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View Full Version : Tracked Pacific Raceways in Kent, WA



ChrisF
10-15-2006, 07:49 PM
Hi all. I'm up in Vancouver BC on a job. I'd been jonzing for a track day since I left back in June. Got a chance yesterday to do a track day with the Northwest Alfa Romeo Club up in Kent, WA at a track called Pacific Raceways. It was a great experience to both track with a new club as well as try out a completely different track. I've done all the SoCal tracks and I'm comfortable in saying that we don't have a track like this. There is much less runoff area and a bunch of elevation changes. You go off too far and you'll be eating trees. Also, the front straight is longer and faster than Big Willow. I feel lucky that when I get to travel, I get to do stuff like this. Also a thanks to the guys at RRE for helping me setup my car so that it kicks ass anywhere; even on street tires (R's are at home in CA). Here's some info and video.

www.pacificraceways.com

And a short vid of a few laps:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGPGt5yNgSA

Hope you enjoy.

nothere
10-15-2006, 08:32 PM
PR is my home track, 145 is good going, best I've ever done is that before the hard brake for 2. Pretty sure it was because of a strong tail wind for my car. Sounded like you hit it before the kink down the hill? man you have some working mods. Normal for me is more like 135.
Did they have the time signal working?
Was the black NSX out or a grey Z corvette about three years old driven by a big guy and orange hair. They own me.

Yeah any time its wet you will see some one on a flatbed.

Glad you liked it. Spokane is fun too.

ChrisF
10-15-2006, 08:40 PM
Yeah, I hit topspeed right before the jog right before standing on the brakes way outside the braking zone for turn 2. I didn't have the balls to stay on it any longer. Car felt a little floaty too at that speed (still on stock Muellerized suspension).

Only casualty for the day was a young guy with an EVO. He had just installed a GT30 kit. Car went kaboom while on the track. Felt really bad for him. It was amazing the variety of cars there.

nothere
10-15-2006, 08:52 PM
good lord what have you got in your car? I needed every inch of that down hill to get going that fast.

we had one of the first enzos several years ago, I think he did a parade lap by himself. softees.

my car has been waiting for a turbo forever, or else we would have met.
cooked a head in july, caught a loose nut(?) in the turbo at the next event. WR wheels are backordered.

ChrisF
10-15-2006, 08:59 PM
cams, injectors, pump, tbe with hfc, 10.5 hotside, o2 housing, flash with [forum restricted piggyback] on top for switching between maps. Put out just shy of 340whp/tq on 100. I was running 100 in that session.

boostin_terrier
10-15-2006, 10:35 PM
nice vid, im 100% jealous, miss those tree's s much......i hate washington weather but definately one of the most beautiful places to live.....i lived there from about 10 years of age up until april of this year(im 25 now)

I used to drag with 3 different cars on that track for years(also mission,woodburn and bremerton) but never did that part of the track.....definately a nice change of scenery I look forward to that track the next time i happen to drive up to visit all my friends.

nothere
10-17-2006, 05:39 PM
Chrisf,
what were you doing as you headed down into three?

I think I can make up some more time in two, just have to tune my coilovers a bit better. When I make an effort in two, I get mid corner rear loose.

ChrisF
10-17-2006, 05:59 PM
nothere:

Not sure what you mean. In the first lap, the car stepped out a lot coming out of 2 and I had to counter. On 3, I was finding that if I didn't apex late, I would be way off line on exit.

nothere
10-17-2006, 07:01 PM
just before going down to three I notice 100mph, wonder if you were doing a lot better through two so you would be faster there too.

ChrisF
10-17-2006, 07:06 PM
nothere: You were hitting 100 going into 3?? Do you mean 2?

nothere
10-17-2006, 07:35 PM
out of 2, I make a note of speed just before heading down the hill to 3. just as you hit the hill.
about 1/2 way down the hill I hit the binders, can't be doing more than , god who knows, twenty in 3.

3b is the least fun corner on the track for lapping, maybe in a race it would be fun.

Muellerized...
10-18-2006, 10:00 AM
out of 2, I make a note of speed just before heading down the hill to 3. just as you hit the hill.
about 1/2 way down the hill I hit the binders, can't be doing more than , god who knows, twenty in 3.

3b is the least fun corner on the track for lapping, maybe in a race it would be fun.

This video should look familiar to you:-) please download, right click, 'save target as'
http://www.muellerized.com/videos/John_Mueller/OTC_2004/Following_EVO_PR.wmv
This was testing for the 2004 Open Track Challenge.

ChrisF
10-18-2006, 10:03 AM
Thanks John. I'll be looking for a set of Motons when I get back ;)

GokuSSJ4
10-18-2006, 10:08 AM
Chris F haven't seen you for a while.. glad that you are still having fun with your evo. and thanks for the video footage! looks like a lot of fun. :)

ChrisF
10-18-2006, 10:12 AM
Thanks. Miss the year round tracking (and the free time I used to have). PR is a big change from the local tracks and was a blast. Unfortunately, I think it's the last HPDE of the year before they get rained out.

Muellerized...
10-18-2006, 03:55 PM
Thanks John. I'll be looking for a set of Motons when I get back ;)

Sounds good, and yes we have Motons in stock.

nothere
10-18-2006, 06:36 PM
chris, the track school is having lapping Monday the 23, you can get there from the web site, if you are still in town. my turbo comes back in town the 24.

John, I recognize that car. I don't even see any other cars, how was it they could throw you off the track for driving to fast when there wasn't anyone to bother?

bruce, dereks coilover buddy.

ChrisF
10-18-2006, 06:39 PM
Unfortunately, I'm working 6 and 7 day weeks on the current job. I was lucky to get last Saturday off as it was. I think I'm pretty much done until this job is over in Feb. :(

Muellerized...
10-18-2006, 07:49 PM
John, I recognize that car. I don't even see any other cars, how was it they could throw you off the track for driving to fast when there wasn't anyone to bother?

The last session I drove there I was over 10 seconds a lap faster than the rest of the group that ran that particular day...it is a fun track to run, but Lord help you if anything falls off of the car as you could find the trees all too easily.

Glad to see you are still enjoying your car Bruce :-)