Pro Fromance Racing School at SIR! What a day! (longish summary)
10-16-2000, 07:18 PM
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Pro Fromance Racing School at SIR! What a day! (longish summary)
Got back not too long ago from a day of AWESOME driving fun!!! 6 months ago I didn't even know how to drive manual, and after today I was doing laps at the track like I owned it! (ok ok...not THAT good but it's my first time out! 
The instruction was great. In the morning we did 3 exercises: Emergency Lane Change, Slalom, and Emergency ABS brake + obstacle Avoidance. I ate some cones on the first skill area (not all my fault!) and got some nice skid marks on my bumper, plus some round plastic piece few off my car! The other 2 exercises I did much better.
Let me tell you, it looks SO MUCH EASIER than it is. I was amazed I didn't eat MORE cones, esp during the slalom. And it's the freakest thing to go full out till 55mph, then stand on the brakes and clutch pedal, AND have to steer around a "kid" (a cone) without touching it. First instince for me was always "freeze up and brace yerselve!". Basically, during the whole morning's worth of exercises, I didn't stop shaking, which didn't help my steering!
When track time came around I half dreaded cause I was still feeling like I had no idea what I was doing and I really didn't wanna wreck my car or hurt myself (or anyone else for that matter). But the instructors were great and got me up to speed in no time. After a few slow laps and a rest I was ready! By the last 20min lapping session today I was nailing almost every corner and every line. It was, frankly, amazing.
I totally recommend any of you to take your car to one of these schools for some schooling on performance driving. It definitely made a better driver out of me with just 1 day's worth of instruction. Plus it was SUCH A BLAST! It was like I was in my personal rollercoaster, which I had total control of. You have no idea what these cars of capable of (or yourself in fact) and you won't find a safer way to discover these hidden talents than a day at the track.
Big thanks to JoshD for organizing it (and convincing me to play hookie from work!), University Audi for sponsering, and the peeps at Pro Formance driving school.
Oh yeah, did I mention it was raining all day today, and wet as a pool? Anything less than the mighty Quattro woulda sent me flying out the back door (literally!) at Turn 8 going 55 - 60mph Dang I love my car...now more than ever!
The instruction was great. In the morning we did 3 exercises: Emergency Lane Change, Slalom, and Emergency ABS brake + obstacle Avoidance. I ate some cones on the first skill area (not all my fault!) and got some nice skid marks on my bumper, plus some round plastic piece few off my car! The other 2 exercises I did much better.
Let me tell you, it looks SO MUCH EASIER than it is. I was amazed I didn't eat MORE cones, esp during the slalom. And it's the freakest thing to go full out till 55mph, then stand on the brakes and clutch pedal, AND have to steer around a "kid" (a cone) without touching it. First instince for me was always "freeze up and brace yerselve!". Basically, during the whole morning's worth of exercises, I didn't stop shaking, which didn't help my steering!
When track time came around I half dreaded cause I was still feeling like I had no idea what I was doing and I really didn't wanna wreck my car or hurt myself (or anyone else for that matter). But the instructors were great and got me up to speed in no time. After a few slow laps and a rest I was ready! By the last 20min lapping session today I was nailing almost every corner and every line. It was, frankly, amazing.
I totally recommend any of you to take your car to one of these schools for some schooling on performance driving. It definitely made a better driver out of me with just 1 day's worth of instruction. Plus it was SUCH A BLAST! It was like I was in my personal rollercoaster, which I had total control of. You have no idea what these cars of capable of (or yourself in fact) and you won't find a safer way to discover these hidden talents than a day at the track.
Big thanks to JoshD for organizing it (and convincing me to play hookie from work!), University Audi for sponsering, and the peeps at Pro Formance driving school.
Oh yeah, did I mention it was raining all day today, and wet as a pool? Anything less than the mighty Quattro woulda sent me flying out the back door (literally!) at Turn 8 going 55 - 60mph
Dang I love my car...now more than ever!
10-16-2000, 07:19 PM
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Re: Pro Fromance Racing School at SIR! What a day! (longish summary)
Oh yeah it was also great to meet some of the peeps who lurk in these parts too! I don't remember everyone's name, but it was nice meeting you all the same!
10-16-2000, 08:13 PM
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Yep, Josh is to be thanked many times...
Driving school kicked *** today. Too bad I kept ending up behind that guy in the Imola :-). It is true...you did make a ton of progress today! And I guess, so did I. From the first tenative runs, to blowing through the track on the last run.
The only bummer: Could have been a couple of days longer. Josh, think you can arrange that with my employer for next time?
Matt
The only bummer: Could have been a couple of days longer. Josh, think you can arrange that with my employer for next time?
Matt
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10-16-2000, 10:04 PM
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It could have been even better if... (transmission issues)
... my transmission would have cooperated .
