Getting to try Carolina Motorsports park with Phil Wicks!

[jetmechinnc]

I've booked a full day with Phil Wicks for myself and my girlfriend on April 3rd down in Kershaw SC, I was wondering if any other members have been to that track and what to expect? I went to the Phil Wicks event with Flow a few years ago up at VIR's south course, but didn't have him as a personal trainer, it should be a lot of fun.

[BThayer23]

CMP's fun. The weather's always sunny except for about an hour in the late afternoon when it rains. Every day. The facilities aren't as nice as VIR, but they have a small air-conditioned classroom and a few "garages" for rent, which are open on four sides and mostly just keep the sun out.

The track is interesting. It's very technical in a few different spots, and you really have to keep your eyes up and looking all the way down to track out. This is a track where every car will take a slightly different optimum line, depending on weight, HP, and balance. And while it's not that big nor very fast (110?), it tends to be pretty hard on tires and brakes. I ended up cruising down the big straight between T8 and T11 to let the brakes cool. CMP uses these weird plastic sticks on the inside of the curbing, I assume to prevent people from driving off the curbing and throwing up dust. Not a problem as it's generally a good idea to stay off these gators. But if it's your first time at the track, remember that the second to last stick is the apex on almost every turn.

Also in my notes... 40 psi, look through turns, smooth on/off brakes, patient on 5/6, careful on 3&7, T14 2nd gear

40 psi (hot) allowed a good set in the turns, especially around the high-speed kink (T10). Looking through the turns was critical, as the track out point wasn't always obvious. Being smooth on the brakes was critical as most turns are linked, so coming off the brakes smooth kept the car controlled for the next turn. 5-6-7 is the carousel, which is basically one big turn where the last corner is the most important. Be very patient and don't turn the wheel in too much on 5, otherwise you're at mid track for 6 and you've already messed up 7. Again, looking way down the track is the only solution. Turns 3 and 7 are easy to spin if you enter too hot. Don't over cook those turns, the consequences are very bad. Don't clip the gator on T10, either, it's very dangerous. CMP doesn't have as much run-off room as VIR, but it's generally a safe track. Not nearly as scary as Road Atlanta, but not as wide open as Roebling Road. Turn 14 is a second-gear corner in the MINI. You can try it in 3rd (I run Oak Tree at VIR in 3rd), but you need some oomph to whip around the corner. Play around with gearing and braking zones in T12-T13 as you get faster with practice, I can't remember what I settled on, but it'll depend a lot on your T11 exit speed and the MINI seems to be right on the cusp.

More info here: http://www.trackpedia.com/wiki/Carolina_Motorsports_Park - note that the new configuration of T12 and T13 is the rounded one, not the squared off corner.

[jetmechinnc]

Thanks for the info! I know my girlfriend is getting excited about doing it and having Phil in the car teaching her. Is there many elevation changes? From the photo on the web site it appears flat. I liked the south course at VIR with the quick turn down the hill right after the turn they call the "bitch". I could hit 115 mph before hitting the brakes at turn 1. Never could seem to master the oak tree turn though, always hit or miss.

[BThayer23]

It's flat. Dead flat. Hehe, what'd you expect in South Carolina? :lol:

You'll see some similar elements. VIR South Course is tough to find a rhythm because all the elevation and off-camber turns make it hard to carry speed. CMP is tough to get into a rhythm because the turns are technical and not very forgiving if you turn in early. That's probably the common thread between VIR-South and CMP - don't turn in early.

T8 is pretty cool, because after the carousel you accelerate down a short straight, cross the bridge, and then it goes a bit uphill as you brake, and then you turn in late and just floor it. T9 is an easy right hander, and T10 is a high speed turn similar to T10 at VIR, except you turn right instead of left.

I caught the bigger cars going around the carousel in T4-5-6-7, and after the braking zone for T11. If you get T12 and T13 right you can really make up some ground, and the twitchy MINIs are perfect for that.

[medlinracing]

Just recently ran the spec miata down there and had a blast. I don't know how it is in the mini but keep it to the floor in the kink. You don't think it will stick but it will. Kinda like keeping it to the floor at VIR on yhe straight after oaktree. It's tough to keep your foot in it on the blind hill. The kink is the same way. The whole time I was saying I gotta lift, I gotta lift. And I chickened out and did the first few laps and watched the other cars pull away.

