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Jack Olsen: Small world, eh?

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kursplat

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nice. really small world...
back in 05' or 06' i was going up to willow springs race track in my sti and ended up following this nice looking black Porche, with what should only be described as a roof rack, carrying his race rubber on top of the car!. i'm like :wtf:
completely etched that car in my mind :thumbup:
years later i end up here looking at a really nice garage set up decorated by someone with a green paint obsession :) and i realize, hey i've seen that car :drool:
 

Jack Olsen

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Wow. Thanks.

That was with my engine only firing half its spark plugs, with one cylinder not holding any pressure. I think Dane will still destroy me on the straights, but not by quite as much.

Here's the 'passes' video from the first day back at the track after that one was shot. What a difference a replacement motor makes. :)

Click on the image to see video that might induce sheer boredom for non-track guys...




And Kursplat, I still have that rack -- although now I'm too lazy to change tires at the track and just use the same set for everything.

LunarLandscape1114501161.jpg
 
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ddawg16

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Damn......I got a woody watching both of those......damn

First one was interesting to watch in that as the guy followed Jack around....his line improved as he watched the line Jack took....

What was up the guy in the CTS? Does NOT know how to drive.....

Ok...still have a woody and my wife is 2000 miles away....not fair....
 

gc11090

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Wow nice driving Jack, and I want to run that track sooo bad. It looks like a blast and a half.
 

Pathfinder

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Newbury, MA
That was some very smooth driving Jack. You blew by several Porches like they were standing still. I'm impressed.
John Minton
 

38D

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Boston
OMG Jack, watching the other people in that run group was painful. Reminded me why I only race now!
 

johno

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Southern Ont.
That was nice, gawd I'd love to try that.
All my friends are drag race guys, which doesn't do too much for me.

Jack In the first video, does the car just have the little duck tail?

Thanks for posting.
 

OldCarGuy

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Wow! Jack I'm totally impressed. :thumbup:
I can only wonder how you're able to cope with the everyday drivers on the roads in California?
 

spaceghost

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Pleasanton
Jack....incredible....awesome car, outstanding driving, and an impeccable garage...you are the man...thanks for sharing your ideas with all of us...
 

biker

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Sumter, SC
Wow. Thanks.

That was with my engine only firing half its spark plugs, with one cylinder not holding any pressure. I think Dane will still destroy me on the straights, but not by quite as much.

Here's the 'passes' video from the first day back at the track after that one was shot. What a difference a replacement motor makes. :)

Click on the image to see video that might induce sheer boredom for non-track guys...




And Kursplat, I still have that rack -- although now I'm too lazy to change tires at the track and just use the same set for everything.

LunarLandscape1114501161.jpg

Jack you are just plane riding in your vidoe.
 

Jack Olsen

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Thanks, guys. I've been racing that car for over a decade now and instructing driving for almost as long. There are MUCH faster cars and drivers out there than me. But on this particular day I was the fast guy.

OMG Jack, watching the other people in that run group was painful. Reminded me why I only race now!
I miss racing. But the time and money commitments involved can get pretty insane. I do like being able to roll out of bed and out to the track in the same car I drive around town in -- without the worry that if I ball the thing up I'll have to fix it before the next event. But there are few things as addictive as the mental chess game of a good race (or a full racing season).

Jack In the first video, does the car just have the little duck tail?
Yeah. I knew I was down on power, so I didn't bother bolting on my aero pieces. They come off for the drive home from the track. Here's another view where you can see the rear wing, coming out of turn five. The wing is actually two pieces that slide together. You can see the ducktail is still down there underneath it.

Sep022b1285704864.jpg


did you pass a tvr in that video? was there also a red r34?
Could be. Outside of Porsches, I don't know all that many cars all that well. They all... taste like chicken. ;)

Very cool, I really like the in car view

Here's an even cooler view from the same day. It was taken by a friend who recently sold his Porsche, but still has his plane. You can see what a desert race track looks like. The big road course at Willow Springs has been in operation since 1954. You can also see two of their other, smaller, tracks on the right side of the picture.

60823_1622504443913_1275517958_31791867_5039498_n.jpg
 
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johno

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Jack

You instruct drivers? Can I have some details on that, PM if you prefer.

By the way I was so impressed i went out and painted my garage walls green today, maybe that's the secret.:headscrat
 

nmanitou

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Michigan
I am in "permagrin" mode after that! Looks like a lot of fun and having a video to review afterward must be rewarding. I have a slight technical question... Are you heel-toe shifting at the entry to braking corners? Sometimes it looks like you are downshifting after braking and if so you are really just smoothly getting through the corner with good acceleration at the apex. It's hard to see the foot work in the video - just wondering.

