I am always skeptical of these driving experiences. Mostly because I am a pessimist, I think the cars are going to be too dumbed down and restricted. I don’t think the dollar per lap value is there, especially compared to endurance racing.
There was a special that popped up on facebook and the link was:
$89 (reg $199) for 10 laps, 4 cyl L-Mod
$99 (reg $349) for 10 laps, Late Model or Modified
$149 (reg $399) for 10 laps, Sprint
I got a hold of my regular racing buddies and they were all busy. I sat on the fence until Friday night. I wanted to do the 4 cyl L-Mod, because it would probably be the one that I was most comfortable driving at the limit. I didn’t want to do a bunch of half throttle stuff in one of the V8s. I’d have more fun driving a slow car at 10/10ths than a fast car at 6/10ths. What if I can’t get to any kind of limit? But just what if I wanted to drive something faster, and I wasted my time on the slow car. Oh which car to pick?
After some thought, I went for the L-Mod and Sprint car, and signed up for two sessions. I got insurance for both cars for a total price of ~$350 ish. Ugh, $17+ for a half mile lap, this better be worth it.
I arrived at 12:40 for the 1:00 sessions, got signed in and headed over for the classroom. There were some fendered cars putting around the track, like 1/4-1/2 throttle in the straights. This better not suck. 12:55 VROOOM! smash. Some guy misjudged pit in, jumped a berm and hit a wall, probably like 20 mph.
1:00 See what that guy did, don’t do that. Larry the instructor/organizer was really personable. It was mostly here is how a seatbelt works, helmet, hans, detachable steering wheel. This car shifts like this, that cars shifts like this, and that car doesn’t shift. Stay on the inside line, orange cones are set up mid track, don’t go on the outside, there’s a wall there. The radios are set up so if you can hear someone they are talking to you and just you. So listen. Just go out, lift, turn, keep it 1/4 throttle through the turn.
1:30 FRooshh, crash, DITCH. Now you see that orange cone, pit in is AFTER that cone. Don’t do what that guy did. Let’s hope he has insurance, $500 deductible. I’ll be back…
A little bit after 2:00 we get fire suits and helmets and get assigned to cars:
Dude: What car are you in?
Me: I’m doing the L-Mod and Sprint.
Dude: Oh, no one has driven that all day.
Me: Why not, seems like a great car to learn how to drive hard.
Me: So, just keep in a single gear, do I lift, do I need to brake?
Dude: um, yeah, you know.
Me: OK?
Dude: so hold the hand clutch back, let it out for first, don’t touch the clutch again and then bang it forward to 5th and keep it there.
Me: So, gas, lift, turn, and was that a yes on needing the brake?
Dude: you go it
So this was 1000#, 1200cc yamaha, 140hp, 10,800 rpm, motorcycle trans, 1 back, 2, 3, 4, 5 forward. Felt pretty similar to a FSAE car. All the normal stuff of looking ahead and driving smooth came into play. I kind of had a greedy attitude of I paid for this, I’m going to drive somewhat aggressive, and figured out when and for how long can I go WOT. This car was an absolute blast to drive, I wasn’t doing any siq drifts by any means but getting in some nice throttle rotation mid corner and exit. About 7 laps in they let a sprint car on about 1/2 lap ahead of me. Go time. I caught up to him in a lap. “Car #2 do not pass, do not pass”. I gave him space and took it easy the next couple laps.
Dude: You want to get in the #51 now, or take a break.
Me: Take a break.
Dude: So these are the switches, it’s direct drive, we’re going to push start you
Me: So, corner entry, do I brake or lift and hold on?
Dude: So it’s the same power to weight as the L-Mod so same thing
Me thinking: I don’t really think that it is the same power to weight, and I was terrible at corner entry with the L-Mod.
Dude: Alright, here’s your push
I looked up the stats after I got home, 1200#, 375hp, direct drive. Putting up to track after the push, 1/4 throttle into turn 3-4, “Green, green, grenn!” lean into 1/2 throttle for front straight. No sir, this definitely isn’t the same power to weight. Turn 1-2, Lift, turn, 1/4 throttle rotate, hey, I learned me something from doing the L-Mod first. Back straight, let’s see what 3/4 throttle feels like, YIPPEEEE!, lift early for 3-4, again getting good rotation, but no siq drifts. Roll into the throttle, greed takes over, I paid for this, WOT! It grips. It grips and fucking goes. More speed, lift earlier for 1-2. Within 2 laps I was comfortable with going wide open, let’s see if I can figure anything else out. I was lifting too early, the times I thought I stayed in it too long I was still able to turn in. I thought, this thing makes down force, so let’s try go faster. I never figured out a great corner entry, I got it a little sideways, but nothing spectacular. And I still don’t know when or if to use the left pedal. However, I did find a limit that was more than thrilling for my experience level, it just wasn’t THE limit.
Would I recommend it, hell yeah, it took 2 hours for the adrenaline to wear off. I’ve been browsing for a proper school and racing junk. Fuck street cars.