Laguna Seca

I will be driving Laguna Seca for the first time in a week (Monday, April 13). I am super excited about this. It's like a dream come true!

I want to get the most out of the event, and there aren't going to be many instructors to give guidance around the track. Especially not to people running in the intermediate group.

Just wondering if anyone had some good advice on learning as much about the track ahead of time. Currently I'm soaking up YouTube videos of in-car footage of people lapping the track, getting time on Forza 2, and I even found a course walkthrough online (although it's definitely aimed at a conservative line for first-timers) http://www.norcal-saac.org/ot/laguna.pdf

Any other ideas?

I haven't been on track there yet, (you lucky dog!) so I can't offer any on-track advice.

I can offer off-track advice though. Just South of the track (over the mountain) on Carmel Valley Road is a great restaurant/ watering hole called the Baja Cantina. The owners are motorsports fans, and the place is filled with cool racing memorabilia. It is worth a stop for some good food and cold beer. They even have an old Offy engine on display!

http://www.bajacantinacarmel.com/

We host our GRM/ CMS Monterey kickoff party there each year.

Joe Gearin wrote: I haven't been on track there yet, (you lucky dog!) so I can't offer any on-track advice. I can offer off-track advice though. Just South of the track (over the mountain) on Carmel Valley Road is a great restaurant/ watering hole called the Baja Cantina.

Ooooh! I went to college in Monterey for a couple of years. I have never been to that place. I'll have to check it out while I'm in town.

Yeah, I feel fortunate. I paid my registration and everything before getting laid off, so I still get to enjoy some motorsports while unemployed. I've been wanting to drive Laguna Seca for a while. I used to be able to hear the engine noise of the big races from the dorms.

I haven't been able to convince my girlfriend that she should join me, if just to ride along and hang out in Monterey. She's only been to Thunderhill, and I'm trying to convince her that Laguna Seca is genuinely gorgeous.

It's been several years, but the most important thing I can remember is that turn 7 can't be taken flat like it can in GT3. I don't know if Forza has this correct or not.

Show her this picture. It was taken in Big Sur, which (as I'm sure you know) is only about 40 minutes or so from Monterey. The River Inn is off PCH in Big Sur. It is another fantastic place. Mucho romantic for you and the lady if you have a night to kill.

billy3esq wrote: It's been several years, but the most important thing I can remember is that turn 7 can't be taken flat like it can in GT3. I don't know if Forza has this correct or not.

Turn 7 is one of the ones I'm not sure about. In Forza it depends on the car, but I can frequently brake right about at the crest. I wasn't sure where the braking point would be like there in real life. I'm guessing I'll want to brake on the uphill because the car won't be settled when I go over the crest, and then soften the braking right at the top so I don't totally unload the rear suspension.

I'm actually anticipating a couple number of sections (like turn 11) to be less-scary/easier than in videogames, since I'll actually be able to look at the exit and not be staring at a wall.

When I went to Infineon, I expected turns 7 and 11 (the hairpins) to be frightening, since in video games I just stare at a wall. But actually on track, I'm focused on my apex and track out, and don't even notice the walls there.

I ran there two weeks ago for the first time at this event. http://www.miatasatmrls.com/index.php. Luckily they a number of instructors/spec miata drivers there and I got some help. If you are running your Miata, here is what I was taught that is a refinement from the link you posted.

Turn 2: Enter the corner about a quarter to third of the way from the inside, apex as described, and then track out all the way to the rumble strips. Entering on the inside allows you to brake later before the corner. In the Miata, you need to carry the momentum as far as you can. The section between 2 and 3 is relatively short and lower speed.

Turn 6: The apex has a noticeable dip in it so you turn in early, drive fairly straight across the apex and then finish your turning at the exit carrying as much momentum up the hill as possible. I never got it exactly right.

Turn 7: My stock worn 1600cc Miata (which turned over 158,000 miles on the track) didn't have enough power to make turn 7 difficult. I braked past the crest where it flatten out for the entrance to the corkscrew.

Turn 8 (the Corkscrew): Turn in a little past the number one brake marker. Aim at the second oak tree from the right and drive straight. When the suspension compresses at the bottom of hill in 8a you'll have more than enough grip to make the turn.

Turn 9: Enter about two thirds of the way over from the left. The apex is at a set of blue and white rumble strips so it is easy to find. Once past the apex put your foot in it and track out to the right side of the course.

