ScaryFast

I'm climbing up on my soapbox here, so if you're an easily offended 'vette "polisher" then go elsewhere...

I went to the track (Grattan Raceway) with the local Alfa Romeo car club yesterday. It's cold and crappy here in Michigan, so I was bitching all week about having to go, but I'd promised a buddy I'd instruct and didn't want to leave him hanging. "It's cold," "I probably won't take my car off the trailier," "I have a little sniffle and a cough," "it's a pain in the **** to drive all the way out there," whaaa whaaa whaaa.

Yes, it sprinkled off and on all day and was generally miserable weather. And yes, concessions closed early and I was left without coffee. But it was one of the most enjoyable days at the track this season. (The secret is layers of clothing and a raincoat )

The concept of an Alfa Romeo club is kind of laughable (when was the last time they sold a car in this country?), but it's really more of an enthusiasts' club. There were 45 or so cars: lots of V-dubs, about 5 Alfas, a Triumph, some Mustangs, a 350 Z, a smattering of AWD ricers (EVO's and STi's) and about 6 Corvettes. Some of these cars were worth less than $2000 but everyone was having a blast.

Nobody was keeping lap times (except me, and some of those junkers were fast). Half of the people I talked to had years of experience at that track, yet still didn't know (or care) what kind of lap times they ran. Instead of lap times on paper, there were lots of friendly rivalries, plenty of smack talk, and a bunch of beginner and intermediate guys that genuinely wanted to learn how to drive their cars fast. The only trailer queens in the group were the Corvettes.

Because my car sucks in the rain, I spent the day instructing two really great students, hanging out at the grid, and riding with anyone who would take a passenger. My impression was that lots of cars I'd laugh at on the street were a lot of fun for a little money. One guy was running 1:40 lap times in the rain (not too shabby, for those who know the track) in a 1985 rustbucket with aftermarket springs and about 180 HP.

The Corvettes were generally slow, one broke, and one guy actually came to grid but didn't drive because he was told he had to put his window down. He didn't go on track because it was misting a little and didn't want to get his interior wet. Way to represent the Corvette name

So after all this babbling, what's my point? There are two:

1. Some of us (including myself) are so wrapped up in being faster than everyone else that we lose sight of how much fun this is. But who had more fun, the guys driving, or me with my car sitting on the trailer?

2. You can have a blast, and be FAST in an old "junker". So all of you guys who post on this RR forum that you "wish you could afford to go to the track because it looks so awesome" need to STFU and do it! I guarantee that lots of those 1985 Alfas and the '72 VW GTI would have passed you in your Corvette yesterday...

At the very least, go to events, ride with people, and hang out. It was a riot.

Miaugi

Good post!

68427

The So Cal Alfa club is the same way. Great group and well-run events.

Last C5

I just got back, 20 minutes ago, from observing the Portland, OR Alpha club's track day over at Portland International Raceway. Those guys were having a lot of fun and some of those old Alphas were holding their own out there on the track. Driving is better than watching and I don't think it matters that much what you have to drive. The idea is to have fun.

AU N EGL

Good Post. some of my best students are in little cars. They have the most fun, learn the lines quickly, and we just have a blast out there.


My wife wont let me take our garage queen to the track. Grarage queen is our toyota carrola, it never gets driven.

94ZR1#444

Great post. I have to agree with AU N EGL that some of my best students are in smaller cars. I was instructing in a AWD EVO last weekend that ate Corvettes all day long.

Go to the track and see what its all about. The comradary, the smack talk and the memories.

Remember: The Rain Line is a Straight Line to the Trailer....

Tourmgr1

I've run with the Alfa Club at Grattan and Gingerman and I agree ....good guys. The Chicago VW Club is also a fun group. I just enjoy gettin out with ANYONE who loves cars and tracking.

ScaryFast

I have a friend at work who bought an EVO last year. I got him to the track once and he was actually quite good his first time out.

However, he didn't go once this year because he wanted to do all kinds of mods to the car before taking to the track...turbo control, suspension, etc. I wish he'd come out, he could really do well and have fun if he'd just drive the damn car!

Oh, and I don't want to insinuate that I don't have fun in my Corvette. Passing people isn't exactly boring

jasonberkeley

The Chicago Alfa Rome Owners Club has a huge great event at Road America every year that brings out lots of people and cars. Great event and a great group of folks!

