Run down of how my first event at ThunderHill West as well as with the XIDAs running 16k/9k Swift Springs


4 Sessions, missed footage for the first one. Weather was low ~60s in the morning with sun, overall dry conditions 

Session 2: Instructor in the car
- I kept downshifting from 4th as I cross start finish into 3rd as I approach T1, this is unnecessary as I can be flat out through 1 and brake in between 1 and 2 while heel toe’ing into 3rd gear
- I experimented a bit with throttle steering throughout the day around the T2 carousel, but with the new XIDAs I have on and the spring rates I am running, I wasn’t able to be as playful with the car given my grip levels
- Setting up for the Dorito, I was previously downshifting before that into 3rd, but with the help of the instructor, we changed approach and stayed in 4th over the Dorito and only went down into 3rd to prep for the set up for T4
- T6 almost lost as I had a lapse in judgement on whether I should stay in 3rd or 4th. The smoothest wayI found through this back side is to stay in 4th through T6 and downshift into 3rd for the T7 hairpin
- T7 set up for hair pin need a lot of work, but staying in 3rd and tracking out to the right right after the turn seemed to have work well
- T10 hairpin approach and set up also needs work

Session 3: First time solo since my wreck at Laguna
- Took is really easy in the first few laps, then progressed up to a ~1:41 lap time
- Nailed the set up for T2 by braking AFTER T1
- Tried to ride as close as I could to the white like of the carousel with smooth inputs rather than playing with throttle steering
- Could have hung out wider for the T4 set up
- T7 I turned in way too early, but was in the right gear for it, traced out which was a good exit, but the entry needs lots of work
- T9 also very early turn in, which is why my hands are nearly crossed over, I should have hung it out a bit closer to that cone

Session 4: Last one of the day
- I told myself I was going to take it easy, I even dropped the top for the first time 
- The worst thing you can do is have a major fuck up on either the first or the last sessions of the day. Thankfully neither one of those happened here
- One thing I noticed over the Dorito is that my body violently shifts up at speed. Probably time to put the bucket seat back in
- T6 to 7 might have been a bit too fast which is why you see the unstable hands here. Might be a function of me getting used to carrying that speed thru the back side in that gear, and just end of day fatigue 
- T7 for whatever reason I went down to second, wound the car up and kicked it sideways, but fortunately caught it just fine. Again, end of day fatigue
- T8 still too early on the turn in and same with T10

Not sure how I squeaked out a 1:38, especially when I told myself I was going to take it easy. I think this was a great day with a super fun track that I set a decent base line with. Probably a ~1:41 ish driver with lots of room to improve!