It's official... I drive like a grandma.

Moses · 11-19-2006, 12:46 PM

Spent Saturday at Thunderhill with Don Plumley (and his Spinning Hippo

) and the evil one, Tyson.

We had a great time. Don has a beautifully sorted out 993. He was kind enough to wave every time he passed me, and it was pretty much all day. Maybe he was flipping me off?

Anyway, Don has a real smooth driving style. Even when he's spinning off the track at more than 100 MPH! He wasn't hurt and his car was fine, so that's good.

Since Tyson built the suspension in my car, I thought it would be cool to have him drive the car on the track. My mistake. I'm pretty sure he tried to kill me. After two laps I pleaded for him to pull into the pits. I told him I was about to lose my lunch, but the truth is I was about to crap my pants. Tyson is a freaking maniac. I swear I thought we were going to spin off the track on every turn! When I looked over at Tyson all I saw was an evil grin.

It has become clear that if I want to get any better at this, I've got to get more firmly planted in my seat. Next up; rollbar, 6 point harness, a Hans device and maybe a few Valium if I ride with Tyson again.

jorian · 11-19-2006, 01:04 PM

Cool. It is great to have someone else wring out your machine so you actually see what it is capable of. Ya gotta have goals.

crashmy911 · 11-19-2006, 01:25 PM

Your not the only one to go thru this experiance. I think everyone who goes to the track has this happen. I drive worse then a grandma!!!!

Jack Olsen · 11-19-2006, 02:46 PM

I've heard that Tyson was en fuego for the weekend, shaving something like 3 full seconds off of his previous best time with the Toyo-Cup-izing of his car.

dd74 · 11-19-2006, 02:57 PM

Moses - at least now through Tyson, you can see what your car is capable of once you go to more track events. I was Tyson-ated two years ago at Willow Springs: I thought I was going to pass out with him behind the wheel. But at the end of it all, he said my car was in good shape, fast (it's faster now), handled well (it handles better now), and that it was time to aspire to its level - which I'm working now each chance I get behind the wheel.

Don't beat yourself up about it - you're learning. We're all learning each time we get out there. It takes persistance.

As for the Valium, please send a couple my way. I've already got the Vodka.

Tom '74 911 · 11-19-2006, 03:17 PM

Moses -
My first time at the track, I was passed by a woman driving a Volvo. . . TWICE! (thankfully not during the same session) It took some therapy to be able to admit that : )

I also was able to hitch a ride in a 993 fully race prepped car. Aside from being crazy fun, I learned A LOT - more in those 5 laps than all my own sessions combined. Something to aspire to for sure.

Now I'm fully hooked.

Tom

Moses · 11-19-2006, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jack Olsen
I've heard that Tyson was en fuego for the weekend, shaving something like 3 full seconds off of his previous best time with the Toyo-Cup-izing of his car.

I think 2:01.3. First thing he said was "Jack is gonna be pissed!"

nostatic · nostatic's Garage

ha, I was Tysonated almost 3 years ago. I'm not as fast as him even now, but have managed to return the favor to a couple of my students over the past year or so.

You just need more track time. You should come down to SoCal for some dates

Jack Olsen · 11-19-2006, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Moses
I think 2:01.3. First thing he said was "Jack is gonna be pissed!"

Since I'm pretty sure it's 2/10 better than my best time there.

That just means it's on like mother-truckin' Donkey Kong.

Tyson Schmidt · 11-19-2006, 07:33 PM

I just rolled in form T-Hill. What a fun weekend!

Between instructing in the race school, sorting out my car, and doing ride-alongs with Don and Moses, it was busy. But sooooo much fun. Track conditions were primo. Jack, you missed a great opportunity to post a personal best, especially with the new wing and the tires in their "zone".

The highlight was dinner with Don and Mark (Moses). Two of the coolest guys around.

Don was pretty en fuego as well, getting down to a 2:10. he has made leaps and bounds since I first rode with him in his old Carrera.

Mark made the first step toward getting fast. Realizing he needs seat time, and a decent seat to get it in. I was holding on for dear life to the steering wheel. I bet he has neck and shoulder soreness after Saturday from the death-grip needed on the wheel to stay in the driver's seat.

I had a blast guys, thanks for hanging out afterwards for beers and dinner. Let's hit the next one.

Dave Mills told me today they are looking at Laguna Seca dates in January. Mark, I'm sure we can get a bar, belts and a seat in your car before then.