Porsche - There is no substitute!
 

Full Size 66

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Wa.
Wow, some of the best video I've seen in a long time. That camaro was working hard. Jack nice driving and I love to see the Euro/ American battles on the road course. It is amazing they can make V-8 cars handle that good..
 

Jack Olsen

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Isn't that Horse Thief Mile in the upper left and Streets of Willow Springs in the lower right?
That's 'Streets of Willow' on the lower right, 'Horse Thief Mile' in the upper right, and -- if you look to the very left -- you can see a little of the go-kart track where it butts up against the parking lot.

You instruct drivers? Can I have some details on that, PM if you prefer.
I used to be the Chief Driving Instructor for this group (Open Track Racing). I'm a Porsche Owners Club instructor, occasionally, and have instructed for Speedventures, NASA, NCRC and a few other groups. The level of involvement between the instructor and the student varies between groups. With POC, I might be working with one guy all day. With Open Track Racing, I might go out with six or eight different students in a day -- riding as passenger most of the time, but sometimes driving their cars as well. I think I drove six other cars during this last event. It's fun to help newer drivers -- just as instructors helped me when I was starting out.

I am in "permagrin" mode after that! Looks like a lot of fun and having a video to review afterward must be rewarding. I have a slight technical question... Are you heel-toe shifting at the entry to braking corners? Sometimes it looks like you are downshifting after braking and if so you are really just smoothly getting through the corner with good acceleration at the apex. It's hard to see the foot work in the video - just wondering.
Yes. I heel-toe all my downshifts. My transaxle is a 1977 and is made of magnesium, so I can't be too rough with it. With modern transmissions, it's a less essential skill.

What's the highest speed you attain on the WS course?....(when all cyls are working) :)
My car's close-ratio gearing limits me to 134 mph. But I've run 1:29 laps without ever exceeding 129 mph. It depends on the ambient temperatures if I hit redline in 5th, but I come pretty close to it twice every lap (turn 8 and the end of the front straight).
 

Bull

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Perhaps, just as Chuck Norris has inspired a whole series of expressions on the internet extolling the virtues of his awesomeness, we should start something similar for our own Jack Olsen.
 
OP
E

Ender-DI

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Bakersfield, CA
That's 'Streets of Willow' on the lower right, 'Horse Thief Mile' in the upper right, and -- if you look to the very left -- you can see a little of the go-kart track where it butts up against the parking lot.

Oops, meant to say upper right and lower right. Hope to see you at the track sometime next year :thumbup:
 

JSBriggs

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Perhaps, just as Chuck Norris has inspired a whole series of expressions on the internet extolling the virtues of his awesomeness, we should start something similar for our own Jack Olsen.
:D

-Jeff

..........
 

e-tek

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Saskatoon, SK
Perhaps, just as Chuck Norris has inspired a whole series of expressions on the internet extolling the virtues of his awesomeness, we should start something similar for our own Jack Olsen.

I think the "Jack-Love-In" here should more than suffice!!!:bounce::lol_hitti
 

SgtRauksauff

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May 9, 2010
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Baraboo
I love lapping days. Good drivin!! Watching that vid just makes me sad that winter is nearly upon us...

that's ok, though, we carve out a little 1-2 mile course on Lake Winnebago!!

--sarge
 

hammlm

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SE PA
Perhaps, just as Chuck Norris has inspired a whole series of expressions on the internet extolling the virtues of his awesomeness, we should start something similar for our own Jack Olsen.

I bet Jack really could slam a revolving door.
 

rockchucker

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Seattle WA
Nice Drivin'! I usually go out with the Porsche' Club here in Seattle to a few different Tracks. Lot's of fun to say the least.
 

Jack Olsen

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"Jack was nimble, Jack was quick, but Jack still couldn't dodge Chuck Norris' roundhouse kick."

There you have it. Game over. Chuck Norris wins. :)

What do you wear for safety gear Jack, I can see an open face helmet and no gloves, what about a suit ?
I have a suit and gloves for racing. But on lapping days, I usually just wear a helmet and a head/neck restraint. The car has a full cage and a three-nozzle fire suppression system.

The helmet is open-face because I instruct.

I learned that same day that I'd brought the wrong helmet when I instructed a guy in a Caterham. Worst face buffeting I think I've ever experienced.
 

Nuts

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Jan 31, 2010
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Baker City, Or
Enjoyed both videos, nice to see the different perspectives.

Jack yer a madman, but look very comfortable doing so.

Nuts
 
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