I won! I won!

[Spiffy McMoron]

1) Do you know if you get to keep the Nomex?
and
2) Which package did they sign you up for?

1) I wish they'd let me keep the racing suit--it would make dressing up for Halloween so much easier.

2) I'm not entirely sure, but I believe I'm signed up for the corporate one-day event. All I know is that I'd better get some pics, or else you guys will skin me alive...

[PhotoChick]

Having professionally driven these kind of cars I guarentee you will love it. Just remember how to drive manual and its easy. They make it really easy to do as long as you pay attention. And if anyone is intrested in racing I really recommend doing a class like this even thought its really expensive (and there's a few other places that do it too)

[Crazeyal]

Wow.. bet YOU'LL be a perfect employee for a coupla decades!!!

[Spiffy McMoron]

As I type this, I'm also finishing packing up to leave to Toronto! Flight leaves tomorrow morning at 8:40 am, and I doubt I'll be able to sleep much. Hopefully I'll be able to find an internet connection down there.

[Broomjockey]

Still hate you

Seriously though dude. Have fun. And you BETTER be taking lots of pictures.

And I hope you don't get stuck behind someone on the plane who decides they want to shove their chair into your knees and fall asleep.

[Boozy]

Pack a few sweaters. The weather here is supposed to be unseasonably cool for the next few days.

Have an awesome time!

[Jester]

Congrats, Spiffy. And I think I speak for a lot of people here when I say....

I really, really hate you!

[Spiffy McMoron]

Pack a few sweaters. The weather here is supposed to be unseasonably cool for the next few days.

It's 21 degrees. How is that considered cool?

EDIT: I love hotels with free high-speed internet.

[Boozy]

It's 21 degrees. How is that considered cool?

I'm as surprised as you are! It was supposed to be 10 degrees this week. I was kind of looking forward to it.

Having fun so far?

[Spiffy McMoron]

Having fun so far?

It was so awesome, I wanted to smuggle myself back to the track afterwards.

The morning was spent to learning racing lines, shifting, and safety issues. This track has a 22-year injury-free safety record, and they'd like to keep it that way. After the track was a couple of warm-up laps to get a feel for the track and to allow the instructors to split us into two different groups. After the (tasty catered) lunch, we were back in the cars. The two groups alternated on and off the track, and unfortunately, my racing time was cut short by a nasty little rainstorm that went through the area.

And since I know somebody will ask, I don't know how fast I went. The instructor said that the top speed that's reached on the track in the cars we drove would be about 170 km/h, so I would estimate that I got up to about 140-150 km/h.

[Jester]

And since I know somebody will ask, I don't know how fast I went. The instructor said that the top speed that's reached on the track in the cars we drove would be about 170 km/h, so I would estimate that I got up to about 140-150 km/h.

Um, I do math real fast, and that is only about 90 mph or so. (Yes, I really did do the conversion in my head.) I was doing close to that just last month in Miami...with traffic.

I am not trying to rain on your parade at all. This is not criticism so much as surprise. I would think on a race track they would let you tear it up a bit more than that.

As long as you had fun though, it is all good. And of course, you didn't have to worry about a speeding ticket, cops, or the idiot in the Winnebago that jumps in your lane suddenly....

[JustADude]

Um, I do math real fast, and that is only about 90 mph or so.
<snip>
I would think on a race track they would let you tear it up a bit more than that.

Yeah, but you're doing 90mph in what is, essentially, a tricked out go-kart. From what I've seen, those things are absolutely tiny, and weigh little enough that two guys my size could grab either end and walk off with one.

[Spiffy McMoron]

Um, I do math real fast, and that is only about 90 mph or so. (Yes, I really did do the conversion in my head.) I was doing close to that just last month in Miami...with traffic.

I am not trying to rain on your parade at all. This is not criticism so much as surprise. I would think on a race track they would let you tear it up a bit more than that.

Yes, I'll agree that 90mph doesn't seem all that fast on paper, but there are several factors that you should concider:

1) This is the third manual transmissioned vehicle that I have driven--ever. I'll be the first to admit that I was tenderfooting it around the course.
2) You're on the track with a couple of other people, and the'd prefer that you keep a 6-car distance between cars at all times.
3) That kind of speed seems a alot more dangerous when you don't have air bags, a roof, a windshield, and more than two inches between the ground and your ass.
4) While you may have gotten up to 90 mph on the freeway, you had plenty of time/space to do that. I only had about 1/4 to 1/5 of a mile in which to get up to that spped and then brake for a sharp 90 degree turn. Plus, the "straighaway" (it was a gently curved section) was slightly off-camber so, it felt like you were being pulled off the track. As well, there was a slight dip in the road at about the spot where you would do the 2-3 shift, which meant that I would delay shifting to keep both hands on the wheel.

[Jester]

Yeah, but you're doing 90mph in what is, essentially, a tricked out go-kart. From what I've seen, those things are absolutely tiny, and weigh little enough that two guys my size could grab either end and walk off with one.

OOOOOOOooooohhhhhhhhh.....

Didn't know these were (super) go karts! THAT is a whole nother story!

I thought these were like IROCs or something!

I think y'all can understand my confusion!

90 mph in a go kart RAWKS!

[digilight]

Jester looking at the page these are your typical Formula one cars. One of the other reasons that the speed seems so slow for a race car is this is a road course with minimum 12 turns and up to around 24 turns both left and right. Normal stock car tracks are simple 4 turn banked tracks with lefts only.

I know on the 2 road course tracks that Nascar runs on they only average around 95 miles an hour or so. Plus you have to worry about loosing your brakes to early. /racing nerd mode off

Spiffy, may I say, deep down from the cockles of my heart (bonus points for the semi reference) that I hate you with the furry of at least 3 pixie sticks....

Dude that is one hell of a kick ass reward/prize/trip. I am jelous as hell. And to run it on a road course like that instead of an oval is even more intense.