Moses · 11-19-2006, 08:06 PM

Tyson,

I'm thinking of these seats for the following reasons;

1) I need them to recline for street driving
2) They sit lower than stock
3) They mount to the stock rails
4) The harness holes are high enough to fit properly
5) they will work with a 4 or 6 point harness (parachute style)

I'm a little concerned about the bolsters. They're not too aggressive which is good for me because the right bolster on my old Pole Position seats interfered with my right leg. Will a 6 point harness plant me in this seat firmly?

Emission · Emission's Garage

One of my first track events... way back in 1998... was in my BMW 328i. It was a great RWD 190-hp sedan.

I thought I was pushing the car to the limit (yeah, as a novice) until I handed the keys to Davy Jones (he won the '96 24 Hours of Le Mans, and 2nd place in the '96 Indy 500).

The little guy scared the !#%@% out of me as he ripped around Laguna Seca nearly TWICE as fast as I could while I fought to stay in my passenger seat. What a lesson on driving.

If you ever want to be humbled, hand your keys to someone with more talent!

Tyson Schmidt · 11-19-2006, 09:05 PM

Mark, that seat will be a huge improvement, no doubt. My C2 has factory sport seats, and they're light years better than what we drove in yesterday.

That said, the above seat will be insufficient if you get hooked on this, and really start going fast and want to progress. For an occasional DE/TT car they'll be fine.

There's no way to predict where you'll end up. Look what happened to Nostatic. He's in up to his eyeballs now, and it started out just where you are now.

Tyson Schmidt · 11-19-2006, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jack Olsen
Since I'm pretty sure it's 2/10 better than my best time there.

That just means it's on like mother-truckin' Donkey Kong.

Ha! I just saw this. Too funny! I now have a new saying in my arsenal.

Really wish you were there Jack. It's just not a track day without the Jackster.

mjshira · 11-20-2006, 04:43 AM

how about some pics fellas...? for those of us who have winter already :-(

In the middle of all he was doing Mr. Schmidt found time to call a buddy of mine out here and help him with his 3.6 swap. Many thanks! We got it running.

DavidI · 11-20-2006, 05:29 AM

Maybe Tyson is "The Stig"................

David

304065 · 11-20-2006, 05:51 AM

Doc, here's the scrip for you:

1) TRE rollbar that can be removed for street use so's your melon doesn't meet the immovable object with irresistable force;

2) Recaro SPG HANS. None of that folding seat crap.

3) Seat back brace from bar to seat. None of that folding spine crap.

4) HANS device.

5) SCHROTH harnesses.

6) Seat time.

And lay off the Benzodiazepenes.

Don Plumley · Don Plumley's Garage

What a great day. Moses, welcome to the slope. It's just seat time (with a better seat). Can't wait to see you and your car in 12 months with a little more track patina

Here's my post from the DE/Autox thread:

Quote:

Another great day on the track. Moses, Tyson and I made up the Pelican contingent on a beautiful Northern California Fall day. Here's a picture of Scruffy II, the Hippo and Moses' beautiful SC:

As Tyson posted above, his reputation as a phenomenal driver in addition to being a skilled wrench was memorialized by the timer. 2:01 on his first day in the car. Amazing.

Great to meet Dr. Mark in person and sharing a great day at the track together. His car is truly amazing looking. With seats/harness/roll bar he'll be a real threat (instead of gripping the wheel for dear life!).

For me, it was the end of my first year at the track - I'll post more on that later. I ended up with a 2:10:6 w/Bypass. Tyson finally got to drive the car he set up and Dr. Evil pronounced it, uh, "evil." (he posted a 2:07 without pushing hard which says it all)

And the Spinning Hippo lived up to her name. After a set of very smooth laps, I entered the 6-7-8-9 complex faster than ever before. And at the fastest corner of the track (8), the rear end swung around. And around. And around. Two spins on the track and one in the dirt. Never did one that fast, another rite of passage in the education of Don.

A great day!!

I did a 12 month track retrospective, I'll bring it up here to the main board for the wider audience.

mjshira · 11-20-2006, 05:57 AM

Cramer, are folding seats ever ok for the track?

304065 · 10:03 AM

James, in a word, no. In a collision the seat works in conjunction with the restraint system to hold your body in the right position until the car's energy is dissipated. A reclining seatback could fold up or tear loose under the kind of insanely high g that can be generated in an accident. No reclining seat is FIA-approved.

This is one of the reasons why a seat back brace tied into the cage or rollbar is so important-- you don't want the seat collapsing or breaking in an impact.