As we do more mid-winter virtual laps around our favorite
tracks, today let’s take a look at New Jersey Motorsports Park (NJMP)
Thunderbolt and STOP at Turns 4 and 5, and the small straight that connects
them together.
NJMP is
located on 500 acres immediately adjacent to the Millville Municipal Airport, a
location that was dedicated in 1941 as America’s First Defense Airport, which
played a key role in the country’s World War II military efforts. NJMP is one
of only a handful of facilities in the world housing two circuits that can be
operated simultaneously.
All too often I see this scenario: A rider’s doing
everything right: Awesome turn-in, nailing the apex and then, suddenly, a “what
do I do now?” moment seems to happen. Now, the rider is in limbo.
Turn 5 comes up quickly after T4 and, in order to be well
set up for it, the rider must get to the right side of the track for the
classic extreme outside-inside-outside approach. BUT, this leaves the rider
unable to take advantage of the drive out of T4.
OK, let’s STOP again and think. Would you work hard all week
at your job and not pick up your paycheck at the end of the week? Hell
no! Well, let’s think about that same approach to Turns 4 and
5. Back to that awesome turn-in, then nailing the apex for T4. If
done as described, you’ve already put in the hard work, now it’s time to get
paid. Drive off that apex, open up the exit so you can get back to the center
of the tire. Wow! What a great drive and now here come T5 and, crap, I’m on the
wrong side of the track to open up the entrance.
Let’s STOP one more time. This is where you weigh two
options: 1) Is it more cost effective to take advantage of the drive out of T4,
or 2) Sacrifice your drive out and insure that you’re set up to the extreme
outside (right side of the track) for T5 turn-in?
Well, because of the way T5 is designed (sharper than 90
degrees and turns back on itself), your drive out of T5 doesn’t start until you
are later into the turn, when you can line up the apex and exit. At some point
in this corner, you will be following the radius of the corner, so the extreme
outside-inside-outside
approach won’t open up the radius of the corner. All it will
do is open up the entrance and exit with a brief time at apex following radius.
So, the only benefit of being set up to the extreme outside for
T5 turn-in is just to open up the entrance to apex. It will have no direct
benefit to your drive out of T5. That right there tells me the drive
out of T4 is the most bang for the buck. Drive out of T4 and work your way back
over to the right, without sacrificing the drive, and where you end up is where
you end up. On a bigger bike with more power to take advantage of the drive,
you may only make it to half-track for T5 turn-in. Smaller bikes (i.e. 390 and
smaller class machines) can drive out and still make it all the way back over
to the right. Either way, where you end up on your T5 turn-in only costs you
pennies compared to the dollars you’re making on the drive out.
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