♪♪
MY NAME IS KATHERINE LEGGE,
AND THIS HERE IS MY ACURA NSX GT3 CAR,
AND SHE'S A BEAST.
♪♪
AS YOU CAN SEE, THE MIRRORS ARE GREEN.
THIS SIGNIFIES THAT IT'S A GTD CAR.
IT'S PRETTY MUCH THE SAME AS THE CARS THAT WE USE ON THE ROAD.
THE ONLY DIFFERENCE, REALLY,
IS THE AMOUNT OF DOWNFORCE WE HAVE.
SO IF YOU LOOK DOWN HERE, THAT MASSIVE FRONT SKIRT?
THAT PRODUCES A LOT OF AIR GOING OVER THE TOP OF IT,
WHICH PUSHES IT DOWN INTO THE GROUND.
ALL THE FANCY-LOOKING SCOOPS AND BITS LIKE THAT
ARE FOR AERO PURPOSES.
THEY HELP TO EITHER PIN TO THE GROUND MORE
OR THEY HELP TO REDUCE DRAG.
REFUELING IS ON BOTH SIDES,
SO YOU CAN VENT ON ONE SIDE
AND FUEL ON THE OTHER SIDE
BECAUSE WE WANT TO GET THE FUEL IN
AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
SO, WE HAVE THIS BIG CONTRAPTION
THAT GOES OVER THE TOP.
ONE GUY PLUGS IN THIS SIDE.
THERE'S ANOTHER GUY WHO'S, LIKE,
LETTING THE AIR VENT OUT OF THE OTHER SIDE.
ALL THE AIR FROM THE ENGINE COMES OUT OF THERE.
CAN CHANGE THE ANGLE OF THE REAR WING HERE.
AND WE GOT MASSIVE DIFFUSER COMING OUT THE BACK,
WHICH MAKES IT LOOK MEAN AND SEXY...
[ ENGINE REVS ]
...BUT IT ALSO SERVES THAT PURPOSE
OF GETTING THE AIR THROUGH
AND SUCKING IT TO THE GROUND AS WE GO ALONG.
HERE IS A...CABLE. [ CHUCKLES ]
♪♪
WHEN WE COME IN FOR A PIT STOP, WE'LL STOP ON THE BOARD,
AND THE CAR WILL GO UP IN THE AIR.
AS SOON AS WE'RE READY TO GO, THEY WILL PULL THIS,
AND IT WILL DROP THE CAR TO THE GROUND IN AN INSTANT.
IT'S VERY VIOLENT.
♪♪
I CAN'T.
IF WE LOOK INSIDE THE PASSENGER SIDE HERE...
WE DON'T HAVE THE AIR-CONDITIONING UNITS
THAT YOU WOULD HAVE IN YOUR NORMAL CAR,
BUT WE DO HAVE A SERIES OF PIPED AIR, IF YOU LIKE.
THAT'S ALL WE GET.
IT'S LITERALLY 120 DEGREES IN THERE. IT'S BRUTAL.
AND BASICALLY, EVERYTHING ELSE IS JUST STRIPPED FOR WEIGHT,
SO IT'S JUST A BUNCH OF CARBON FIBER AND WIRING.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF ANTENNAE THAT SEND BACK INFORMATION
WITHIN A SPLIT SECOND,
TELLING LITERALLY EVERYTHING ABOUT THE CAR
TO THE ENGINEERING STAND IN THE PIT.
VERY CLEVER PEOPLE WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES,
TRYING TO DECIPHER THAT REAL TIME.
WE HAVE TO HAVE A LOT OF FAITH IN THESE TIRES.
THEY DO A LOT OF LAPS.
THEY'RE PUT UNDER AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF STRAIN.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO STEP INSIDE MY OFFICE...
THERE IS A TRACK MAP.
NOW, SOMETIMES WHEN WE'RE TALKING TO THE ENGINEERS
AND WE'RE REFERENCING A PART OF THE TRACK,
IT'S QUITE HANDY TO GLANCE DOWN THERE.
ALSO HOW WE GET INTO REVERSE,
BECAUSE, FINGERS CROSSED AND TOUCH WOOD,
WE NEVER NEED TO GET IN REVERSE.
NEED-TO-KNOW BASIS ONLY.
NOW, IN A DRIVER-CHANGE PRACTICE,
THE OTHER DRIVER WILL BE GETTING OUT AND YOU'LL BE GETTING IN,
AND YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO GET IN
WITHIN LIKE 10 SECONDS AND ALL BELTED IN.
SO WHAT YOU DO IS -- EVERYBODY DOES IT SLIGHTLY DIFFERENTLY,
BUT I'M A LITTLE BIT MORE AGILE THAN SOME OF THE GUYS,
SO I CAN BASICALLY JUST, LIKE, DO A LITTLE DANCE,
SLIDE MY BUM IN.
YOU GOT A SIX-POINT HARNESS.
IT'S NOT THE MOST COMFORTABLE.
ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING ASPECTS OF A RACECAR
IS THE STEERING WHEEL AND ALL THE KNOBS AND BUTTONS
THAT YOU HAVE ON THERE.
♪♪
YOU CAN CHANGE THE AMOUNT OF INFORMATION
THAT'S BEING PROVIDED.
YOU CAN SEE WHETHER YOU'RE RUNNING OUT OF FUEL OR NOT.
YOU CAN SEE LAP TIMES. YOU CAN SEE TIRE PRESSURES.
GOT A HAND CLUTCH BEHIND THE WHEEL HERE.
YOU GET ABOUT 1,000 PSI --
1,000 POUNDS OF PRESSURE THROUGH THAT BRAKE PEDAL.
THE VISIBILITY IN THESE, AS YOU CAN SEE WITH THE ROLL BAR
AND EVERYTHING, IS PRETTY DIFFICULT,
SO WE HAVE ONE OF THESE NEWFANGLED CAMERAS
WHICH SHOWS US WHERE THE OTHER CARS ARE,
AND IT'S A LOT MORE EFFECTIVE AT DEALING WITH TRAFFIC.
YOU REMEMBER WHEN YOU'RE 17 OR SOMETHING
AND YOU GET YOUR CAR AND IT'S LIKE,
"I WANT TO DRIVE IT," AND YOU GIVE IT A NAME?
I FEEL LIKE THE NSX DOES THAT FOR ME.
THE 86 CAR.
I JUST CALL HER "BABY GIRL."
♪♪
[ ENGINE REVVING ]