Take a Lap of Watkins Glen:
Watkins Glen NEQ Audi Driving School
August 25, 26 2003
Reasons WHY we tech cars and why yours should be in serviceable order.
Check your car between sessions
Mark's Z 06 Brake Inspection Yielded this:
Vibration in the brakes? It may be more than warped rotors..
That's daylight through the rear rotor crack...
Additional Video clips picked frame by frame:
DISCLAIMER:
This is to be used as a guide only.
This shows a "lap around the track", not how to race it.
Variables in speed, car handling, driver input and traffic
conditions will affect following "the line".
Cones represent "general" locations for Turn in, Apex & Track out
Your results may vary. Speed affects these points.
To see the whole Glen layout use this link: www.theglen.com
Try at your own risk
How to Pit in:
Give 'em the FIST, USE Pit in Lane,
Keep right between turns 10 &11, HUG the Apex cone.
Are you ready?
Inspect your car, Secure your seat belts, helmet
and adjust your seating for proper positioning.
Pit OUT:
After leaving the staging area, keep right in Pit Row out to the track.
The entrance "ramp" is "tight", accelerate to ~50MPH to blend with traffic.
Stay RIGHT along the white "Blend" line while exiting the Pit row lane.
Here Carter has "Blended" behind track traffic (red car) turning into turn 2.
Traffic behind (like the car below) is FAST moving. Faster than you.
FAST "On - line" view above, entering pit traffic will be on right.
Turn 2 "turn in" cone on left. Pit Blend is on right.
Turn 2:
The beginning of the uphill esses
That's right....Turn 1 comes AFTER one complete Lap.
Notice we blended into traffic. Red car above is at the Apex cone for Turn 2.
The RX - 7 can be considered "wide" through the Apex here in Turn 2.
Red car entering Turn 3. Car has "broken away" from right "on - line"
These turns are linked
TURN 3:
Here, I have exited Turn 2. Turn 2 trackout cone, is turn in for Turn 3.
(Notice the line continues right following the turn's radius)
Here I have already "broken away" from the exit of Turn 2.
Too early....and your early for Turn 3 (left edge)
(this will mean a corrective turn to stay on the track surface.)
Turn 4:
Here we have passed the Apex of Turn 3 and drifted towards the Apex of Turn 4.
The next three photos are in sequence.
Armco Top row ends, revealing Apex cone above.
While the photo appears to be an early apex entry above.....
The car drifts to pass "over / on" the Apex cone.
I do like to hug those apex cone(s). The plan is to straighten out turns 2,3,4.
Below, exiting the Apex of 4, the car naturally drifts towards track out cone.
DO NOT TURN the wheel towards the left armco (on - line) DUH!
VERY small steering inputs needed at 80-100 MPH.
The track out cone for turn 4 is circled here. Left edge is "on - line".
Cars will pass on RIGHT (when signaled) along this back straight.
BACK STRAIGHT:
I have clocked "Street" cars by radar here at ~124 MPH
Circled right is the 600 foot marker of the Braking Box.
Circled right is the 300 foot marker of the Braking Box.
You get the idea. Remember to let passing cars (right) back "On - line"
Primarily, because two cars can't occupy the same space,
Carter here, has a Porsche go into the Bus Stop without being "on - line".
Braking is completed by the end of the Braking Box,
downshifting is completed before the "Turning In" cone also.
BUS STOP: -No turn number
Here the track wants to slow down traffic
before the end of the straightaway and Turn 5.
Apex cone for the first Bus Stop "jog" is circled on right above.
A right turn INTO the Bus Stop needs to be counterbalanced by a
LEFT turn back out to the track. Smoothness is KEY here.
Above, I've complete my LEFT turn back to the track
Here the footage is a washout of white. This cone is the track out for the Bus Stop
Turn 5:
This area is referred to as: Into the "Chute"
Here Carter jockeys his line amidst traffic into Turn 5.
Just above the wiper blade is the Apex cone for Turn 5
Track out for Turn 5 usually brings the car far LEFT of the track.
Here Carter exits Turn 5 in traffic, above circled is Turn 5 Track out cone.
