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Lynn77
06-05-2004, 10:39 PM
I have registered for the June Jam at Lowe's, but have never driven the race track. This is my 1st year in SCCA. I have been searching for some type of track discription and possibly some guidence on what to lookout for, but can't seem to find any information. Does anyone have any track experience there that they would be willing to share or know of a web site that offers up some details of the track and what to look out for.

JeffYoung
06-05-2004, 10:48 PM
Lynn, same here. First time at Lowe's. There's got to be some video out there of a lap in an IT car. I've heard from others that it's about 3/4 of the NASCAR oval, with one hard braking zone into turn one, and then a few winding turns through the infield and then back out onto the oval.

But I'd like to see a vid.

Jeff

slickS14
06-06-2004, 01:17 AM
Charlotte is a pretty fast track especially entering nascar 3 and exiting 4 towards start finish so please watch your mirrors for faster cars overtaking you because the closing speeds are very quick. Turn 1 braking and turn in are critical because at the exit of 1 is a concrete barrier drivers right. Theres an uphill/down hill combo in the infeild thats tricky and the exit of the infield back onto the oval is flat or even off camber and the car can push on exit and slide up into the wall. Thats the best I can offer without video or a map, good luck.

Parrish57
06-06-2004, 11:03 AM
Jeff... I've got a lot of video of Lowes. Unfortunatly it's all VHS. I don't have a way to post it yet. Give me a call and I'll try to get it to you by mail. If you have some way to convert it feel free to post it online.

Steve

ITS 57

803-327-9157

Parrish57
06-06-2004, 11:29 AM
Lynn, Jeff... slickS14 is right. It's a very fast track. Turn 1 is the most common place for screw ups. If you over drive the entrance the back of the car will be too light, you'll spin and hit the wall. The only track map I could find is at www.na-motorsports.com/Tracks/Lowes.php (http://www.na-motorsports.com/Tracks/Lowes.php) The numbers on the corners are not the same as what the SCCA uses. Turn 5 on the map is turn 1, 6 is 2, 7 and 8 are turns 3a and 3b, 9 10 11 12 are 4 5 6 7. Most people just refer to the banking by its NASCAR terms of 1 2 3 and 4.

I hope this helps!

Steve

jrmock
06-07-2004, 11:37 AM
The exit from the infield can be quite a jolt, keep the car pointed left.

The combination of the radius, and the banking makes the NASCAR turns VERY INTERSTING. In closed top cars, you will find that you cannot see very far ahead. All I saw was asphalt and white stripes filling up the windshield. Scan the banking BEFORE you get there.

JM

handfulz28
06-08-2004, 11:59 AM
If they still have the Friday test-day and you can make that, that'll help.
I ran there a few years ago, as a first-timer too.
Turn 1 I didn't find that intimidating, but you have to keep in mind you can't do anything crazy there.
I think the worst spot is the last (left) turn in the infield, before you pass through the fence to merge back on to the NASCAR track. If you push wide at track out, you carry a lot of speed onto a dirt surface that you won't be able to recover from. You'll plow right into the tire barrier. I saw at least 3 cars trailered home BEFORE race day because of that area.
After you pass through the fence there's a pretty rough transition to the banking. I think once you figure it out, you can wait a bit before you blend up there.
At the time, I was driving a car that still had the ECU speed limiter (118mph-Indicated). I think it kicked in twice down the back stretch. But even at that speed, NASCAR 1-2 was right on the edge for us. And our handling was such that I'd catch cars in the banking.
I hope this helps, be safe and have fun.
Michael

eh_tony!!!
06-08-2004, 11:57 PM
The key to the turn 5 transition is to stay low (on the apron). In all honesty, if you are pushing up the banking too soon (thus the "bang!!!!" transition), you are probably apexing too early.

Hitting the transition too hard can send you directly into the upper banking wall.

Try apexing later (just after the retaining wall)and staying down on the apron. You should almost have to drive the car onto the banking rather than sliding out onto it.

Also, Don't know what class your in, but....

Turn 4a (right at end of short chute) takes much less braking than you first think. The uphill transition into 4b is where max braking is. The top of 4B (cresting the hill) can get slippery, so best to do most of your turning before the crest and square off 4B. Then it's a straight shot to 5 and you're not unsettled.



[This message has been edited by eh_tony!!! (edited June 09, 2004).]

Lynn77
06-11-2004, 09:42 PM
Thanks for all the help! I am not sure I understand the numbering system for the SCCA track corners, but the areas of concern are well noted.

manny
06-13-2004, 06:10 AM
how does lowe's compare with daytona?

jrmock
06-15-2004, 08:57 AM
Charlotte and Daytona are similar is layout. However, Daytona is flat on the infield, Charlotte has a small hill. The transition from infield to banking is about the same. Daytona's banking is steeper, but I'm not sure you can tell a real difference. On the banking at Daytona you can see much further ahead, almost all the way around the corner. Daytona seemed to be narrower than Charlotte.
They're the same but different!

http://Forum.ImprovedTouring.com/it/smile.gif
JM

handfulz28
06-15-2004, 11:08 AM
Lowes is much smaller than Daytona. It's been a long time, but I remember thinking you could fit the entire Lowes complex within Daytona's infield.
And I think the banking is pretty close (32-34 degrees?). But Lowes has a much smaller radius in the turns.
You can get really lonely at Daytona, but Lowes only gives you a small break (backstretch).
I feel Lowes is the narrow track, at least on the infield.

