Just talked to ChicagoX on the phone and we're both stoked to go on this fun, fun, fun track.



The above is a picture of me in the Beastie Coupe exiting Turn Six and heading over to the no-brakes Turn Seven. I simply cannot wait to get back on this course with race rubber - my tuner says my accelerometer might read out a 1.3 G's or higher on The Carousel. My top reading was 1.17 last year (with ChicagoX riding along) and that was with Kuhmo Ecsta MX's - not the Yoko A032R soft compounds I'll be using time!

Right now we should have at least five G's running - three coupes (me, Derek173, 6MT4Me), 1 6MT sedan (myG35ZX) and one X - from you-know-who.



I think this pic is from the same turn as the one above, except it's from the inside of the turn, not the outside. Note the wheels - the Beastie Coupe is dancing on two feet. You cannot imagine how fun and exhilirating this is until you've done it. And like another poster mentioned in ChicagoX's post on his April run at RA, it's not street racing cr@p - it's legal. Every time I get out of the car after a 20-minute track session I always say 'TOO MUCH FUN BABY!' (Either that or I'm shaking a little due to a bobble at The Kink! )

With the leaves changing colors at this time, not only will the track be thrilling, it will be beautiful. Bring your cameras!!!

There's still plenty of slots left guys. Check out the registration links ChicagoX posted - you'll not regret coming up.

Btw, here's a link to a story that I wrote on another forum about the experience last April (just like the great one ChicagoX posted here at that time.)

Road America Story

Hope to see you up there - even if it's only as a spectator. We'll be happy to give rides to anyone who wants to experience the track from the passenger seat before trying it behind the wheel (remember you must have a helmet!)

- Riff

Quick question. Can we sign up for just one day??? I have raced RA before but it is on a motorcycle. If I have a stock G coupe what worries will I have running it there (brakes,tires)?????? I don't want to f up my daily driver.

G2G -

I don't believe you can, but you can buy the 2-day and usually you can find someone to buy the other day. The best way to do that is to register on the MFBA site, pay for a slot, and then post on the MFBA forum for someone to buy whichever day you want to drop. Better yet - find somebody *before* you buy who will split the days with you.

Post at this site:

MFBA/FBODY HPDE & AutoX Forum

Frankly, if you come prepared (see below) you should be able to do the 2-days without a problem. Just come prepared!!!

The worries at FA - it isn't a 'tire course' really although I would not drive the course on tires with less than 2/32" of tread unless you have specifically formulated race-compounds that are heat- or wear-cycled. I have race rubber I will put on either at the hotel the day-night before or at the track the first day. But you can drive up on good street rubber and then participate in the HPDE on the same tires. (It's probably a good idea to have at least ultra-high performance if not max performance street rubber.) Naturally if it snows - not likely but possible - and it collects at all, it probably means cancelling - I have snow tires but I am not going to push even Pirelli SnowSports that are somewhat on the well side of worn around a fast course like RA!

You probably know RA is super fast with three long straights that end in varyingly difficult (and tight) turns. So .... it is DEFINITELY a 'brake eater' - bring an extra set of pads or make sure your pads are almost new when going up there. Also I would advise having brand new brake fluid in the car - and preferably not the stock fluid, but a DOT 4 or DOT 5.1 formula. I use Valvoline Synthetic - it is reasonable in cost, can be mixed with virtually any other brake fluid (except silicone-based) and has a much higher dry- or wet- boiling point that the stock DOT 3 fluid. Also make sure your rotors are in good shape (no cracks, warps, etc.,) Check youir brake fluid reservoir for signs of boiling after every session (you will stickiness and fluid outside the cap.)

Keep checking your rotors and your pads while at the event - if you start smelling a heavy 'metallic' smell while on course and you know it's your car and not the other guy - slow down! You're cooking your brake pads. This is a classic sign of an RA noob (I did it!) You're probably braking too much and soon the smell will also be joined by brake fade. You do NOT want to experience serious brake fade at the end of the Moraine Sweep!!! Maybe you won't run into this as much having experienced the track before. Naturally if you feel fade - either ease up on your speed and brake less and not as hard, or bring it in early if you think it is serious enough of a fade. Often just easing up a bit will help at RA - a benefit of the long and fast straights is that the rush of air through your car as you hum along those babies does a great job bringing down the temps of the rotors and pads!

I know the above sounds a bit daunting, but accidents are not common during this HPDE - you'll know how fast you can drive and 99% of the other guys will be as respectful of you and your car as you are of theirs - nobody wants to swap metal and nobody wants a rough 'excursion' off the track! The rare 'inconsiderate' driver is spotted by the course workers or other drivers and will get a talking to, and if what they do is serious enough or they keep repeating infractions, they will be asked to leave. The staff at the event does not tolerate racers, kamikazes and other stupid behavior - we're there to have fun, not get into trouble.

