V8 Juice

I ran the inaugural MSP track Thursday, Friday and Saturday and it is like the girls get better looking at closing time. First time on track Thursday for Instructor orientation and first session was double yellow 55 MPH limit and every one of the 23 turns was an ugly WTF? I watched a video but you can't get the feel of the "Sinkhole" in flat black video; some gators are your friend (T1A), some are your enemy (T12) and I learned the hard way the difference. Somethings you can see, some you can't (tabletop between T13 and T14, but once you gain speed and hit it at an angle you will feel it. By end of day Friday this bar girl started looking real good but feared I would wake up Saturday with a different opinion. Be sure to check your tires often, I started the event with good good Hoosier S100s tires and by Friday end of day my LF tire was down to steel cord all around the tire. Mounted the spare wheels and ran good sessions Saturday morning until car got a little loose and I thought it was the back up tires losing grip but after another lap losing grip I felt uncomfortable and pitted in to discover an oil trail behind all the way back to the track and soon diagnosed a leak at the oil scavenger tank. My popularity took a hit while the track was closed and dry soaked where I had peed all around it. Oil was everywhere on the left side and underneath the car and the left rear wheel was covered in oil. Minor consolation: I didn't lose control on track and I was likely less than a lap from a seized motor and consequences.

A highlight of the event was John Heinricy and Andy Pilgrim generously giving a classroom instruction on corner by corner breakdown of the track. 3.2 mile technical track, perfect weather, pro drivers teaching how to drive it, being part of inaugural event....anyone not like this event would complain about an ice cream date with Heidi Klum.

Kudos to Chief Instructor Mike Newlander and Track Control Ted Devit for above and beyond hard work to successfully deal with lots of teething issues and making the event run smoothly; thanks to the educational, interactive and fun classroom instruction by Chuck Hawk, congrats to Mitch and Matt and all the NCM and MSP personnel for vision, conviction and staying with it to make this dream a reality and to Wendell and the NCM Board for giving the OK to build a track on the hope that if they built it, we would come. I strongly recommend anyone with the opportunity to run this track to do so and with patience. This girl looks even better in the morning!

ErnieN85

and we thought it must have been a Porsche (so much oil)

NVR2L8

Art - I think we need to start a "wall of shame" at the MSP, first oil spill, first into the wall, first on fire, first car flat bedded off the track, first car to run out of gas, etc. Me, you and Newlander have already claimed our spots! It was good to see you.

PaConehead

Also ran Friday and Sat event and agree with above - this is a complex track, with lots of technical parts. Some places need finesse and others you can bully your way through. Great track, great event - thanks to Mike, Ted and Matt for a great job! Also, thanks to Art for the help with my tensioner and belt - kept me on the track for the remaining sessions!

Enjoyed meeting lots of guys and gals - great time!

Track and event get A+ from me!

Mike

Painrace

Very well put, Art! I too questioned the track when we started but I loved it by my last run. I too would recommend this fun track to anyone who wants to have a lot of fun with their clothes on.

A thumbs up to the crew you listed above too. They did a very good job with all the changes thrown up to them. At the end, all is well.

It was also great being with you, Art!

Jim

Larry Myers

Art, I don't think your popularity suffered one bit. Could happen to anyone. The upside is you didn't lose your motor. And frankly, the cleanup gave me a much needed break.

Your comments concerning the track and the event in general are right on. Couldn't agree more.

I liked it so much am returning in a couple of weeks.

Good luck getting your car back in commission.

And you still have the coolest looking hauler in the paddock.

SouthernSon

My first day impression was one of reservation. Then, on the second day, I started getting a better orientation of the track lay. That stuff sort of happens as you ride in the right seat. I like the turns that let you mid apex with lots of momentum, the dip and the table top that can unload the rear keeping you on your toes, the off camber in a 'carousel turn' that keeps you honest on the inside while pushing 3 digit speeds, the drop that has decreasing radius after the precipice (pay attention), the chicane that requires a good double late apex (most cars), but, the most fun I had was in T10 that lets you come over to the inside left with full throttle deep into the 3 marker brake zone before trail braking while bending left for the switchback. I would say the new NCM MSP track is going to be fun and challenging for many visits because of many unique turns. A big thank you to all that contributed to the success of the event. Mike N. really took on a big responsibility to lay out successful logistics for this inaugural event and he handled it great. My only complaint is that the five days went way too quickly. Be back in 2 weeks with 10/10ths.

Painrace

I like this picture a lot. Shows three cars and the Museum!

Jim

k24556

I agree 200% with all the comments about the track and the way the event was organized. If you didn't get a ride with Andy or John, you missed a great opportunity to see what a Corvette can do on that track.

Jim, it was, as always great to see you there. Sorry you had to pack up a bit early. See you at the next one.

Brian

Screamin Z

Can't wait to get on this track with 10/10ths

JDIllon

Great Track and great time and great weather!!! A huge thanks to Mike, Ted and Myra and Matt and Mitch for putting on a well run event!!! NOT AN EASY THING TO DO at a new track that has never run an event before!!!!! I just wish the track was closer to me!! So I could go more often. JD

DaveCN

Great event. I am a BMW guy, and was there to instruct. The track is amazing, and the track staff and the NCM HPDE staff did an admirable job of managing all of the unknowns that come with running the first event at a new track.

My club has rented the track this upcoming weekend, and it was very helpful to be there at this inaugural event to get a good baseline for how our school should run.

Oh, and did I mention, the track is AMAZING. While it is a high speed track in many respects, it really is suited to momentum cars as well. So many technical turns and so many places where you just have to be patient. The sinkhole was a real surprise - the videos of the track just do not do it justice. What a drop!

I am really pleased to have this track fairly close to home. Great job NCM and the NCM HPDE staff!!!!!!

Cyclone09Z06

This track is amazing very fast and very technical. Thanks to NCM, Mike and Ted, great job.

No_Vette_4Me

Ernie,

Not everyone can have a Vettel


Here is a link from the Sat DE.

The track is technical and a lot of fun. It's not high speed in comparison to COTA or TWS, but it does flow nicely and no real stand it on the nose corners.

ErnieN85

looks like you were having fun

No_Vette_4Me

Ernie,

I had a great time. It was good to get back home and have a lot of my family join me at a really fun track, with perfect weather and a lot of good drivers. I also had the chance to meet a lot of good people in the two days I was there.

V8 Juice

Jim,
it is an awesome picture, be sure to send to Mitch and Matt with permission to use if you so agree.
Art

cgh1

Regretfully I rarely, if ever get a chance to surf the forums anymore but would be totally remiss if I didn't come here to say:

THANKS to all that came out to the NCM Motorsports Park grand opening HPDE! It was great and an honor to spend 5 days with so many great people and cars.

This track is challenging! Which, of course in my book makes it mucho FUN!

HUGE THANKS to Mitch, Matt, Mike (Short Throw), Ted, Myra, Karen, The lovely young lady that works for NCM that loaded the NCM tent in and out of the classroom trailer every day, Adam, The Flag Crew, and Rudy. All of you and more contributed so much to making the event run exceptionally smoothly!! I look forward to having the honor of working with you all again soon.

A fantastic event held at an amazing new track run by super pro's where wonderful people can come and learn what their car is all about in its native environment - and right in the Museum's back yard. What's not to love about that?!