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Re: More Course Design

To: Racer---X@email.msn.com
Subject: Re: More Course Design
From: bthatch@juno.com
Date: Sun, 7 Mar 1999 19:51:39 -0500
Heh, heh. Michael I know you are jabbing me a little. However, my design
philosophy was the same when I drove a 914 or even in a FM F500.

On Sun, 7 Mar 1999 14:44:35 -0500 "Racer---X" <Racer---X@email.msn.com>
writes:
>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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