Quote:
Originally Posted by NOT A TA
I lurk here a lot reading threads like this and rarely speak up. Danes been way out on a limb by himself lately so I figure nows a good time to chime in. Just may end up wishing wishing I had a fire suit!
During a conversation with Johnny Hunkins while he was shoting my car for PHR back in '05 he recommended I join the LATERAL-G forum. He explained that this is where guys with cars like mine that were used on track would be. You know.....G machines. He was wrong.... Hardly any of the forum members cars were used on track at that time and although there was always talk about getting cars on track and building cars that would eventually be used on track the reality was that hardly anyone had actually driven their cars (at speed) on a full size road race track. Yes there were a couple but very very few and most of those were owned by companies not individuals. Heck, most of the cars owned by forum members didn't even run! So I wondered, "Where's the LATERAL-G content?"
It's several years later now, and there are more cars being used on track but in comparison to the number of members on the forum the percentage of those who actually use their car on full size tracks is still very small. I stopped inviting people from forums to road track days because no one has ever showed up. In the past 6 years there was only one track day I went to where any other PT/G-machine type cars showed up. I put 2 wheels off twice last year and 4 wheels off once, how many members even had their car on a track? Nevermind pushing the limits! Not very many.
I have to applaud people like Bill Howell for getting more people to take their cars out and actually drive them in some type of event. Without the leadership, time, and money invested by people like Bill we wouldn't have the rising popularity of the events geared toward the PT/G-machine crowd. This is a good thing and I've been hoping it'll get some people to step up and bring their cars out to track days. It would be fun to run with a bunch of 60's and 70's style cars instead of the typical modern cars I run with at track days.
If someone here owns a Prius but has never been on a full size track, take the Prius! You'll learn how to stay on "the line" better, and more quickly than with a huge horsepower car. Danes probably right, a Miata with a good driver could spank most of the car/driver forum members on most road tracks. I'll be the first to admit more than a few passed me when I started! (now only occasionally! LOL) If you take the Prius it'll really get you to want to bring your PT/G-machine out there!
You don't NEED big power, or NEED big brakes, or NEED huge rubber, or NEED less weight, or NEED the latest trick suspension, to get out on track. The simple truth is that a stock ordinary car is better than most people are on track until they get some instruction and track time. Got a sporty daily driver? Take the next 500 bucks you were going to spend on your project car and use it to go to a HPDE event weekend at a road track. You'll have a blast and come away a much better driver!
I rented a 4 dr 4 cylinder Cobalt with an automatic and ran it at Road Atlanta one weekend. I learned a lot driving what would be considered a "momentum" car and by the end of the weekend I could drive almost the whole track with the pedal to the floor lifting only 5 times each lap. And yes they do have a speed limiter, it's at 99 MPH! The next time I took my Firebird I was smoother on the track.
This forum along with similar forums seem to be becoming more and more about what "looks" like a car that can perform on track, rather than cars that are actually going to be used on track. There's more chatter about car shows and stance than track days and what tires work best.
|
John you word this all better than me. I come across as combative and aggressive and I'm the same way in person. Some people I rub the wrong way I guess. I guess its the competitor in me. I hate seeing all these amazing cars not being driven like they were built for.
I feel the same way at pebble beach and any cruise night as well. All these beautiful cars we rarely see that get polished monthly, rubbed with a diaper, and brought to a cruise night and driven 35mph the entire time.
I just want to see the cars driven, and the smiles of the owners after.
Some people collect, some build, some drive. We're all here for the same thing and I don't intend to offend anyone beyond a little garage ribbing and giving someone a hard time. I do it in person as well, and its not meant to offend.
I too am done inviting pro-touring and latg members to events. I'm real bummed I'm still laid out from surgery right now because I'd like to go down to El Toro just to shake some hands and enjoy the fun. I even asked Dick Guldstrand to drive the car for me, but he is dealing with family health issues. That would have been an absolute hoot.
Pozzi vs. Guldstrand sure would be a hoot for us all.
The wilwood issues on my car are sorted out today, but I'm not feeling up to driving just quite yet. I'd love to drive down, but I think its just foolish and would likely cause me more harm than good. I need to recover.
Again, hope I don't offend anyone by my opinions, and I know I can come across as an asshole. I can do so in person as well, but I always have a smile on my face and its all in good fun.
Just ribbing amongst car folks.