Well i didnt get a chance to drop off my car at Comptech, had too many things to due at work. But no big deal, ill just get the stuff done another time.
The plan is to take off around 3pm and drive down to Willow Springs, and try to find it. Then find the closest hotel. I actually leave on time, and make it onto 138 at around 7pm (SLOW TRAFFIC KEEP RIGHT!@&#&!@&*#). Its dark as hell, and im cruising at around 70-75. I come out of this long sweeping corner, and whats in the road? A pack of coyotees or something. Once my headlights hit them, i have about 1/2" a second to try and slow down. Smack! Yelp! Thump! Smack! Think i hit 2 of them, another one was in the other lane. I figured by alernating the high beems in certain places it would scare off any critters on the road, guess i was wrong.
After a few minutes have pass, my heart rate begins to go back to normal. Then i start feeling guilty for hitting the animals. After about 30 minutes of that, the guilt starts to go away. Then i start to think how much damage it did to the car. Any damage is gunna cost me $1k out of pocket (insurance deductable.. this is covered rite?).. then i start to feel guilty for thinking about money and my car instead of the dead coyotee(s). Some things you just cant win.
I make it off of 138 and onto 14 without any further incidents, and arrive at the exit for Willow Springs. Its really dark, and im tired so i dump the idea of trying to find the track. Go get a room at a hotel near by. The lady there says the track is only about 5-10 minutes up the road. Watch a little sportscenter, and its off to bed.
Wake up call at 6am, gates open at 7am. I checkout, and make my way to the car. My god is it cold. Me being the genius i am, brought only a sweat shirt. I then freeze my gonadz off trying to get the ice off the front window. Top off the tank, and head for the track.
After getting the car teched, i finish registration and start checking out some of the race cars arriving. A huge red trailer opens up its loading door, and what rolls out? A blue F355 challenge. Oh my god. I need one of those. Continue on by the garages, and notice 3 *full* race 911's inside. *Damn*!
8am head off for the drivers meeting, and get the low down on the rules for today.
Meet up with the instructors, and go for a ride around the track in a big ass dodge van. The instructor was driving it at a pretty good clip. Damn that thing has some body roll, im glad we didnt flip over. :)
There are only 2 instructors there today, and about 8 students. We get 4 runs, so we should be able to get atleast one full instruction session. Our first session isnt for another 45 minutes, so i go watch all the race bmw's practice (this is also a bmwcca race event). Damn they are quick! Im pitted at the beginning of the front straight, and can see the exit of 9 perfectly.
At 8:45 our first session begins. For the first few laps the instructors want us to follow them, then we can drive at our own pace. Durring the warm up lap it felt like i was driving on ice! My tires and the track must have been really cold. The sun was out though, so i figured it would warm up in about an hour. Make it through the first session without spinning and tried to learn some lines for the track. I think my line through 3-4-5 is really broken.
Second run, much warmer out. It must be atleast 65 now. The car is sticking much better, im only getting to a little over 60mph through turn 2 and about 100 through turn 8, and apexing 9 *way* to early. 9 is tricky cause its almost directly connected to the long sweeper 8, and decreases in radius. Damn i suck. The car feels really unstable in 2 and 8. My line through 3-5 is better now, after talking to the instructor. I just try to make it though that session without spinning out in 2 and 8, and practice 3-5. I also get passed by those three full race porsches twice. Who knows why they are in my group, but i must admit its cool waving them by and watching them haul ass. :-)
Third run, its time for the instructor to ride with me (woo hoo, maybe now i can figure this damn track out ;)). He asks if he can drive the first 2 laps, then we will pull over and change. Sounds fine to me, im interested to see how much faster i can take some of the corners. He disables the TCS, and we are off. After the warm up lap, he immiediatly runs around 72-73mph through turn 2. God damn it, i really suck. He takes 8 at about 110 and apex's 9 perfect. Exiting turn 3 he gets on the gas a little to hard, and loses the rear end. Since its a low speed corner, its not that big a deal. Just got off into the dirt. Get back onto the track, and turn TCS back on. (heh) We do one more lap quickly (guess the tires are now fully warmed up, cause we took 3 alot faster). Pull into the pits and i takeover. A few jokes about him almost totalling my car, and we are off. I run much faster this time, and clean up my line through 3-5.
Final run, time to put the stuff i learned to use. Im running through turn 2 much better now, at about 75mph and apex at full throttle in third gear (its a slight uphill/offcamber straight into 3). Get on the brakes hard, and downshift into second for turn 3. (man do i need a harness, with only one hand on the wheel i cant brace myself) Im sliding around all over the place on the seat, and getting thrown forward at the same time. I dont see the red race 911 in this session, but there is a race 996. He passes me about half way through the session. Im running much faster now, hitting over 120 on the front straight (i dont look down long enough to see top speed before braking :)), a little over 75 through 2, and 8 at about 115-120. Im also finally hitting 9 well, and at WOT when i hit the apex. Hit redline in third gear a second or so after the car straightens out, and shift to 4th. WOT untill its time to brake (wow do i need my rotors turned, i couldnt feel it on the street, but slamming on the brakes at that speed i can feel the warpage). I caught up on a slower car near the end of the session, and guess who else was being held up? The race 996.. he must not have wanted to pass the guy very bad, but it was nice to end the day catching up to that car. :-)
Watch the bmw race class before i take off. See Doug Ota's black M3 out there, and the guy i pitted next to who is running a full race m3, yellow. Its sweet. Both M3's seemed to run well. Its now about 5pm, gota hit the road if im gunna make it home saturday night. I notice that my left side tires are hammered! It looks like somone took a bench grinder to them. Honestly, if i had done both days i dont know if they would have had enough tread left to drive home on. The right side tires arent that bad. They both have the same pressure, so it must be that evil turn 2 and 8-9... both right handers.. ;)
Guess its time to grab some stickier tires to put on the stock wheels for track events.. if only i could figure out a way to get them to the track. I end up sleeping at some motel 6 between Bakersfield and Lemoore. O well, atleast they have HBO. Sleep in and drive home sunday.