that I don't screw up and look like an idiot. :) The time I managed to scare my trackday mentor into asking me to slow down was a proud moment. :D

[rob.ok]

Yeah I'm in the same boat :( Running out of money real fast and not bringing any in. Totally was not expecting to be out of work this long........

I'd hate to see the s2k go. If there is a cheap and fast track car, its the s2k (those RX8s are SLOW ;))

Ha Ha! Whatever man....your T-hill video is super famous. That had to be the day right? I'd say that your video and Jack Olsen's video is all you need to understand what T-hill is all about! There is no *****footing around! I went there and couldn't muster the balls to pick up the extra 2 seconds turns 8 and 9 are really worth. If you could do that in a stock s2k there is no doubt you'd really be able to go to town in my car. It really is set up very well or at lest it was......I'd just need to take you around for a few laps so you could feel the grip levels...sometimes it feels like its gonna step out....gotta learn to trust the aero and keep on the gas...doing anything else can get you in trouble :D

At any rate, once I get the car built again, maybe you can make it out. I'll be shaking the car down and trying to dial in the new set up (everything is changing). Could probably use a little extra help....so if you want to take her out, I'll know its in good hands.

[BryanH]

You flatter me. :-) With less than 1000 views my T-Hill video isn't famous! But I'm glad you liked it at least. ;) I'm still miffed none of my video footage worked until that last (shortened) session. When I started the day my car was crazy loose, I had some real interesting moments! Through the mornign I was adjusting tire pressures to gain stability and by lunch time I had it handling real well. For the final session I took a passenger and his weight made the car loose again, and slow. I'd like to think I did a 2:12 or so earlier in the day, but I will never know. There are definitely places I could have made up time in that video. I always braked early and apexed early for turn 10, for example, and I left the car in 3rd gear for turn 11 too, just to be a bit more gentle with it. Plus, turn one scares me.

That Thunderhill video wasn't the day my mentor rode along and put his hand up. That happened at Buttonwillow #13CW a couple years earlier -- flying over Lost Hill on the outlap I nailed the entry speed and line and ran over the apex and exit curbing, fully committed. He told me to let the tires warm up first. I was on 400+ treadwear all-seasons so I said "they're better cold!" :) They got greasy in no time. That was in my '88 RX-7 GTU (http://www.pbase.com/bryanh/image/29208056/original).

Thunderhill is so much more fun in a car like the S2k or RX-7. The MK1 MR2 doesn't like long sweeping corners - just understeers through them. It needs transitions and quick corners (like Cotton and Bus Stop at BW) to show its strengths. Probably why Buttonwillow is one of my favorite tracks.

I Googled Jack Olsen. Is this the video you were referring to? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLr6ValhuTg He's definitely moving! Makes it look easy. Going over the bypass must be a trip in that thing!

I will miss the S2k, but it's time for it to go. I've got a looong list of cars I want to own in my lifetime. If I want another one for track use down the line I could pick up an old AP1 for cheap. :-)

Don't underestimate the RX-8s too much... I have been doing very (http://www.vimeo.com/3830194) well (http://www.vimeo.com/3861810) with one this year. :D

Oh and I am used to feeding in throttle as soon as a car turns in towards the apex. I learned how to autox in an MR2, and those don't let you get away with much. ;)

[solo2_z06]

Scaring your trackday mentor may not be a good thing. Having spent much time as an instructor in the right seat, it could also be interpreted as driving over your level of control.

[rob.ok]

^^ Yup. That's Jack. He's kinda a local hero of sorts. He's done some pretty impressive things in that car and a super cool guy if you ever get the chance to talk to him....loaded with knowledge.

Either way that is some impressive driving in a Stock S2000 at T-hill. The by pass is a blast! Rotate the car on the top of the hill and you get some air!! My instructor freaked out though and pretty much scolded me for it. It is a faster line though. I've talked to a few guys about it....and well I've come to the decision that it should never be done. Breaking a chassis on that jump has been confirmed :eek:


I actually know quite a bit about the RX8 (it was one of the cars that was on my check list for a track car). It really is a fantastic car and a good choice. That car has got some stick!!!!

