New Zone 8 DE/TT at Pomona Fairplex Nov 19-20

[Cajundaddy]

It's close, it's attractively priced, and a very fun track. The DE run groups are open to novice drivers with no track experience and other (non-Porsche) cars that meet our safety rules are welcome. The TT is subject to Z8 experience requirements. This is a chance to put your lap time stamp on this historic venue and run the same track shared by Phil Hill and Carroll Shelby back in the 60s.
http://www.motorsportreg.com/index.cfm/ ... FB0910E709

Here is a video of SDR TT veteran Russell Shon demonstrating the racing line in his stealth Boxster:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFW_3WId ... e=youtu.be

[Mike]

I'm in for Saturday.

[Don Middleton]

I'm in for Saturday.

Interesting track, Mike. But, if you haven't been there, I would suggest you go with your sway bars set to the softest setting possible. And, if your shocks are adjustable, back them off some, too. There is one very rough/bumpy section where a stiff, track prepared suspension can be absolutely teeth rattling, to say the least.

[Mike]

I'm in for Saturday.

track prepared suspension can be absolutely teeth rattling, to say the least.

Thank you Don, I need to reconsider.
A few others that know my 911 (800/650 springs with 12/14 inch wide slicks) have just cautioned me too.
Btdt at the Q.
http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s39/TedDrake/?action=view&current=Spingplate.mp4

My car shines best on smooth sweepers.

The camera car in the Pomona video is soaking up the bumps and having fun.

[rshon]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFW_3WIdeTE&feature=youtu.be

The camera car in the Pomona video is soaking up the bumps and having fun.

If you watch the video closely, there are a few spots where you have to change your line so you can go straight across the bigger bumps/dips (rather than trying to absorb them while the car is cornering/side loaded), especially the big one right before the telephone pole leading to the back straight...

[Cajundaddy]

Yes there are a couple of bumpy sections. The track was resurfaced a few years ago and most of it is really nice. No big asphalt chunks coming loose. The big left sweeper is fantastic (ask Adam ). The exit from turn 1, and the entrance to the back straight have rollers that feel a bit like Sebring West. Learning how to work those sections does require talent. Loren Beggs ran that course in both his 900hp Frankencayman and his ALMS GT3 Challenge cup car and those cars are very stiff. He said it was bumpy in spots but he has seen much worse at other tracks. Running a softer setting on your car here is wise.

[pecivil]

I must have been doing something wrong last Nov cause the front of my car was so bouncy over those bumps I swear the front tires were off the ground at some point
but my suspension was set on fullhard. Those bumps have chased me away from that track.

[Cajundaddy]

Ok, I am sensing significant resistance to the high speed bump section in track prepared cars. (I don't like em much either in my street car)

Question: If we ran another configuration that eliminates the high speed bumps, would Fairplex be more interesting to you? It might mean we lose the tunnel as well but we ran a shortened southern section during NDEIT and that config. bypasses the high speed bumps. Looking forward to your input on this. We would like to use this facility for future DE/TTs because it is close and very reasonably priced track surface. If you Google earth "Pomona Fairplex, CA" you can see the other configuration. Lemme know your thoughts.

[Greg Trigeiro]

I ran this track in July, the full course with the tunnel. Stock suspension on my 996 was no problem. I did not hear from anyone else with complaints. That back straight is sure fast for such a short track. Make sure you have plenty of brake pads if your are going to run both days. Nice to have a gas station one block from the track.

[rshon]

Well, I don't think you need to cut out big parts of the track, just re-shape parts of it:

I would say that the left-hander at "pit out" behind the grandstands is the worst, as you want to get a good launch down the "front" straight, you are fully loading the right side of the car, and you are at full throttle. Maybe you could clip/cut the corner to avoid the depression in the pavement (but I don't know how far to the inside of the corner it goes; I tried taking it really tight a couple of times and it was only a little better).

There is a pot hole coming out of the slow-speed section onto the straight which runs along the K-rail parallel to the dragstrip, and the way the course was laid out, you HAD to hit the pot hole to not go wide and hit the cones (and tires) on the exit of the corner (see the video; nailed it every time). That corner could be re-shaped (or cold patched).

The hump coming out of the tunnel/bridge section is kind of fun. A lot of rear-engined cars where coming straight off of the hump and heading straight for the huge pile of "compost" off to the right of the course. Taking a little speed off before coming off the top is also an option...

The big dip right before the telephone pole leading onto the back straight gave you the choice of trying to take both a drop, and then a jump, while the right-side of the car was loaded, or, in my case, I decided to turn early, stay to the left, then straighten out before taking the dip so I could go through it faster, and then really put the hammer down with a shallow right turn towards the telephone pole(!) onto the back straight (see the video). You could move the cones over on the inside of this big left-hander so that it is a more obvious choice.

I know that the surface off-line has had less "cosmetic surgurey", as I developed an "issue" late in the day, and had to drive off of the course prematurely. Some of the infield surface reminds me of Tranquility Base...

If you really want to make me happy, get rid of the chicane 2/3 of the way down the back straight (but maybe you'll need tail-hook arrestors and catch fences at the next corner for the un-wise).

At any rate, I did have to soften-up my rear shocks to be able to drive this course without hopping the car out of the above-mentioned corners and down the straights (although I AM from L.A. ...)

[Cajundaddy]

Good news!
The PCA-GPX driving team went out to Pomona Fairplex this weekend and successfully charted a course around the worst of the bumps on the course. They added an esses section and were able to retain the run through the tunnel. YAY! So far it looks like a lot of room on the grid still so that means big seat time for small DE/TT $$. Who will be the TTOD at this inaugural PCA Zone 8 TT event???

Also Porsche Cars North America will be there with fresh 2012 Porsche models driven by pro Grand Am drivers offering a few hot laps in a new car on the track.
Register today if you want to be part of this event.

http://www.motorsportreg.com/index.cfm/ ... FB0910E709

[John Straub]

Looks like a fun track...and better than the Stadium surface with a good price. I may give this a try.

John

[John Straub]

Here's some photos of coming out from under the bridge. Old stuff from my blog.





John

[Don Middleton]

Here's some photos of coming out from under the bridge. Old stuff from my blog.

Nice, John. Dave likes to talk up the historic nature of the track. The pictures help make it real. Anyone got more pictures of Pomona's road racing history?

[Cajundaddy]

Here's some photos of coming out from under the bridge. Old stuff from my blog.





John

Nice pics John!