[Flynscot0256]

Been there many times driving all sorts of cars. Ben summed this up nicely. Just be careful. Watch out for the other maniacs. You will have a blast. Over the last year they have really tried to freshen CMP up. It is a nice track.

[jetmechinnc]

Been there many times driving all sorts of cars. Ben summed this up nicely. Just be careful. Watch out for the other maniacs. You will have a blast. Over the last year they have really tried to freshen CMP up. It is a nice track.

I'm curious to see the track. Only thing that sucks is I planned the trip apparently on the wrong weekend. Some horse race or show is going on that weekend and the bed and breakfast I was planning on staying at has doubled their rates and required a minimum 2 night stay. Guys I'll hope to find a reasonable days inn or something near the track.

[medlinracing]

There is a place just up the road from the track.

[jetmechinnc]

There is a place just up the road from the track.

I booked in to the Executive Inn, is this what you were talking about? Apparently it's just 4 miles from the track according to the lady taking my reservation. Makes it a lot easier than to wake up and meet Phil Wicks at 7:30 am. I'm really looking forward to this, hope it doesn't rain. I'd like to get it on film either with my flip video or buy one of those new go Pro cameras I keep seeing on TV. At least now, with my graphics and newly installed Quicksilver exhaust, Oliver will look and sound more like a real Mini Challenge car out on the track!

[TRACKRAT]

You've picked Steeplechase week-end in Camden. No sense even trying to eat or get near there. They'll be packed! The Executive Inn is adequate but by no means "executive". It is convenient and clean. Gus's Restaurant on the main drag in Kershaw is great Greek & Italian food. Very reasonable. There's a family restaurant across from the AMOCO station for breakfast or BOJANGLES. As everyone has stated, look ahead, think ahead, most are late apex turns. Phil's a hoot! Tell him Stan said "Hi"!

[jetmechinnc]

You've picked Steeplechase week-end in Camden. No sense even trying to eat or get near there. They'll be packed! The Executive Inn is adequate but by no means "executive". It is convenient and clean. Gus's Restaurant on the main drag in Kershaw is great Greek & Italian food. Very reasonable. There's a family restaurant across from the AMOCO station for breakfast or BOJANGLES. As everyone has stated, look ahead, think ahead, most are late apex turns. Phil's a hoot! Tell him Stan said "Hi"!

Thanks for the food tip TRACKRAT! Looks like I'll pay a visit to Gus's place. I was hoping to have a different suspension before I head down there, but I just got the second set of bills from my recent surgery and unfortunately had to cancel my parts from Dan at Grassroots to pay them. Hopefully work will pick back up sooner than later and I can get the much needed OT $ for those upgrades by summer! At least my car 'Oliver" will sound good with the new quicksilver exhaust.

[jetmechinnc]

Had a great time at the track in SC with Phil Wicks, plus the weather was amazing at sunny and 76 with little to no wind, even had a barbeque as well. The track does surprisingly have a few elevation changes, not as much as VIR, but a very technical course. I destroyed the front 2 Dunlops, the track really ate my tires, plus the fact I probably should have slowed down in the beginning to learn the track more. I only seemed to get it right at the end of the day and had back to back lap times of 2:02. Phil said a stock mini should be able to run it in 2:05-2:06, which is what I started at in the morning. Glad I at least improved in the end! Plus, got to out run and pass a race spec Miata and a Porsche Boxster! Top speed was run around 103 before breaking at turns 7 and 8, never felt secure going faster than that at the kink in the road at turns 9 though. Saw too many skid marks of people hitting the dip and spinning off. Even Jimmie Johnson spun there the week prior to me getting there in a race corvette! He hit the dip at around 150 MPH and went into around 12 spins Phil Wicks told me. With something other than the stock basic suspension, I would have liked to have gone faster, just needed that confidence. At least I bought Phil's racing harnesses which really helped a lot and kept myself, and my girlfriend from getting sore at the end of the day by letting the seat belt hold us in place instead of our arms! Highly recommend them for the R56 people out there that my track their cars from time to time. I'll be doing it again for sure as will my girlfriend, she started the day cruising around the track at 40 mph, but gained confidence and eventually hit 93 mph in the straights!

[TRACKRAT]

Glad you enjoyed it....Good weather helps. It can be miserable. This time of year, especially. Thunderstorms, high winds, etc.