Wow. Freaking Jesus, wow.
I drove my car on a road track for the first time last weekend (Sept 15th & 16th). It was with The Driver's Edge which is a non profit (I think) organization that organizes non-timed high performance driving events (HPDEs) at various race tracks all over Texas. I simply call it "racing school" because you have an instructor with you the entire time and they teach you how to drive fast... very fast.
Out of all the things I've done, I'd rank it number 2 behind skydiving for the first time in intensity, excitement and fear. Some people liken it to riding a roller coaster, but I think that's a bad analogy. On a roller coaster, you just sit there, along for a high g-force ride. You're on tracks and you're not going off the tracks. On a road course, the only things keeping you on the track are your wits... and your instructor's commands.
This two day event was quite an eye opener. Most people don't know anything about the physics of driving. They don't know how to load the front suspension before a turn, or how to accelerate through a turn to keep the rear tires planted. They certainly don't know that lifting off the accelerator or hitting the brakes while going around a corner too fast is going to cause the car to go into a spin. That's right, if you're going around a corner too fast and you don't think you're going to make it... give it more gas!
One thing that they kept stressing to us newbies is to breathe. Driving on a road course for the first time can be a harrowing experience, especially if you're driving a 450 hp sport car capable of speeds in excess of 190 mph. It goes against all instinct to keep the gas pedal floored while approaching a 180 degree turn, then at the last possible second, slam on the brakes and pray that you're going to slow down enough to make the turn. When I say "slam" on the brakes, I'm mean you're hitting them so hard that if you didn't have a seat belt on, you're going into the windshield.
The Vette is awesome. It's way too much car (power-wise) for a newbie like myself. Other cars were hitting 80-90 mph at the end of the straight if they were lucky. I was hitting 105 at the middle of the straight (and being too scared to upshift, haha)! I never had to take it out of 3rd gear the entire time on the track. It had more than enough power in 3rd gear alone to scare the living daylights out of me.
Handling-wise it's great also. I'm too wet behind the ears to comment on the numb steering that Vettes are known for, but I did notice that the Vette has tons less body roll that my previous S197 Mustang GT (2005), despite the Mustang's aftermarket Roush suspension.I'm going to sum up the remaining points of interest since this post is already kind of long...
- Your wheels get completely covered in brake dust.
- After a session on the track (or during), you're not allowed to stop in the grass because your car's headers and brake rotors are so hot that they can start grass fires.
- After a session on the track, you cannot use your parking brake or hold your foot on the brake pedal because your brakes are so hot that the rotors will warp.
- You get used to the sound of tires squealing. In fact, tires squealing becomes the norm rather than the exception.
- As a newbie, your skills are laughable compared to your instructor's. My instructor had people puke and lose control of their bladders while riding with him in his run group (btw, he has a modified 2007 C6 Corvette).
- There is a high probability that you will lose control of the car at high speeds. Well... if you are pushing it and have a high horsepower car anyways.
- I lost control 3 times, the 3rd time at 90 mph and went off track into the grass/dirt. It wasn't even scary because by then I was so used to the speed.
After just one HPDE, I'm addicted. All I think about is going back for more and getting better and faster. Unfortunately, it's an expensive hobby...
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