Can anyone here tell that Ben has recently acquired a Vette?? :)
Michael Karp
Ben "V8" Thatcher Wrote:
<I know that this subject has been beat to death on Team.net. But.......>
<my .02 worth>
<Course designers should take into consideration the FUN factor when.
<putting together a course. In my years of course design I have developed>
<some principles which guarantee the drivers will have fun.>
<1. Make the course WIDE (at least 25 feet). This gives the driver the>
<chance to be creative about the line he/she takes rather than being>
<channelled into a narrow track everyone has to drive. Big and little car>
<drivers will have fun.>
<2. Try to avoid turns more than 90 degrees. I know this isn't always>
<realistic, but if you can link a couple of 90s to get that reversal of>
<direction you get a fun sweeper rather than a boring pin turn.>
<3. Make slaloms with cones at least 20 yards apart and resist the urge to>
<decrease the distance for the last one. 3-4 cones maximum.>
<4. Concentrate on making actual turns rather than high speed offsets>
<I've seen more dangerous spins and near flips from 50 mph offsets than>
<I'd like to remember.>
<5. Design the course so the driver has to use his/her full complement of>
<tools. Acceleration, up-shifting, down-shifting, braking and picking a>
<fast line.>
<6. Make the exit of each turn so the car is obviously headed for the next>
<feature. This will aid in limiting off courses.>
<7. Put in a couple of nice straights so the big car drivers will feel>
<wanted.>
<8. Put in a few quick sweepers so the little car drivers will feel wanted>
<and to equalize the course.>
<Ben Thatcher>
<Atlanta Region S2 co-chair>
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