Going to my first HPDE today!

It doesn't start until 11 yet I'm already up! I'm just so damn excited! I bought this for myself as my graduation (from college, finally) present. I'm taking the cop car and John is coming too with his GTO. This is going to be good!!!

BTW, it's the late-start day one hosted by ORPCA @ PIR if anybody else happens to be going...

do the CV community proud! lol.

Good on you for finally taking the plunge. I did for my birthday last year and now I'm hip deep in turbo miata-ness for the track. Have some fun...

There isn't a 12 step cure for this.

welcome to the addiction....

It's like heroin, but more expensive and less socially acceptable.

Hi, I'm Billy, and I'm a track addict.

And it was AWESOME!!!

Took the cop car down to PIR with the ORPCA guys again for an HPDE. John came with in his GTO and we were ready to go (new brakes on both cars).

Got 3 20 minute sessions driving (we were scheduled for 4 but by 830PM we and the cars were just done, so we called it and went home). I can hit 115 on the front stretch and 135 on the back! There was one S197 GT Mustang there (all stock except for chrome wheels and faux Shelby stripes) and I passed him every session! Of course I was in the Beginner/Novice group (with a GREAT instructor BTW!) and we were slower out there then the other groups (there's 4 "levels" and they run at separate times) but I was impressed with the 'Vic's abilities (passed some 944's, an air-cooled 911, a Caymen, and an Audi RS4) especially in the straights.

All in all is was a great day (I got to ride in my instructor's Spec E30 BMW and another instructor's NOVI-blown S2000!) and the old P71 performed flawlessly all day and then got us home in comfort with the A/C blowing ice-cold.

More pics/info tomorrow, I'm bushed and I have work in the morning!

That's great! Glad to hear you had a good day with no failures!

When you passed those other cars did they get sucked into the massive vacuum such a huge body creates at 130+ mph? I just envision this behemoth barreling down the track with other cars sucked in behind and blown around like leaves...

It's amazing how quick you get a point-by with push bumpers!

Cool, I'm glad you enjoyed it. So when are you going again? Did your brakes hold up?

Probably not going again until next year, it's VERY expensive! (Entry, gas to get down there and go around the track, fluid changes before and after, new brakes, breakfast for the girlfriend to make up for abandoning her and spending money, tires, etc, etc)

The brakes held up fine except for the right rear caliper, which boiled the fluid. I need to change both rear calipers and flush the fluid with something better then autopartsstorerus DOT4. Otherwise they were great, the Performance Friction's stopped the 4,000+ Lb beast from 135 very quickly! My second session was nearly entirely open track with nobody overtaking (though I did pass a few) and every straight was at top speed. They exhibited no fade and great feel and modulation.

The rotors still work well, though they don't look so hot (no cracks, just funny colored ) I might pull one off on the rear when I take the calipers off to have a look see.

Well Mike, I wouldn't say it was entirely without failures. Good thing is none of them required a flatbed. But I'll never again utter the phrase 'should be good enough for a track day'. To this I am referring to my clutch. 50k street miles and 250 drag strip passes on the original clutch were too much. I had to fight to get it into gear all day on track. My instructor was actually pretty impressed with how well I improved while the 3rd pedal gave me the bird. Really taught me a LOT about rev-matching, lol. At least till 3 laps into the 3rd session when the clutch finally TKO'd. Luckily it was just too hot and cooling off let me drive it home. But no more racing and very little driving till it is replaced. Got a LS7 clutch sitting in the garage for it. Just need to order a few things for while I'm in there. Hurst short shifter, slave cylinder, royal purple fluids, stainless steel clutch lines, and some wheel spacers or if i can afford it, a caster/camber kit. My front wheels are vertical. STupid strut rub.

P71 wrote: Probably not going again until next year, it's VERY expensive!

See my comment above, you know, the heroin one.

I was trying to save you the embarrassment John!

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/reader-rides/121/

Just in case you're wondering which car we're talking about and maybe might want to vote for it...

One of these days I'll get around to putting my cars in the readers rides so i can do shameless plugs like you mike.

That reliability record is impressive for such a large car.

Track is crack. Glad to hear you had fun. Your right too, these events are not a cheap adventure. That is why you hear people preach about getting a cheap car that is easy on brakes and tires. Aka, the Miata.

P71 wrote: It's amazing how quick you get a point-by with push bumpers!

I can see it now. Someone driving their hot car down the straightaway when up from behind you arrive with in-grill lights flashing and the spot light a blazing.

Just when the driver thinks he is doing it right by "taking it to the track" and keeping the fast driving off the street....

Cool car, cool story.

John we both know you're far too lazy to put up your own cars, so I will have to do it for you...

The reliability record has a lot to do with the real-world reliability of the cop car fleet as a whole. These are good cars!

Rangeball, yeah that's what the RX-7 is for, but dammit if I just had to try it once with the 'Vic!

It sure was popular with the other HPDE participants and the people running it! That car garners a LOT of attention at any race track!

I want to do an HPDE so bad, but the high cost of entry is keeping me away.. Much like a hooker with all her teeth.