Laguna Seca weekend with Trackmasters and Zoom Zoom, combined car and motorcycles.

Here's my report on the weekend:

Saturday morning was wet and challenging on street tires, I managed to pull off 1:52's on the wet, but drying track. In the afternoon it was dry and I got down to 1:43's when I switched to my slicks. 9 seconds difference between wet to damp track/street tires, and cool track/slicks. I'm kind of disappointed. I was here in October with my bike and I did 1:42's. I was hoping to beat that with the car, but even when it dried out the track was still too cool, ambient and track temps. My tires never got above warm to the touch. Maybe next time. Personally I'm happy my bike and car times are very close, or essentially the same. I'm sure that as I continue to get older and fatter my car performance will outpace my bike riding.

Sunday was very very wet and rainy, lots of water rainy, not Rainey Curve (turn 9) rainy. In the morning I got to chase some "instructor" guy in an M3 for 5-6 laps during heavy rain. It took a long time to get by him cleanly. It's a little sketchy when the track is so wet that big puddles and rivers cause the car to pitch sideways or spin to redline as you cross them and the guy won't give you an easy pass by point by or lifting. The BMW driver was awesome to watch pitching it sideways on every entrance, corner, and exit. Great confident driving as he was never intimidated as I tried multiple times to come up along side of him only to have him shut the door on me at braking/corner entry. Basically it was like racing and I had to make a pass I felt (relatively) safe with. I finally got by him by getting a good drive off 11 and keeping it pinned while crossing the rivers of water on the front straight, going side by side through turn one. I was afraid he was going to hit the back of me after I made the pass. Going into turn 2 I closed on a father/son in a ZR1 that used the whole corner from outside to inside so I had to wait and follow. I saw the M3 close on the back of me. He got so close I lost sight of his headlights below the back of my car, hoping he wouldn't ram me I followed my fellow Corvette driver into 2. The M3 driver didn't ram me and I made it around the ZR1 exiting 2. I slowly got away from the M3. It was a total blast and my passenger was loving it. It was fantastic fun.

The passenger I had was a guy named Jan that I had just met. He wanted a ride and had just come up and asked. This session was the most fun I had all weekend.

By noonish I had enough of sliding around in the rain. I packed it up and headed out after buying a CD from Got Blue Milk. Here's are a few pictures in the rain:



Notice my totally trick "Laguna pipe" that managed to keep sound down to 90.5db on the 92db day.

Its a 5" metal tube with 4 inlets that connect over the stock exhaust, covered in heat wrap.



Slight wisp of rain spray off the wing.
.




Turn 5.





This is what slow guys in the advanced group see just before I go by them, .




We all had an outstanding weekend. The guys riding motorcycles in the blasting rain were total studs. I don't know how they even got on their bikes when their ***** are that big. Do they have special leathers? Who knows, but they were definitely total bad ass mo fos hauling ass in the heavy rain.

My Continental Extreme Contact DW's were awesome. Not only are they totally kick ass Cobalt tires but they come in Corvette (C5) sizes and I give them my highest recommendation. They are probably a big part of how I managed to get by everyone in the rainy and drying conditions.

Special thanks to Joe from Trackmasters who instructed me for a session on Saturday afternoon. His instruction resulted in me shaving a second off my previous best time.

A great time was had by all, except maybe the one guy who blew up his M5(trackmasters instructor). And when I say blew up, I mean engine parts dropping out from under the car as it was being pushed back into the paddock. Actually I think even he had a good time. Trackmasters and Zoom Zoom did a great job. We got a little good weather Saturday afternoon, and the rain wasn't too bad the rest of the weekend. Oh, did I mention it was only $320 for the whole weekend?

Get out there and have some fun. Take your own pictures and make your own stories. GET OUT ON THE TRACK !!!!!



Dog

 

I've never been on the track, lol just kidding

 

Tight mel, looks like fun. Whats it run to do a day on the track there

 

It was $320 for this particular Saturday and Sunday, and you had to sign up for both days. Typically it costs about $150 - $300 a day depending on the track, time of year, weekend vs weekday, and at Laguna higher sound limits cost more too. $160 a day for a weekend at Laguna is an outstanding price.

The track is the absolute best place to learn how to drive well.

The kart track is the next best place to learn how to drive well. Karts are a way cheaper method to gain skill.

Dog

 

I wouldn't doubt if I am the only other person on this thread that's been on an actual track, but it is worth going. I go to Thunder Hill through NCRC, its usually $120~ if I remember correctly. I have never gone in the rain, my car would suck in the rain, but Im sure it would still be cool.

 

I've been to Thunder Hill on an open track day, it was a blast, even in my buddy's Honda. The Cost was 200 bucks for a Saturday in November.

 

It's 99 dollars for Thunder Hill in February, I'm planning on going.

I also just got my trans done tonight.

 

ill give it a shot then..

anyone want to set up a meet for tomorrow night??

 

Meet!!!!???!

 

if you can get people to show i will go.

 

I have work until 10:30 tomorrow night so I probably wont make it.

 

How about scheduling a meet for a track day or karting? We can do karting in Fremont or Livermore. Its more fun when we get to hang out and do stuff besides look at the other guy's car.

If anyone wants to do a track day I will coach you for free all day, as long as you are not already experienced and in the advanced group. I can't coach in advanced group since I want to drive my own car, unless you are willing to coach me?

Dog

 

February Thunder Hill, I am planning on going, so anyone else can go if they want.

 

karting sounds hella fun...livermore would be cool cuz Im coming from modesto...Im down

 

California Ends Big Car Bonus For Politicians, But Not Before Some Fix Their Rides On Taxpayers' Dime

 

come at me bro!

 

What a ricer lol

Check Out This Video I Made lol

850R vs HR 350Z
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Bc9kj0KIY8

 

who's sssc is this looks like a bay area balt

 

i try lol. apparently people on BAR dont like it lol. exactly why i got it, for the sheer fun of it, i knew i would get laughs and those laughs would turn into a few runs.....but car wont be runnin anyways, clutch started slipping last night

i saw the vid last night, pretty cool with the head cam! car is finally up and running or is that a old vid?

 

'

lol, is that aaron losing to a cobalt?

 

Yea, that's Chris's Cobalt lol

And yea, got my car running a few days ago, also ordered a whole bunch of junk for it so its not slow lol. Just gotta wait for it.

 

good ****, glad to hear its back up. damn, i havent heard from chris in a while, hows he doin? lets see that volvo run 11s!!

 

Why's everyone want me to run 11s? lol, Mike Reed said the same thing, I barely run 13s right now lol.

 

my cobalt dose that with my suck ass driving missing 2nd gear @102mph. lol

 

cause now-a-days, 11s is the new 13s lol