1991Z07

I got to run CotA for a charity event last weekend and would like another stab at it!

However...it's been 10+ years since I've run the car hard. The instructors I had riding along were impressed with both my driving style and the bottom end grunt my Z07 had. So...apparently myself nor the car have lost much.

I even won the charity autox in their Lamborghini...what a hoot!

Now...there is a group coming to CotA in June, and they say "open to solo approved drivers (will be verified)."

Just wondering what it takes to get the approval?

CHJ In Virginia

Contact the group running the event and ask what constitutes a "solo" qualified driver. It will vary per group. It sounds like you have previous experience on track, although a long time ago. When you contact them have your past experience qualifications in mind so you can detail them in the conversation or email. They will let you know if you qualify.

1991Z07

Thanks...

Sent them an email with all the track experience I've done. They are going to put me in with the Intermediate Group.

I don't plan on being the fastest man out there...but I think the intermediate will be just fine to start.

The CotA track is AWESOME...but man is it hard on brakes! I need to upgrade to some Wilwoods before then. I could go about 5 laps tops hard before I needed to do a 1/2-3/4 lap cool-down. With no ducts on the car, and new DOT4 in the system I was boiling the front calipers.

Bill Dearborn

Not sure what the group would want so you need to contact them. One group that I instructed for required Solo Applicants to sign up for an event where they had a novice school. Once at the event a Senior Instructor would take them out in the first Open Track morning session and determine if they could keep up with the other people in the group, knew where the flag stations were located and understood all of the flags, knew the groups rules as far as passing, practiced basic courtesy and knew how to handle their cars. The last requirement was usually tested by telling the applicant to do something different when approaching a corner such as an off line corner entry to see how they would handle a late pass into a corner. Then of course there were the intangibles of how the instructor felt in the car such as how smooth the applicant drove, on and off throttle smoothness, etc. If the applicant didn't pass the checkout they were put in the Novice school and had to graduate from it and the following intermediate school before getting open track privileges. The checkout wasn't hard but you needed to perform at least as a high level intermediate driver to go open track.

Bill

Chevy Nick

I've done through this before with a BMW event; I had to provide references. the event organizers or chief driving instructor had to email the group on my behalf and talk about how safe, courteous, etc. of a driver I was.

Corvee

The Pirelli Tire event for Children at Risk, right? I had the pleasure of instructing. The COTA June event is organized by the owners of The Drivers Edge. Inorder to maximize your enjoyment of COTA in June, I suggest that you run an HPDE with TDE before COTA to familiarize yourself with their program. TDE emphasizes the development of high speed driving skills (wherever you are starting) - more than could be provided during the one day "driving experience" you had at COTA. The Drivers Edge holds frequent events at several Texas tracks. They hit TWS, MSR Cresson, and MSR Houston all within the next couple of months. See you at COTA!

rfn026

Being Solo Qualified you can get rid of the passenger seat. That's a huge weight loss. I did that back in the day when I was trying to get faster. Then the Porsche Cup cars started showing up. Now it's hardly worth the effort. Acutally I would like to have my a/c back.

Richard Newton
Hard Core Stupid Tech Stuff

JeremyGSU

Being that it's a DE I would say it's pretty unnecessary. I took my passenger seat out in my C5 Z before and it probably only weighs 10 lbs or so. I certainly didn't notice anything.

1991Z07

You might have seen my white beast blasting by somewhere on course then...

I'm going to Hallett next month to renew my NCCC high-speed license. Friday will be instruction/re-cert and the rest of the weekend is high-speed autocross.

I'm pretty familiar with the different programs...I've just not ACTUALLY been out playing for 10+ years. My track skills are still pretty sharp, and I've not lost my car handling skills either...which was amazing to me. I didn't even feel uncomfortable in the high-speed straights...

Unfortunately...I have a huge equipment deployment to start beginning next month, and I have to pick & choose where I go. I'd love to hit as much track surface as I can...but it won't be in my cards this summer.

I have 4 months of hard work before I can relax...worth it in the end, but still a royal PITA. It will help pay for upgrades to the '91 and will get progress started on the '92 ZR1-based track car.

Seats (on order) and brakes (Wilwood's) are certainly in the cards before I get back out at CotA. It was VERY hard on my J55's...and I've wanted some 6-pot Wilwoods ever since I drove a friends '87 track car with them years ago. Night & day difference between the two...

Look me up in June...I'm looking forward to playing out there again.

Corvee

I remember your car - it has Z07 plates if I recall correctly. I drive a silver C6Z06 #167. I look forward to this summer - hopefully the summer dead heat will not set in before July this year!

1991Z07

Guilty as charged

That was me...

crease-guard

I just emailed Rick and he said they were not doing this event in June. Anyone know who is doing this event?

Corvee

It is not a THE DRIVERS EDGE event but EDGE ADDICTS a group ran by Rick's wife Karen: http://www.edgeaddicts.com/