My experience @ Spring Mountain
04-12-2009, 02:54 PM
#1
Racer
Thread Starter
My experience @ Spring Mountain
Just got done with the three day level one class at Spring Mountain and thought I'd share my experience. My main concern in booking was with a few days of track time under my belt should I do the two or three day class.
Day one: Class room sessions covered the basics. So you are not going to get to much from them. Some of the paddock exercises were fun . I did not think there was too much you can take away from the wet figure 8 but they set up a large four cone circle course and you get to work on trail braking and they said you could try and find the cars limits here without worry but after a couple times around I put some gas down and the instructor said I just found the limits so scale it back some. The new Michelins they are running hold up great and I think they had some more in them. They should not tell you to find the limits if they do not mean it. Some heal toe and lead follows come next. Rocketing the z06 down the backstraight for the heeltoe exercise was a blast. I hope they are not reading this at SM because I could not help but try some thresh hold braking when I was on the opposite side from the instructors.But I did get some much needed practice because I was always told to practice on the street and not the track and I do not drive the vette on the street much. The lead follow was very frustrating for me. They did not seperate us by driving skill so after a few good laps following the instructor you get stuck behind a green driver while someone else takes a turn. They did seperate us after lunch into skill level but that was only because the other students said I was following too close and then telling them how to drive. Anyway after my lecture, Rick did promise to make it up to me if I took it easy on the other guys. My new group consisted of Richard from Canada and Dan from LA. Richard tracks his own z06 and was a great driver but Dan had never drove a vette or even been on the track before but by the time the class was over Dan was holding his on. The day ended with me getting my butt kicked by one of the owners on the racquetball court , he had been rumored to be unbeatable and he continued that streak. The only good that came out of that was he felt so bad for me he gave a ride in his radical the next day after lunch.
Day two: More heel toe and some lead follow. They really stress trailbraking as oppose to thresh hold braking and it is fun learning a bit of a new driving style. My group is really getting faster and we are lapping the other groups .
*******************RADICAL RIDE**********************
These things are amazing . After my ride everything else seems to be in slow motion. If you go to SM pay for the radical ride , it is worth ever penny.
Day Three: Open lapping. You get the chance to put all they had been teaching for two days to the test. They did combine the zr1 group with us so I was looking forward to seeing them on the track. I had been begging to drive one for a couple days to no avail and I figured the next best thing to driving one was passing one on the track. Second session I had managed to get by all of them ,put down a lap to clear traffic but I had one of the zr1's I had just passed right on my butt.(later he said he thought I was one of the instructors picking off his zr1 buddies in a base coupe ,so that is why he let me pass in the first place). All weekend only car numbers had been called over the radio to identify drivers but I hear my name called; Billy check your mirrors. I know that was for all the other students benefit hearing my name so they would all know I was about to get passed. I was hotdogging for most of the time so I am sure I deserved that. Thanks,Rick. But I spent the next 25 minutes chasing a zr1 in the base c6 ,I gave it all I had but could only get close enough in the curves to hear the supercharged exhaust kick in and watch him pull away in the straights. Those were the best laps I have ever had on a track and I was surprised they let us run so hard but later Rick let me know they normaly do'nt and that was his way of making it up to me for taking it easy on the other guys. My last session, I grabbed a z06 and was going to exact my revenge but I had a tire pressure sensor go out and the car was doing weird things, I limped around for a few laps and came on in. They would never entertain the idea of me driving the zr1 but I did get an instructor to give me a ride along after everone left to make up for my lost lost laps in the z06. Thanks Victor for the ride but I know you were holding back because I turned faster laps in the z06 , that is unless you drive like you play racquetball.
In conclusion , @ Spring Mountain they go out of their way to make you feel like you get your money's worth. You will make a bunch of new friends and have the time of your life. If money is an issue ,I would say if you have some track time already go with the two day class and save your money for some hpde's. If you have plenty of cash then do it all and have fun.
This is as close as I got to driving the zr1
Here is Dan. He won the most improved award.
Day one: Class room sessions covered the basics. So you are not going to get to much from them. Some of the paddock exercises were fun . I did not think there was too much you can take away from the wet figure 8 but they set up a large four cone circle course and you get to work on trail braking and they said you could try and find the cars limits here without worry but after a couple times around I put some gas down and the instructor said I just found the limits so scale it back some. The new Michelins they are running hold up great and I think they had some more in them. They should not tell you to find the limits if they do not mean it. Some heal toe and lead follows come next. Rocketing the z06 down the backstraight for the heeltoe exercise was a blast. I hope they are not reading this at SM because I could not help but try some thresh hold braking when I was on the opposite side from the instructors.But I did get some much needed practice because I was always told to practice on the street and not the track and I do not drive the vette on the street much. The lead follow was very frustrating for me. They did not seperate us by driving skill so after a few good laps following the instructor you get stuck behind a green driver while someone else takes a turn. They did seperate us after lunch into skill level but that was only because the other students said I was following too close and then telling them how to drive. Anyway after my lecture, Rick did promise to make it up to me if I took it easy on the other guys. My new group consisted of Richard from Canada and Dan from LA. Richard tracks his own z06 and was a great driver but Dan had never drove a vette or even been on the track before but by the time the class was over Dan was holding his on. The day ended with me getting my butt kicked by one of the owners on the racquetball court , he had been rumored to be unbeatable and he continued that streak. The only good that came out of that was he felt so bad for me he gave a ride in his radical the next day after lunch.
