As an update I had the first track day in my 03 today.
The day didn't start out good as the first lap of my run group on turn 3 a guy that was a ways in front of me ran head on into the wall full speed it looked like he didn't turn or try to stop at all. I was coming into turn 2a when it happened and the corner worker had the black flag out and my instructor responded what could have happened already. If you want to see the map of the track it is here Moroso Track . It was an older guy driving and he was not aware of the turn and he smashed his front end majority and the instructor in his car was air lifted to the hospital and he was transported. This incident caused our session to be cancelled.
I then went out with my instructor in the expert group in her 2003 Cobra which was stock. It was a good run she said she only drives 6/10s since it is here daily driver, but she I think she was pushing the car much harder then that given the stock limitations of the car. Then it was my session again and we went out and I was trying to follow her line, but since my car was so much tighter then hers it did change how my car followed her line. I was having a major issue in that my car was so much faster then the other cars on the field and they were not letting me pass I would get stuck behind them. After the first lap I went down the staging area to see if I could get a better position and did. I still caught back up with the trailing car which was another 03 Cobra that waved me by between on the long straight between turns 10 and 1. After the driver came over and said it sounded like a jet when I blew by him and he was at full throttle and I passed him like he was standing still. After about the 4th lap she wanted to go back in because I think she was really nervous to be out there after what happened earlier, she was afraid of how powerful my car is, and after one of the turns she said ok now floor it while I was still turning which did cause it to drift which I don’t believe she was expecting even though I was still in control. She then told me she was surprised how gentle I was at controlling my car which she didn’t expect because guys usually are not that like that especially at first. She then told me she was good at teaching beginners, but I was way past what she had to offer. Next thing I know she had talked to Dario at Steeda and I was to ride with one of his professional drivers in their number 20 00R car during the next expert session. Dario then talked to me for a while and he was very helpful and easy to talk with and eager to help even though my Suspension is 99% Maximum Motorsports. He was surprised I was running such a high spring rate especially when I told him I daily drive it.
The run with Lance was very informative and productive. We had a small issue with the car during the second lap, but nothing they couldn’t fix in a matter of minutes. I went out with Lance in one of Steedas other cars while they resolved it. He was very helpful and knowledgeable.
Now my solo run was up. I was able to get in the front of the line so I had clear road ahead of me. So from that point on I was pushing it pretty hard and over 1 turn ahead of the next car for the first lap. My rear was feeling really floaty which was causing major concern so I went in to check and make sure everything was good. Everything looked good so I went back out. I was pushing it probably harder then I should have trying to follow Lance’s lines. I didn’t hit all of the apexes and some turns were much easier for me then others. The floating issue was causing me to brake much earlier then I really had to and enter into the turns earlier then I should have. The last two laps my car started going over the half way point on the gauge which means it was about to overheat so I took them easy and let my car cool back down. When I went back in my instructor which was watching my session was amazed at how fast I was going through it and how fast my car really was.
I then took a ride with here boyfriend who was also an expert instructor in his S2000. He took two laps in that car before he had enough for the day and wanted to save his tires for an autox session he had later in the week. I was amazed at how close his lines in the S2000 were to Lances in the 00R and mine in my 03 considering the major handling advantages that car is suppose to have.
Time for my last session. After my first lap going down between turns 1 and 2 my windshield was splashed with intercooler fluid which I thought was the car in front of me at first. The I realized it might have come from mine, but the corner workers were not giving me the meatball that they were seeing anything wrong so I limped around the track and got off to check the car. It looks like it was just a pressure blow-off from the cap which sprayed a significant amount of fluid about ¼ gallon under my hood and through the vent holes. I let the car cool down then filled it up with some more water and started it up to make sure everything was good. It seemed fine so I drove home without any issues.
So overall a great experience. I will have to do something about cooling and tires before my next run.
The day didn't start out good as the first lap of my run group on turn 3 a guy that was a ways in front of me ran head on into the wall full speed it looked like he didn't turn or try to stop at all. I was coming into turn 2a when it happened and the corner worker had the black flag out and my instructor responded what could have happened already. If you want to see the map of the track it is here Moroso Track . It was an older guy driving and he was not aware of the turn and he smashed his front end majority and the instructor in his car was air lifted to the hospital and he was transported. This incident caused our session to be cancelled.
I then went out with my instructor in the expert group in her 2003 Cobra which was stock. It was a good run she said she only drives 6/10s since it is here daily driver, but she I think she was pushing the car much harder then that given the stock limitations of the car. Then it was my session again and we went out and I was trying to follow her line, but since my car was so much tighter then hers it did change how my car followed her line. I was having a major issue in that my car was so much faster then the other cars on the field and they were not letting me pass I would get stuck behind them. After the first lap I went down the staging area to see if I could get a better position and did. I still caught back up with the trailing car which was another 03 Cobra that waved me by between on the long straight between turns 10 and 1. After the driver came over and said it sounded like a jet when I blew by him and he was at full throttle and I passed him like he was standing still. After about the 4th lap she wanted to go back in because I think she was really nervous to be out there after what happened earlier, she was afraid of how powerful my car is, and after one of the turns she said ok now floor it while I was still turning which did cause it to drift which I don’t believe she was expecting even though I was still in control. She then told me she was surprised how gentle I was at controlling my car which she didn’t expect because guys usually are not that like that especially at first. She then told me she was good at teaching beginners, but I was way past what she had to offer. Next thing I know she had talked to Dario at Steeda and I was to ride with one of his professional drivers in their number 20 00R car during the next expert session. Dario then talked to me for a while and he was very helpful and easy to talk with and eager to help even though my Suspension is 99% Maximum Motorsports. He was surprised I was running such a high spring rate especially when I told him I daily drive it.
The run with Lance was very informative and productive. We had a small issue with the car during the second lap, but nothing they couldn’t fix in a matter of minutes. I went out with Lance in one of Steedas other cars while they resolved it. He was very helpful and knowledgeable.
Now my solo run was up. I was able to get in the front of the line so I had clear road ahead of me. So from that point on I was pushing it pretty hard and over 1 turn ahead of the next car for the first lap. My rear was feeling really floaty which was causing major concern so I went in to check and make sure everything was good. Everything looked good so I went back out. I was pushing it probably harder then I should have trying to follow Lance’s lines. I didn’t hit all of the apexes and some turns were much easier for me then others. The floating issue was causing me to brake much earlier then I really had to and enter into the turns earlier then I should have. The last two laps my car started going over the half way point on the gauge which means it was about to overheat so I took them easy and let my car cool back down. When I went back in my instructor which was watching my session was amazed at how fast I was going through it and how fast my car really was.
I then took a ride with here boyfriend who was also an expert instructor in his S2000. He took two laps in that car before he had enough for the day and wanted to save his tires for an autox session he had later in the week. I was amazed at how close his lines in the S2000 were to Lances in the 00R and mine in my 03 considering the major handling advantages that car is suppose to have.
Time for my last session. After my first lap going down between turns 1 and 2 my windshield was splashed with intercooler fluid which I thought was the car in front of me at first. The I realized it might have come from mine, but the corner workers were not giving me the meatball that they were seeing anything wrong so I limped around the track and got off to check the car. It looks like it was just a pressure blow-off from the cap which sprayed a significant amount of fluid about ¼ gallon under my hood and through the vent holes. I let the car cool down then filled it up with some more water and started it up to make sure everything was good. It seemed fine so I drove home without any issues.
So overall a great experience. I will have to do something about cooling and tires before my next run.
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