1st time doing Eastern creek - advice please

[Do the safety dance.]

AFAIK they are still running the old circuit layout until the end of this year.

[Jim]

Fag, ya hold it flat through turn one, then hit the brakes at the 80 marker into turn two.

of course, if you have the traction to do it, and once you are familiar enough to not fuck it up Not recommended for the first time out

fwiw the commodore would do it at it's top speed of about 180kph but the crown wouldn't at it's top speed of about 210kph.

[Jim]

I still get instructors when I can Jimbo - nothing like fine tuning and getting some new advice - always helps.

or you might think you are doing good, or the person infront you are following is doing good, and then get a few pointers from an instructor and find out different ways that are quicker.
never hurts.

yeah of course, but I wouldn't call it mandatory!

[Do the safety dance.]

No doubt a repost, but for anyone interested here's a perspective on a 600 sport bike.

How to Lap Eastern Creek
By - Josh Brookes

TURN ONE: When screaming down the front straight in top gear (sixth), keep to the far right of the track. Flash past the braking marker (which one depends on the bike you are riding), shift down one gear (fifth) and peel in (careful not to square the corner, your knee is hitting the deck mid straight). Open the throttle slightly as soon as you can - this keeps the weight off the front wheel and the bike stable. Pull the bike into the apex (it's bumpy because of the water run-off there) and hold it on the apex for a long time - more than most other corners. When you can see your exit, accelerate hard to the outside of the track to be ready for...

TURN TWO: It's a double apex corner, so brake hard, shift down three gears (second) and take the first apex early, right on the ripple strip (dipping by the third blue strip). Let the bike run wide mid-corner (but still ripple side of the crack in the tarmac), then pull it back to clip the second apex on the exit. Hold it tight (on the paint) to avoid the off camber section. The wrong set up here can cost you a second. As you exit, driving hard, short shift to third and the same time as you change direction and body weight (watch the wheelie! fine line here between perfect set up and the high side) to enter...

TURN THREE: It's a late apex here, after the ripple strip, so watch you don't catch your knee in the grass. Drive the bike to the outside of the track again, then upshift to fourth. Pull the front wheel up over the bump on the crest heading to Turn Four to keep the bike stable. As soon as the front wheel chirps back to earth, nail the brakes and downshift one (third) for entry into....

TURN FOUR: Tip in, then crack the throttle open before you get to the exit. Again this keeps the weight off the front wheel, which can cause the front end to fold. Hold it tight (keeping it on the ripple strip), then drive hard to the outside of the track, then turn hard to the apex of...

TURN FIVE: It's crucial to keep the speed up here as the exit is uphill. Maintain as much corner speed as possible. I use all the track to drive up and over the hill, being careful not to induce to much wheelspin. Snick fourth gear and shift to the right side of the bike, on the way to....

TURN SIX/SEVEN: If its dry, brake hard using the concrete strip on the right. If it's wet, don't go near it - it's too slippery! Downshift one gear (second), then shift your weight to the left-hand side as you crank the bike on to your knee. Apex the ripple strip late. Again, keep your momentum high for the uphill exit. For me, it's often wheelspinning and wheelying as I snatch another gear, ready for....

TURN EIGHT: The crest on Turn Eight's entry is bumpy and the track drops away fiercely, so the bike can be shaking all over the shop. Wait until the bike settles down, only for an instant, then lay it on it's ear. I like to apex early so I can drive out hard to the far side of the track (watch the bump on the exit!) and set up for....

TURN NINE: Pull the bike back to the middle of the track, instead of far left, to enter Turn Nine - I think it's faster than using all the track. Shift down a cog (second). Hold it tight all the way around the ripple strip, then drive out to the concrete ripple strip on the exit. If I'm really trying, I often hit the dirt. Try to avoid that.