Just make sure to have fresh pads (and a extra set front and back if you can swing the purchase), extra rotors if you plan to REALLY push it, fresh brake fluid (and a bottle in reserve) and a FULL TANK OF GAS when you start the day - you'll be amazed how quickly you go through even the big G tank.

Also, remember this, there are going to be a bunch of other G drivers up there who help each other (as well as a lot of other really great people who also often pitch in and help, lend tools, supplies, etc.,) We'll be around to help you if you need to bleed the brakes, change pads, etc.,

I recommend you come and at least try it - the G is my daily driver too and I don't plan to have any problems other than paying for gas!!!

Hope to see you there!

- Riff

Guys Im a complete noob to roadracing, but have made it a point to teach myself basic stuff as far as possible (heal-toe, trail braking ) as much as posible on streets and would love to join in on the fun at this point. I have a completelly stock G35 Coupe wit Brembos (im guessing those will be a plus) and basically need someone to point me in the right direction. As far as signing up, do I need to be a part of a club or something , do i need an SCCA membership , or can I come simply with a drivers license in hand? And as far as helmets go , any recomendations for a cheap first time helmet? Thanks for any help or replies.

Your noob and fellow G lover , lol
Mario

Signup and go. Read what is important to bring (some bring very little, others bring the garage). As for the helmet, if you have a small head, I have an open face that has been used twice (read: not stinky) and you can use for free - just no sweating!

The way people keep speaking of RA, I'm not sure I would make this track my first trip. But that's just me.

Thanks for the reply, Im at work right now and its being a bit slow and have been doing some reading in regards to road american and I think im coming to that conclusing that just maybe I should start with something easier for my first few track sessions especially about hearing horror stories about The Kink and shreded brake pads, plus the reputation of being the fastest track is just a tad intimidating, hehe. Anyways Ill definitelly see you guys at one event or another but maybe just not this one, thanks for the reply

Mario

RA was my first foray into true road racing, and I am glad I started there. There are enough "beginners" that you won't feel out of place at all. There is a great sense of cameraderie, and everyone to a man is willing to share/help/teach.

You will have a great time, and you won't leave on an empty stomach if I have anything to say about it!!

Wayne.

I am sure everyone respects this decision - you don't want to come up to RA and drive scared. You should come to the track when you're ready - and that's that.

But I will say that RA was my first track that I did! But then I had two years of AutoX under my belt and had at least a decent idea of how my coupe reacted 'at the limit.'

The Kink ... ah the Kink .... I think the greatest danger from the Kink is not to noobs (at least most of them!) - it's to the intermediate and even advanced driver who is 'pushing it' through that super-fast (at least 90 mph in the coupe, faster as you improve or with higher HP cars) turn. If you take it easy through the Kink - no big deal. But .... get going above 90 and screw up your apex, apply too much throttle or brake .... and you're pinballing from wall to wall all the way down the Kettle Bottoms!

I have over 500 miles at RA now - this October will be my sixth event at the track. And it is right now that I should be the most afraid of the Kink - and I do plan to repeat aloud (or in my head) the mantra 'Bow to the Kink!' that another driver told me about.

Last year I had my first real scare at the Kink - the rear of the coupe suddenly stepped out to the left a scary foot or so when I was hitting about 95-97 mph through the Kink. YIKES! Fortunately between VDC and my AutoX-learned reaction to apply *MORE* (steady) throttle, the coupe came back to the straight and narrow - only to overcorrect a bit the other way. YIKES AGAIN! Fortunately I was now headed to track right and didn't lose the tail much more than a foot again. A little more throttle and easy does it ... whew, back on the right line.

I dialed it back a bit after that - I'm not trying to set lap records after all - just have a good time. And that's the secret, come up to Road America to have a good time - and that means not wrecking most of all!

Shredding pads? Well, that depends on your braking style, the temperature of the day, how heavy your car is, and then of course the qualities of the pad, rotors and brake fluid you have. I ran into BIG problems my first time there and ended up going back to Chicago on a flatbed with no brakes (fortunately no real damage - rotors had to be cut and pads replaced and she was good to go.) A lot of people have brake 'inaugurations' at RA - right X? Now I bring extra pads (a whole store worth), extra rotors, extra fluid, and lot of other spare parts, tools (remember the sun tan lotion - even in October!)

But if you have new pads, new fluid and don't drag the brakes a lot - you should be okay. To a rookie I would recommend bringing at least one extra set of pads, some extra brake fluid (and the means to bleed the brakes.) Between all of us G types up there we have all the tools and experience to help anyone change pads/bleed fluid, etc., and since you have Brembos changing pads is almost sinfully easy!

That's all - so sign up why dontcha'?

