Reference the map and turn numbers as you read the write-up below.
Traditional Passing Zones that COM may run:
Front Straight between track-out of 10 and braking zone of 1 (always)
Track-out of 1 and turn-in of 2 (sometimes)
Exit of 2 and braking zone of 3 (sometimes)
Exit of 3 and entrance of 4 (always)
Exit of 5 all the way to the braking zone of 8 (always)
In my opinion, the below description is a good starting point for Miatas and the like. Remember, there is no perfect line! You'll have to find what works best for you, your car, setup, and ever-changing track conditions. As you build speed and comfort, you will get earlier and earlier on the throttle.
) At minimum, you will hopefully find some useful nuggets of info within the text.TURN ONE
Tracking out to the left from turn 10 and onto the front straight, keep your foot buried on the throttle. This is a passing zone, so don't forget to "check 6". You'll shift from 3-4 somewhere around the start-finish line. Glance over to the flagger at start/finish. The front straight tapers slightly uphill and then tapers slightly down hill as you enter the "braking" zone. Pick your eyes up and look to the flagging station which is straight ahead of you. Taken at speed in a Miata, all that is required is a lift to settle the front end for the right-hand turn into Turn 1 (start the day by lifting early and then lifting later and later, if you start the day braking, it will be a hard habit to break later (no pun intended!)). There is a slight dip just at the turn in at T1. Breathe the throttle as you hit the dip. The car will lift slightly and settle. As the car settles, start squeeze the throttle down, turn in, and come all the way in for the apex. The pit wall follows the inside edge of this turn, which limits the view of the track-out point. Also, Turn 1 becomes a noticeable downhill slope as you progress from the turn-in point. This downhill continues to about the track out. After breathing the throttle, and as you turn in, begin to apply pressure to the throttle. By the time you're at the apex, you'll be at full throttle. As you come around to the apex, you'll be able to pick out the track-out point as you pull away from the pit wall. The track out point seems very far away, but it comes up very quickly due to your speed and the downward slope. Done correctly, you'll need every inch of track. This is a very rough and bumpy part of the track, expecially the rumble strips at the edge of the track (track-out). If the car didn't carry itself to the rumble strips, you weren't going fast enough. If you end up in the gravel, you early apexed. You won't do that twice in a row. If you carried too much speed or didn't settle the front end, you may go wide at the track-out and could easily drop a rear wheel off. Chances are, you'll see at least one set of skid marks that cross the track from the exit of turn 1 to the wall on the opposite side of the track. Hooking a rear tire here is not fun and not inexpensive. Should that happen, both feet in will buy you just enough time to say "Oh s#it" before your day is over. Ask me how I know!
TURN TWO
Exiting Turn 1 onto the rumble strips at the far left, begin to bring yourself to about mid-track as the roadway straightens out and begins to slope up-hill. Continue to work yourself to about 2/3 the way to the right, but proceed with caution. The pit wall ends here and slower moving traffic may be headed out. This is also a passing zone, so extra attention needs to be paid to the traffic all around you. As you get closer to the crest of the hill, glance over to the flagging station to the right. A throttle lift should only be required, like T1, start the day with an early lift and make it later and later as you pickup speed and confidence. Lift off the throttle and begin to turn in to the left as you approach the crest of the hill. Maintain the steering input and prepare to get back on the throttle as you crest the hill. There is a little break in the pavement on the edge of the track followed by the beginning of a white line. The little gulley at this point is where you want to position your left front tire. Begin to add throttle as you clip this first apex and track out to the right slightly. Do not fight the car in an effort to stay tight around the turn, let it come out a bit by maintaining your steering position. The track is off-camber here, so the car will track out more easily than usual. As you come around this part of the track, you'll probably notice that the track takes a steep dive downward to the right, which means that you do not want to be off line by more than a car width and a half or so. By now you should see the beginning of a concrete strip to the left which if followed, will bring you to the 2nd apex of Turn 2. Done correctly, you should be able to maintain full throttle to and through the 2nd apex. Let the car drift out to the far right of the track. The track here is also a bit rough, but not nearly as rough at the exit of turn 1. That said, the paving for the exit/track out of 2 abruptly ends and becomes grass, which will punish extremely late apexes. There is also a wall there, which could potentially punish extremely early apexes.
Turn Two is the scariest yet most exciting and rewarding turn of any track I have driven on. The goal should be to approach at first with caution, learn the line, and get comfortable with it. Speed will come on its own.
TURN THREE
Exit Turn 2 on the far right and continue the arc to bring the car to the far left hand side of the track. Turn 3 is an extremely wide 180* right-hand turn, yet the grippy section is rather narrow. Turn 3 is a classic "out-in-out" type of turn with a moderately late apex. Approach the turn as far left as possible. You'll notice a concrete strip that follows the entire turn. Brake as you approach the turn in point carry just a hair of trail-braking as you reach the turn-in point. I begin with my front and rear left-hand tires just off of the concrete, turn in across the concrete while adding maintenance throttle, come all of the way into the apex, and power out to the track out on the left. Turn 3 is very bumpy and traction can go away quickly. This turn eats tires (at the end of the day, you may want to swap your tires left/right for day 2, keep an eye on 'em!) Done correctly, you should carry out to the edge of the track on the left. By now it should come as no surprise that the track out rumble strips are quite rough.
TURN FOUR
Exiting Turn 3 on the far left, begin to come across the track. This is a passing zone, act accordingly. Once again, the track will begin to slope upward. As you climb the hill, you should be at full throttle and making your way to about a car width off of the track's edge to the right. Approaching the sign at the crest of the hill, begin to turn-in to the left so that you'll pass under the 2nd "C" on the sign, which is approximately 2/3 track width from the left. Continue at least maintenance throttle, if not full throttle all the way down into the extremely late apex. There is not much run off here. Just a bit of grass and then a whole lot of wall. You do NOT want to early apex here. You do NOT want to brake here. You do NOT want to even lift off the throttle abruptly. It is easy to spin here if you are traveling at speed, and as mentioned before, there is not a whole lot of run-off. This is another area of the track that should be approached with caution at first. Learn the line, then speed will come. When done correctly, the “fast forwardâ€