Parrish57
06-21-2004, 09:03 AM
Well Lynn, what do you think of Lowes? I know I had a blast! I finished 3rd in the Carolina Cup Pro Series and my brother was runing 4th in the SARRC when he spun in turn 1. He recovered nicely to finish 5th in ITS. Our ECR was terrible because of junk tires. I assume that was you with the door caved in after the ECR. Tell us all about it!
Jeff, while we're at it why don't you share your thoughts about your first time at Lowes?!
Steve Parrish
57 ITS

m glassburner
06-21-2004, 01:19 PM
I believe charlotte is 24 degrees while daytona is closer to 31...most of the cookie cutter 1.5 quad ovals are similar...

tbtapper
06-21-2004, 02:33 PM
It was my first time at Lowes this weekend.
Had a great time. My "first" race also. I ran the SARRC. ITS no 9 G2 RX7.

Had a great race with an attractive lady in another 7.

Hope I didn't PO any one with my slow speed. Remember we all were beginners once.

Pretty bumpy track but fun never the less. Banking was a little intimidating but I guess you can pretty much just hold your foot in it the whole way. Maybe next time.

Welcome relief to be free of the SM crowd. I don't care for that level of intensity. The IT crowd is well mannered and predictable.

Looking forward to RA in July I think.

tbtapper
ITS RX7 no9 Purple/Red/White

RX7Susie
06-21-2004, 03:36 PM
Hey No.9! Thanks for a great SARRC race yesterday! It was the first time in a while I've come off the track with a big smile on my face. You took the checker and you deserved it! I was worried your car had bad problems when you stopped in the infield. I'm glad everything is ok and I'll be racing you again soon! See you at the double at Rd Atl in Sept? If you have AOL IM my user id is - rx7susie

Susie Q ITS #30 RX-7
"Tweety" yellow

JeffYoung
06-21-2004, 04:33 PM
Susie, first an apology -- I was in the green Triumph that almost spun in front of you twice on the first two laps of the SARRC. I went out with older tires on the rear than I should have. Didn't mean to get that crossed up in front of you and parked it when I realized the car was dangerous.

Steve, I had fun. Looking forward to next year. I had some braking issues, had those crap Avons on the car, and the driver just couldn't hold it wide open in the banking, but it's a fun place. I'm pretty sure those crazy spring rates I run have toasted teh front shocks, and the car REALLY did not like the bumps. I want to come back with the equipment at 100%, and hopefully be more confident out there both in the car and my knowledge of the track.

I did watch the last 1/2 of the SARRC race, Bryan put on a great show with the #44 Porsche, and the #9 and the #36 were racing hard too.

Not sure who made the comment, but amen brother on the Miatas. ITS/ITA/IT7 is a great run group. Mixing it up with the SMs and SRFs in Cup is a bit hairy sometimes.

That said, me and a buddy are building an SM for the 13 Hour Enduro at VIR.........

Jeff
#44 (or 41) TR8

Parrish57
06-22-2004, 11:00 AM
Yeah, Jeff, I understand your point about the SFR and SM intensity level but that is more of an individual driver thing than a class distinction. I had a great race with a SRF in the Carolina Cup. We swapped the position a dozen times and it was very clean. Are you running the last CCPS at VIR in August?
Suzie- Are you talking about the Double SARRC / Pro IT at Atlanta Motor Speedway in September? That looks like a fun one! I understand the SCCA hasn't been there for some time.

Steve 57 ITS

JeffYoung
06-22-2004, 11:13 AM
I am going to run that last CCPS...it's VIR, so I might actually get to race with you guys....laughing.

I don't mind the intensity of the SM and SRF drivers, and most of them are clean and fast. It's really just a car size issue and place on track/speed differential issue. They are harder to track in the mirrors, and pass in different places than ITS/ITA/IT7 cars. It can make for a hectic CCPS, especially like the first one this year at VIR that had 70 cars.

Is the September Atlanta double at AMS? I didn't realize that. I might have to try that one -- I assume it will be a lot like Charlotte.

Rick_htm
06-22-2004, 04:17 PM
I think everyone in the IT ranks did very well. I was in the lime green ITS RX-7 for the CCPS race saturday. I only had one instance when a slower class car caught me off guard. That's not bad for the tight infield section and high closing rates on the banking. I sat in the stands Sunday to take in the races, and believe me the IT crowd puts on a much better show than the other race groups.

Russ Myers
06-22-2004, 08:30 PM
I'm not a fan of the S&M crowd. One of them mugged me half a lap out of grid. I guess he was just real intent on winning the UNTIMED saturday practice session.

Russ

Lynn77
06-22-2004, 11:39 PM
My crew and I had a great weekend!! I can't say enough about the high speed on the NASCAR track, it was a thrill every second. But the in field is sure bumpy in spots. After running the SARRC race I started to get my confidence up while running the ECR. I took Turn 1 a little to fast and spun out stopping in the middle of turn 1 side ways. Before I could get it restarted a SM hit me broad side. I am still not sure who it was, but the SOM told me the driver was okay. Damage to my car is only the door and front fender, so I plan to be ready by August at CMP