Racetrack Stuff

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DTMiller
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Re: Racetrack Stuff

Post by DTMiller » Wed Jul 10, 2019 5:41 am

Hey! That happened on my SECOND track day.

Not my first.
2002 Guards Red Targa, Fister exhaust, H&R Sport Springs, semisolid motor mounts
1997 MX-5 track car
Friday at the Track, Chin Trackdays, SCCA WDCR Novice Classroom Instructor, SCDA, Audi Club Potomac, TrackDaze HPDE Instructor
June 16, 2017 Funland GoKart Champion (6:13 p.m. main event)
Willing to risk life for track time

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DTMiller
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Re: Racetrack Stuff

Post by DTMiller » Wed Jul 10, 2019 5:45 am

And thank you for your kind words guys. It's been quite a journey in this HPDE space. I now get to start people on this journey and it's really cool to feed off that energy only the new to the game folks bring.

I asked both days if anyone had never done this before on any track and got a couple hands both days. One of those guys is gonna own an F350 in a few years and it all started this weekend.
2002 Guards Red Targa, Fister exhaust, H&R Sport Springs, semisolid motor mounts
1997 MX-5 track car
Friday at the Track, Chin Trackdays, SCCA WDCR Novice Classroom Instructor, SCDA, Audi Club Potomac, TrackDaze HPDE Instructor
June 16, 2017 Funland GoKart Champion (6:13 p.m. main event)
Willing to risk life for track time

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DTMiller
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Re: Racetrack Stuff

Post by DTMiller » Wed Jul 10, 2019 7:10 am

Cuda911 wrote: Wed Jul 10, 2019 12:02 am OK, here's a story from my first-ever day at the track. Never had any track experience, other than a few autocrosses. My instructor was an older gentleman. Nice guy, but in retrospect was an awful instructor. He mumbled his words, and used vague hand gestures.

Then, he accidentally got us out on the track in the red group. Open passing anywhere. Mostly full-on track cars. Look at my avatar pic. It is from that day and that session. Look carefully... see the green X on the rear window? That is required of noobs. See the blue car behind me? 800 hp. Note the body roll in my car, none in his.

With my useless instructor, I am on my own. I have clear visions of the aftermath of DT's recent incident, a week or so before, in my mind. So I'm flying down the back straight, about 120 mph, and a sharp left decreasing radius turn us coming up. I have zero idea at all: 1) where do I need to start braking? 2) at what speed can I take this turn? 3) where should I be positioned on the track?

I also clearly remember thinking of my instructor "this guy is nuts, to be willing to ride as a passenger, stock seats and belts, with a brand new novice driver."

So, my kudos to all instructors.
Holy cow. Accidentally being on track is quite a coordinated feat. Grid has to ignore some stuff and your instructor has to fail at clock reading.

I think almost every driver with a sense of empathy for their passenger is baffled by the instructor's presence in their car. So I'm gonna drive as fast as I can and we've never met but we're gonna do this? Ok!
2002 Guards Red Targa, Fister exhaust, H&R Sport Springs, semisolid motor mounts
1997 MX-5 track car
Friday at the Track, Chin Trackdays, SCCA WDCR Novice Classroom Instructor, SCDA, Audi Club Potomac, TrackDaze HPDE Instructor
June 16, 2017 Funland GoKart Champion (6:13 p.m. main event)
Willing to risk life for track time

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gnat
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Re: Racetrack Stuff

Post by gnat » Wed Jul 10, 2019 7:33 am

Cuda911 wrote: Wed Jul 10, 2019 12:02 am Then, he accidentally got us out on the track in the red group. Open passing anywhere. Mostly full-on track cars. Look at my avatar pic. It is from that day and that session. Look carefully... see the green X on the rear window? That is required of noobs. See the blue car behind me? 800 hp. Note the body roll in my car, none in his.

With my useless instructor, I am on my own. I have clear visions of the aftermath of DT's recent incident, a week or so before, in my mind. So I'm flying down the back straight, about 120 mph, and a sharp left decreasing radius turn us coming up. I have zero idea at all: 1) where do I need to start braking? 2) at what speed can I take this turn? 3) where should I be positioned on the track?
:o :shock:

Though given how many times you have since been back, maybe he knew what he was doing after all :lol:

Congrats on surviving and not killing anyone else. Bet there were some pissed off Red group people after that session!
32wildbilly wrote: Wed Jul 10, 2019 4:24 am
Cuda911 wrote: Tue Jul 09, 2019 11:38 pm

Indeed.... congrats! Amazing to have watched this all progress over the years... from the beginning: "my wife bought me this 996, and my first track day is next week" (we all recall how that went) to now. Excellent accomplishment!
I came late to the game and for the longest time thought that was all just an urban legend.
Some things are not fake news.
DTMiller wrote: Wed Jul 10, 2019 5:45 am And thank you for your kind words guys. It's been quite a journey in this HPDE space. I now get to start people on this journey and it's really cool to feed off that energy only the new to the game folks bring.
So when are you going to graduate to a real car then?

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Re: Racetrack Stuff

Post by DTMiller » Wed Jul 10, 2019 7:53 am

Right after you and your wife's real car beat me around the track.
2002 Guards Red Targa, Fister exhaust, H&R Sport Springs, semisolid motor mounts
1997 MX-5 track car
Friday at the Track, Chin Trackdays, SCCA WDCR Novice Classroom Instructor, SCDA, Audi Club Potomac, TrackDaze HPDE Instructor
June 16, 2017 Funland GoKart Champion (6:13 p.m. main event)
Willing to risk life for track time

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Re: Racetrack Stuff

Post by gnat » Wed Jul 10, 2019 8:02 am

DTMiller wrote: Wed Jul 10, 2019 7:53 am Right after you and your wife's real car beat me around the track.
I'm game. You get me in the black group and I'll show up for it.

Probably want someone in a chase car to film all the hilarity (for those watching the video, not so much me) that will ensue :lol:

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Re: Racetrack Stuff

Post by DTMiller » Wed Jul 10, 2019 8:04 am

Lol.
2002 Guards Red Targa, Fister exhaust, H&R Sport Springs, semisolid motor mounts
1997 MX-5 track car
Friday at the Track, Chin Trackdays, SCCA WDCR Novice Classroom Instructor, SCDA, Audi Club Potomac, TrackDaze HPDE Instructor
June 16, 2017 Funland GoKart Champion (6:13 p.m. main event)
Willing to risk life for track time

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gnat
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Re: Racetrack Stuff

Post by gnat » Wed Jul 10, 2019 8:13 am

DTMiller wrote: Wed Jul 10, 2019 8:04 amLol.
Gotta at least give me credit for being realistic about the result ;)

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32wildbilly
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Re: Racetrack Stuff

Post by 32wildbilly » Wed Jul 10, 2019 9:53 am

gnat wrote: Wed Jul 10, 2019 8:13 am
DTMiller wrote: Wed Jul 10, 2019 8:04 amLol.
Gotta at least give me credit for being realistic about the result ;)
Oh MAN! People would pay to watch that vid.
Never gonna make you cry...

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Re: Racetrack Stuff

Post by gnat » Wed Jul 10, 2019 10:17 am

32wildbilly wrote: Wed Jul 10, 2019 9:53 am
gnat wrote: Wed Jul 10, 2019 8:13 am
Gotta at least give me credit for being realistic about the result ;)
Oh MAN! People would pay to watch that vid.
I'm sure you could find a few to donate their time to the tech "inspection" of my car before hand too :lol:

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