varkwso

There are many firsts in your child's life. A first tooth, the first step, the first word, a first haircut, the first day at school, the first canoe expedition, the first true love and of course - maybe the most important - the first track day. Thanks to Jon, SeatTime, Dr. Wike, Kate, Ernie and Roebling (makes me feel like a well paid NASCAR driver) I was able to put my youngest child in a car at Roebling for two days of track time. I believe getting prepared mentally, as a parent, is very important for this first. Getting someone else to instruct your offspring, or spouse, is even more important. Best of all worlds is getting someone else to instruct your offspring in their car. Through my keen persuasive skills I was able to do both. I think my groveling and begging was the deal clincher, being married I have developed those skills quite nicely.

The proper car is also very important for this first. Being a high speed, low drag kind of guy I consider the Fixed Roof Coupe with 345 HP as entry level - right up until I want to put my kid in one for his first event. Since 345 HP was the minimum available at my house I went looking for other options. Dr. Wike came through with the perfect car. An ITC prepped Ford Fiesta. Now it has race tires, race header, race carb, race intake, race suspension, race seats, and a race cage. I can hear some of the comments now, "race tires for a kid, what are you thinking?", well I was thinking the car has a whopping 90 HP at the flywheel. Kate even agreed to instruct him in the car and they even hauled it to the track for me. Life is good for me.

There were only 30 or so cars on at the event split between three groups. Everyone had a minimum of 132 minutes a day. Gives you plenty of time to wear out tires and brakes. I corded three tires (though one had a little cord showing from the beginning - hate to not get the full use from the tire you know) and ate the last 1/8 of an inch off my XP8 brake pads on the ZO6 in the two days. Josh even corded two tires on the Fiesta. Track density was light to say the least. Other then an arctic wind on Saturday the weather was great. Only one car had to be towed in. An open wheeler rode up the berm on Turn 1 but was running later in the day.

I had great students. Tim (AtomicZO6) was there in his 2007 ZO6 for Friday. I cleared him solo on Friday and got his girlfriend as a student on Saturday in his car. Now there is true love. She also did great in the car, once she learned it was OK to really push the long thin pedal in Tim's car. It is always a bit unnerving to let someone loose in such a powerful car and forgiving car. Tim is a good driver and has great feel for his car. But in the end the experience set you need really comes from lots of seat time and making mistakes. Hopefully, you make them were it does not cost you too much except a little embarrassment. For example, how about that blend line there Tim? Having video evidence of blend line crossing and dropping a tire off in Turn 5 makes it even worse.

Some people were calendar limited and forgot that 6 and 7 April were on Friday and Saturday. But Matt made up for it when he showed up a day late, and for a true first, stayed on the track all day. I think a few others missed that detail on the calendar also from a few no shows and day late shows. It was a bit unnerving to run with Matt and not see the dust clouds surrounding his white STi. Thinking myself invincible (after all I have ridden with Tim ZO6 and survived the experience) I went for a ride with him. It was a blast to be in the car as he tossed it around the track.

There were quite a few new faces and many familiar ones at the track. The Crown Vic is always a treat. Cop shocks, cop tires, cop suspension and all. It was like a drift demo when he went through Turn 4 to Turn 6. A black trio of C6s showed up from Marietta (2 ZO6s and 1 Z51) and had a blast from what I could tell. I was able to run with most people at the track at one time or another. It is tough when your "students" in their Vipers and C6 ZO6s are giving you a run for your money. Kind of makes you want to buy a new C6 ZO6 or something. Unfortunately, that will take more than groveling and begging I feel.

Josh progressed very nicely all weekend. He managed to spin a Fiesta in Turn 4 with Dr. Wike instructing. It must be something about the Wikes - Jake had his first spin with Ernie as an instructor. Since Josh was doing so well he even had a session driving the ZO6 on Saturday. He was able to really feel the difference in the front drive and the rear drive. He may have noticed the horsepower but we kept the revs down and the speeds under 130 mph. He also drove a session in Kates Mini Cooper S Werkes car. Due to his track manners, driving skill and judgment he was cleared solo in the Fiesta on Saturday. A lot of his early solo is due to kart time, lots of laps as a passenger at racetracks whenever it was mostly legal, and his willingness to learn something he enjoys. I am not going to turn him loose in a ZO6 at speed yet, but that day is coming as soon as he is ready. I asked him what his favorite part of the event was and he said without hesitation "the spin". Oh boy.....

We now have to get ready for Rockingham next weekend, CMP the weekend after that and One Lap in early May. I need to fully retire to get to the track more. But it looks like I will have some company at the track for a few more years yet.

z06jones

I was in one of the black Z06’s from Marietta and we did have a GREAT time, other than my wife not being able to make it and not being able to stay for Saturday.
Ted in the other Z06 and his wife Myra in the C6 Z51 have not stopped talking about it. Ted was a little tentative at first (He had the car for 5 days before the event), Ted progressed nicely through the day and after the 4th session we quit running lead follow and I went to play with some of the other cars. Myra had a very good instructor Rob, but the end of the day had gained a lot of confidence. Rob rode with me on the 5th session and came out of it with a new respect for C6 Z06’s. He never imagined a bone stock street car could corner at such high speeds. He did turn a little pale the first time we entered braking zone for turn one at 165 (I love my brakes!)

This was the first seatTime event I have done and will not be the last! Jon runs a great event and after safety more time on the track seems to be his #1 priority. We had 7 sessions on Friday for a total of 192miles! I’ve done some two day events and did not get that much track time.

varkwso

Way to go Ted! A car needs to be broken in carefully and correctly.

I was happy you guys were braking early so my poor old C5 ZO6 could catch you in the T1 brake zone. It was all I could do to carry as much speed as possible on T8 to keep even close to those rockets on the straight. Rob is a good instructor and came away impressed with a C6 ZO6.

Hope to see you guys out there soon - but I know I will see you at VIR

varkwso

By the way...

When Josh did the session in the ZO6 - he was on 315 Hoosiers on the front, 315 Goodyear GSCS in the rear, XP8s and in Competition Mode.....not the combo I would put him of choice but the way the car was setup for the weekend...

The audible rev limiter was also fully engaged....but even so he did hit 132 mph on the front straight and 90 mph in T3...

z06jones

Can't wait for VIR. I believe you where also going to be at Road Atlanta on the 21 & 22 if so we will see you there.
Sure wish I had the time off to do One Lap with you. Have fun and take lots of pictures for us.

varkwso

Nope - several guys will be there with Audi club - but I will be at CMP with V8Juice...