june 14 is actually 75% vancouver drivers.. :lol

specifically, 75% asian and from vancouver :lol

I am pretty sure slowguy drives a red FD. :suspicious:

i would never own a red FD, those things are brutal

^
Last time I saw you, you were rolling in one, you fucking troll! :mad:

Who's driving down Sunday late afternoon/evening to Shelton?

Last year when I went down to Ridge I had a hard time explaining to the border guard what I was doing in Shelton, I don't think she was familiar with the track day concept. So this year I spent a bit of time thinking about what I was gonna tell them to not come off as shifty or uncertain. Big difference is that this time around I have a Nexus and this was my experience,

The last time I went, the moment I told the US border officer I was going to Shelton, he exclaimed "Ah, going to the race track!", and he just waved me through.

But damn... your Nexus experience is pretty nice.

can you leave any earlier? we got about a 5 man cruise going down Sunday 10am, you're more than welcome to drive down with us

I would but my family is visiting so trying to extend the time with them this weekend as long as possible. Thanks though.

would you pass someone on a non passing zone??car infront just pull over to the side.

had an awesome time at the ridge this weekend

broke my own pr by 5 seconds - running at 1:56.6 :woot2:

improved my turn 1,2,3,4 following boatcaptain

huge thanks to RS sponsor The Speed Syndicate for the endless amount of help on and off the track

https://scontent-a-pao.xx.fbcdn.net/...76915695_n.jpg

Went to this Asians from Vancouver June 14th track day with my essentially stock Fiesta ST with 3300kms when I left Vancouver.

Overall impression of the car is IT NEEDS TIRES... BADLY, the stock tires were unbearable by the end of the day and I left early because of it. The brakes are also pretty meh, I found myself braking way earlier than most and still having to turn in later and sloppier than I would have wanted. I'm not sure whether it's a pad issue or fluid issue but those are my two main concerns.

The chassis is a lot of fun though, car is rolly polly through turn 6 (carousel) and turn 9, so much so that I can barely find the clutch in turn 9 because my foot is in the door and my head is at a 45* tilt to the left. I learnt a lot about steering with the throttle on this car and being only my 2nd time at the Ridge I got to try a few different lines I've observed on youtube since last year. The engine has plenty of torque and as you'll see in some of the videos below I get pretty lazy to shift and leave it in 3rd gear for a lot of the track.


I had a lot more fun in this car than in my 130-ish hp Miata and my best lap time from Harry's lap timer in the Fiesta was about 2:08.3x, somehow the overlay didn't show up on the video though but I guess the app is relatively new to android so there are some bugs or maybe I just don't know how to set it up. You can hear it beeping for the sector times in some of the videos but yeah, you can't see it.

I'm gonna preface this by saying that I know I come off as a douche in what you're about to see, some of my sessions got pretty heated/frustrating but at the end of the day I had a lot of fun and I think everyone else in my run group did too. I don't take it too seriously although my language might make you think otherwise.

Video 1: GTR


Video 2: Cadillac


Video 3: Boatcaptain


I have some friends who are interested in tracking but complain that their car isn't set up or they don't have the parts they need, personally I don't think it's really necessary to acquire all those parts to have fun and learn especially on a track like the Ridge. I don't think a first timer can really kill brakes/tires here and my car isn't really set up for track either. Some people complain they have no seat time and don't want to embarrass themselves but you gotta start somewhere right?

At this moment all I want are some stick summer tires and some DOT 4 brake fluid. No one makes an upgraded pad as far as I know but tires would help me greatly in developing confidence to brake harder and carry more speed through corners to improve my lap times. I'm glad I took this car out because now I have a baseline for how mods are affecting it.

Fuck, I need to get some track time asap. I had a blast at autocross today, but I want to wind up my motor and feel the feels. I picked up some Motul RBF600 and looking into either Hawk HP+ or Ferodo DS2500s.

I ran both before and preferred the ds2500, the hp+ squealed more for me and the cold bite was too grabby IMO. HP+ felt better for me at mission though but for ridge/street I like the ferodo

The Turn 2 lap days @ The Ridge - Do they have a noob group or is there a pre-requisite?

I've never gone out on a track day yet but this is so true. I've seen some people who aren't quite experienced in auto x/track just yet and refuse to go until they have this mod or that mod. Hell, my first 2 times at Auto X, I was running on some shitty tires but still had loads of fun.

I'm ready to go out to Mission and see how it's like even though my car is not "set up" for it. Would like to have at least upgraded brake pads but whatever. It'll be my first time so I don't really see myself driving too hard. Only thing stopping me is I'm starting my new job soon and don't wanna ask for a day off right away so I might have to wait till August :concentrate:

The Ridge looks like so much fun. I have to make a point to get out there soon.

As for those looking to mod before hitting the track; you're doing it wrong. Best time to track your car is when it is stock. Then you get to feel the car for what it is and upgrade each piece as you feel needed. This is the best way to learn about your car and driving technique. Mods like RSB's, coilovers, and R-comps can really hide your mistakes and not give you the best impression when starting from scratch.

That was the lowest group lol but they require you to be signed off to drive by yourself and have instructors ready to ride with the first timers. Its rare that anyone thinks they need an instructor but its better asking for one than being forced one on you 3 sessions in lol. One of my friends at this event was mic'ed up with an instructor in his passenger seat and went solo after 2 or 3 sessions

I haven't auto crossed in a while but I remember we would say things like "can we get an instructor/senior driver riding with that guy?" After multiple spin outs and slaughtering cones. It seems the Turn 2 guys aren't as strict about that kind of stuff and also its hard to see from the corner stations I guess especially when the car leaves half a front straight of gap between you when he floors it.

You kinda have to take things into your own hands and confront them about their unsafe behavior or tell an official to look out for that car. Like I said though slower traffic is more than welcome in C group but you have to check your rearview and acknowledge/admit when you are the slower traffic.

once you get a taste of the ferodo crackppipe, you cnat use anything else. modulation is unbeatable imho. well, unless you maybe try raybestos ST series pads... :o

you now have a big target on your back... :lol:

some videos of the june 14 track day

clip made by my friend:

and me having fun with boat captain

nice driving Kal! I gotta sit with you next time

Props to the Miata on that last vid! Pretty ballsy to be able to make an Elise work like it did. Hope to see some of you guys on the next one zooming past me.

That looks like so much fun i may actually be at the next ridge track day.....

this thread is good- there's a few ppl now convinced to give it a shot! :)