TURNS 10/11: I shift up twice on the run to Turn 10 (fourth), then tip in late downshifting once (third), before I do so. Once I'm cranked over on the ripple strip, I downshift again (second - I hardly brake here, as I'm right on my side, but do this wrong, and you low side), then flick it over the ripple strip of Turn 11. Try to make one turn out of Turn 11 and...

TURN 12: Let it drift out to the edge of the track from Turn 11, driving hard, then pull it back in for as late an apex as you can. Every kilometer an hour you can make here means a few extra down the end of the straight, so it's a crucial corner. The bumps on the exit can set up a weave, depending on your bike. Tuck in everything for the run down the straight - toes in, elbows in, head down - on your way to top gear, and Turn One, to do it all again!

[evil_weevil]

thats my lap
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ip4ToNQ9XHU

nothing special but slow enough to give an idea hehe

[Chisholm]

Thanks guys, some good posts. AFAIK it's the original configuration.

I'm quite excited/nervous, it's been over a year since I've been near a track, and EC looks much more daunting than WP in some ways! Anyone have a post like the above but for a car? (still helpful, thanks EVOSTi)

The event includes instructors so I'll definantely grab one for a few laps when I get the chance!

[Jim]

don't stress about it mate. it's no harder than Wakefield. Just longer and faster :D

[e30guy]

Thanks guys, some good posts. AFAIK it's the original configuration.

There has been some chatter on the CircuitClub facebook page and they have confirmed it will be the original layout.

[Chisholm]

http://www.circuitclub.com.au/event/22

Well, I'm quite pleased. Magna power :p

On the day it was raining all day, EC was absolutely soaked, was bloody terrifying getting on an unfamiliar track in those conditions! But I had an absolute ball, I think it was seriously the most fun I've ever had on a track (bar maybe my first time). The fagna was an absolute hoot to drive on the long fast wet corners, lots of turn-in oversteer and then very adjustable on the throttle. Took some getting used to, ran out of talent on more than one occasion!

Even with lower speeds in the wet I now have alot of respect for EC, the fast long corners are bloody awesome! Can't wait to see what it's like in the dry...

[Grunt]

Nice ranking amongst the other cars there mate. Very impressive and even moreso in the wet compared to some of the all drivers!

[fatz]

i should have come and said hello but after forgetting the race car keys (driving home to get them and getting on the track at 7:00pm without dorian) and blowing a turbo seal after 3 laps, i just went home and hit the cans

lol

nice work on the time in the wet


a 1:10 in wakefield is about 1:51 at ec

[Chisholm]

i should have come and said hello but after forgetting the race car keys (driving home to get them and getting on the track at 7:00pm without dorian) and blowing a turbo seal after 3 laps, i just went home and hit the cans

Sorry to hear, sounds like a pretty shit evening

Say hi next time

[e30guy]

I was planning to say hi to both you guys...I didn't plan on fucking around trying to make the lift pump work after the first 2 sessions though! The conditions were woeful, you were doing fairly well when I was following, car looked pretty taily!

I had no traction till 4th could only really give it the beans on the straights. You guys going to head to Dec 3 event?

heres some footage I took in the first session:

[Chisholm]

Ah I remember you in the E30! I can see that footage is from the 1st session, some of the corners I'm rolling slowly through with no idea where I'm supposed to be on the track :p

I recall at some point also following you and and watching your spectacular battle with traction hehe. Your E30 sounds and looks very sexy indeed

How slippery was the track! I could only get traction anywhere near WOT in 3rd when it was dead straight.

I noticed compared to other 2wd cars I seemed to relatively good drive mid/out of corners, I believe the strong bias towards oversteer on turn-in was actually working to my favour in those conditions, allowing me to tip it in relatively fast and get a bit on the gas early.

havn't decided on 3rd dec yet, are you going? Either way, I'm sure at some point we'll meet and have a good chat at the track

[fatz]

yea slippery could only run 3/4 throttle until 4th

slippery enough for me to think the 4wd was on the fritz