Transitions at Nashville

[pballance]

I have been asked by several people about the transitions from the oval to the road course at Nashville. I have attached a video from last year that will illustrate the transition. FWIW, I stay low on the banking and that appears to be faster for me. I am not so fast and make plenty of mistakes but I had 1 and 2 finishes last year. YMMV.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKJFSwWdQZ0

Here is one from a DSR lasts month that I think set a new track record:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFBPqYCyVks&feature=channel_page

[Cobrar05]

You are suggesting we all run on the apron of the race track? :blink:

[JeffYoung]

It's ok to run the apron there, no grip issues.

The transitions are manageable, but if you do them wrong you can really hurt the car. I destroyed a ball joint and cracked an intake manifold fitting (the strut bar flexed and hit it) there.

It's not just the transition off the banking into 1 that is a problem though (it can be, but it is pretty manageable). There is a series of left/rights right before the entrance to the back straight that have brutal curbing, and the chicane on teh back straight is rough if you do it wrong as well.

[pballance]

Actually the apron is the shortest distance around the track :)

But, no I am not suggesting running the apron but you can use the apron for passing w/o any issues.

I think most of the people that have issues with the transition are going too deep on the banking before turning in towards turn 1. The area I am talking about is the arc you have to drive before you get to 1. I don't know what to call the area, when I worked the track we called the flag station near there Alpha.

Now the gators at the exit of the infield onto the back straight are a different matter. Please correct me if I am wrong, gators, rumble strips, whatever are put there to provide an incentive to drivers to keep their car on track not provide additional racing surface. Yes, I know many places you can drive right over a rumble strip w/o any consequence and it makes for a faster corner. At NSS, you will pay a price for getting too far onto the strips. I know I ripped a brake duct off last year but it was my fault.

Rob, Come on over and have fun with us. The track may not be as challenging as Barber, CMP, RA, etc but it is fun and the hospitality is great!!

[Cobrar05]

My nieces are in a dance competition in Gatlinburg that weekend. So, I am booked.

I have to say, though, that track sounds brutal. Daytona and Lowe's configure a road race course that runs the banking thru at least one end which cuts down on the number of required transitions.

That might be an idea.

[TomL]

Really, the transitions aren't that bad. Not much worse than Daytona (which are nowadays essentially nonexistent) and definitlely better than Charlotte/Lowes or Rockingham used to be. The curbing on driver's right as you go back up on the back straight is excessive, but the answer is just to stay off that curbing.

For your car, I'm sure the biggest drawback is the sloooow sections in the infield instead of the roughness of the track. It's not my favorite track, but I've run it every year and have always enjoyed a good, relaxed, friendly weekend.

[cfullgraf]

The transitions at Nashville are very manageable but note that the fast way around the track may not be the "classic best technical" line because of the transitions.

The Nashville staff likes their grass (it is hard to keep it growing in the infield), hence some pretty aggressive curbs in some areas. Several years ago before the curbs were installed, the staff commented after one of the first SCCA races at Nashville that no other road course users used the track edges as aggressively as the SCCA bunch. So, you just don't use the curbs in those areas. Before the curbs, the track edges weren't very forgiving on wheels if hit the wrong way.

The track keeps you busy. Not much time to relax and think before the next corner. The track is pretty car friendly, except for the transitions as noted. Virtually all of the bent sheet metal, from an SCCA point of view, at Nashville has been from car-to-car, not car-to-concrete.

The track is a great spectator place. From the infield, you can see much of the track and we have access to the grand stands and tower where you can see the entire track.

It is a great, relaxing weekend of racing so come join us.

[tom_sprecher]

The last time I was there I enjoyed the track, but it really chewed my tires mainly becuase I did not know what I was doing and wrestling it too much in the turns. The transitions would bottom the rear of my car.

I did not go last year and will not make it this year as well. It's relatively close, but lack of $$$ is limiting the number of races I can run and keeping me local this year.

[ITA_Rx3]

the only really bad transition i noticed in the miata was coming from close to the wall on the back straight and trying to dive into the bus stop.

Turn 1 transition is not hard if you get on the apron early, or stick it out till the cones.

other then that, the garages are amazing, the facilities are always clean, and the track is easy to drive fast becuase there is plenty of run off room which adds some confidence.

[frnkhous]

the bus stop area I don't really see the need to dive down into, the left hander is faster than the right, get on the apron early and smooth it out.(not all the way down, more like the dsr video) This if from memory about 4-5 years ago before the curbs. I was not racing so I may feel differently when I get to the track. But from memory you don't really give much up to get down early, only place it might be an issue is exiting onto the back straight. I'll have to see if I feel Like I can stay down and slowly come up onto track at that point. I don't think the dsr line would be slower in a fendered car and you won't complain about transistions.

[Tom Donnelly]

lack of $$$ is limiting the number of races I can run and keeping me local this year.


Me too.