BTW there is a new tire on the market. Actually it has not really hit just yet and I'm not sure how it will compare for autocross purposes though. I got first hand info form the guy that was given a set to test and he did say that they are indeed faster that Hoosier R6s and last quite a bit longer before they start to fall off. He said that they were good for 2.6 seconds a lap over the R6s at T-Hill once the R6s start to fall off and a few tenths right a way.
Keep your eyes open for Goodyear Eagle RS! Its gonna be the new hot tire and might be really cheap to pick up since its so new.

[cap49]

Just got back from vacation.
Thanks for the camera and editing work Brandon. Totally forgot about the camera in the car but those Evo rookies really pissed me off. If you are that slow the first thing you should know about at the track is how to 'point-by'. Should have used the hot pits to gap them but they were soooooo slow I'd had to give them a half a lap.
Hey Josh got the dirt out of your jean pockets yet?

[BryanH]

Scaring your trackday mentor may not be a good thing. Having spent much time as an instructor in the right seat, it could also be interpreted as driving over your level of control.
This is true. Although I wasn't trying to scare him, I was definitely trying to drive fast to show him the progress I'd made. I don't think he was actually frightened, perhaps surprised and a bit unsettled is a better way to describe it. As of a couple years ago I was able to surpass his speed, though still his supreme car control skills are virtually untouchable. :)

Interesting info about the new Goodyears Rob. From what I understand the Hoosier R6 has roughly equivalent grip to the A6 (what I use for autox) but the R6 takes a lot longer to get up to temp, whereas the A6s overheat quite easily. I suspect a track tire like the Goodyear wouldn't heat up fast enough for autocross use.

[SmokeyBear]

Put together a small video of some of the clips I have from Buttonwillow on 6/6.

I only have footage from Kurt and Cliff, that explains why it's mainly them.

http://gallery.me.com/bgriggs#100026It says Quicktime 7.2 required to watrch this movie. I decline to download another movie viewer when I have so many. Any way I can make it work with MicroSoft?

[fastFijian]

It says Quicktime 7.2 required to watrch this movie. I decline to download another movie viewer when I have so many. Any way I can make it work with MicroSoft?

i think Ron needs an iphone...:)

[JFine]

Still dusting off Cliff. :D We both learned something that day, well at least I did.;) Hey did your tires hold air or are they still leaking?
Give me a little more time and I will be ready for the next track attack.:D Cliff maybe you could ride with me and we could try that again but in my car this time :eek:

[BryanH]

It says Quicktime 7.2 required to watrch this movie. I decline to download another movie viewer when I have so many. Any way I can make it work with MicroSoft?
Ron, there's a link above the video to Download the file. Do that, then see if any of your video players can view the file. If they can't, trade one of them for VLC (http://www.videolan.org). It plays everything. It even has an orange cone for its desktop icon! ;)

[cap49]

Still dusting off Cliff. :D We both learned something that day, well at least I did.;) Hey did your tires hold air or are they still leaking?
Give me a little more time and I will be ready for the next track attack.:D Cliff maybe you could ride with me and we could try that again but in my car this time :eek:

I'll take a pass with the ride if it means I've got to get a dusting like you did.

Blocked up the car in the garage that night since we were leaving for vacation. Am re-inflating as I write and will take the two of them down to the local tire shop for dismounting and cleaning.

Get that monster of yours together so you can come out and play with the rest of us. Sitting and watching is a complete downer. You handled it better than I would have.

[cap49]

Got my copy of Josh's Buttonwillow video clips of Eric, Dan, Kurt, Ron and I the other day......luv it..........luv it...............lov.... it!!
Great music............. and really fun to watch the different lines we all took.

Thanks Josh and all the other photographiers in the Fresno Chapter. These videos and stills of the various members add to the richness of our memories of our events.......especially us older guys who have memories about as long as our _____ .

[2159ClassicRed]

Great stuff!

[solo2_z06]

How can I get a copy?

[JFine]

I burn copies upon request.
I have Eric Gillis' copy still to get to him.
Gary, I will make another one for you. All I ask is if anyone want to help offset the cost of materials it would be appreciated, but there is not a set cost since it was just thrown together.
Steve Stephens did you get to take a look at the copy you got yet?

I am considering T-Hill event doing some more in car cam work and it will be way better than the videos in this DVD. I hope that I can drive T-Hill but the car will decide that for me, ok maybe my foot will decide. By the way I recommend that we all go Saturday, so we do not take away from the clubs events.