Some time on the track -- Willow Springs Int'l Raceway

This was an afternoon session with Open Track Racing's red group on November 13th. I'm testing out a new camera (which I like) and also testing a different location on the screen to put the inset picture and the data (which I don't like as much). The video includes a few insert shots from a side-mounted camera and also a moment where the tail gets loose in turn 2. But mostly this clip offers a chance to look at some cool cars out on the track. Watch it in HD!

[@mytubthree]

Thanks for the video. This was exactly what I was hoping for.

[@marktorcaso7631]

Nice driving and what a great car.

[@Vocept]

That was a great day at WSIR! Fun watching you pass me in the video :) Two questions: 1. I noticed that you're more inside on turn 9 than you teach in your how-to video on WSIR. Have you changed lines? 2. What neck restraint are you using? That looks slick. Thanks!

[@JackOlsen]

I'm surprised anyone noticed that. I've been playing around with the line through 9 on my last couple of visits to Willow. If you look at my December video, you'll see it without traffic. My goal is to stop falling below 100 mph before the apex of 9, and -- after looking at some faster guys' videos through 9, I've seen that most of them don't go fully left. It's hard to see why that would be faster, but I'm messing around with it. I'm not ready to say it's better, yet. The neck restraint is an Issac. If you go to www.isaacdirect.com, there's more information on it.

[@grishchenko1991]

Love watching your videos, and I'm a huge fan of your build as well. This is the first time I've run across the Mobius camera and am probably getting one or two very soon. Did you have any issue with it getting hot, especially being in the sun like that? Also, how did you mount the 808 #16 on the side view, custom mount? Nice catch on the little slide as well.

[@JackOlsen]

Thanks, Alex. I didn't notice any heat issues with the Mobius. It's got a heat sink as part of the design, but I haven't paid much attention to it. For the side mount, I put a piece of aluminum L-stock in the jack receiver down on the rocker panel and secured it with some wood, compressed with a big screw. Then I taped the camera to it. Pretty simple. (But it's not a great place for a camera -- a thrown rock cracked the little stick-on wide angle lens I'd glued to it near the end of the day.)

[@grishchenko1991]

Jack Olsen Albeit having that heat sink, it still seems in can get really hot (from other online users), but I think that is more of a concern when its used as a dashcam on hot days. Nice unique mount for the 808, but it seems to keep using them in these vulnerable positions requires some sort of case, there have been lots of home made solutions. There is also the actual waterproof case for it, but at 20$, its about half the price of another unit.

[@TheDriversPerspective]

Jack, I've been following your posts on TrackHQ about the Mobius. Is every camera view on this video filmed with one? If so I'm seriously impressed with the image quality given the price.

[@JackOlsen]

The camera that faces forward (mounted to the stem of the windshield mirror) is a Mobius. The cockpit and side-view cameras are less-expensive cameras (called the 808 #16) made by the same company. The Mobius is 1080p and has better overall image quality than the older cameras. The Mobius costs more, at $70, than the 808s, which are $43. But for the insert shots, they do a good job.

[@TheDriversPerspective]

Jack Olsen Good to know! Do you use an external mic/sound recorder for the engine noise?

[@JackOlsen]

Sean Thomson No, I use the audio from the rear facing camera. You'd think there would be a lot of wind noise back there... but the engine is even louder.

[@troyolynyk]

Jack, do you run the same exhaust on the street as you do the track, or do you do some pre-race changes? Sounds fantastic!

[@JackOlsen]

Yes. The muffler is a Magnaflow, which you would normally put on an American V8. But it really sounds nice on a 911 -- not too loud in street driving, but very Porsche-like at higher revs.

[@troyolynyk]

Jack Olsen Never would have guessed Magnaflow.. a very cost effective alternative to Fabspeed, B&B or the others.. really enjoy watching what's going on with your car and garage.

[@cpawp]

A feedback - the driver's images on the right makes the scenes often look like the car is slipping.

[@JackOlsen]

I agree. In the future, I plan on putting the cockpit image back to the left.

[@kevinm.n.5158]

What type of HANS device are you using? I've never seen that and can't find anything about it

[@JackOlsen]

That's an Isaac neck restraint. It was an elegant and simple alternative to the Hans, and it also works better in lateral impacts. It's simply a pair of detachable dampeners connecting the helmet to the seatbelts. I'm pretty sure the company is defunct now, since the Hans people wrote the spec for SFI and dinged neck restraints with two releases. I still use it, but I'd have to switch to a Hans if I drove with a sanctioning body that required an SFI approval.

[@kevinm.n.5158]

@@JackOlsen that's a really neat piece of automotive history I didnt know about til now. Thanks for sharing. I also noticed your steering wheel seems off center, you're nuts. I love it. I swear Porsche drivers are always the coolest dudes