I'm going to try to make it to the SVTOA event at Gingerman in July so I can get some real track time and instruction.
Wow, Addicted!!!!
- Thread starter kens03cobra
- Start date
I have done enough events that I have been put into groups that don't require instructors.....BUT...any time I'm at a new track, I really push to either ride with an instructor or have one ride with me. Driving at a new place is intimidating as it is......and worse if you don't have someone on your side to guide you.
Sounds like a nice setup, Gonz. But I guess I'll have to stay with the Sony Handicam I now have, since I will need to replace my isolators, and maybe start saving for a coilover setup.
And I hope Ken (OP) is reading this. I know he was eager to be signed off on by Sunday. I did his last session of the day as a silent instructor, to see how he'd react if he were on his own. I wonder if there's a way to let the newcomer know that this is a long process? I'm sure Jeff alludes to it in the classroom sessions, but by then, the desire to show you can go out alone is set. I remember feeling it years ago. Now I look forward to going to NASA events and hooking up with an instructor. Every time I go out alone, I realize how much more I still have to learn.
I will always welcome an instructor, and learn more each and every time. I am not that daft.
My main goal was to get away from the rest of the Novice drivers :lol::lol:
I would have PAID dearly to have had the opportunity to follow an instructor/advanced driver in a FOCUS to see their lines.
I will always welcome an instructor, unless it is a race and they are fat :bored:
Ken
:beer::beer:
At this point for me I much prefer to have an instructor. That second head in my car would be invaulable in keeping me in check in case I start to get even more out of control. Day two was just begining to show me what I don't know. I barely caught a glimpse IMO of what this is all about. I did get signed off on Sunday I think it was partially to be evaulated on how I'd react WITHOUT an instructor . Though I think it is a sign of some confidence saying that they don't think i'm a complete moron.
I have heard that most professional racers tend to want to race without the instructor,
especially in the open wheelers. :lol1:
You signed up for MB yet? :beer:
I didn't have anyone IN the car when I got my Competition license, but I had John Baucom (Trans Am driver and multi time SCCA National champion- one year in 2 classes in the same car with an engine change -Great Guy!) http://www.johnbaucom.com/JohnBaucomProfessionalRaceCarDriverEZeComEc.aspx filling my mirrors for 2 days. He was the one who told me I should be flat footed going down Roller Coaster at VIR. I had to dump a box of Miracle Grow in my pants before I tried it, but it worked (the flat footed part- the Miracle Grow just pissed the wife off when we got home and she had to wash my suit :nono
Nice to have someone that knows what they are doing out there with you.
I think I mentioned when I first started racing I was just another of those "D**n A/Sedan drivers" to the GT-1 and SPO drivers (really fast cars). Now, 5 years later, I'm the "Courteous A/Sedan driver".:thumbsup:
I even had one of them offer to push my dead car in with their's.
Wish I had a picture of me leading the GT-1 car with him right on my bumper!:lol1::lol1::lol1:
Nice to have someone that knows what they are doing out there with you.
I think I mentioned when I first started racing I was just another of those "D**n A/Sedan drivers" to the GT-1 and SPO drivers (really fast cars). Now, 5 years later, I'm the "Courteous A/Sedan driver".:thumbsup:
I even had one of them offer to push my dead car in with their's.
Wish I had a picture of me leading the GT-1 car with him right on my bumper!:lol1::lol1::lol1:
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I was pretty much signed off on Sunday as well, had they run another ssession I think I would have been out solo.
They were short on Instructors on Sunday I heard, but at least mine was still there :banana::banana:
See you at the next event.
Ken
:beer::beer:
Trying to figure out if I should try to make the next SVTOA event in Michigan or Mid Ohio with NASA. MidOh is only 2 hours from my house, but it requires joining NASA. I think you guys would benefit me more because of the familiarity with the car. Not so sure I'd get that with NASA. I saw that I could have had a ton more time at Summit Point than i did at BR.
NASA puts on great events. I personally prefer them at this point. I feel there instructors are usually a little better, not always. Either way any seat time with an instructor is just added experience.
Ken, join NASA just for the free subscription to GrassrootsMotorsports! :thumbsup:
Then GO to MidOhio. Awesome track. I wish it was only 2 hours from MY house.
I haven't found an instructor from NASA that couldn't teach me more than I could absorb, regardless of their car. I got some of my best info from a guy that drives an MR2!