- Riff

You guys are making this sound absolutelly fantastic and Im very surprised (pleasently ) how helpful you guys are so thanks again one more time. Right now It looks like I might be able to do this depending on a few factors. Its gonna be tricky, but hopefully I will see you guys there. Oh and BTW is there a cutoff date for the registration for the event ?

Mario

Cool! It'd be great to see another G driver with us (and some Z brothers/sisters would be good too!)

Cut-off date .... not really. Online registration will probably shut down a week or so before the event. You should be more concerned with the event filling up - right now it looks like 70 drivers are listed as being paid through today (9/20) but sometimes that list is behind due to entrants having forgotten to send in forms with their checks or check with their forms, etc., I think that they limit the field to 120 or maybe a few more (30 cars a class times four = 120.)

But I would think that maybe because of the rise in gas prices maybe some people are going to skip this year - I don't know. Usually the event fills up and there is a waiting list, but it depends. I expect there will be some kind of last minute rush, but again, I don't know! Sorry to be so wishy-washy but your only sure way to tell how many people are in is to call or write.

You do what you have to - if you want to keep tabs just drop them a line at the MFBA and ask how many entries at the start of next month maybe.

Good luck and hope to see you there.

- Riff

The list is updated and...

I'm there. Yeehaw!

A freind of mine builds prototypes, GT1, Grand Ams and other cars. He has always been on the pit row and never in the drivers seat. I would like to have him alternate with me as the driver. Any idea how to do this?

I am pretty sure people have done this, but I believe you have to notify them upon registering - why don't you send an e-mail to Roadamerica@fbody.us and ask them. I am pretty sure he will be okay as long as he is over 21, has a valid driver's license and insurance card and has a good helmet.

- Riff

Mario:
Like Riff is indicating here, and I think the other lads will agree, the risks inherent in this track are not any different than most other tracks, and that is that the biggest risk you bring is what is between you ears....your common sense or lack thereof.
RA is not generally speaking a really difficult track technically. But it is a fast track. Making a mistake at 90 versus 60 mph makes a LOT of difference, especially if you wind up going sideways . So pay attention to what you are doing and work your way up in speed slowly, listening to and feeling the car so that you begin to understand what it is telling you. A stock car will be just fine. It will not be as fast as a modified G necessarily, but it will be more speed than most any of us can handle at the limits, so no slouch. About 80% or better of the results are associated with driver skill, not the car specs.
If this is your first time, hook yourself onto a couple of guys more experienced and just be a sponge, soak up everything you can learn, do not be afraid to ask questions, and listen intently to what they say.
As Riff says, it is not the newbies that tend to get into trouble. It is the intermediate to advanced intermediates that are pushing the limits and not used to doing it that get into the scuffs and trouble. They know a lot, but they don't only not know it all...they don't know enough. At that level you are learning by experience and feel what the car does at the limits many times a lap and in different places during that lap. Eventually as you dance along the edge of control...you start to lose it, and bringing it back from the edge is what a lot of it is about. Sometimes you don't. that is not the type of push you are going to be doing, and in the beginner group nobody else should be either. You should be separated from the rocket guys in advanced, so no worries about being dusted by somebody doing 50+mph more than you, or dive bombing a brake run on the inside into a turn right in front of you.

My first track day was at Laguna Seca, not a track particularly recommended for first timers either. It is not particularly technical either, and it is a darn lot slower than RA. But turning laps at Laguna Seca at two minutes and 15 seconds as a newbie, and doing it a year later at a minute and 45 seconds, is a whole 'nother world. As a newbie it is a beautiful drive in a park, with lots of new fun and experience bombing along up to 125mph and doing things you never can or would do on the street. In comparative safety. But as an advanced intermediate in a year or so you are no longer driving that way, and the subtle dangers of turn six and that spin inducing dip with that nasty wall on the left, or the hard dive into the double apex Andretti Hairpin of Turn 2 with the need to toss the rear and oversteer out in that heavy G.....or hammering the throttle through and up turn 5 with a full four wheel drift out to the stripes.....that is what becomes fun. In due time, in due time you will be doing that type of thing at RA. The Canada corner at this stage is not that dangerous if you just do one simple thing.......SLOW DOWN!

The best thing you can do is to get a driving course under your belt. If you cannot do that, get a really good race driver book, like Going Faster, and read about picking the apex and the driving line. And then work on that when you are out there. Picking a braking point and working that. Do things that focus your mind so you are learning very definite things, and the rewards are really great. You will learn several things every single lap, seriously. And you will probably be a much more respectful and better driver after your first track day.

And you will have a blast and meet some very nice people. I am stuck over here in Tokyo and to be in my car on the track right now would be the most wonderful thing there could be. You guys have a great time, and a safe time, and I will be out there again soon. (I was in Chicago last week playing golf at Lakeshore with some friends, but did not have time to do any driving. Hopefully next time. )