Race Day Weekend (Shenandoah Circuit) - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

Macater · 05-20-2013, 12:05 PM

This last weekend I went with a few buddies who go to TrackDazes events in the area and actually learned to race my car.

Starting out the day was an hour long class. I know what you're thinking "Class? Who the hell needs a class to learn how to go fast?" Well, to be honest the class wasn't just about learning how to go fast, but how to go fast safely, learning the flags and what to expect when driving around the track.

Right after I went on the track with my instructor (all beginners and most novice drivers get one) to learn how to actually drive the car. Each track session is 30 minutes long and my first one was pretty interesting, learning the line around the track, getting my nose pointed in the right direction, and learning how to break to get into a turn. Granted, it was slow going since everybody was going slowish, but I learned a good line through the track. Each session was a little bit better, and people were learning when and how to signal a pass so things started going more smoothly. Some people were still all over the place others took very good lines for their cars, like this orange and blue Miata who I always ended up finding in my mirrors.

After the second session, my instructor invited me to ride along with him during his next solo session. All I have to say is wow! He in his little 10 year old Audi TT AWD would run circles around me on the track. Granted he was setup for track only, but he was so quick it was like I was riding a roller coaster for 30 minutes without stopping. After that everything started clicking, I started understanding how to set up corners and enter and exit.

Because of that, I started getting faster, pushing the car just a little bit more each time. By doing so, I learned a few other things. First if your lines are good and you control the throttle this car can take a turn really fast. Also, with the stock setup, the car will stay planted without kicking in the traction control unless there's too much wheel or throttle involved. Lastly traction control will keep your ass out of trouble. Towards the end of the weekend I was feeling comfortable enough driving around the track where I turned off the traction control for one session.

My lines were pretty good throughout the start of the track and I wasn't loosing grip at all, but when I went up the first big straight the car wanted to kick out because of how much torque I was getting. That was the end of no traction control for that session. Only because if the car got turned around or anything on that section of the track, it would have been very dangerous for me and everybody else driving, plus at this point I've only had 2.5 hours total track time experience at that point. Maybe I'll try it again later on once I feel that I can control the car safely.

One thing that I did notice is just about type of car was out there S2000, Miatas, Mustangs, Corvettes, Z cars, and a ton of others. I was the only one there with a Camaro. I really didn’t mind, I got some of the Mustang guys scratching their heads wondering why I was so quick and I answered them honestly, my car’s almost completely stock with exception of CAI and American Racing Exhaust. Everything else is bone stock.

Overall last weekend was pretty damn awesome. I got some great instructions and feedback from my instructor and hope that after one or two more events I'll be able to move up to the novice class and eventually solo the track. I’m glad my buddy here got me out there to drive on a track and I’ve learned so much driving the car in 4 hours on a track than I have in the last year.

2012-1822 · 05-20-2013, 12:15 PM

Nice action shots

Macater · 05-20-2013, 12:18 PM

Thanks, they had a photographer out taking pictures of all the cars and he got some really good ones of mine. So I couldn't resist, but to get a few.

gajagfan · 05-20-2013, 12:22 PM

Congrats on doing something that many "car" folks never do. You actually went to see how fast you and your car are instead of just talking about it. Way to go. Pictures look awesome!

Macater · 05-20-2013, 12:37 PM

Thanks. It's one thing to know how fast the car can go and another to know how fast you can get it through a turn.

Shenandoah, is a very technical track 24 turns over 2.2 miles I believe, and 4 straights. The car has so much low end 90% of the time I was able to keep the car in 3rd throughout the sessions and only kick it into 4th half way down the back straight. My guesstimate is I was running around 115 by the time I made it to the end of the straight and taking the turn around 45-50. Can't really say how fast I was going, there's really too much going on to worry about such things.

gajagfan · 05-20-2013, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Macater

Thanks. It's one thing to know how fast the car can go and another to know how fast you can get it through a turn.

Shenandoah, is a very technical track 24 turns over 2.2 miles I believe, and 4 straights. The car has so much low end 90% of the time I was able to keep the car in 3rd throughout the sessions and only kick it into 4th half way down the back straight. My guesstimate is I was running around 115 by the time I made it to the end of the straight and taking the turn around 45-50. Can't really say how fast I was going, there's really too much going on to worry about such things.

I agree. My point was that you went out there and competed, learned, improved, and are better for it. It really has little to do with the actual numbers you hit. We hope to do this with ours, but of course, it must be delivered first, which seems may never happen. I am concerned about doing it before it is out of warranty. It also concerns me to play in the daily driver. I have always raced a non-daily driver because well....things can happen. It sounds like your experience was very controlled though. I bet it was very fun! Again congrats on getting out there.

