sminfi01.txt
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Sears Point / Infineon in Spec Miata

I last drove Infineon before I found out that the Miata will rev as
high as it will. Some of my shift points may be lower than they need
to be.

for reference see: http://red4est.red4est.com/pdapi/searspt.html for
notes on old version of track.

Turn 1:

Work on not scrubbing any speed off that don't need to.
Apex at wall, go out across track.
Keep throttle WFO.
When track steepens, can use that for turning in for lining up on berm
for entrance of two.

Turn 2:

The flagger in the grandstands is nearly invisible.
Downshift to 3rd for entrance.
Light braking.
I need consistency in amount of braking going in to turn 2.
Can't carry enough speed to just leave it in fourth. Since the engine
revs higher than I thought, no advantage.
I was grabbing fourth before 3.
Every  so often I go through 2 with just enough speed that I drift out
to edge of track.
late in day, put a strip of tape across top of visor to use as a
sunshade.
What part of grandstand to aim for going over top of hill?

Turn 3(l) - 3A(r):
I like to go deeper on exit of 2 so can get a straight line to the
entrance of 3.
Maybe lift or a light (left foot?) brake at turndown at bottom of
hill. 
Apex is berm on left where it straightens out. 
Follow the berm for a beat, at a slight angle.
About two car lengths after the apex of turn 3, your left front tire
should be about six inches from the left hand side of the track.
My line at the top is sloppy, that probably means that I'm not lining
up on the berm on the left and turning in properly.
Probably want to keep car in third through here.

Turn 4:
Look through turn.
I have  tendancy to apex 4 a bit early throwing me out to the berm.
Take turn 4 in third.
Turn 4 requires slow in to go fast out.
You must be going slow enough that you can do a fast turndown.
Aim for a late enough apex that you can be hard on the gas (flat?)
before the exit and still not fall off the outside edge of the track.


Turn 5:
Apex 5 to minimize scrubbing off speed. 
Come about 2/3 of way to left of track. 
Aim at snack shack.

Turn 6-6A:
Wait until top of hill going into 6 to brake.
Finish braking before turndown.
I like to brake in a straight line and turn in just before the
marbles. 
I hang out at the outside so I can get a good dive at the apex and
exit.
As long as you get to the apex, your entrance is not very critical,
this is a prime opportunity for passing, preferably on the left.
Don't fight the car, it just scrubs off speed.
The key to the carousel is getting full on the gas as early as you
can, and still stay on the track at the exit.
The weight at the bottom of the hill will help you stay on the track.

Turn 7:
Go down to 2nd.
Shift to 3rd before "2nd Apex".
Look ahead/through turn on braking.
What is braking point?
When I workd on the braking point I was locking up the left front
wheel.
I need to work on the defensive line going into 7.
I've been concentrating more on making the second apex so that I've
got a faster run down into 8.

Turn 8: (& esses in general)
Can nearly do esses flat.
Brain says yes, foot says no.
Seem to need to lift when going fast to get enough grip to turn car-
later in esses.
Maybe adjust suspension for more grip in front?
I traditionally apexed later than I needed through the esses (The
Bondurant line). 
People traditionally totalled their cars by apexing too early, early
in the esses.
Let the car settle on the "straights" between turns. 
The "softer" the shocks, the more settling will be needed.

Turn 9:

Good speed coming out of 8A will send you to left side of track going
into 9.
Minimize scrub and work on getting a good line going into 10.

Turn 10:
Work on left foot braking in 10.
A light stroke of the brakes with the left foot when lined up straight
at the left berm on entrace.
My speed wasn't quite carrying me to the outside edge of the track.
Need to look ahead and concentrate on apex and exit.
Hard for me to consistently slow just enough with left foot braking.
It feels weird coming off of brake with the gas floord. It's a
different sort of weight shift than just gassing it.

Turn 11:
I keep blowing it when I try to go fast.
I think I turn down too agressively and wash out the front end.
My apex may also be wrong.
Apex at penultimate tire stack?
Was "needing" to grab third before the exit.

Turn 12:
Can't still do turn 12 and 1 as a single curve. Minimize scrubbing off
speed. Don't forget to shift to fourth or will hit revlimiter near
S/F.