Day two: More heel toe and some lead follow. They really stress trailbraking as oppose to thresh hold braking and it is fun learning a bit of a new driving style. My group is really getting faster and we are lapping the other groups .
*******************RADICAL RIDE**********************
These things are amazing . After my ride everything else seems to be in slow motion. If you go to SM pay for the radical ride , it is worth ever penny.
Day Three: Open lapping. You get the chance to put all they had been teaching for two days to the test. They did combine the zr1 group with us so I was looking forward to seeing them on the track. I had been begging to drive one for a couple days to no avail and I figured the next best thing to driving one was passing one on the track. Second session I had managed to get by all of them ,put down a lap to clear traffic but I had one of the zr1's I had just passed right on my butt.(later he said he thought I was one of the instructors picking off his zr1 buddies in a base coupe ,so that is why he let me pass in the first place). All weekend only car numbers had been called over the radio to identify drivers but I hear my name called; Billy check your mirrors. I know that was for all the other students benefit hearing my name so they would all know I was about to get passed. I was hotdogging for most of the time so I am sure I deserved that. Thanks,Rick. But I spent the next 25 minutes chasing a zr1 in the base c6 ,I gave it all I had but could only get close enough in the curves to hear the supercharged exhaust kick in and watch him pull away in the straights. Those were the best laps I have ever had on a track and I was surprised they let us run so hard but later Rick let me know they normaly do'nt and that was his way of making it up to me for taking it easy on the other guys. My last session, I grabbed a z06 and was going to exact my revenge but I had a tire pressure sensor go out and the car was doing weird things, I limped around for a few laps and came on in. They would never entertain the idea of me driving the zr1 but I did get an instructor to give me a ride along after everone left to make up for my lost lost laps in the z06. Thanks Victor for the ride but I know you were holding back because I turned faster laps in the z06 , that is unless you drive like you play racquetball.
In conclusion , @ Spring Mountain they go out of their way to make you feel like you get your money's worth. You will make a bunch of new friends and have the time of your life. If money is an issue ,I would say if you have some track time already go with the two day class and save your money for some hpde's. If you have plenty of cash then do it all and have fun.
This is as close as I got to driving the zr1
Here is Dan. He won the most improved award.
04-13-2009, 03:44 AM
#3
Racer
Thread Starter
The Z06 is a phenomenal track car. I was amazed in the performance increase over the base c6. I might not have got to run down the zr1 but I did get to drive the z06 in earlier lead follows and I tried my best to rattle the instructors. They had to drive , watch me in the rear veiw, and talk on the radio so I figured I had a slight advantage. After a couple laps they saw what I was doing and preceded to show me who was the boss. But at least they had to put down the radios and drive with two hands to do it.
04-13-2009, 12:53 PM
#5
Racer
Thread Starter
I had 16 days total. The last 5 of those were solo. They are running the ps2 on both the c6 and z06. We were the first group on them as they just got there Michelin sponsorship. The tires held up great.
04-13-2009, 02:35 PM
#7
Burning Brakes
Member Since: Jul 2004
Location: MD
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St. Jude Donor '10-'11
OK ... that's good to know, because it seemed from your writeup that you were on the higher end of the experience curve and somewhat constrained by the class grouping.
My takeaway is that the school you attended is geared more toward the novice, with somewhere between 2-8 track days.
Do they have a different format for the "advanced intermediate" ... those who have enough experience to have been cleared for solo but are not "open track" unlimited passing comfortable or certified yet? (and do they offer in-car coaching as part of this "advanced" package)
My takeaway is that the school you attended is geared more toward the novice, with somewhere between 2-8 track days.
Do they have a different format for the "advanced intermediate" ... those who have enough experience to have been cleared for solo but are not "open track" unlimited passing comfortable or certified yet? (and do they offer in-car coaching as part of this "advanced" package)
04-14-2009, 02:42 PM
#8
Racer
Thread Starter
OK ... that's good to know, because it seemed from your writeup that you were on the higher end of the experience curve and somewhat constrained by the class grouping.
My takeaway is that the school you attended is geared more toward the novice, with somewhere between 2-8 track days.
Do they have a different format for the "advanced intermediate" ... those who have enough experience to have been cleared for solo but are not "open track" unlimited passing comfortable or certified yet? (and do they offer in-car coaching as part of this "advanced" package)
My takeaway is that the school you attended is geared more toward the novice, with somewhere between 2-8 track days.
Do they have a different format for the "advanced intermediate" ... those who have enough experience to have been cleared for solo but are not "open track" unlimited passing comfortable or certified yet? (and do they offer in-car coaching as part of this "advanced" package)
