GT350 Track Day! First time at Thompson Speedway with POV Footage

[Optimum Performance]

Palmer is pretty close to me. How does it compare to Thompson in terms of the overall experience?

Thompson is equivalent to Wachusetts Bunny Hill.

Palmer is an experience. Huge elevation changes and massive speed.

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[Lightningblue5]

Thompson is equivalent to Wachusetts Bunny Hill.

Palmer is an experience. Huge elevation changes and massive speed.

From all the footage I’ve seen of Palmer, it looks pretty wild. It reminds me of Sonoma Raceway in California with the elevation changes.

 

[Optimum Performance]

From all the footage I’ve seen of Palmer, it looks pretty wild. It reminds me of Sonoma Raceway in California with the elevation changes.

Yes, the designer tried to take advantage of the landscape. There was a section of flat track I carried so much speed (90mph) a stock S550 drifted 4 wheels and if it went bad it was pine trees. Lots of fun.

 

[Lightningblue5]

More footage from that day.

 

[Blue 350]

Always wondered if you guys that do track days does your neck get tired with the high Gs and a helmet ? I’ve never done a track day but one day I’d like to .

 

[Lightningblue5]

Always wondered if you guys that do track days does your neck get tired with the high Gs and a helmet ? I’ve never done a track day but one day I’d like to .

In my experience, it’s not a big deal. A street car on street tires isn’t going to pull as many G’s as a race car. I also came from karting which put me under a higher G load.

 

[16RPG_Turbo]

I raced on a 2.2mi circuit track when I was stationed in Japan. I had only ever drag/street raced prior to that. Drifting, while fun to watch, wasn't my thing. So I gave it a try, and man I WAS HOOKED!

I was working two jobs to build the car and get on the track. I ended up with a 3rd place win in the amateur bracket my first time out and was on the podium with the podium girls cheesing like a MF'er....

I ended up with a 1st place win as well, but I wasn't super happy about it as most of the field had broken down during the race, which made it feel less satisfying. My tuner told me that it's not just about being a fast driver; it's also about building a car that can withstand all that abuse.

Good to see your video and the fun you're having!

 

[MNINBLK]

Looks like a great time and kudos for having a manual but it's too subdued. It's a mustang, you should be wagging the tail out when you exit some of those turns. At least that's how I drive at the track.

Great way to end up in the blue bushes after you use up your 2 feet of available runoff....

 

[Lightningblue5]

Great way to end up in the blue bushes after you use up your 2 feet of available runoff....

The lack of run off and grass made me extra cautious. Grass isn’t going to stop anything in time.

 

[mavisky]

The lack of run off and grass made me extra cautious. Grass isn’t going to stop anything in time.

Grass is just green ice.

 

[Lightningblue5]

Grass is just green ice.

Exactly.

 

[Optimum Performance]

In my experience, it’s not a big deal. A street car on street tires isn’t going to pull as many G’s as a race car. I also came from karting which put me under a higher G load.

Came here to say that, my knees take a beating holding me in the seat at tracks like Thompson.

 

[PsychoPete]

Let's see some of those videos of you "wagging the tail out" at the track.

The last thing I would want as an instructor with a first time student is them aggressively crossing over the traction threshold on their first track day at an unfamiliar track.

That's an odd comment to make, as if 'wagging the tail' is unusual with these cars. I find it difficult to not step the back end out. Don't be jealous just because I know how to drive the car properly. I've been getting sideways in cars since I was a teenager.

I don't know to film a trackday session but I'll figure it out and provide some footage of it.

 

[mavisky]

That's an odd comment to make, as if 'wagging the tail' is unusual with these cars. I find it difficult to not step the back end out. Don't be jealous just because I know how to drive the car properly. I've been getting sideways in cars since I was a teenager.

I don't know to film a trackday session but I'll figure it out and provide some footage of it.

I'll be waiting.

It's one thing to cross over the traction threshold while pushing 10/10ths in a competition setting. I've done it (last weekend below), but even then it's slower than not doing it. Wagging the tail just loses you tread depth and time.

"Wagging the tail" at corner exit as a novice driver while an instructor is in your car on an HPDE day is well outside of normal and would likely get you removed from the event. Critiquing a novice driver with an instructor in his vehicle for not "wagging the tail" and calling his video boring is a far stranger comment to make.

 

[Lightningblue5]

I don’t have the Recaro seats so it was harder to stay planted in these seats. Overall though it wasn’t as bad as some other tracks that have long and fast sweeping corners.

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