[DeTomaso] Asa Jay Passes Driving School
Asa Jay Laughton
asajay at asajay.com
Mon Apr 5 00:08:50 EDT 2010
It wouldn't have been a good weekend without at least one good spin.
But two? Well, it was a nice way to finish the day anyway.
The story:
I attended a BMW CCA Driving School held in Spokane, WA this weekend at
the Spokane County Raceway. Day one I was placed in group D, the very
beginners, novice, kiddie group. It was my very first on-track
experience and I wasn't going to try and fool anyone.
About 45 minutes of classroom then on the track with an instructor for
25 minutes. They drove first, showed us the line for three or four laps
and then let us drive with them as passenger. Another 45 minutes of
classroom, another track session. Break for lunch, then two more
driving sessions. Sunday, only one classroom session, with four driving
sessions.
I came into the line for this track pretty early, so by session three on
Saturday we were working on brake points, downshifting and increasing
speed. Sunday I got a new instructor, more aggressive, someone who
really pushed both me -and- the car. He didn't drive it once either
(like the instructor the day before), he just sat in the passenger seat
and gave me pointers. In session three we we were really pushing the
limits. I didn't get into the brake hard enough at the right time for
turn 2, ended up a little tight with some trailing throttle oversteer
and I spun it on the track; both feet down (clutch and brake) and the
spin ended up a 180 safely stopped. Unfortunately that meant a
mandatory pit, but that was okay as it was pretty much the end of the
session.
About an hour later, the instructor comes to me at the end of the B
group. I'm just shooting the breeze with other beginners waiting for C
group to go out and then we'll get ready. He grabs a knife and cuts the
"D" off my window, replaces it with a "C," says you graduated, lets go.
... So who's to argue? He's the instructor.
By this time I've been really burning up the track. In session 2 today
(Sunday), I passed everyone except the very last car to start, which was
a pretty quick Miata. Two other cars (Subaru wagon and a sedan I think)
I've passed -twice-. Session 3, I passed everyone and was rapidly
coming up on lapping the slow cars again. That's when I spun in session
3, near the end after having lapped the pack. With the exception of
that one spin in session 3, I'm getting feedback that I'm doing really
well.
To follow along, take a look at the track:
http://spokaneracewaypark.com/images/SRP-Aerial_big.jpg
I'm reaching the end of the straight at about 130 on my speedo and
lifting for turn one. Turn 2 requires a firm brake just before entry,
feels tight but it's not, it's just really long, then back on the
throttle before the apex and I'm shifting back into fifth through the
soft turns 3 and 4 and approaching 5 at nearly 120. (5 is where it
kinks nearly 90 degrees right) Smooth and FIRM on the brakes just prior
to entry into turn 5, get into fourth and then get set up for another
hard brake and down into third for 6 and 7, then throttle up into fourth
and hard brake for 8, come around 9 and throttle back up through 10 and
hammer the straight again. Repeat.
So the instructor gets in the passenger seat of the Pantera after
upgrading me to C group. He has one knee folded up and the other barely
under the dash. At the beginning of the day we were working on turn 2,
and then 5-6-7. I've got 5-6-7 down by now and 2 has been coming along
well, except for my spin during the prior session.
We are the first and only car out for C group in session 4, and I'm not
about to baby it. Others joined the party late (they weren't lined up
behind me when we started). I'm probably three or four laps in and now
passing the pack that came in late. I've passed nearly everyone in the
C group and have a 2005 generation Mustang on my tail. It's a fast car
and I've committed to give him a point by in the next passing zone.
Oh, did I mention this school allowed passing? Yea.. I got to learn all
about that too, every session.
So I've passed the rest of the pack and it's me and the Mustang, I'm not
proud so I'm going to give him a point by in the next passing zone, but
I'm going to make him work for it until we get there. Well, that's when
it all unwound on me, or rather... I choked.
I came into turn 2 really hot and didn't get firm enough on the brakes,
lifting early and turning in I got classic understeer, the wheels just
kept going straight. So I backed off the throttle and made my
mistake... I tapped the brakes, and let me tell you it was nearly
instinctive that as fast as my foot hit that pedal I -knew- it was the
wrong thing to do and I even said as much to my instructor at the very
moment my foot hit the pedal. Then it was both feet down, the car went
wide and into the gravel. After the traffic passed, we drove right
out. The gravel isn't shallow except in a couple of spots, luckily I
found one and didn't have to be towed out.
So what happens when you hit gravel at nearly 70 miles an hour... sideways?
This:
http://www.teampanteraracing.com/index.php?option=com_g2bridge&view=gallery&Itemid=57&g2_itemId=3374
The wheels are now off the car and the air has been let out. I'll be
taking them in tomorrow and having them cleaned up by the same guy who
originally mounted them.
So let's recap.
I just took a 36 year old Pantera,
With stock Girling Brakes (Porterfield pads)
Stock 351C engine (new valve stem seals/keepers, water pump)
One extra quart of oil and the oil pressure was -great- exiting
turn 2 at nearly 100 MPH.
Stock ZF transaxle (safety wired, new clutch)
Fluidyne radiator with sucker fans
Toyo Proxes R888 on Stock 7 & 8 Campy wheels
and five point harnesses...
out to the RACE track and HAD A BLAST! For TWO DAYS!
Feedback after it was all done indicated many instructors were impressed
with my performance, how much I learned and appeared to -retain- and put
to good use. They were very impressed with the performance of the
Pantera and said the guy driving it had really come a long way in just
two days.
I met two or three other folks there who either owned or knew of
neighbors with Panteras. I think this weekend was an eye-opener for
them. I think the Pantera got a lot of good press "in the flesh" this
weekend and I had a -great- time with everyone there, despite my little
mishap. :)
Now.... I need some sleep.
Asa Jay
Asa Jay Laughton, MSgt, USAFR, Retired
& Shelley Marie
Spokane, WA
******************************
http://www.asajay.com *** http://www.teampanteraracing.com
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