I'm Finally a Racer!

Cameron was a race-car driver / Drove so god damned fast / Never did win no checkered flags / But he never did come in last!

Well, I finally had my first race weekend with NASA this past weekend racing 944 Spec. It was amazing. Most fun weekend... probably of my whole life. I set out with the goals: first survive without incident; then, try to not finish embarrassingly slower than everyone else. I ended up surprising myself with how well I did. I was solidly fast (although with definite room to improve); I just need to really work on my race craft.

The race on Saturday was good. I was in 4th behind three much faster drivers, and in front of two much slower drivers... or so I thought. So I relaxed and had one of the "slower" drivers catch up to me while I was lazy and complacent. I can't kick my brain into gear fast enough, make a mistake (oversteered badly and scrubbed off speed). The guy passed me and we fought for three laps. I almost made a pass but screwed up my corner entry. Then, the guy spun his car 3 turns later, and I take my position back.

Sunday was even more amazing. It was a constant battle for 4th place between me and another racer from green to checkered. I started in 4th, but didn't defend my line into the first corner, so it gets stolen. The entire race, I fight to try to get that back, and he fights to hold me off. I get my nose in 4 times. At least two of those, I should have been able to pass, but I chickened out and gave up the turn. But the entire time I stayed on him. It was fantastic.

I thought just HPDE was fun but... man. The whole rest of Sunday evening, I would stare into space and just be able to hear my exhaust note, feel the vibration of the car, and see the back of his car as I would make my charge coming out of turn 11 at Thunderhill. Man, I want more.

"Racing makes heroin addiction look like a vague wish for something salty" - Peter Egan

Congrats, Salanis!!! Sounds like a very fun, successful weekend.

Seems like you had someone to race with pretty much the whole time, and everyone put their cars on the trailers with all wheels pointed in the same general direction!!!

While you probably could have made that pass at some point on Sunday, you also could have become "That Guy" on your first weekend racing with these folks.

As you get more experience, people will realize that you're a guy who will race hard, but not do anything stupid.

Keep us posted on your progress!!!

Yeah, I talked to the other driver after the battle Sunday, and a few other drivers in the series. They said I just needed to hang in there, brake as late as possible, and really hold my line. The other racer said he wouldn't have had a problem if we brushed going through that turn. "Rubbing is racing." Basically, I had the pass but didn't truly realize I had the pass, and so backed off because I wasn't confident.

He would have put up a serious fight for it though. He missed Saturday because of an engine fire during warm-up , and was really itching to race when he got back on Sunday.

Better I backed off this time. I'm still getting used to things, and I need 4 totally clean races to get my provisional license upgraded to a full one.

Congratulations, Salanis -- you're in the big time now. At least budget wise

I'm trying to convince myself I wouldn't like it, and that I'm not competitive. Your post hasn't helped.

There's nothing like wheel to wheel racing. It's totally addicting.

Glad to hear you're not taking too many chances until you get your full license. That's a smart move.

Salanis, I did my comp school and first 2 races two weeks ago. I know exactly what you're talking about. Biggest adrenaline rush of my life.

My first race I didn't really have anyone to race against, as the SE30 class was only me and one other car. I just motored around and stayed out of trouble, which was good because the race was a crash fest. The second race on Sunday I qualified one position ahead of another SE30 and we had a great battle for the first half of the race until I inevitably screwed up, let him past, and then had nothing to catch back up.

All I can say is, starts are something equal parts exciting and terrifying.

Getting through the first turn after the start is always pucker time. After that the fun begins.

Damn you!

Congrats man! Geoff said he went out and watch you on Saturday, but didn't give me the full rundown.

Just don't have too many cold beers one night and wrap yourself around a telephone pole. /Primus

Awesome story. Infinitely jealous.

Good for you! My wife doesn't seem to think that selling our house and moving to one smaller and cheaper so that I can race is a good idea

Add me to the "green with envy" group.

I bought my E30 basically because I had to accept there is no way the other half will let me get the F500 car I really want...

Very cool!

Congrats! My first W2W was over 30 years ago. I never get tired of it. I have NASA and VRG (vintage) race licenses. I'm heading to Summit Point with race-Sprite on Thursday.

Be safe and have fun!

I got the wife to agree to a project car in the next 5 years, I wanna believe that AutoX and track days will be enough... im not so sure...

Way to go!

Thanks. I just spent the last hour at work looking for a miata to Spec out.

Here's a pic of my first (failed) attempt at a race pass. I braked too late and oversteered on the entry to turn 14 at Thunderhill. I'm in the blue #42:

Awesome, good number choice too.

My 2nd race, early on before most of the cars in the shot got past me.

iceracer wrote: Getting through the first turn after the start is always pucker time. After that the fun begins.

Inverted starts are moreso

During the 50's, the famous racing driver, Juan Manuel Fangio had a new team-mate who was struggling to improve his laptimes. He asked Fangio for advise....

Fangio shared with him the secret of all successful racing drivers......and now I'll share Fangio's advice with you:

"More gas, less brakes."

4eyes wrote:

iceracer wrote: Getting through the first turn after the start is always pucker time. After that the fun begins.

Inverted starts are moreso </blockquot Oh boy !

Congrats! You GO boy!