BadNick

I just thought I'd share some comments and pics of my recent track day. I hope some of you enjoy it.

On May 5th I went to Pocono for a track day with my Supra (black one below). These are not hardcore races since passing is not allowed in corners and the guy or gal in front has to "point you by" before you are allowed to pass them. Since I've been doing this for a few years, I'm usually in the advanced group where the rules are a little looser since the drivers are more experienced and capable of reasonable judgement on their own. I usually do a few of these each year, this was the first this year; and the first with my new single turbo setup which has close to 100whp more than my stock turbo setup of the last 7 or 8 years. Since I was only using 93 octane pump gas, I had to limit boost to 17psi which is 460rwhp. My new turbo is on the smallish side for a 3 liter motor so it spools up very fast and the car shoots out of the corners like a bullet, I love the new setup and driving it is a ton of fun.

My buddy (blue Supra below) was doing this for the first time in the novice group; an instructor rides along in the car with you so you and gives you instructions, as well as the novice group doing on-track excercises to help develop proper driving techniques. For anyone with a car they would like to learn how to drive well, these driving events are very worthwhile ...in my opinion.

So here's a couple pics for the day:





A couple other cars I liked:
I'm a sucker for these Cobras

New ZO6 Corvette



On a different part of the track, the Bertil Roos driving school was teaching people how to drive these little open wheel racecars

Willravel

That, my friend, is art. No pictures of flowers or fruit in a bowel can convey the exhilaration and joy of taking your baby to the limit and finding the true meaning of freedom behind the wheel.

BadNick

wow will, that's poetic ...thanks for the insight.

Next time I'll mount an incar camera, but this time all I have on vid is a short somewhat obscure vid my buddy shot from trackside; you can see me as a dark speck in the background weaving thru the turns, then near the end of the clip I blast by the short inside straight and off into the sunset ...maybe you'll get a flavor of this new turbo setup ...it sounds like a fricken jet to me, only in a smaller scale.
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v6...t=P5050010.flv

Willravel

Pocono is a great track. My home away from home is Laguna Seca, which is a decent, but not unreasonable drive from where I am. 460rwhp isn't anything to sneeze at. I'll take my GS-T to Laguna and take some pics when I've finished it (info on it here).

If you're ever in the neighborhood I'll let you kick my ass.

zizdog69

Wow, thats awesome! I wish I had the change to fix up my Mustang and do road racing like that. I also have access to a stock 99 Porsche Carrera which would be fun to take as I love that thing in the corners!

By the way...Whats with the blue tape on the front? Is that for just-in-case so there is no glass on the course after an accident?

__________________
"So I was sitting in my cubicle today, and I realized, ever since I started working, every single day of my life has been worse than the day before it. So that means that every single day that you see me, that's on the worst day of my life." -Peter Gibbons, Office Space

Willravel

Most tracks have rules about making your car ready for the track. In addition to inspection, they have requirements including covering or removing of lights. Ever race with high beams? Ever have a side mirror suddenly fall off? It's a safety issue.

BadNick

Will, I remember seeing your mod list on your '95 GS-T; I know that can be a fun car too. In fact, the car I had before I bought my Supra was a '90 GS-T which I got brand new and then sold with 160k miles on it and never had any problem other than just before the warranty ran out the timing belt popped and due to it being an interference motor, the valves crashed into the head and bent up a few things, but they rebuilt the head and valves for me under warranty and I never had another problem. I have a buddy who drives at Watkins Glen a lot since he lives very near to it, and his good buddy has a '95 GS turbo quite hardcore setup for road racing, he's very fast. I have his incar vids from his GS chasing/passing/dicing with my buddy's Supra at the Glen. Btw, I'll be at Watkins Glen later this year, that is by far my favorite track ...though from what I've seen and often dream about Laguna Seca I know I must drive that track, even though I've never been there in person I feel like I know every turn and part of the track and "the line" I'll need to take.

zizdog,
There are always quite a few Mustangs at the track, everything from plain Jane to street/racer setups to trailed-in racecars. Also plenty of Porsches, as an example that Carrera parked next to me by the fence, I've never been to a track day were there weren't a bunch of Porsche Carerras and turbos present. To me the highlight this time was a GT3 which was there, you don't see many of those around; imo that is one of the most serious track worthy Porsches, and other than the Carrera GT, it is my favorite current production Porsche; it sounded simply awesome.

The tape a lot of people use is just blue painters tape, which is masking tape. In case of glass breakage, it could help contain the mess. But most people put it on to also give a little layer of protection to the glass or as you see on my buddy's blue Supra, a lot of his front is taped up to protect his pristine paint job from small impact chips. In fact, this track day I was coming up behind another car in one particular corner where some guys seem to keep getting a wheel off track which then brings small rocks onto the track line, so just as the car in front of me hits the pebbles they get kicked up and hit my windshield so hard I almost thought it would shatter but it only left four or five noticeable dings in the glass; my local guy said he can polish them out to near invisibility; last year I cracked a glass headlight cover at Pocono, didn't notice it happen but later it was cracked; USDM Supras came with plastic headlight covers but I replaced mine with "euro" headlights which are glass, because they are so much clearer and clean looking.

Hey, if anybody is interested to see the other cars, here's PDA's gallery of 912 photos from this track day http://gallery.pdadrivingschool.com/...y=05&rungroup=

bobby

My daughter and I are going to do a track day this summer...she has a
Mini CooperS and I'll take my 91 SE-R....we are now gettting things done to pass inspection.....wish us luck!.....xoxoxoo

__________________
"Life goes on,within you,and...with out you !" xoxoxoo

BadNick

good luck, bobby, and to your daughter too; both of those cars should be fun on the track. I'm sure you'll have a good time and learn something useful about safe car handling. When my 11 & 12yo boys are old enough to drive, I will be taking them.