UstaB-GS549

First off, thanks to Mike for an amazing ride in the Beast.

I was at Autobahn on Saturday for a MCSCC Timetrials event on the North Course. Up walks a stranger (AutobahnRacer) who asks me about my car; a Z06. He is a member at Autobahn and drives “just a regular C5”… hardly… I saw the Road America video last summer. That car would overhaul me like I was standing still. He introduced me to his friends Mike & Jeff.

In conversation it came out that we all post on the Corvette Forum. I was asked if I would like a ride. I think I might have given away how excited I was, by sprinting across the parking lot to my car for my helmet and jacket. Mike graciously offered to give me a ride later as my practice group was being called to grid. I went with the sure thing. I can always drive my car. I chose wisely. I took 10-12 laps in the Beast.

I have been instructing for about 15 years now, so riding in fast cars with strangers is old hat. Mike told me it was going to be hot & once the engine fired, conversation was out. Hand signals only. He took 2-3 laps for a proper warm-up of oil, brakes & tires, and then started hitting the marks with increasing speed. He said that he would not run very fast with a passenger.

I have run the south course a few times so I know he was consistanty on line lap after lap. It was kind of a strange ride. I had to keep my muscles tensed to keep from flopping around like a rag doll with gear changes turns and braking. The race seat and six point harness helped, but you cannot just lay there. That sequential box seems almost instant in no-lift up-shifts. But yet Mike’s smoothness made it the kind of ride that was very comfortable. I know that sounds like a contradiction. I think it stems from having confidence in the driver.

It really does not seem that fast for some reason. Maybe it is sensory overload or something. I can assure you that we passed every car on the track and lapped a few in 10 or so laps so we were cooking.

I could have stayed out there all day as passenger. I don’t usually enjoy the passenger seat but somehow it was similar to driving. Dunno why. The only reason that I signaled “time out” at the end was so that a fellow MCSCC competitor was also promised a ride and he was standing patiently by the Armco in the pit lane waiting for his turn.

For you guys that are not so fortunate to actually get a ride in this car, I offer the following low cost simulator:

Gather the following supplies around your computer.
1. A sturdy chair. A rocking chair would be best, but a ladder back will suffice.
2. Large roll of duct tape.
3. Your Helmet.
4. Snowmobile suit
5. 3 friends with 6 hair dryers
6. Hot plate & frying pan.
7. Desktop fan.
8. One quart of Redline synthetic (substitutions permited, but must be full synthetic)
9. Four large friends in football pads
10. 6 feet of 2x4

First, put on the snowmobile suit and have your friends bind you to the chair with duct tape. They should make the tape shaped like a 6 point harness. It should be tight enough so that it is difficult to breathe.

Now put some of the Redline in the frying pan and heat to about 300 F on the hot plate. It should be at about eye level for proper effect. Position the fan so you get whiff of hot synthetic every few seconds.

Duct tape the computer speakers to both sides of your helmet and set volume adjustment to 10 or max.

Then click on the link:

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...light=holinger

As soon as the video starts, have your friends start all 6 hairdryers on high and direct the hot air at you. You should be getting the fragrance of hot oil about now too. Next, your buddies in foot ball pads should take running shots at you in the chair. They should try to time the impacts with upshifts, downshifts and changes in direction. You may want to have them whack the chair with the 2x4 at shoulder height for effect at all upshifts, with an occasional tap on the helmet from the side to simulate helmet to rollcage contact.

At the end of the video, you should be soaked in sweat, have a sore neck, slightly deaf and have a huge grin if you did it right.

Thanks again Short-Throw

Erik

Z06_BluByU

sweet!! love the simulator recommendations!!

JDIllon

Mike, Don and Jeff are a great bunch guys. And, although I have not been in the beast since the Sequential, that is a great discription of a ride with Mike at Autobahn. Seeing the beast run at VIR should be something to behold. JD

Everett Ogilvie

I too have had the privilege of riding with Mike in the Beast, and I really like your simulator comments! The car is awesome, and like you I think I was in some sort of sensory overload during the ride. It is loud, hot, violent, and those shotgun blasts going off all the time in between shifts are something else! I have heard Mike say several times that he will never go all out when he has a passenger, and this is a mature policy - besides, maybe that is what kept me from getting sick!

mcar00

Sounds like these guys are having far too much fun up in Chicago (at least for half the year)! I've watched Mike run at Sebring for the first time and get up to speed on a new track in a very controlled manner. I was very impressed and would be very comfortable in the passenger seat with him driving. Actually I'm counting the days to get that opportunity at VIR the end of the month!

UstaB-GS549

If the opportunity presents itself, jump at it. I could listen to the sound of the sequential transmission gearing all day long. It's like fine music to me.

Short-Throw

Erik,

Thank you for the very kind words.

It was a real pleasure meeting you.

Your simulator write up is certainly one of the funniest things I've read. It appears you have found another million and one use for duct tape! I wasn't wearing the cool suit/helmet so I realized how hot it was in there. If I was I may have kept you out there longer.

Does MCSCC have any more events at Autobahn. Maybe I could hop in your ride and see if there's anytime to be had. From what you mentioned, it sounds like you're running pretty well already so who knows!

Thank you for the thoughtful effort you put into your prose for this thread.

We'll certainly have to hook up again.



Mike

GoTreo

What a great simulator experience! You missed the earlier fun of having a shotgun included in the experience. When the sequential first went in, every shift had the decibel level of a shotgun blast 4 feet from the side of your head.

Jeff

Short-Throw

JD,

With my downforce you may be passing me on the straights.

Short-Throw

Everett,

Coming from your Mosler you must of felt like common folk in my car!


Mike,

Don't confuse controlled manner with scared silly! :o Also, rule number #2....never drive someone else's car too hard.


It will be interesting to see if we can squeeze you in. There isn't a lot of head/leg room as a passenger.

It should be fun watching your Katech car see speeds faster than Sebring!

Short-Throw

Jeff,

Hunting season is over, no more shotgun blasts!

MoTec has programmed most of it out. It was funny while it lasted. The corner workers always knew where I was.


Mike

AutobahnRacer

Erik, GREAT post! I love the simulator story!

Don't you just love these Corvette guys: We walk up to strangers, share an immediate bond, take people for rides . . . . I don't think the Porsche guys do that. I could be wrong, but I'm positive the Ferrari guys don't do that !

I've taken a few rides in the beast. It's too fast for me. I prefer my BONE STOCK 99' FRC. Yes Erik, it is 9-years old, with an LS6 motor . . . that's it! Maybe there's some suspension parts added, and brakes, and trans/diff coolers, and race diff./race trans, and, and, and.

That's the other thing I love about this sport . . . . we poor money into our passions. Well, gotta go, I need to cut the grass on my double-wide!

UstaB-GS549

Hey at least you have grass to cut. I'm living in carboard box down by the river.

Everett Ogilvie

Well I am living in my car. And not even by a river.

Short-Throw

Yup, Bone Stock just like mine!






............................one heck of a good driver behind the wheel!







Mike

Short-Throw

Waterfront property is always nice.

...and for the MT900 that's perfectly okay.