I got a call in the morning that Audi is replacing my tranmission and scheduled 11/1 to take the car in.
1st & 2nd gears have been "stiff" for the last few days. In any case today was the day they went from stiff to locked out.
I wonder if the extra heat from lapping doesn't help whatever it is that is wrong with the transmissions that are dying, although all weekend long it was getting noticably worse and when the car was totally cooled down after sitting idle all afternoon it was still locked out.
I had to drive in 3rd gear through Seattle stop and go traffic to drop the car at my dealer
. I'm VERY glad peak torque is at a low 1800 rpm. really gently letting off the clutch at idle WILL pull the car in 3rd gear, it just takes about 5-10 seconds to get to about 10mph. I tried really hard to not damage the clutch, but I can't help but think I had to have put some somewhat significant wear and tear on it doing that.
But my car is too low to even get a typical tow truck/dolley combo for. A flatbed may/may not work depending on how shallow of a ramp can be contrived. Of course I'm scheduled to get it raised to where I wanted it soon (as well as scheduled to get the stongard chip fixed, but now I don't have the car for that one ).
Will I be driving a old Jetta like my roommate was while his turbo's were replaced? Nah. I'm thinking of renting a Porsche Boxster S just for the fun of it. As long as its only a few days I may as well rent something fun as opposed to slogging around Seattle in something boring!
...Jason
'00 Nogaro/Silver
.I got a call in the morning that Audi is replacing my tranmission and scheduled 11/1 to take the car in.
1st & 2nd gears have been "stiff" for the last few days. In any case today was the day they went from stiff to locked out.
I wonder if the extra heat from lapping doesn't help whatever it is that is wrong with the transmissions that are dying, although all weekend long it was getting noticably worse and when the car was totally cooled down after sitting idle all afternoon it was still locked out.
I had to drive in 3rd gear through Seattle stop and go traffic to drop the car at my dealer
. I'm VERY glad peak torque is at a low 1800 rpm. really gently letting off the clutch at idle WILL pull the car in 3rd gear, it just takes about 5-10 seconds to get to about 10mph. I tried really hard to not damage the clutch, but I can't help but think I had to have put some somewhat significant wear and tear on it doing that. But my car is too low to even get a typical tow truck/dolley combo for. A flatbed may/may not work depending on how shallow of a ramp can be contrived. Of course I'm scheduled to get it raised to where I wanted it soon (as well as scheduled to get the stongard chip fixed, but now I don't have the car for that one ).
Will I be driving a old Jetta like my roommate was while his turbo's were replaced? Nah. I'm thinking of renting a Porsche Boxster S just for the fun of it. As long as its only a few days I may as well rent something fun as opposed to slogging around Seattle in something boring!
...Jason
'00 Nogaro/Silver
10-16-2000, 10:44 PM
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Man oh man...what a blast!! (even with the 2.8 A6 Avant instead of my S4!!!)
S.I.R. today was awesome. Totally awesome. It rained like heck all day long, but this is where these cars really shine. It's just amazing what they'll do in the wet.
Thanks to my S4's turbo destroying itself, I decided to play the safety and leave it at home today. I couldn't stand the thought of missing out on the fun, however, so I brought an A6 2.8 Avant to the track. I can't believe what fun I was still able to have. It rolls like heck, and has no power to speak of (compared to my S4), but I think I was able to get it around the track in a pretty respectable manner.
It certainly took a little while to forget about my S4 and learn to drive the A6 Avant, but once I got it I was amazed with what it would do.
Neil and I got one 20 minute stretch during the first lappers-only session when it was just him and I, totally free of other cars on the track. Him in the A6 2.7T and me and the Avant. It was about as much fun as you can have with a car. It was awesome following his line (a good line at that! :-) around the track lap after lap and then switching positions and leading for a while. I hope Neil doesn't mind me speaking for him when I say we were truly "in a groove". :-)
-josh
Thanks to my S4's turbo destroying itself, I decided to play the safety and leave it at home today. I couldn't stand the thought of missing out on the fun, however, so I brought an A6 2.8 Avant to the track. I can't believe what fun I was still able to have. It rolls like heck, and has no power to speak of (compared to my S4), but I think I was able to get it around the track in a pretty respectable manner.
It certainly took a little while to forget about my S4 and learn to drive the A6 Avant, but once I got it I was amazed with what it would do.
Neil and I got one 20 minute stretch during the first lappers-only session when it was just him and I, totally free of other cars on the track. Him in the A6 2.7T and me and the Avant. It was about as much fun as you can have with a car. It was awesome following his line (a good line at that! :-) around the track lap after lap and then switching positions and leading for a while. I hope Neil doesn't mind me speaking for him when I say we were truly "in a groove". :-)
-josh