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Registered
Join Date: May 2005
Location: davis
Posts: 174
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searspoint D.E.
I was thinking about trying my car out on a race track until I visited searspoint last friday and witnessed a brand new mini cooper get totalled and a s2000 honda go down in flames. The p-cars were excellent and I was proud to own one my self. Beautiful gt2's as well as the usaul 5 gt3,s and more. The most interesting I thought, was a cayman s. Driven by an ex-gt3 owner he was giving the cayman a good hard run to which I notice the lack of an exshaust note. No engine noise at all just wind noise,but he was he was smoking. Their's no-dout , imop the cayman is fast. Though I noticed in the pit area he left the engine idlling for 10 min to cool down and he also opened the back hatch for more cooling, though the temp was only in the 60's . That said I would like a dedicated track car . so i'll take mine on the side for now......
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03-03-2006, 10:59 AM
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Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 2,052
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Lever,
See here: First DE - Sears Point !!! it's only as scary as you make it, meaning you CAN drive safely there. VERY much so. We were all a bit nervous before the event, but all smiles by the end  Go do it, you'll never forget it! -Chris
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1987 Guards Red Targa (sold) 2006 Toyota Tundra DC 4x4, the "man-e-van" 1998 CR500 Well on the fringe...... |
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03-03-2006, 11:19 AM
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Lever,
Ditto to what Chris said - it's really only as dangerous as you choose to make it. I was told me the Cooper pilot made an aggressive pass on his first or second lap out. Bonehead move. Don't know the specifics about the Honda. Post over in the Track forum, we'll talk you through it. Sears is a little (okay, a lot) scary - there are lots of walls and minimal run-off. For me, my very first two track days on a car I would not bend were are Sears. As a result, I stayed focused on finding the line and drove 7/10's at best. However, you might like going up to Thunderhill as it's pretty wide open (and you can hit 100+ on the straight!) and a bit more forgiving. If you've not AX'd the car, you might give that a go first. But the track is where you find out what these cars were designed for. Don
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Don Plumley M235i memories: 87 911, 96 993, 13 Cayenne |
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03-03-2006, 11:29 AM
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Too big to fail
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Every single time I've been to Sears, someone has gone home bent - even me, once.
You should try it, at least once. You're in Davis, so for just a slightly longer drive than to Sears, you can get to Thunderhill instead, which is a lot more forgiving.
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"You go to the track with the Porsche you have, not the Porsche you wish you had." '03 E46 M3 '57 356A Various VWs |
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03-03-2006, 12:03 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Rocklin, CA
Posts: 2
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Anyone know who the MINI was? any pictures? I'm a current MINI owner and interested in what happened.
If anyone has any info, please let me know! Thanks! |
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03-03-2006, 12:49 PM
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Join Date: May 2005
Location: davis
Posts: 174
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thanks for your replies. I will try thunder....
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03-03-2006, 03:51 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Black Rock, CT
Posts: 4,345
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The old adage is that the nut behind the wheel is the most important nut on the car...
And...never track or race a car in anger that you aren't willing to lose. It's an equation, and the more the car means to you the more you have to contol the other parts of teh equation, and even still, there's always the other guy. $hit happens. A dedicated track car is a great way to go, and can really "free" your mind to concentrate on the job at hand. I track my 911 for giggles, but all my race miles are on my RX-7...a much easier to swallow write off.
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Jake Gulick, Black Rock, CT. '73 yellow 911E , & 2003 BMW M3 Cab. Ex: 84 Mazda RX-7 SCCA racer. did ok with it, set some records, won some races, but it wore out, LOL[/B] |
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03-03-2006, 04:17 PM
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Sears is awesome. Sign up for one and if you can keep the instructor in the car the whole day with you. You will want to go out on your own, but don't. An instructor will instruct you on when and where to brake, when and where to nail it, what lines to take, and when it's time to be on your own. Also, let him or her drive your car first so he can show you what your car can do. What happens a lot of times with weekend warriors is that they just can't stand being passed by other cars. So some try to keep up and pass and some of these yahoos end up in the tires. I was one once or twice and came about 6 inches from these tires. Scared the crap out of me, and It was the first time without an instructor. I just could not let that damn sc pass me! Well he did and I almost crapped my pants while my car was spinning out of control.
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72 911 Although it is done at the moment, it will never be finished. |
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03-03-2006, 04:48 PM
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Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Santa Cruz Mountains
Posts: 459
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Sears is great fun, although it ended my time trialing career. I looped my 914 in... i think it was turn 10, hit the tire wall. the car didn't look that bad but the tub was bent way bad.
My rule was that I could afford to wreck one Porsche, and when I did I quit, but its near the most fun I ever had.
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Dennis |
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03-03-2006, 09:49 PM
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1987 Porsche Carrera 3.2 
Tobluforu
