Pictures from my first 2 DE events. LRP and Pocono.

[dan79brooklyn]

We (myself, Porsche and Wife) have REALLY enjoyed our first couple of DE events. Here are some pictures and a brief account of the events.

Lime Rock Park with the Hudson Valley PCA in late March.

Stayed overnight at a B&B in the Berkshires.

Early morning headed to the track.

Some cool cars arriving


My clean car ready for the track

I'm ready too!

On the Grid


It was a fun first experience, though in retrospect I should have started at Pocono and then done Lime Rock as Pocono was a better track for learning.
My day at LRP included one 360 spin and the engine and brakes getting a little too hot. It was a blast though!

[dan79brooklyn]

Here are pictures from Pocono event with the NY Metro PCA. Early April.
Another beautiful day. A great group of people attended.


Tech inspection. The Metro workers have nice red suits


There was a group of VSCCA racers using another part of the track

I wonder if these are the drivers?!!

I like this shot of me and the car in the staging area

Flag Man

Heading onto the track for a warm up lap

Yoko caught a ride in a GT3 which she really enjoyed.


Looking forward to our next event...!

[livi]

Thanks for sharing! Must have been a great day. Everyone seems to enjoy it, but I have yet to try.

Tell me, what was the highlights in your mind regarding what you expected and how the driving turned out ? What did you learn about driving that car around the track that you had not experienced before ?

[dan79brooklyn]

Tell me, what was the highlights in your mind regarding what you expected and how the driving turned out ? What did you learn about driving that car around the track that you had not experienced before

I'm hooked on Track Events!

Though at this point I have no plans (or money) for any upgrades.
I think I could use better tires, but that too will have to wait.

The car in stock condition exceeds my abilities as a driver.

The first day at LRP was great but it is a track that was hard on the car (most of the way around I'm in 3rd gear close to red line) so the car was getting pretty warm. I felt like my confidence was building and I was getting the feeling for braking hard ('in a straight line only' as my instructor said) turning in, hitting the apex and powering out of the turns.
I was mostly getting passed by other cars, but made it by a few and I felt pretty good for my first day. I did have a 360 spin going into the right hander after the left turn. No excuses, but it is definitley a part of the track where the car can get unsettled and I was not as smooth as I should have been. Maybe I lifted too late as I turned in..? It happened REALLY quickly!

Pocono was easier, it's a slower and more wide open track, so you can see all the corners. I did a lot better and my instructor was pleased with my abilities. I felt like I had some skills that were starting to develop.
I realize I need to have a lot more experience before I can advance past the beginner stages.

2 DEs definitley made me a better driver in the real world as well. I notice myself being more aware of my surroundings and other cars. I have a much better feel for the cars limits and I now look at corners differently (always trying to spot the apex and drive the line!)

[dan79brooklyn]

Great to see those Vermont plates! What part of the state are you from?

Hey Noah, I have seen several of your posts about VT as well!

I grew up in Southern VT. Outside of Brattleboro in a town called Marlboro.
We try to go up once a month or so. It's about a 3-4 hour drive.

Vermont is a great place to live/drive/hang out/visit...Not a lot of jobs though. But I see myself moving back later in life...The seasons are spectacular and it's a great place to grow up.

You're from farther North right?

[Chilling in VT]

Originally posted by Noah
I grew up in Shelburne, but I'm out of the U.S. for a while. Vermont is a great state, but you're right about the job situation, and, well, the weather is abominable. Definitely not a good place to own a summer sports car.

Hey guys,
You really can't find a nicer spot to spend the summer though. It really makes you appreciate getting the cars out!

Joe

[dan79brooklyn]

Yeah! I love all the seasons in VT. Well maybe not mud season...You really need a dedicated vehicle for different parts of the year:
-Summer Fun Car
-Winter Ski Wagon
-4x4 Beater Truck for the mud and deep snow

Has anyone else done the Mount Equinox toll road? "The Mount Equinox Skyline Drive is the longest privately owned paved toll road in the USA (5.2 miles), elevation increase 3,235 ft."

http://www.equinoxmountain.com/mountain/index.htm

The pavement was getting a little rough on the road last year. but the switchback corners sure are fun!

I was thinking how cool it would be to organize a Vermont scenic drive that would include the toll road. Maybe Lunch in Manchester.
We could start at Hemmings Headquarters in Bennington?

What do you guys think?

[Chilling in VT]

Those same guys that were with you at Pocono (the VSCCA) rent the mountain every year to host a hillclimb. You can see a variety of older (pre 59) sports cars blast their way up the mountain. Some of the faster ones do it in the low 4 minute range. This year the dates are June 10 and 11. There is also a car show in Manchester that same weekend. It generally has about 900 cars show up for it. It is really nice to see and hear all the cars out and about. There is a post attatched to one started by Klauke about a run sometime this summer. Another nice run is being held in September by the 914 Club. Last year I tagged along with about 7-8 other 911's and 30 914's up and over the mountains through Dover and Wilmington on Rt 100 and Rt 8 and then over to Bennington on Rt 9. Anyone else up for a ride?
Joe

[shamrockcustoms]

Marlboro....I spent a bunch of winters up on Mt Snow and Stratton and used to work my summers in Marlboro up on Cheifs apple orchard..I pretty much built all the stone walls up around those orchards..I miss route 9 and my VT plates badly..

Jay

[shamrockcustoms]

yeah that would be a great run and maybe tie route 30 into it somewhere along the line..


Jay

[dan79brooklyn]

Hey Jay -

Marlboro....I spent a bunch of winters up on Mt Snow and Stratton and used to work my summers in Marlboro up on Cheifs apple orchard..I pretty much built all the stone walls up around those orchards..I miss route 9 and my VT plates badly..

ha ha! small world. I had a bunch of High School buddies (probably around 1990-1995) who worked for Chief. He used to let us kids throw parties in the Orchard at night with big bonfires!
Route 9 is "My Road" I grew up driving that road twice a day. It can be fun as long as you don't get stuck behind any slower cars.

Hope to meet up with some VT/New England Guys sometime this summer....Dan

[shamrockcustoms]

I worked on that orchard around 93 to 96 in that area....Jeremy Quinn and the the snowboarders from up at snow used to come down and work...Actually it was Jeremy who got me the job down there..Oh and Graham was up there, Im so bad at names these days..lol

Jay

[dan79brooklyn]

Hey Jay,

I'm SURE we have some friends in common, I recall a hair raising ride in one of Quinn's hopped up Rabbit GTIs! I think he is still working at one of the Ski Shops at Mount Snow.
Not sure what happened to the rest of the "pro" riders from the area. I still try to ride at least a few days a year at Mount Snow as it's my "local" mountain...
I snowboarded at Mount Snow since they first started allowing 'boarders on the Mountain. Maybe our paths crossed already?
Do you know:
The Rehbeins
Russ Wooton
...
There are other's whose names I forget as well...
(feel free to email me off board adror(at)mindspring . com)
as this is probably only entertaining for you and I

[shamrockcustoms]

Yeah man I know Eric and Matty Rehbein...Ive been out of VT since around 96 so I lost track of most of those guys... Ive been planning on getting the 911 up to the southern VT mtns..Now IM going to have to get on that..

Jay