Home from the track!
Yeah, slowing down was a very hard thing to do. But my instructor was right, I had the fastest car on the track, and I did NOT know how to drive it....yet. So rather than wadding it up trying to stay in front of Eric & his herd or mad bumble bees, he told me to slow it down. It was the right choice.
I do wish he wouldn't have made me slow down to let the Lotus's pass in the straights. Yeah, they are faster in the turns, but I never got to make one good, fast lap that way. I'm pretty sure I could have put enough real estate between us to stay in front. Next time...
I do wish he wouldn't have made me slow down to let the Lotus's pass in the straights. Yeah, they are faster in the turns, but I never got to make one good, fast lap that way. I'm pretty sure I could have put enough real estate between us to stay in front. Next time...
There's no shame it letting a corner car pass you. Especially now that they have 4 passing zones.
When you go back they'll give you back your mirrors and make sure you are looking for passers. You'll be able to have your fun on the front straight, then let them pass you when they catch up to you on the back side. You'll be surprised just how quickly a well driven Lotus or Mini can make up those seconds once you get into the turns.
When you go back they'll give you back your mirrors and make sure you are looking for passers. You'll be able to have your fun on the front straight, then let them pass you when they catch up to you on the back side. You'll be surprised just how quickly a well driven Lotus or Mini can make up those seconds once you get into the turns.
Yeah, it just knawed at me a little to let slower cars pass me where I had the advantage. I expect a Lotus to catch me in the turns, but he made me let a Cavi pass me!
My car seemed to take a very short time to travel long distances the couple of times I did get into it. I cranked it up most of the way on the back straight & was into those moguls before turn 5 instantly going WAY too fast. My suspension bottomed out & I had to use ABS to slow it down for 5.
I want to go back once more before the ORR & get some seat time & find out how much I can step on the gas, and when. I also want to go WOT a few times down the front straight away. Those turns at 120 mph + are the ones that I want to get used to.
My car seemed to take a very short time to travel long distances the couple of times I did get into it. I cranked it up most of the way on the back straight & was into those moguls before turn 5 instantly going WAY too fast. My suspension bottomed out & I had to use ABS to slow it down for 5.
I want to go back once more before the ORR & get some seat time & find out how much I can step on the gas, and when. I also want to go WOT a few times down the front straight away. Those turns at 120 mph + are the ones that I want to get used to.
Thread Starter
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,889
Likes: 1
From: Lincolnton, NC
Boyce, Skip is no longer there. Don't know why but I heard there is a good story behind it. He was the one and only instructor I ever had. Don't know what I'm going to do now. All the ones they have there now drive those damn slow BMW's that they think are the greatest track cars ever. Skip use to challenge me. Never said slow down but do it right if you want to go faster. I speculate that his ability was probably the best on the staff. I will never forget when Don came over the radio and told him to tell the blue vette to stop spinning his wheels off the line. He told me to tell him to F off because he's only jealous because his P car couldn't do it. What a character!
TECH Resident
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 759
Likes: 0
From: Lynnwood, WA
Originally Posted by ram-it
Skip use to challenge me. Never said slow down but do it right if you want to go faster.
I wonder if Mark's instructor challenged him!?
Originally Posted by ram-it
Boyce, Skip is no longer there. Don't know why but I heard there is a good story behind it. He was the one and only instructor I ever had. Don't know what I'm going to do now. All the ones they have there now drive those damn slow BMW's that they think are the greatest track cars ever. Skip use to challenge me. Never said slow down but do it right if you want to go faster. I speculate that his ability was probably the best on the staff. I will never forget when Don came over the radio and told him to tell the blue vette to stop spinning his wheels off the line. He told me to tell him to F off because he's only jealous because his P car couldn't do it. What a character!
Yuppie instructors are there for "safety" and not actual learning ability - any chance Skip is now in Portland teaching there?
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
Gas Monkey Built a 6-Wheel Ferrari Testarossa With a Corvette LT4 Engine
Verdad Gallardo
7 Most Reliable High-Performance Engines GM Has Ever Built
Verdad Gallardo
Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin
Verdad Gallardo
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo
On The Tree
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 145
Likes: 1
From: Everett
Darn, Skip will be missed. He was a hoot!
Anyway, nice video! Looks like you guys had a blast. Makes me jealous.....
So, when's the next one?
Though I'm over a year behind schedule, I'm finally getting there. At the moment, I have my eye on the Monday, May 14th all day lapping day as the one to scrape the rust off my driving and get tuned up for the Track Trials over Memorial Day weekend. Hopefully I won't get lost out on the track. 
