Ownership Verified: Saab 9-3 Aero '07 and my first 4 laps ever to the Ring

Jaco2k

Jaco2k

Member
Joined
May 4, 2007
Messages
23
Location
Finland
Car(s)
Saab 9-3 Aero SC 2007 2.8V6T
First off... I apologize for my driving imperfections - I am no race driver so, I did ok. I was more worried with not crashing so, as per advice elsewhere, I drove at 80% of what I thought I could do... and it worked :)

My logging software was playing up so I only managed a video with metrics for the slowest lap (Lap #4). My fastest lap was Lap #3 and the rest... you can read from the videos descriptions :)

Here it goes:

Lap #4

Lap #3 (my fastest)

Lap #2

Lap #1 (my first lap ever)
[video=youtube;zTcyf-4w1YI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTcyf-4w1YI[/video]

I just read the rules and saw this "Proof of ownership" thingy :) So... I think it is a bit rubbish but hang in there for a few hours and when I go out I will make a few photos as per the guidelines

...in the meantime, here is also a pic of the car going around in one of those laps:
YiKEk.jpg


Cheers!
J

----edit 30.08.2012----
Check further down in the thread for a couple of videos of me going around Ahvenisto track in Finland ;)
 
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And as per the rules - here goes the ownership proof. Please let me know if this not ok ;)

URIe4.jpg


N6N25.jpg
 
<3 The Saab - one of my favourites the pre-facelift 9-3SC :) And pretty good times you're doing (even if you have a hefty V6 - those things aren't light). How long were you leaving between each lap; looks like you're pulling away from the left of the track but that could be putting up the camera rather than the continuing lanes.

And why weren't you at Ringmeet?!? :p
 
WillDAQ said:
You have to stab the gearstick through the tablet ;)
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:) :) :) Nice one!

Speedtouch said:
<3 The Saab - one of my favourites the pre-facelift 9-3SC :) And pretty good times you're doing (even if you have a hefty V6 - those things aren't light). How long were you leaving between each lap; looks like you're pulling away from the left of the track but that could be putting up the camera rather than the continuing lanes.

And why weren't you at Ringmeet?!? :p
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Thanks! You hit the nail on the head - you clearly feel the weight of the car when you push into the corner and since it is stock, I didn't trust the brakes so much to stop me in a timely manner. If you check the descriptions, all the info is there - I was doing almost one lap per day.

...but about gaps between laps, I always felt sorry for the car when I ended a lap - you could feel that it had been hammered: Cooked brakes and clutch, overheated engine due to the turbo always on boost, disintegrating tires... me and my friend always did a 10/15km slow drive afterwards to cool the cars.

Also, we tried to go either very early in the morning or very late in order to avoid a lot of traffic in the track - like you see in my 4th lap.

...and the departure from the left was indeed to set the camera ;)

I had no idea there was a ringmeet around that time - I was there from 28.6-2.7 with my friend (you see him on the beginning of a couple of the videos on a gray Megane RS...) and we mostly chilled.
Only went for a while to check the Renault World Series but that was it. Chilling in Adenau and car spotting in Adenauer Forst! :) ...and Autobahn storming to max the car - it is limited to 250km/h (GPS speed), as I found out.

Altogether, this trip is up there in best things I have done in my life and feeling of fulfillment rivals with my child's birth :)
 
Yeah so we were all there from 27.6 to 29.6. Check out this year's thread, then get your ass in gear next year and come back for the Ringmeet! :p
 
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This time... Ahvenisto in Finland

This time... Ahvenisto in Finland

Here is the video for the first stint:

And here is the video for the second:

You can read the video comments for more information :)
Had loads of fun again but one thing is obvious... track car, the Saab isn't and on a small twisty track it became much more obvious ;)

My guide for the day owns a Porsche 924 and a Smart Roadster and he can get around in 1:43 on his Smart (which is heavily modified, but stilll...) which is 10 seconds faster than my fastest time that day.

I think if I practice I can at best get 5 seconds out of my time but that's it :)

Problem is the slow, twisty corners, where the Saab FWD and weight really take a toll.
 
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Nice videos! Always fun to watch laps from Ahvenisto. Just keep practicing and the laptimes will improve. What did you think about the track itself?
 
Tcdoe said:
Nice videos! Always fun to watch laps from Ahvenisto. Just keep practicing and the laptimes will improve. What did you think about the track itself?
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I really liked it - it was much harder and technical than I anticipated and I am sure it will take plenty of laps to nail it right. Also,the fast corner before the finish line takes a lot of balls and trust. Need to try it again on the dry and with better tires to have an idea.

Either way, it was good fun! ;)
 
QUOTE=Tcdoe;1966190]Nice videos! Always fun to watch laps from Ahvenisto. Just keep practicing and the laptimes will improve. What did you think about the track itself?[/QUOTE]

BTW, just noticed you drive a very nice car - my best friend from Portugal who joined me.on the ring has a Megane RS which I have driven and it is quite.nice.

If you check my ring vids.you can see his Megane and a few others featuring. It has an amazingly good chassis for a FWD car :)

- - - Updated - - -

QUOTE=Tcdoe;1966190]Nice videos! Always fun to watch laps from Ahvenisto. Just keep practicing and the laptimes will improve. What did you think about the track itself?[/QUOTE]

BTW, just noticed you drive a very nice car - my best friend from Portugal who joined me.on the ring has a Megane RS which I have driven and it is quite.nice.

If you check my ring vids.you can see his Megane and a few others featuring. It has an amazingly good chassis for a FWD car :)
 
Jaco2k said:
BTW, just noticed you drive a very nice car - my best friend from Portugal who joined me.on the ring has a Megane RS which I have driven and it is quite.nice.

If you check my ring vids.you can see his Megane and a few others featuring. It has an amazingly good chassis for a FWD car :)
Click to expand...


Thanks, his car is the right color too. :)

Yeah, I saw those earlier, those are good as well. Strange choice of racing lines in the beginning of lap 3? I'm hoping to take my Renault to the ring next summer. Check out my YT channel for a few more Ahvenisto vids.
 
Tcdoe said:
Thanks, his car is the right color too. :)

Yeah, I saw those earlier, those are good as well. Strange choice of racing lines in the beginning of lap 3? I'm hoping to take my Renault to the ring next summer. Check out my YT channel for a few more Ahvenisto vids.
Click to expand...

You mean my lines or his? If you are talking about his, he was kinda trying to let me pass to lead so that he could follow, but screwed my lap up in the process :)

If you want tips/advices/etc. about going to the Ring, just drop me a line and I will gladly share my findings - or even better, we do it over a cup of coffee in Ahvenisto? ;)
 
So... went for a drive around town with my friend and he brought along his Porsche 924S - there will be a vid coming with cams on both cars

But... we also made a photoshoot and I think these were some of the best photos I managed to snap that night:

eYeva.jpg


Peffv.jpg


IqS8E.jpg


KuiCV.jpg


3DMQS.jpg
 
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Jaco2k said:
Lap #3 (my fastest)
Click to expand...

I only watched like two minutes of this video but those are some good lines you got going on. Nice setup area, smooth in the corners, touching the apex, gentle exit. Not much to complain about other than it being a SAAB wagon. =P jk, I like SAABs...but lets be honest, they're not the perfect track day car.
 
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