Folks, I just got back from the Laguna Seca/SF area early this morning! Goodness, that was an amazing weekend both on and off the track!

Man, you guys don't waste any time huh! Post ******!!!

This trip was memorable for me not because it was Laguna Seca, although the place does always give me the butterflies, instead it was the thriving presence of VQs (yes, that's all of you) who made it so. Ya know ... for as long as I've been tracking & instructing, there's just something neat about having the members of the family (G35/350Z) there - called it comradery if you would, but I liken the idea of a wolfpack; travel and hunt together. To that the S2k folks, whom I'm very close friends with and an extended family, are the largest pack of them all. Just a bunch of great enthusiasts. What I'm trying to say is, it is wonderful to see more of you partaking! Laguna Seca is world class and legendary, for that it is not the cheapest event on the racing calendar by far. Noting so, I personally take my hat off to yall, drivers & spectators, for trusting me enough to make this 360+ miles annual mecca of mine for a taste of motorsport excellence. If you like what you saw, next year is just around the corner. Vroom Vroooooom!

All of you first timers did commendably! I was one proud papa. Some were faster than the others off the batt. Kudos to them. Don't be discouraged, hwoever, lap times are of no relevance at this stage of the game. First master the concept of racing line, apexing, braking zone, the art of heel-toe rev matching (for MT) and being buttery smoooooooth. Surely, the lap times will fall like bricks. I guarantee it!

A quick shout out to two of my students ... uhmm ... proteges,

Ajay,
Keep at it and you'll be fine. Don't forget to be patient Daniel-san! hehe.

Alex,
aka Mr. sand-bagger. You sure this is the first time you have tracked a car? You almost made my job a little too easy there buddy ... Zzzzz. I noticed a markable improvement during your later sessions and saw that you applied what you were told. That's hot!

To the victims ... I mean ... the shotgun riders,
Thanks for not leaving breakfast upwash residues in the cabin. Your cooperations is much appreciated. Thank you for riding aboard the G Kreuzr. Please exit to the right!

To the unofficial THX723 pit crew,
You guys rock! Thanks for helping me in the pit frantically trying to convert the Kreuzr back to 'street' mode! If it weren't for you guys' hard work, I'd still be out there wrenching her. Sweetness!


.. more on the entire weekend experience later!

btw, those are some spectacular shots!!! Be on the lookout for some neat 'in-car' video when I get done editing them.

Ciao,

 

Can't wait for the vids and the next track event.

Clint, give us plenty of notice before the next event.
That way i can wrestle free some more days off early on the get-go.

POB
DRU

 

and i don't wanna wait another year before hitting LS again.

before the end of the year please.

hahaha

 

You bet Dru!

This one was a bit of a last minute bomb, simply because Speedventures did not confirm Laguna Seca until sometime in late Novemeber. I didn't even think I was going to be going to LS this year because of it.

I will definitely give plenty of advance notice for all future events pending Speedventure's schedule.

Tentatively, I would love for us to tackle California Speedway ROVAL config this July 21. Also toss in a Buttonwillows and Big Willow Springs in there. Spring Mountain and Las Vegas Motorspeedway might also be entertaining, but a bit far for tracks that are not considered legendary.

We'll see how it all pans out!

 

For sure Clint can't wait to see the vids.

Like Dru said, more motorsport events please.

Thanks for the pat on the back Clint, I'm glad you showed me your way of skill.

 

My dad made it up by around 3-3:30, we went straight to the U-haul and picked up the trailer. We then went on to Laguna Seca and picked up the Blue Beast. While there we saw a yellow Integra Type-R that looked as bad as the Corvette from our day. We got out of the area around 5:30 and heded down to S.B. Then my wife met me at dad's house with my brother's F-250. Glenn, thanks for the help before you took off man, I wouldn't have had that much done without you. Any way, after seeing the videos I took. My wife might not be so hard to convert back to letting me track again. For now I'll be rolling the little black Beetle until I get the G fixed. I'll keep every one up to date with the G as we get going.

Later,

Ray

 

Hey Ray ... hope everything goes well! Glad the wifey's understanding ... so far.

 

Will CaliSpeedway have any noise restrictions?
That was my only complaint for the day.

 

I think Laguna Seca is the only one in Cali with sound restrictions since there are residences nearby. The other tracks are more isolated so noise isn't really an issue. I've been to Willow Springs and Buttonwillow and no noise restrictions at all.

 

No Dru only Laguna has noise issues. I guess the idiots who build million $$$ homes around race tracks have a problem with the race car noise.

Cal Speedway is a feeling like no other. It will really make you understand and build more respect to NASCAR drivers. Who thought driving in circles for hundreds of miles would be so hard and scarry

 

Wait...

Is the CalSpeedway event gonna be doing circles?

 

Yup, the HKS belt out all it want at any other tracks other than Laguna Seca. The stiff upper lip richies rich folks surrouding Laguna Seca are the result of your 'meat ball' flag.

My favorite sign is the one just down the street of Laguna Seca that reads as follows:

"Please reduce engine braking noise."

No kidding! That one's worthy of a picture frame!

 

I don't think so Dru I think Avo said something about a road course and part of the oval.

 

Yup, it's a road course that integrates nearly half of the oval section ... aka ROVAL. The layout has a good flow to it. The G35 does very well there! The only negative is Cali is consider a tier-1 track (like Laguna Seca). So, expect to shell out more bux for this one too.

Buttonwillow and Willowspring are the bargains of the century at approx. half the admission cost of LS/CSW.

 

Cali Speedway right down my ally. How much to run at this track?