Anyway, nice video! Looks like you guys had a blast. Makes me jealous.....
So, when's the next one?
Though I'm over a year behind schedule, I'm finally getting there. At the moment, I have my eye on the Monday, May 14th all day lapping day as the one to scrape the rust off my driving and get tuned up for the Track Trials over Memorial Day weekend. Hopefully I won't get lost out on the track. 
TECH Veteran
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 4,954
Likes: 1
From: Kent WA
Originally Posted by vtec this
That is something my instructor never said to me. He did tell me that he was impressed with my ability and I he would not be nervous if I wanted to go faster, ut he never challenged me.
I wonder if Mark's instructor challenged him!?
I wonder if Mark's instructor challenged him!?
He let me know exactly what he wanted me to do, and talked about how to make quicker times through the turns... he obviously thought I'd be coming back and would care about quicker lap times.
TECH Addict
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2,563
Likes: 0
From: Seattle, WA
Mine did not do anything like that with me. Whenever I felt like I could get into it and go I had a Lotus or a Corvette that wanted by and had to slow down to let them pass. Bummed me out. I really wanted to push that little Cav. ('Course, if I dropped the tranny on the track that is probably just what I would have been doing.)
I've had a few different instructors on various days. I learned from each of them, BUT, they each had different things they wanted to focus on. All in all, I think that's good. Each instructor seems to have something different to offer.
My first time the instructor(Don) was very good. I still remember on the last session of the day asking him why he was so quiet. His answer..."because you're doing everything I want you to."
The second time I was with Hugh. Once he saw that I had the basics down and remembered the line he had me focus on shifting and braking. I gained a good chunk of lap time that day.
I haven't specifically paid for an instructor since(I will next time), but I've sat down with Bill and picked his brain on how to handle various issues on the track. He agreed that I need a pedal kit so I can learn to heel-toe and get even more aggressive with my shifts. He also taught me the dangers of shifting in turn 9. (My car wants to hit the rev limited right in the middle of it, so I have to either go maintenance throttle and shift after the turn, or short shift before the turn.)
Also, when you come back for all day lapping there will be an educational hour right after lunch where you will go walk a section of the track with an instructor and really focus on every little nuance of that section of track. My times through 4, 5a/b, 6 improved considerably after one such corner focus.
The thing is, when you learn to do it right, you find yourself feeling faster without feeling like you're pushing it. If you feel like you're pushing it, then you aren't driving 7/10ths and your likely to end up hurt, or getting someone else hurt.
My first time the instructor(Don) was very good. I still remember on the last session of the day asking him why he was so quiet. His answer..."because you're doing everything I want you to."
The second time I was with Hugh. Once he saw that I had the basics down and remembered the line he had me focus on shifting and braking. I gained a good chunk of lap time that day.
I haven't specifically paid for an instructor since(I will next time), but I've sat down with Bill and picked his brain on how to handle various issues on the track. He agreed that I need a pedal kit so I can learn to heel-toe and get even more aggressive with my shifts. He also taught me the dangers of shifting in turn 9. (My car wants to hit the rev limited right in the middle of it, so I have to either go maintenance throttle and shift after the turn, or short shift before the turn.)
Also, when you come back for all day lapping there will be an educational hour right after lunch where you will go walk a section of the track with an instructor and really focus on every little nuance of that section of track. My times through 4, 5a/b, 6 improved considerably after one such corner focus.
The thing is, when you learn to do it right, you find yourself feeling faster without feeling like you're pushing it. If you feel like you're pushing it, then you aren't driving 7/10ths and your likely to end up hurt, or getting someone else hurt.
On The Tree
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 145
Likes: 1
From: Everett
Very well said. Skip was great, no doubt about that. But it's not fair to hold all other instructors to the standard of being just like him. They're all different, they all have different experiences, racing backgrounds and philosophies about what's important to learn at their student's current level. But they will all find a way to make you faster if you give them a chance. Don wouldn't have hired them if they couldn't.
And guys, I know as much as anybody how frustrating it is to not get clear laps and be slowed down because you're waving people by, but your instructors can't really do anything about that. If there's a car on your ***, yes, you need to wave him by whether you have an instructor or not. Trust me, you don't want to be "that guy" who everybody is cussing under their breaths in the pits because you hold people up all the way around the track only to blast forward a few car lengths on the front straight which are gone by 3a anyway. If somebody walks up to your car in the pits and begins windexing your mirrors, that's a hint....
