First SCCA Race at NJMP

[Chris Humphrey]

I was at a local race parts store here in Warminster, PA(A-1 Racing) buying new roll bar padding and the guy working informed me that they have a new law in NJ requiring the use of the SFI rated high density padding for all race cars racing in NJ.

Can anyone confirm this?

[wdether]

I was at a local race parts store here in Warminster, PA(A-1 Racing) buying new roll bar padding and the guy working informed me that they have a new law in NJ requiring the use of the SFI rated high density padding for all race cars racing in NJ.

Can anyone confirm this?

The regulations governing motor vehicle racing in New Jersey is covered under New Jersey Administrative Code (NJAC) Title 13 (Law and Public Safety) Chapter 62 (Motor Vehicle Race Track Rules) and can be found at: http://www.njsp.org/info/pdf/racing_regulations.pdf. I am not aware of any recent rule updates.

Road racing is covered under Subchapter 3 (Safety Requirements for Vehicles and Personnel: Road Racing and High Performance Driving Schools). Each type of racing (oval, drag racing, etc.) has its own subchapter.

After a quick glance through the rule, I could not find any reference to a requirement for SFI rollbar padding. Of course this is unofficial, and every driver is responsible for meeting the requirements of the rule (official disclaimer). I strongly suggest/urge everyone look through the rules since they apply to all. A section of the rule to remember is:

§ 13:62-3.9 Inspection of vehicles
(a) Vehicles participating in an event by a sanctioning
organization must meet all technical guidelines set forth by
that organization.
(b) Any vehicles to be used in a race or other type of
driving event are subject to unannounced inspection and approval
at any time, for compliance with this chapter, by the

Superintendent or designee.

This requirement is mentioned in the Supps in item 16, which of course everyone reads before the race.

[erlrich]

But, if I choose this option of bringing a check with me to registration, how am I affected by the "not complete or guaranteed" clause, and if cancel my registration am I still subject to a cancellation fee? And how would you collect it?

I'm not sure about SJR, but I can tell you that for the DC Region events if you register and choose to pay at the track with a check DLB does not even recognize your registration. I don't know for certain, but I take that to mean that neither your entry nor your car number are reserved, and if someone chooses to come in after you and pay at the time of registration they could take both your number and, in the case of a full field, you slot. The end result is that you have a shitload of racers who, rather than register early and pay at the track, wait until the last day to register, which IMO sorta defeats the purpose of early registration. But since we've used DLB in the DC region for as long as I can remember I guess we've gotten used to it.

One thing the DC Region does which SNJ apparently has chosen not to, is to allow you to cancel any time before Friday evening (I believe the cutoff is like 5pm?) the weekend of the event without paying a cancellation fee. And even then, if you come to the track and register, and then withdraw, there is no cancellation fee.

[Andy Bettencourt]

Can the DLB 'owners' program in a 'pay at track' option like on the NESCCA site? To me, it's the only beef I would have.

We have know all along that NJMP was going to be an expensive venue. See my comments in man of the 'screw LRP' threads started by others.



AB

[jjjanos]

Twelve days out and only 97 cars entered so far...

Inquiring minds want to know whether this thing is going to happen with so few cars and, if we run with so few...

what are the possibilities of adding extra sessions (either gratis or at a fee)?

Cars are already there and a huge part of the cost is the tow/hotel/food/leave time...

[Brian Holtz]

I was there on 6/28 performing the track review for SCCA. You guys really need to sign up for this event. The track is very nice. Fast and smooth with lots of runoff room, no gravel traps, excellent tire walls, just in case. Plenty of paddock space. South Jersey Region is working hard tio make this first event a good one. Don't miss it!

[Andy Bettencourt]

Is it possible there are a lot of paper entries? 106 as of now...

[erlrich]

Just to correct my earlier post - apparently for this event DLB does acknowledge your registration if you opt for payment by check. I just registered, and my entry does show up on the list. So if you're planning on going, and want to reserve your car number I would say sign up now.

[andrew240z]

We are trying to get as many entries as we can for this race, a good turnout is important for the region. We have a rental bmw 87 325is(spec e30 prep level) available for the weekend. Special rate applies for this weekend only, arrive and drive. email with questions or call [email protected]

www.drive-gear.com

[Tigaman]

The braking zone for T1 on the pit straight rises gently at the end, compressing braking and working the car's suspension well. Wait until you feel the compression on the straight before actuating the brakes.

Decisively turn in for T1 and know that the uphill entry allows more mechanical grip than you might expect. At turn in, apply 10-30% power and add steering input as the road rises, with the goal of touching the first half of the curb with your right front, getting the wheel as straight as you can as the car lightens at the crest. Make sure the car tracks all the way to the left curb and is parallel with it at the exit. Foot down!

Breathe or brush brakes and bend the car through the fast right T3 under power, touching as much of the curb as possible and allowing the car to slide out driver's left to create a straight line braking zone on a diagonal from the right to the left, setting up for the tighter right turn T4. Braking is at least as heavy here as it is for T1, so brake hard in a shorter distance rather than gentler, longer. You should not be close to the beginning of the apex curb for T4, if anything the apex is at the very end of the curb. Good place for brake-turning to make the car do more of the work.

The exit of T4 is sacrificed to position the car properly for the entry to the quicker left T5. The car should never be positioned further than one third track width from the right edge of the road in the short straight between T4 and T5.