Turn 6 and 9 were the ones I worked the hardest at. if it rains stay off the rumble strips. The little divots have water in them after the rest of the track has dried out.

I hope this helps. It is an extremely fun track. I am looking forward to when I can drive it again.

Northern California is blessed with several wonderful racetracks. While I prefer Sears Point, Laguna's also wonderful and the location is killer. One of the great sequences in racing is powering up the Rahal straight, seeing Santa Cruz off accross Monterey bay, slamming on the brakes and going over the blind crest into the corkscrew.

Turn 7 is very useful because as a kink it helps you orient yourself prior to 8/8a (The corkscrew). The key to the corkscrew is picking a visual reference on the opposite hill to line up with, because you simply cannot see the track, and if you go off on the inside, sometimes there's a little rut there which could damage your suspension. Once you clear the crest and your suspension loads up, you can give it everything because with the camber and weighting you have practically unlimited adhesion.

I've found turn 5 to be a little sneaky. There isn't as much grip as you'd expect, and it's possible to overcook.

Have a bloody good time!

I forgot: Here's a very useful guide:

http://www.norcal-saac.org/ot/laguna.pdf

I remember talking to a rider who has raced it on a bike. He said it was "difficult" to keep the front wheel down thrue the cork screw.

None the less, congrats and good luck

I ran it for the first time a couple year ago, with the 128. Honestly, I found it boring in a lower HP car. I mean still fun, but many of the challenging sections aren' that challenging unless you have adequate poke. What will you be driving?

I've only returned there once, mostly because the cheaper weekday events have much lower sound limits, and the hassle isn't worth it.

I actually prefer Sears Point, Thunderhill (45 minutes from door) and Buttonwillow. I have yet to hit up Reno-Fernley, but it looks fun for smaller low HP cars, depending on the config.

Chris H.

kreb wrote: I forgot: Here's a very useful guide: http://www.norcal-saac.org/ot/laguna.pdf

I found and have read that guide. I've gone through it a couple of times. It definitely leans towards being conservative.

Type Q, thanks for the advice on different turns. I appreciate that. Starting turn 2 way to the inside seems a bit counter intuitive. I would be inclined to look at it like turn 2 at Thunderhill, starting about 1/3 from the outside. At T-Hill, 2 is a wider faster turn. I'd even think I should start 2 farther to the outside at Seca, leaving a bit of space from the outside just to be able to brake a bit later.

Chris, I will be driving a mostly-stock '94 Miata, with Nitto NT-01s. I have significantly more grip than power. Infineon has been my favorite thusfar, but I usually hit Thunderhill because there are more/cheaper events there. I really want to drive Infineon again. Being in Sac, I'm about 1:15 from both T-Hill and Infineon.

Thanks guys! This is going to be awesome!

You. Lucky. Bastard.

I have to drive Laguna Seca at speed in a sweet car before I die. If I die without doing it, I'm going to rise from the dead and steal an Exige and drive it to California and do it.

I wish I could offer on track advice but I haven't hit Laguna Seca yet...

As far as off track advise if your around on the weekend, check this place out.

www.canepa.com

My car club just got a tour of the place and it was pretty epic. The musem floor is typically only open on Saturdays

Here are some Crappy cell phone pics:

From Canapa Designs Tour

From Canapa Designs Tour

From Canapa Designs Tour

From Canapa Designs Tour

From Canapa Designs Tour

Just realized you are running with the NCRC/ARC club at Laguna. Have you run with them before? Any pics of your car (from say gotbluemilke.com)?

I've been running with them for about 4 years now, the past two in the race group in my little vintage FV. I won't be making Laguna, but might make Buttonwillow, and of course make all the Thunderhill events.

Chris H.

subrew wrote: Just realized you are running with the NCRC/ARC club at Laguna. Have you run with them before? Any pics of your car (from say gotbluemilke.com)? I've been running with them for about 4 years now, the past two in the race group in my little vintage FV. I won't be making Laguna, but might make Buttonwillow, and of course make all the Thunderhill events.

I have run with them once before. My girlfriend and I went to the Thunderhill event in February.

I had mixed feelings about how they ran the event, but not strong enough to judge after one event. Their novice program suffered a bit from not having enough instructors to go around. I won't avoid them for that, but would recommend other groups for first-timers.

They stuck at least one person in the intermediate session who had no right to be there. There was a guy in a 928 who had never driven on a track before. He had some other driving experience, but it was unrelated to track driving. He had no concept of line, and really didn't know how to handle traffic. I almost rear-ended him at 1, and he tried to point me by to the outside when entering 3.

