Wow!
Shock and Awe.
This isn't my trip to the rodeo. I've been around racing a long time. But now I got to admit, i have a new respect for the top flite FB pilots. It's one thing to watch from the railing on pit lane, but to be right out there with them on the track is eye-opening. This is from a guy that has been in run groups with FAs for a dozen years. In car video doesn't really do justice to the skills required.
As an early FB advocate I've enjoyed watching the class. I was on the track with Sean O'Connell when he won the first ever FB national race. In the early years it appeared that FBs cornered much like FC cars but just scooted down the straights faster. Now, i'm beginning to believe they are cornering faster than FCs. Obviously they have compressed the braking zones into shorter spaces than a FC. And all this is going on with basically aero controlled by FC specs. I'm impressed.
Last weekend in one session (the race i believe), Coop passed me as I was running up to T3. I know i'm a bit of a wanker, but T3 is not my worst turn. He went by me like i was in reverse. Understand, that passing me put him off-line for the approach, yet his turn-in and resulting acceleration across the apex was mind boggling.
I was told that a good FA car going through T1 at Roebling Road has an effective weight of something over 3000 lbs, what with the tunnels, etc. I'm thinking that a FB in the same corner, at much the same speed has the downforce of a FC. I have to believe a FB driver is a lot more 'busy', and has to have great hand speed. I'm thinking it must be equivalent to driving a 160 hp FF with super brakes. Watching at Road Atlanta, these FB cars hopping around through T3 and T5 remind me of the old FB cars of the early 70's.
So I have high respect for the likes of Niki, Brandon, Coop, Cole, Justin, et al that can go out lap after lap at these new speeds and bring the cars back in one piece. I have read that Brandon admits that adjusting to the cars capabilities as a driver has been as much a challenge as the actual development of the car. I believe it.
I'm believing that FB is a harder drive than FA.
Shaping up to be one hell of a Runoffs.