NASCAR uses the "short track" which is NOT shown above and below.
That effectively makes Turn 5 a carousel or 180 degree turn
to the blocked off section of the track.
The Boot / The Chute
Turn 6:
Red car ahead (circled) is into turn 6 ahead of us.
This downhill section has the braking box before turn 6 (on - line) on the RIGHT.
Turn 6 "turn in" cone is circled above. The strategy here is to "hang" out along
the outer edge of the pavement then turn into towards the Apex cone.
Track out of Turn 6 Cone Circled (above)
SAFETY TIP: If you "drop" two wheels off the right edge of the track surface exiting turn 6.
DO NOT over steer attempting to get back on the track.
Drive parallel to the track surface, ease the car slowly back onto the track.
LACES of the BOOT
Location is also referred to as the "Laces of the Boot"
Here the New Porsche gets the pass signal from the old Porsche.
Look closely below. See the point? Arm?
Turn 7
TOE of the BOOT
Turn in cone below for Turn 7 (Both photos)
Below the red TT tracks towards the Apex cone
Apex Cone (turn 7) is circled here on the extreme right edge.
Flagging Station* (left on turn 7 NOT shown) below is Track out cone.
The hillcrest straightaway here is called:
THE SOLE OF THE BOOT
Now we've crested the hilltop and down into the braking box for Turn 8.
Braking Box entering Turn 8. Turn in cone circled above, at ~45 MPH
Turn 8 is the:
HEEL of the BOOT
Missing hand on wheel means late downshift.
Turn 8 apex cone circled through head rest in photo above.
This turn is generally a 45 - 50 MPH turn
Track out cone and "train" of cars drifting towards turn in for Turn 9.
Nice gradual transition from track left to right.
Upshift and accelerate. Approach braking box for turn 9.
TURN 9:
Off camber LEFT
Turn in cone for Turn 9 is circled above.
Again the strategy here is to "hang" out along
the outer edge of the pavement then turn into towards the Apex cone.
SAFETY TIP: Not shown here, but there is a SOLID baracade at trackout.
No run off room. Resist turning in too early towards the Apex!
Here it is not uncommon to see BMW's lift the driver's front wheel.
Audi Coupes and VW Golfs lift the rear wheels during cornering.
Above is the Track out cone for turn 9.
This straight is where driver's need to START watching for pit in symbols.
TURN 10:
Above is turn in cone for turn 10. Straight ahead is a corner worker / flagger.
Turn 10 is a LEFT. Watch for slower pitting traffic!
Above Apex cone is circled between helmet and hand on steering wheel.
Above: Right of Red TT is Track out cone for Turn 10.
TURN 11:
Below: is turn in cone for turn 11. Watch for pitting traffic at Apex!
Watch for pitting traffic at Apex!
Two views: Turn 11 Apex circled below.
Track out below for Turn 11. See hand signal to Pass? (Circled)
START / FINISH STRAIGHTAWAY
Watch circled cars for passing symbols.
Once passing is completed (don't cut them off) merge back LEFT to "ON-line"
TURN 1:
Brake from 80/100 mph to about 50/45mph. Brake, downshift in the braking box.
Turn 1 "turn in" cone circled below:
Above: Cars follow line through Apex cone below. (circled)
Left are raised "Turtles" on the left track out edge.
Best NOT to depend on them to stay on the track.
TURN 2.
Congratulations, on your lap around "the Glen".
"Turn in" cone above, Apex cone below: Corner is about 60-70 MPH plus....
If you go off Turn 1 here's the best the gravel can do for you.
The bus stop and Turn 10 all have gravel to slow down the car gone off track.
See you at the next event. Bring a rental car!
Special thanks to The NE Quattro Club, Carter and Steve for cars and photos.
* Flagging Stations (also known as "corner workers") are
placed around the track at nearly every corner.
They can see ahead of you and are usually in radio contact for emergencies.
It is the driver's responsibility to watch them for important information.
Monitor them as you pass by to be aware of future
track conditions, message to you or emergencies.
Question(s): Web page by SuffolkD@aol.com