Plus they ran the stupid bypass at 5.

We got some printed photos from that day, but no digital ones. Here's a link to what GotBlueMilk took of us (in the Miata, not the Mustang): http://gotbluemilk.com/web090213/10/index.html And here's a pick of my driving the car from a track day in January with Trackmasters: (Ah yes, I still have a freakishly long neck.)

I've got some video too, but it's too big to upload to photobucket.

I'm not a Laguna expert, but I did a lot of laps there a couple of weeks ago I don't have much video game time on the track, but I do remember that GT4 doesn't give you enough of an impression of elevation changes.

• turn 2. I'm of the opinion that there are two lines there, a double-apex "pass 'em under braking" line and a wider late late late apex one. I saw a big variety of lines there over the weekend, but the late apex one feels smoother and seems to be faster based on how I gained ground on the double-apex guys. But not by much, so I'd call them both viable.
• turn 6 is faster than you think. You shouldn't have to brake on good tires. Same with 4, don't even think of braking for this one.
• tuck in behind a Spec Miata for a lap or two. Not only do they know the fast way around, but with their highly audible exhausts, you'll find out what they're doing with the throttle . I was amazed at how soon I could get on the gas on the Corkscrew - basically, as soon as I turned right at the top I could get back on the gas full throttle.

^^^

Oh really? I figured I could probably do 4 without braking, maybe a bit of lift to help turn-in. But 6 without braking? Hmm... I was under the impression that was a downshift 4-3 turn.

I'm not surprised about getting on the gas early in the corkscrew. I'm good with the eagle's nest at Thunderhill (turn 5), and I have the car floored by the time I crest the top.

I'm going to have to find a Spec Miata driver and swap rides to see how they do it and get their feedback on what I'm doing.

I also did the Miata event at Laguna Seca and while I don't know enough to add to the driving tips, I can tell you that it is an AWESOME track. I can't wait to go back. You will have a blast!

Since no one else has said this...

You all suck.

I'll have to pull out my in car video for 6, but I know I wasn't downshifting. I've got more horsepower and more revs than a stock Miata which may make a difference. I'm not even sure what gear I was in - probably 4th. This is based on running RA1s and pretty good suspension. Come to think of it, I think the Spec I was following was braking on 6, so I might be making this up. Still, I remember thinking that it should be possible to do without braking, especially on a slower car. I can't remember if I did it or not.

Definitely don't brake for 4. Lift, probably, but not brake.

John Brown wrote: Since no one else has said this... You all suck.

Access to cool racetracks is one (among many) reasons that I left Lansing.

Continuing the discussion about Laguna Seca, I was lifting momentarily before entering turn 4. If I was running something grippier than the Bridgestone RE01R's I think I could have kept it down. I was braking slightly at turn 6 and using 4th gear up the hill. I have a stock 1.6 with the associated 4.30 ring and pinion. 4th was a little tall, but 3rd seemed a little too short. YMMV.

Type Q wrote: Access to cool racetracks is one (among many) reasons that I left Lansing. Continuing the discussion about Laguna Seca, I was lifting momentarily before entering turn 4. If I was running something grippier than the Bridgestone RE01R's I think I could have kept it down. I was braking slightly at turn 6 and using 4th gear up the hill. I have a stock 1.6 with the associated 4.30 ring and pinion. 4th was a little tall, but 3rd seemed a little too short. YMMV.

And access to cool tracks is why I like Sacramento. I like having two tracks close enough that I can get up and drive there the morning of an event. Oh, and I have friends who will let me crash with them in Monterey, so I don't have to pay for a hotel.

So, you held 4th going through 6th? Hmm... I'm gonna watch more videos of spec Miatas. I think I hear them downshift there. The 4.10 r&p might make the difference.

And the girlfriend has decided not to join me. She just got her 60day notice on Thursday, and plans to spend that weekend getting resumes and such in order.

Sounds like she could use a day to clear her head before diving into the mess that is the job market.

I talked to Janel last night. She says she was definitely doing 6 without braking. That's in a 2100 lb Miata with a 170-ish rwhp engine, so you'll be going slower when you get there but may not have as much traction. I'm pretty sure both of us were holding third up to and through 6, shifting to 4th on the way out. It helps to have an 8500 rpm redline for that though! I have to admit that I lose track of gearchanges on the track, they're unconscious.