[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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