I just returned from a 2-day event at Roebling Road hosted by the Triangle Z Club. Highlights included the NSX on OEMs passing a ~500 hp ’96 993 Turbo on R1s not once but 3 times and watching a poor ’98 Maxima rental getting just thrashed in 3 consecutive run groups. All on video for our next get-together. Lucked out with my instructor : Jim Meyers, former SCCA regional champion in the late 70s-early 80s, was thoroughly impressed with the balance of the NSX on the racetrack. Ok, he was also impressed with the forgiving nature of it, too, but that’s a different story.

You guys and gals going this weekend are going to have a great time with the NSX at this track, where pure HP means much less than minimizing braking and carrying more speed through the corners. A treat for you weight-loss freaks is the scale you can check the corner balance of your car on for free. My bone-stock ’92 tipped the scale minus spare tire/jack and half a tank of gas at 2952 lbs. The corner balance of the car amazed all for a production car at just 9 lbs. difference in (RF+LR)-(LF+RR) with a 195 lb driver. On a side note, the Porsche Turbo gravitated to a hefty 3300 lbs, but a turbocharged Miata that was very tough to pass on the short tipped the scales at just 2100 lbs.

One bit of advice, though, in the Savannah 95+ deg. heat — save a little trunk space for a cooler and bring compact chairs. There are very few places to sit at this track and lots of little red, stinging ants. Drink enough fluid each day (2 liters by noon was about right) to maintain a clear urine output, or you will find yourself very fatigued and dehydrated by the last two run groups of the day, especially by day 2.

Remember, all those marks along the outside of pit row at the exit of Turn 9 onto the straight are from Porsches! Have fun,

 John Maurice

At the Track
Track Tales