Tsukuba Time Trial in "Course 1000"

Tsukuba Circuit ,Ibaraki, in November 30th, 2000

Weather:Fair

Condition:Dry

Lap Time

- REPORT -

Anxious

Before joining this Time Trial, I sent an e-mail toTom Yoshidaof YRS.
"Can you tell me if I can join it with RVR ?"
Tom remembered that I had joined Okegawa , and responded me as below.
"If you join us with your RVR, we will have a special lesson in the room for T (that is my name)"
Then, I decided to join.

Out of Place

I had never been to Tsukuba. I arrived there so early. Unfortunately, I couldn't find any 24 hours restaurants, and drove around there. Through the just happened accident, I went to the circuit. When I put my car in the parking, I felt that such a car did not fit here! But..., I don't care.

Lesson in the Room

The traffic jam by the accident delayed starting the lesson in the room. In Okegawa, it had been taken with several papers as a short version, so I had never taken the lesson with 100 photos, which had much volume! Refer to "Text Book" in the web site of YRS about more details, but basically, he said that handling to let the most important tires work could drive the car safely and fast, and continuous actions of accelerating, braking, and steering"smoothly"could do that. This "smooth" actions were most important and difficult works we had to learn.

Special Lecture

I had a special lecture for RVR as his promise! I was so happy! Actually, it was done just for me, of 19 attendees. Here are the contents:

- To Drive a Tall Car Faster -

• In particular, smoothly handle on whole the procedure
• Sliding the tail makes slower and more dangerous
• Finish up braking before the turn

It was appreciated. I understood them, however, I did not remember clearly, but in Okegawa, I had been told to go to the turn with braking to decrease the under-steering when he had driven my RVR with me... OK, we have to update any information.

"Course 1000"

We had lunch just next to the course. I ate rice balls I had got at the convenience store. The program for the afternoon started from the explanation about the course, such as the entrance and the exit to and from the pit road, how to go to and out of the pit, signals, and so on, which were just important. But I was about to forget them by myhigh tension.
After the explanation, we went onto the course by our own cars. 19 cars were divided to 2 groups, and my car was one of group-A with 9 cars. First, we followed HONDA City that the stuff of YRS was driving to confirm the best line. It is one of the characters of "Course 1000" that it has a wide course so we can take one of lots of lines though it extends only about 1,000m (a half of "Course 2000") as its name. But I had never been to the course so it was so difficult even to recognize where I was! I was embarrassed, just different from Okegawa, although I had made a preparation by seeing the drawing of the course...

How to Be Overtaken

From this, takes had been done. 9 cars went onto the course at intervals. How fast they are! The car before me ran away soon, and then another car was just behind me. Also it was difficult for me to let the others overtake. We must not overtake during the turns as our rule. It was easier on the home straight, but on the other parts, they did not seem to get my intention. Especially, HONDA S2000 had been following me for a while. I was sorry for him! But it was not so bad that I was driving with care about my followers. It would be interesting if I had the ability and the car to block.

Rolling Start

Rolling start has been taken inCARTchampionship in the USA. We ran around the course once in 2 rows, which the car on the pole position led with its own pace. Once going back to the start line and green-flagged, starting all at once! was supposed, but we could not do so well. The rows were ruffled and each car started in order after the green flag. But I want to try again.

Black Flag

I got the black flag once. The flagged car had to go into the pit immediately. What I got was arolled black flag, which meant that I had been driving dangerously so I would have to go into the pit if I did so at the next round. My car had not been balanced by my too seriously driving to follow the others because I had been overtaken too many times and I did not get so fun.
The results are... just for your imagination. I think it makes no sense in comparing with others. But actually, I could get faster in each session.

Anyway, this is the one that lets me want to drive faster and to join again.