This next left, T5, is more open than T4 and your goal is to optimize exit speed from T5 for the straight run up to the challenging uphill cresting T6. Be sure you use ALL of the road at the exit of T5 on the right for the earliest possible throttle application. Get out to the curb and drive around the gentle right sweep, touching the right hand curbing for it's full length and afterwards, progressing on a diagonal from the right side curbing to the left aiming for the curbing on the left side marking the turn-in for the entry of T6.

If you are successful getting all the way to the left on the flat and the gentle rise leading up to the curbing on the left, brake less than you think you ought to and turn in decisively deeper, towards the end of the pavement and not before, touching most of the inside right hand apex curbing for T6. As the road rises, add steering input to orient the car for a tighter exit so it may slide across the face of the crest and track out gently to the exit curb as you release steering. The track width is greater at the exit than at the entry, so USE it.

Often in T7, especially in smaller, less powerful and lighter cars, it is not necessary to track out full track left through the long right sweeper leading up to the bridge. Be careful in a big, heavy and more powerful car touching the right side inside curbing too soon as that will require more steering input longer through the sweeper and will prevent getting the car straight for the most effective braking for T8. In a smaller, lighter car, just hug the right curb and as soon as the car is straight, brake hard for the third time in the lap. Use the bridge as your permanent landmark to initiate braking before or at.

For T8, most cars drop one too many gears here. There is some superelevation (banking) present and the exit is more open than you think, so try and preserve good speed through T8. Avoid the temptation to "crab in" and under no circumstances touch the apex curbing at T8 before the middle with your left front wheel. This is the most common "early apex" of the course. T8 is a very important turn because the straight leading through the gentle left bend T9 is of significant length. Make sure you track out all the way to the last three quarters of the exit curb at T8 and bend the car to the left gently and over the crest at T9 on the left edge of the road, aiming at the left end of the soundproofing wall. You will need to shift up and back down for T10, Lightbulb.

For Lightbulb, the most important and valuable knowledge is that the track is banked as much as 15 degrees throughout this long, long "carousel" turn, with the curbing at the bottom two-thirds to three-quarters of the way through being the place to place the car closest to the bottom. It's best to enter "high" and progress from the outer three-quarters of the width of the track at the beginning to halfway slightly more than halfway through and place the right front tire against the last half of the curbing, tracking out and "releasing" the car all the way drivers left at the exit.

As the car sweeps gently to the right, make certain that you position the car far right over the last blind crest on the lap to allow any pavement change not to upset the car. Allow the car to track left as you proceed over the crest and down the pit straight, lining up on the left for another approach to T1. That's a "Hot Lap" of the new NJMP Lightning Raceway!

-Courtesy Krause & Associates LLC-

[benspeed]

Thanks Tigaman - Printing this out and bringing with me.

[Terry Hanushek]

Only one week to go until SCCA road racing returns to New Jersey for the first time in over 40 years. The Inaugural Lightning Challenge regional races will be held on the NJMP Lightning Course on 19-20 July. Enter now to become part of this historic event - you will never get a second chance to enter the first race.

Since there are three separate NEDiv events on the weekend before the Lightning Challenge, the South Jersey Region has decided to eliminate the late registration fee for anyone using our online registration.

Peter, thanks for the video and the tutorial - great stuff

Hope to see you there


Terry Hanushek
South Jersey Region

[Greg Amy]

I'm in, for both ITS and DP.

Note that if you also entered DP, you'd get some pretty good additional track time for less cost than the test day, in advance of your "regular" group, now there's no late fee, and you can pay at the gate...

Hey, just sayin'...

GA

[andrew240z]

I just got back home from running the enduro with Emra. The track is fast and fun, and the facilities are good. There was a lot of food vendors and tons of beer vendors too . the paddock is big and their are a lot of power hookups. I think its important to come out and support this event. We need to focus on the bigger picture and not worry about the small stuff. This is SJ's first event and there is bound to be some hiccups and we should understand and try to help however we can. The important part is that we have a great facility here and its going to serve us well for a long time.......

[JamesB]

I wont be racing as the budget is set for the year and I cannot push myself over it. But john did convince me to come up and work EV.

[hunter164]

We are heading down from New Hampshire with the BB Racing Miata so Brandon can continue the trek to the top. We have an empty spot in the trailer right now so if anyone is interested in hitching a ride down in an enclosed trailer let us know. $375 gets you there if you are interested, shoot me an email greg at bbracingusa dot com.

[JLawton]

Coming out of the "Light Bulb" (??) on to the main straight, there seems to be a kink in the track where the natural line takes you back across the track, like Lime Rock's back straight. I see potential problems with a faster car trying to stick their nose in trying to make the pass to the inside and having the slower car not see it coming.

Were there any problems with this at any of the other events?

[monsterbronco]

Any ITS Rx7s need someone to help out for the weekend?

I have a semi built to rules 91 that i would like to start racing in a few years in the northeast and would like to get out to meet some of you guys. shoot me a message.

[dazzlesa]

leaving from nyc. when is a good time to drive down? friday afternoon? sat am? i know alot of people go towards the beaches.

[Andy Bettencourt]

Any ITS Rx7s need someone to help out for the weekend?

I have a semi built to rules 91 that i would like to start racing in a few years in the northeast and would like to get out to meet some of you guys. shoot me a message.

Find the Flatout paddock...you might see some stuff you like!