Here in Florida, you're almost guaranteed at least one wet session during the weekend, with all the thunder storms and hurricanes. So our skid pads are usually on the track course. So far I've had a few slips (not total spins) I attribute my success to the 10yrs living in NJ and driving in the snow.

Chris that reminds me of a different thread I read "Don't take to the track, what you can't leave behind".

re: serious damage

you are less likely to roll when the surface has lower friction - ice is best, followed by snow, then wet pavement. this is b/c the tires break away at lower roll angles, and at lower side forces.

Chris,

Hamilton right out of Cincy...right??

You are not far from one of the best tracks for new DE students. Putnam Park about 35 mile wests of Indy. It's a 1.8 mile track with lots of grass run off. Only one guard rail to worry about...the rest totally open.
Central Indianna and Kentucky Region PCA will have a DE there on Oct 29/30 Sign up and ask for me as your instructor and we will have some fun testing the limits. Be glad to take you out in my 911 and show you what they are talkng about. Also you have a very active SCCA autocross group in Cincy. Check them out...autocross is very helpful learning limits of your car in a slow speed inviroment....then to the track...try both.
Do it on the track or autox course and not on the street. Rubber cones and grass are a lot more forgiving than a concrete curb or telephone pole.

John

John,

Sorry, you've got the wrong Hamilton - I'm in Hamilton Ontario (Canada), about 50 miles west of Toronto. While I appreciate your offer, Indy's about a 10 hour drive from here!

There's an PCA IDS and skid pad at Shannonville in August I'd like to sign up for - probably the best place to get started.

Chris

Chris
Well don't get on the track with me...need to change the glasses...it was ON not OH...
That would be a good place to start...boy are you lucky too...just east of Toronto is Mosport....there is a PCA Club race there later this month...check it out

John

Chris,

Go to Shannonville if you can. You will learn a lot about your car's performance there (and yours too). Don't worry about damage too much. Shannonville is inherently much safer than Mosport, so it is good for your purposes. There is lots of wide open space.

Go to Mosport later. It is a much nicer track. Just be careful of Corner 2. The trailing throttle oversteer people are talking about here is the reason why I have the engine I now do in my car, thanks to someone's misfortune in their track car.

Thanks Paul - that's exactly what I'm hoping to do, just a question of whether or not I've got time to get my car to pass a tech inspection before the Aug. 21/22 weekend. I haven't been able to stop thinking about it for 2 days now!

(sorry for hijacking the thread :D )