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Track Map
Turn 1
High speed sweeper. Slow at end of straight then roll on full throttle as you turn into corner toward apex.
Evo VIII: This turn at the end of the main straight will carry much more speed than it looks on approach. You're at the flattening bottom of a downhill, which gives more downforce, it's cambered in your favor, and there's a groove along the apex that your right tires can "hook" into. I'm on the mat in 5th all the way to the 200' marker (130 mph) at the very left edge of the surface, then quick hard-brake-and-off after the 100' marker and start my turn in, being late to the throttle for a couple seconds to let the car drift a little. As T2 comes into view, feed some throttle to stabilize my direction toward the outside entry for T2, which again should be to the far left edge. If I'm catching someone here I may downshift to 4th before this turn, otherwise I carry 5th through to T2.
Turn 2
Brake late, turn in sharply and roll on gas.
Evo VIII: Downshift 5th to 4th (or 4th to 3rd maybe if I'm in traffic and went to 4th going into T1) while braking and aiming for the leftmost edge of the start of the corner. Depending how well I got the car to move coming out of T1, I may be parallel to the left edge of the surface, or I may be angled out slightly, which can be corrected in the latter part of the braking. I'm looking for the leading edge of the inside curbing on the right to appear for a late apex. The moment it does, turn hard and throttle on the mat to just barely miss the apex curbing. Turning in early here will lead you to solidly hit the inside curbing, and often if you stay in it you'll go over the curbing at exit. Unwinding the arc should take me just onto the tail end of the exit curbing. Because this car doesn't push under power, I need to unwind the steering briefly before T3. Gear selection for this part of the track is mostly based on preference and traffic. 4th is smoother and easier if I'm over 4K rpm, 3rd is required if I'm behind someone slower and can't keep the rpm's that high, but the throttle is more violent in 3rd and I'll be near the red line so I have to be more delicate with it.
Turn 3
Keep throttle on but ease off on exit to set up for off camber sweeper and move to middle of track to enter 4
Evo VIII: Steering input is about the same as for T1 without as much speed or the drift. I'm aiming for center-track approach to T4 while throttle is on the mat coming out of T2. If I'm expecting to set up a pass coming out of T4, I'll take it around T3 a bit wider to the right in 3rd gear and lift and turn a bit early into T4 for a better angle of attack.
Turn 4
Keep throttle on lightly and gradually move in toward apex and roll throttle on progressively harder as you exit.
Evo VIII: There is a little rise in the track on approach to the left, and I'm lifting into this for stability. As I crest this rise I'm about to see the leading edge of the inside curbing on the left and start my turn in. For RWD cars slamming down the throttle here is ill-advised as the track surface is center-crowned and may result in oversteer as the back end wants to slip down the outside off-camber right side of the crown. With the Evo, I can be a bit more aggressive going to the mat but still it's a roll-in of throttle because I don't want the turbo to kick too soon. As I come around, I want to be unwinding the steering input in concert with getting to the mat and the turbo's full strength on the tail end of the curbing with an exit speed 90-100 mph. If in traffic and setting up for a pass here, I may be in 3rd and, from the wider approach from T3, will cut a tighter inside line to position myself to the leading car's 8 o'clock at the exit and a clean left-side pass and upshift to 4th going into T5.
Caution: Do not drop a wheel over the outside right exit curbing coming out of T4. It drops off like a step and will hook your back wheel and throw you into a flat spin that will usually send you back across the track to the left and at best backed into the swamp approaching T5, and at worst will result in a rollover as you slide sideways into the rutted soft ground there causing the leading side wheels to dig in and flip the car a few times. If you overcook T4 exit, straighten up and straddle the exit curbing or cross it completely before turning back left toward the track under control beyond the end of it.
Turn 5
Moderate braking and late turn in for early acceleration
Evo VIII: Light to moderate braking to the left edge of the surface. To get here from T4, I'm on the mat and not quite unwinding all the steering input so it's a very gradual arc across from T4 exit right to T5 brake point left, turning very slightly back to the right in the braking to get parallel to the left edge. Again I'm looking for the leading edge of the inside curbing to start my turn in, late apex to just clip or just miss it on the inside, holding the arc while on the mat to exit, unwinding just as I come off the left exit curbing.
Turn 6
Keep throttle on.
Evo VIII: RWD cars may be able to hold a constant arc and "throttle push" past T6 apex all the way to T7. The Evo cannot push under power, so I must unwind briefly, then turn in again around T6. Generally I won't touch this small curbing, as I'm really looking and aiming for T7 far left edge.
Turn 7
Late turn in, sharp turn and early throttle.
