I need to find a pair of white gloves. Possibly golfing gloves, perhaps. Oh and shoes. All my shoes are brown leather. Then I'll have the cheep stig outfit complete!

Yes... Yes I can.

Actually, the greater traction is credited to the track not being polished smooth yet. Though the 'kink' before the hair pin was a bit slick.

 

Ive signed up for the one day TDE event at ECR....anyone wanna run?

Note from TDE:
PLEASE pass the word to fellow driver’s we have PLEANTY of room in this event for them.

This will be a fast moving event with 4 run groups instead of 5 and more track time than standard event.

Your day will start later than normal 9:00 your track goes hot till… their will be plenty of track for all.

We'll have a small instructor staff on hand and class session to get who are new to ECR up to speed. I also suggest you guys catch rides with Instructors and Red grp drivers.

Hotel if needed: Hampton Inn and Suites Decatur about 20 minutes from ECR * Mention TDE and receive a discount * 110 South US Hwy 81/287 Decatur, Texas 76234 (940) 627-4900

Also In-car video: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2130615287356640949&pr=goog-sl
See YOU at the track,

Rick Schwalenberg
www.thedriversedge.net

 

Damn that looks like a FASSST track! Some long straights! I will have to do some serious thinking (and wife convincing) but this sounds like a blast!

 

It is a very fun track! Ive run it twice...once in a Vette and once in the 350z. I believe GWord256 has run this track too, so he can give some advice.

However, I will warn you that this track is VERY hard on brakes. All those fast straights means lots of slowing down too. Make sure you have fresh fluid and new aggressive pads (and maybe some backups).

Im doing all the brake work this weekend.

 

I was at ECR almost a month after it had opened. None of the instructors had racing lines yet but it was easy to get a basic line going because most of the turns aren't very technical. Since that was over a year and a half ago I won't comment fruther on that.

I understand there's been problems with the track, no water drainage, asphault pealing up or washboarding. Though TDE has said conditions have been improved significantly. But this is one of the reasons they only run limited groups thus far.

I really want to get back on there but everytime I see a event up there i'm committed to something else. This time I'm working 12hr night shifts for the man.

That track destroyed a set of aftermarket rotors on me (at the time I was still running stock brake calipers). Put a nice big crack all the way across the face of the rotor. I'd make sure to have >75% pads and a used backup set for a full weekend, and bleed the old fluid out. I don't think you'd need to worry so much for a 1-day event since you'll likely spend a good deal of time working the line.

EDIT:
P.S. I've already expressed to Rick my saddness about working the night shift at that time.

 

Y'all need to come check out Driveway Austin. I know it's not DFW area, but it's a great track, once you get through the school. You progress through L1, L2, L3 schools and you have to do practice sessions in between. I love it because once you've done the school for that Level, you can go drive that track on the weekends whenever they're open for as many sessions as you want.

Check it out - www.drivewayaustin.com
I've done the L1 school and 4 of my 10 practice sessions to get ready for my L1 test so I can move onto L2. I'm heading over tomorrow to do probably 2 more sessions.

 

ECR repaved a lot of the track this summer, changing some of the areas to concrete in order to keep the asphalt from lifting. I was just out there last month and it was way smoother than it was in February.

The biggest issue is that there is little runoff and it can get sketchy if you do get off. Here's a video where I show you the off (and not necessarily the right line!):
It's harder on brakes than MSR, but not as hard on them as Hallett.

 

I think I get it. So I take a L1 course for 350$ then I do 10 of the 20 minute track sessions on the short course then I'm in L2? At that point the process starts over?

 

Yep, they always end up going more than 20 minutes though, I think they're "supposed" to be 25. It's a good group of people, the owner Bill is always out there and everyone's nice - it doesn't feel like a business, more like a.... club? family? I dunno how to put that.

I'm pretty sure each session on the L1 is another $35 (they haven't asked me about charging them so I'm a little confused, I guess they'll just charge it to the card on file) so it gets expensive but when compared to an Autocross you get 100x more on track time for $35 for one session than $35 for one autocross event. The L2 is more expensive and goes on a longer track with steep inclines (one turn copied from Laguna Seca corkscrew - just mirrored the other way).

I'll be heading out there again tomorrow for a few sessions. I'll post up some videos later if y'all want to see the L1

 

Please

 

well damn, it ended up raining today and considering the balding state of the tires I use I decided not to run today (although Bill told me I absolutely should as it's the best learning experience)

Went by the track to show my parents and talked to Bill for awhile, then he took the three of us around all of the tracks in one of their Deparment of Defense Crown Vics (with summer tires!) haha - he stopped on the L1 straight. Turns around and floors it backwards down the straight, pulls a J-turn in the pouring rain - it was ridiculous. He's so damn nice and welcoming, I mean honestly who else will talk to you for 20 minutes then just offer to take you around the track in between sessions and show and explain everything, he takes so much pride in his new business it's great.

I won't be able to head out to the track for another few weekends, . But check out youtube, just search driveway austin and I'll keep trying to find my memory card from back when I did the school.

 

Man, everyone here in Texas is nice! I get the same type of thing from the guys at Harris Hill too. I stopped by one Monday with the family in the G and Eric said "sign the waiver and show the wife and kid the track."

The wife declined the invite though

 

Gotta love Texas!

they won't allow passengers for safety reasons, but also it's a school and the practice sessions are considering homework or studying for the "test" - which is actually a graded test out of 100 haha

 

Got myself into a little pickle comming on the front straight 0:20. A bit more trouble @ 7:50.

TWS my favorite track.

EDIT:
The next day I got pwned by a Miata. A MIATA!!! I felt ashamed X-(

 

I'll be signing up for TDE event on 11/7 and 11/8. There's some chatter over at the Z forum as well.

http://my350z.com/forum/meet-ups-eve...nd-11-8-a.html

I'm going to try for a vacation that final event in November so It's likely I won't be signing up.