Then dig into the old savings and go to SVTOA also (is it at Gingerman?). The best thing you can do is get seat time. I wish I could go more often, but I'm trying to make it to 4 or 5 events this year.
Then GO to MidOhio. Awesome track. I wish it was only 2 hours from MY house.
I haven't found an instructor from NASA that couldn't teach me more than I could absorb, regardless of their car. I got some of my best info from a guy that drives an MR2!
Then dig into the old savings and go to SVTOA also (is it at Gingerman?). The best thing you can do is get seat time. I wish I could go more often, but I'm trying to make it to 4 or 5 events this year.
You talkin to me?
Nah, he was talking to me--two Kens in the same thread, lol.
TWO KENS??!!
My last vids:
Did anybody run in Group Advanced 1 ?
Here's a look from Turn 6.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlr4oniJENE"]YouTube - SVTOA 2008 Shenandoah Group Ad1 @ The Hook (T6)[/ame]
And some in-car footage from Saturday, group Advanced 2. You could tell it was some people's first time at Shenandoah. Some interesting lines being used and a good bit of traffic:
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLK8T4VvsZI"]YouTube - SVTOA '08 Mountaineer Madness (5/3 bumper cam)[/ame]
Also, I could use an extra 100HP or so!
Did anybody run in Group Advanced 1 ?
Here's a look from Turn 6.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlr4oniJENE"]YouTube - SVTOA 2008 Shenandoah Group Ad1 @ The Hook (T6)[/ame]
And some in-car footage from Saturday, group Advanced 2. You could tell it was some people's first time at Shenandoah. Some interesting lines being used and a good bit of traffic:
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLK8T4VvsZI"]YouTube - SVTOA '08 Mountaineer Madness (5/3 bumper cam)[/ame]
Also, I could use an extra 100HP or so!
Amen to that.
Good footage of the hook. I need to stand there and watch some next time. I think that's the turn I blow the most often.
Good footage of the hook. I need to stand there and watch some next time. I think that's the turn I blow the most often.
That blind exit is tricky.
I called a performance shop today in Gaithersburg about having a set of gears put in. Once they added up gears $200 + install $550 :dw: + bearings & shims it came out to $850. FOr that money, I could have a roll bar & harness installed, and I'd rather make sure I'm safe before I try to go faster.
Have to do some searching for a more reasonable quote as I could almost get a brand new axle assembly for that money.
Gonz, I have a guy that will do gears for much cheaper than that. PM me if you're interested.
That must have been the last Saturday session. Right before they called us to stage I pulled my calipers and saw nothing but backing plate. By the time I had new pads in, I had just enough time to take one lap and bed the pads and then the cool down lap so I missed 90% of the session.
wheelhopper - sent you a PM, thanks.
Ken88GT - NASA is a good group to run with. They run everything very well, on time & excellent classroom session ( even advanced group). I like that because it gets everyone a chance to talk about what's going on out on the track. Any problem areas, challenges, learning from others, etc.
You probably won't get quite as much seat time. Mid-A region usually runs 25 min x 3 sessions per day. Sometimes the Sunda afternoon session is 30 minutes.
But the best of all is you get to watch real RACING between your HPDE & classroom sessions. After you see the Camaro-Mustang-Challenge and American Iron guys, out there driving the wheels off these cars, you really appreciate just how fast a good driver can get around a track and how much more there is to learn. These guys run fender to fender & nose to tail, and it's a lot of fun to watch.
oh, yeah, and the free magazine is cool. Especially if you like reading about Miatas
Gonz
Ken88GT - NASA is a good group to run with. They run everything very well, on time & excellent classroom session ( even advanced group). I like that because it gets everyone a chance to talk about what's going on out on the track. Any problem areas, challenges, learning from others, etc.
You probably won't get quite as much seat time. Mid-A region usually runs 25 min x 3 sessions per day. Sometimes the Sunda afternoon session is 30 minutes.
But the best of all is you get to watch real RACING between your HPDE & classroom sessions. After you see the Camaro-Mustang-Challenge and American Iron guys, out there driving the wheels off these cars, you really appreciate just how fast a good driver can get around a track and how much more there is to learn. These guys run fender to fender & nose to tail, and it's a lot of fun to watch.
oh, yeah, and the free magazine is cool. Especially if you like reading about Miatas
Gonz
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