Here is a link to their web-site and the event:
http://caroc.com/events/RA_06.html

johnei

I had a WRX for a few years and then last year went to Bondurant for a few days. I wasn't very fast but it was fun. I sold the Subaru and got a Mini Cooper S since some more experienced people told me it is easier to learn to drive fast in an underpowered car.

However, I was got too much flack for the Mini and wanted something more fun so I got a C6 instead. Now I think the C6 is almost too nice to take to the track. I would have liked to have gotten a more dedicated track car but where I live parking spaces are $ and I can't justify having two cars for weekend fun - so I focused on one great road car.

Anyways you can definitely have fun in a slow car and you won't worry as much if it isn't that nice. Maybe next year I'll have a helmet and get out to some events in the C6. Thanks for the report.

xsiveone

This is so true! You can have a lot of fun with your Corvette at the track, but if you're worried about it and this is getting in the way of having fun with it, buy a less expensive car to take to the track. You can have a lot of fun at the track with not much money.

BTW.. There's no such thing as a '72 VW GTI. They started in Germany in 1976 and they didn't come to the US until 1983.

xsiveone

Why in the hell do people wrap their egos up with their cars? I can care less what other people think about what I drive.

Norm_05_ GTO

Glad you had fun! NCCC autocross I attended would not be fun for someone wanting to have fun once or twice a year with their Vette as everyone was worry about points. I enjoy the Audi Club and their class of instructors that I actually became one. Due insurance purposes no timing is allowed. But some guys run timers and the least of is run a video camera.

You don't have to have a sports car to have fun.

Norm

BrianCunningham

I used to due events with that club when I was in Mich, great club! and the best run autocrosses there.

and to the rest of the comments as well.

turtlevette

Agree on both counts.

Driving an ill handling 165 hp C3 on road courses makes me somewhat of a laughing stock, but its actually a lot of fun for me. I made the mistake of letting a couple of my instructors drive it. The first one almost put us into the NASCAR wall at NHIS and the second one got scared after 1 lap and made me park it because he thought the handling was squirley. We discussed it some more and after convincing him that non rack and pinion cars will have a little more steering slop we got back out on the track.

Some day i hope to get a real sports car that has a computer to keep my sorry asz out of the wall.

StArrow68

After learning a C3 I'm betting you won't need or like the computer.

Different stuff happening in the rest of the world that still has nice
weather. At Thunderhill in Nor. Calif. today and there were more than
a few Vettes. Of course it was in the low 80's and nobody was
complaining about having both windows down. I got to help a 914
and a WRX with long list of mods, both had fun and got signed off to
solo by mid afternoon so they were doing well. Several drivers who
I've helped before came by to say hi and even got to give one another
ride for a few laps that he said helped. Only one C6 joined a 911
and not sure what else with a really dusty off but they all kept the
wheels down so no big deal.
As for Vettes running in the rain there were several of us running Laguna
Seca last winter with windows down and wet track to moderate rain at
times. Not everyone has trailer queens. It's just a question of who
shows at any given day and yes it's fun just being on track.
Randy

Olitho

Yeah, the Alfa group in So. Calif. is great too. Good people and good events.

I think people have fun in whatever car they have or can afford to bring to the track as long as the car is working properly.

varkwso

Smack talk is a whole lot more fun than timers - there is no evidence to prove or disprove. It is all about your ability to persuade

I do disagree on the rain line - the rain line I use is the one where there are no puddles or the shallowest ones. Here in the southeast we get lots of rainy days to drive in. Sometimes as I am sitting in the mud beside the track I wish, just maybe I ought to put it on the trailer, but then I take it out again to clean all the mud off.

Rock chips add character to a Vette or any car for that matter. I enjoy track car (any car will do) events and the smack talk that ensues

PA Z06

Good post
I just did my first PDA in the rain a couple weeks ago, and although I was painfully slow, it was a blast and thats what its about.

UstaB-GS549

CAROC times their events at Blackhawk and Road America. They only have two classes for non-Alfa's; Over, and under 2 liters, so basically it's run what you brung. They don't do trophies and they don't announce winners sat the end.