Laguna is primarily surrounded by sand, kitty litter gravel traps. All of the curbing there is an FIA 2 rating. The rating was acquired for the FIA motorcycle series. Which means pretty much all the curbs can be driven on, entries , apex and exit curbs can pretty much be used to there full amount.
Every Event there, the curb use leads to some interesting off road excursions. The exit curbs , becuase you can use them, get used constantly. As does the dirt (sand) next to the curb. As people fall off, drop a wheel etc. The outside of the exit curbs develop ruts, right next to the curb. The exits of turn three, four, five, six and 9 are the worse culprits. The ruts become deep enough that some cars will bottom dropping a wheel. These ruts will "grab" your car, and if you fight them, you will go for a huge ride. At 3, 5, 9 many cars end up crossing the track out of control and at three many end up hitting the inside wall.
Like all off road excursions, but at Laguna especially, if you drop a wheel off, straighten the steering immediately (provided doing so your not going to hit anything) and ride it out in a straight line. (You are not going to save your laptime and have already ruined it at this point, so better to continue to the next lap). Gently getting the car back on to the racetrack.
Almost all attempts at forcing the issue, like attempting to pull the car back on the track, well let's say this , few get away with it. The ruts that form, generally are right at the edge of the curb, and trying to come back on, hooks the car on the curb. Give up the ghost, ride it out to the end of curb and try again next lap.
As a side note, if you end up in the kitty litter especially if you spun into it. Your finished, the car will stay there until they can tow you and your added 10 lbs of stones out of the trap. (Largest cause of yellow flags at laguna).
Hope to see a bunch of you there, this weekend and the week of the runoffs. I do have a ad in the classifieds, if anyone needs data assistance, chassis help for the runoffs. This and Sears are my home tracks, know them well.
