"Nick Has an Exocet" (nickallain)
03/24/2019 at 00:18 • Filed to: indycar
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"Nick Has an Exocet" (nickallain)
03/24/2019 at 00:18 • Filed to: indycar | 17
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And I can’t stop thinking about it. It was better than I thought it could be in every possible way. The G forces are obviously the prevailing feeling. Somewhere around 5 lateral G’s in corners and braking is downright crazy. I don’t think I’ll ever forget that.
It’s so raw.
You lower yourself down into what feels kind of a carbon fiber bobsled. The sides come up to your cheeks. Before they motor starts, there’s an odd calm. The helmet blocks the sound. The restraints block your movement. The driver’s seat blocks your vision. There’s not much to focus on except the feel of the carbon fiber through your race suit and the beating of your own heart. I actually felt my heart beating fast and spend 4-5 seconds slowing things down a bit.
A few seconds later, someone snaps down my visor and the engine fires up. In an instant, you feel everything coursing through you. You’re aware of the vehicle’s construction. It feels tight but large. Not even seconds later someone pushes the car forward from behind and then the gearbox engages with a smooth fury. Full throttle is pretty much instant and you gain speed faster than you could have ever fathomed. However, the experience of gaining speed is non-linear.
That’s the high of speed. You’re always chasing the next one. For my friend Dave, that was the most shocking part of the experience, but for me, I was impressed with the linearity of the power band and how smoothly it came on.
But as smooth as the speed came on, it came off with a force that is somewhat indescribable. My research suggests that its around 5 G’s of lateral force. That doesn’t do it justice. Suddenly, you become aware of the grip and of how much feel comes through the chassis. Each butt cheek feels the exact grit of the pavement on either side of the car. Your eyes and organs shift forward in your squishy body. Humans weren’t really made for this.
Circuit of the Americas first corner is strange. For a first time (and most likely only time) in an Indycar, it provides some unique perspective. The hard straight braking separates the corner from the brakes so you taste each ingredient on its own. Even though the first corner is somewhat slow, you feel it push you hard right and your body’s muscles fight back.
For the next 4-5 corners, things become a blur. The left and right motion of the track puts huge strain on your muscles and with limited ability to see (only about 30 degrees to the left and 30 to the right, with a 45 degree blind spot in the middle for the driver’s seat), your brain struggles to keep up. There’s a bit of panic as it adjusts. Then, strangely, that feeling melts away. What’s left is an enjoyment as your brain starts to feel the car again.
The grip on each side of the car comes through and as the drive hits the rumble strip you get a sense of just how incredible the suspension is and how the aerodynamics of the car keep it planted even when half the tires are skipping over the ground.
And just like that, it’s over. It felt like 35.5 seconds but it was indeed 2 minutes and 45 seconds. On the back straight, the limiter kicked in at 175mph.
I could never have asked for a better day and our vendor absolutely didn’t have to do it. Hanging out with them over this weekend and truly experiencing Indycar gave me an entirely new appreciation for the sport. TV doesn’t do it justice. Nothing does. And that’s what makes it hardest to really talk about. There are no points of reference. Normally, hitting 5 G’s means you’ve done something wrong. In this case, you’ve done something oh-so-right. I feel incredibly lucky and grateful. This isn’t an experience most people will have. Frankly, I’m still kind of wondering what kind of cosmic button I had to push to get here.
Oh, and 30 minutes later, I met Mario Andretti at the Jalopnik meetup. Most importantly however, I me t Stef and we took the blurriest selphie anyone has ever seen. It’s so bad, that Kinja flips it upside down in an attempt to make it right.
Maxima Speed
> Nick Has an Exocet
03/24/2019 at 01:17 |
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That’s awesome dude. I’m really happy for you. Those Gs must have been intense. I’m experienced brief amounts of about two or three gs but nothing like five and definitely not laterally.
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Nick Has an Exocet
> Maxima Speed
03/24/2019 at 01:21 |
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Thanks man! At least for the moment it made my work feelings go away and solidify how I’ve felt about cars and how we connect to them.
Tapas
> Nick Has an Exocet
03/24/2019 at 01:24 |
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That’s fucking amazing!
I’m jelly
The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
> Nick Has an Exocet
03/24/2019 at 01:31 |
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So your saying Stef is real human & her chicken is really a duck?
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Nick Has an Exocet
> The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
03/24/2019 at 01:47 |
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Real human. How her animals identify is unknown.
glemon
> Nick Has an Exocet
03/24/2019 at 01:49 |
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Sounds really cool, do you have to sign some sort of waiver or release of liability before hopping in, I think 5 gs could mess up heart, head or neck if you weren’t used to it and/or in pretty good shape? I enjoy going fast in cars, but don't know if that fast would kind of freak me out.
SmugAardvark
> Nick Has an Exocet
03/24/2019 at 01:57 |
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I genuinely believe I’d get violently ill doing that ride. I can drive on track for hours at a time without the slightest feeling of nausea. But a couple laps as a passenger at a HPDE results in me turning slightly green.
But awesome for you, glad you had such a fun time!
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Nick Has an Exocet
> glemon
03/24/2019 at 02:01 |
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Big waiver. There were lots of folks over 40 and poor shape. They seemed fine but I thought the same!
VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely
> Nick Has an Exocet
03/24/2019 at 02:32 |
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This is superb! Wish I could have been as well.
MM54
> Nick Has an Exocet
03/24/2019 at 06:33 |
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Awesome, looks like a great time with some cool people
arl
> Nick Has an Exocet
03/24/2019 at 08:17 |
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Awesome sauce.
merged-5876237249235911857-hrw8uc
> Nick Has an Exocet
03/24/2019 at 08:39 |
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That’s awesome! I remember my ride along at the one of the rusty wallace experiences at MIS in a stock car, and I can relate to not having a good reference to describe the forces. And that’s just a stock car, I can only imagine an Indy car, so frickin cool. I just remember not being able to breathe in the first corner because the forces were just so much, but then I started giggling like a little child for the rest of the run.
That’s so awesome for you! And great writeup , now I will have to watch the race today.
shop-teacher
> Nick Has an Exocet
03/24/2019 at 08:56 |
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That’s freaking awesome! I’m very jealous :)
You're description of it is excellent, great writing.
ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com
> Nick Has an Exocet
03/24/2019 at 10:04 |
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That is so cool. Who was your driver?
I’ve driven a Formula Ford, but I really hope to one day drive an open wheel car with both wings and horse power.
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Nick Has an Exocet
> ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com
03/24/2019 at 19:36 |
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It was a former driver but to be honest, I didn’t catch his name on the car and couldn’t see his face. Getting in and out was like a pit crew change.
I would LOVE to drive a Formula Ford. I may build something like that at some point. I’m jealous.