Evo VIII: There is a "cut" in the pavement at the left edge that is perpendicular to the track and comes in several feet. It looks like a mowing deck may have cut into the asphalt. This is my target for turn in just as my front wheels cross it. Braking is hard from about half way between T6 and this point, along with a downshift from 4th to 3rd. I want that downshift done before I get to this mark. Turn in is fairly sharp, and I'm perhaps one second late on the throttle to just miss the inside curbing. This is the widest arc you can make in this turn. Turning late, pinching the steering sharp, while applying early throttle, is for RWD cars that are trying to invoke an oversteer, perhaps getting some help from the marbles that accumulate in the center and left portion of the track. In 3rd gear, the Evo pulls very strong through this turn right to the exit curbing every time, snapping the steering straight while staying hard on the throttle as soon as I'm off that exit curbing and aimed for right-center entry for T8.
Turn 8
late turn in, straddle center seam and gradually move in until you are at apex then roll on throttle and exit hard throttle
Evo VIII: About halfway between T7 and T8 upshifting from 3rd to 4th because I'll be quickly to the rev limiter if I don't, and because T8 will carry a lot of speed in the climb out of this valley. On the downhill approach, I want to get the center seam under my seat, which would be left of center of the car. After the upshift, throttle is moderate, not matted, with a lift and light brake late at the bottom, then turn in following the seam and moderate throttle at first just to keep the revs around 4K. About halfway around, dial in just a bit more steering to apex and throttle rolls to the mat. This line is blind in terms of sighting the inside curbing, you just have to have faith that it will be where you expect and that you'll be tight to follow the latter part of it. This is a matter of timing because I don't want the turbo to come in too soon as I come around, but I want it at full strength as I'm unwinding near the crest of the hill exiting the other side. This should put me out track right just between the two legs of Times Square. I may clip the two corners of the curbing on each side of those legs, and there's a bit of a dip there that the car just plants into at full throttle to catch-and-launch toward T9.
If I've just passed someone coming out of T7, the upshift still happens, but I'll stay left all the way down the hill, hold 3rd a bit longer, upshift later while braking a bit more, and hold tight to the inside of T8 most of the way around to ensure I'm clear the car I passed and I'll still come flying over the crest as I roll out to exit. As I write this in 2010, the track has developed a slight rut around the inside of T8 that your left wheels really get a nice hook onto that will help you hold a tight line around the inside. To anyone behind you who doesn't know that groove is there, they'll be half expecting you to break free and sail out of the corner, and half surprised when you don't.
Times Square
Turn 9
squeeze brake and take exit wide setting up for tight turn in to 10
Evo VIII: Coming out of T8 on the mat at Times Square, holding a slight arc to get me across from right to left just like T5, I'll steer very slightly back right while moderately braking to get parallel to the left edge. Looking for the leading edge of the inside curbing to start my turn in, I am then looking past the apex across to the track exit to the pits, as this is where I really want to end up. There is a dip on the inside of T9, and the tighter you take this turn the more you feel it. Staying about 4' away from the inside curbing seems to be better, and puts me out the way I want in this car. Looking at the track map, there is a very short straight between T9 and T10, and I must unwind briefly in here to get the line of approach I want for T10, which is parallel and just touching the curbing that separates track exit. If I run too far left, I'll get the end of this curbing which is quite harsh and will upset the car a lot, and potentially put myself into recovery mode to not hit the tire wall that encloses all of T10.
Turn 10
Despite the short straight between T9 and T10, the downhill slope and off-camber approach make it possible for RWD to find a combination of arc and throttle steering that will carry them through from T9 in one smooth movement, with a bit of late oversteer going into T10 that will allow very early hard throttle to the mat to complete and exit T10 onto the straightaway. Master this and you'll take whole seconds off your lap times. Screw it up and the wall that surrounds T10 will bring your day to an abrupt halt. In fact, this wall is further away now than when the track was originally built, however its widest margin is more in the middle of the corner, tailing toward you at the far exit, which is exactly where you'd rather it didn't. If you find you've over cooked this turn, the best escape if you can manage it is to keep turning right to spin to the inside exit grass and don't lift in an effort to save it.
Evo VIII: With a brief unwind and moderate throttle coming out of T9 to get me parallel and close alongside the track exit divider curbing, I'm trying to take T10 a little deep, with a somewhat sharp turn in toward the inside curbing as it comes into view, unwinding as I get alongside that inside curbing and throttling out hard to use just a little of the exit curbing at the end. I do not want to touch the inside curbing, just arc toward the far end of it to just miss it. The inside curbing of T10 has deep holes at both ends, and hitting the ends is very harsh and upsetting. To catch the leading end is to have turned in much too early, and to catch the far end is to have turned too sharply. If I am coming in on the right line of approach, I will goose the throttle a bit just after coming over the rise before the divider curbing, then lift as I turn in to get a little drift rotation, then hard on the throttle to catch-and-launch out of the turn. Done right, and I'll run out of 4th gear about even with the starter stand and take 5th down to the end for T1.