As bad as waving people by is, it's nothing compared with being the guy not getting the wave by. Trust me, it's infuriating. The more experience you get, the more it'll happen to you, and the clearer it will become.
And guys, I know as much as anybody how frustrating it is to not get clear laps and be slowed down because you're waving people by, but your instructors can't really do anything about that. If there's a car on your ***, yes, you need to wave him by whether you have an instructor or not. Trust me, you don't want to be "that guy" who everybody is cussing under their breaths in the pits because you hold people up all the way around the track only to blast forward a few car lengths on the front straight which are gone by 3a anyway. If somebody walks up to your car in the pits and begins windexing your mirrors, that's a hint....
As bad as waving people by is, it's nothing compared with being the guy not getting the wave by. Trust me, it's infuriating. The more experience you get, the more it'll happen to you, and the clearer it will become.
Originally Posted by Crisisman
BTW, Russ, who all did you get lap times for, and what were their best times? I know you said I was faster than 2 minutes, but I'm curious how much slower I am than the Corvettes.
you were like 1:52 and the Lotus was like 7-8 seconds faster than you.
but this was your first session out (at the end of our lunch)
I would have loved to have gotten lap times for us (in the class)
because I am pretty sure I passed everyone in the class (lapped more than half the class each time out)
such a blast
Originally Posted by WAHUSKER
I do wish he wouldn't have made me slow down to let the Lotus's pass in the straights. Yeah, they are faster in the turns, but I never got to make one good, fast lap that way. I'm pretty sure I could have put enough real estate between us to stay in front. Next time...
you didn't let me pass in the long front strait
and I'd been behind you for over 3/4 of a lap that time
your car sounds awesome from behind (watching it walk away in the straits is pretty kick ***)
I kept getting told to slow down in the straits,
got up to the rev limmiter in 4th the last 2 sessions,
and actually got into 5th a couple times (he said he wanted me to not go much over 100) but 110-125 he kept telling me to get off of it
all I could think was I went that fast on the on-ramp to go get lunch
Sorry, in addition to everything else Dennis told me not to look in my mirrors, that he would take care of that for me. I did what he told me. I wish I could have opened it up & found out what it really would do.
I have to admit I was pretty cautious about putting it into a corner too hard, because I didn't know how well it would respond. Turns out it will take more than I was giving it. No doubt it won't keep up with a Lotus or a Z, but I think I can hang with a Cavi now.
Anyway, I need to go back on a dry day to get some seat time. I don't think a wet track is going to teach me much more about the part that I want to focus on. I need to learn how the car responds in sweeping turns at high speeds. He let me hit 120 once.
I have to admit I was pretty cautious about putting it into a corner too hard, because I didn't know how well it would respond. Turns out it will take more than I was giving it. No doubt it won't keep up with a Lotus or a Z, but I think I can hang with a Cavi now.
Anyway, I need to go back on a dry day to get some seat time. I don't think a wet track is going to teach me much more about the part that I want to focus on. I need to learn how the car responds in sweeping turns at high speeds. He let me hit 120 once.
Originally Posted by KrautBurner
my friend timed the silver/blue Lotue Excige and You
you were like 1:52 and the Lotus was like 7-8 seconds faster than you.
you were like 1:52 and the Lotus was like 7-8 seconds faster than you.
TECH Addict
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 2,662
Likes: 1
From: LaConner WA
Congrats to all who made it out there. I wish I could have been there to watch you guys, AND to listen to you talk about it in the pits later on Part of me wishes it would've been sunny all day for you, but part of me is glad that it was raining because you do learn much more that way. I've done more sliding around in the rain ( T-8 and T-2 ), but by FAR the scariest moments were on a dry track ( going alot faster 
) I'm confident that the first dry day you get you'll be faster and just plain better because you have some time in the rain. Anyway later on today I'll post up a modded Cobra kill in my WS6 when it was almost completely stock that you'll probably get a kick out of It was during my 3rd or 4th lapping day that I'd done. Man I miss my car sometimes 
Way to go dudes
B
Part of me wishes it would've been sunny all day for you, but part of me is glad that it was raining because you do learn much more that way. I've done more sliding around in the rain ( T-8 and T-2 ), but by FAR the scariest moments were on a dry track ( going alot faster ) I'm confident that the first dry day you get you'll be faster and just plain better because you have some time in the rain. Anyway later on today I'll post up a modded Cobra kill in my WS6 when it was almost completely stock that you'll probably get a kick out of It was during my 3rd or 4th lapping day that I'd done. Man I miss my car sometimes Way to go dudes
B