Macater · 05-20-2013, 01:42 PM

I felt the same way, but then I thought, it's better it breaks at a track then on the highway where it could take a long while before you have any help.

My car is also a daily driver and after this, I'm thinking once everything is paid for and I have money to buy another car, it'll be my track car.

As it sits right now, the SS has plenty of power under the hood to out perform a lot of the other cars that go to these things.

All the crew that run TrackDaze were awesome. They are quick to offer help and correct any problems that arise, and there were a few that did come up. The instructors that I interacted with were very nice and were great to talk to, one even gave my buddy some brake pads in case he ever needed them. His instructor, we later found out works with SCCA which surprised the hell out of us.

I'm not sure how much they get around but from their website it looks like they do a lot of events around here. But I remember them talking about some events around Atlanta, which I'll have to figure where those are so I can check one out when I visit my family.

05-20-2013, 12:05 PM	#1
Macater Drives: 2012 1SS/RS Sunroof, Con Pkg Join Date: May 2012 Location: Maryland Posts: 29 View My Garage	Race Day Weekend (Shenandoah Circuit) This last weekend I went with a few buddies who go to TrackDazes events in the area and actually learned to race my car. Starting out the day was an hour long class. I know what you're thinking "Class? Who the hell needs a class to learn how to go fast?" Well, to be honest the class wasn't just about learning how to go fast, but how to go fast safely, learning the flags and what to expect when driving around the track. Right after I went on the track with my instructor (all beginners and most novice drivers get one) to learn how to actually drive the car. Each track session is 30 minutes long and my first one was pretty interesting, learning the line around the track, getting my nose pointed in the right direction, and learning how to break to get into a turn. Granted, it was slow going since everybody was going slowish, but I learned a good line through the track. Each session was a little bit better, and people were learning when and how to signal a pass so things started going more smoothly. Some people were still all over the place others took very good lines for their cars, like this orange and blue Miata who I always ended up finding in my mirrors. After the second session, my instructor invited me to ride along with him during his next solo session. All I have to say is wow! He in his little 10 year old Audi TT AWD would run circles around me on the track. Granted he was setup for track only, but he was so quick it was like I was riding a roller coaster for 30 minutes without stopping. After that everything started clicking, I started understanding how to set up corners and enter and exit. Because of that, I started getting faster, pushing the car just a little bit more each time. By doing so, I learned a few other things. First if your lines are good and you control the throttle this car can take a turn really fast. Also, with the stock setup, the car will stay planted without kicking in the traction control unless there's too much wheel or throttle involved. Lastly traction control will keep your ass out of trouble. Towards the end of the weekend I was feeling comfortable enough driving around the track where I turned off the traction control for one session. My lines were pretty good throughout the start of the track and I wasn't loosing grip at all, but when I went up the first big straight the car wanted to kick out because of how much torque I was getting. That was the end of no traction control for that session. Only because if the car got turned around or anything on that section of the track, it would have been very dangerous for me and everybody else driving, plus at this point I've only had 2.5 hours total track time experience at that point. Maybe I'll try it again later on once I feel that I can control the car safely. One thing that I did notice is just about type of car was out there S2000, Miatas, Mustangs, Corvettes, Z cars, and a ton of others. I was the only one there with a Camaro. I really didn’t mind, I got some of the Mustang guys scratching their heads wondering why I was so quick and I answered them honestly, my car’s almost completely stock with exception of CAI and American Racing Exhaust. Everything else is bone stock. Overall last weekend was pretty damn awesome. I got some great instructions and feedback from my instructor and hope that after one or two more events I'll be able to move up to the novice class and eventually solo the track. I’m glad my buddy here got me out there to drive on a track and I’ve learned so much driving the car in 4 hours on a track than I have in the last year. Attached Images

05-20-2013, 12:15 PM	#2
2012-1822 Drives: Black ZL1 Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: City of Champions, Alabama Posts: 3,697	Nice action shots __________________ Check out Alabama Camaros, for Camaro enthusiasts all around Alabama https://www.facebook.com/groups/1739...group_activity

05-20-2013, 12:18 PM	#3
Macater Drives: 2012 1SS/RS Sunroof, Con Pkg Join Date: May 2012 Location: Maryland Posts: 29 View My Garage	Thanks, they had a photographer out taking pictures of all the cars and he got some really good ones of mine. So I couldn't resist, but to get a few.

05-20-2013, 12:22 PM	#4
gajagfan Drives: 2013 1SS 1LE Black - Std Exhaust Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Brunswick, GA Posts: 3,622 View My Garage	Congrats on doing something that many "car" folks never do. You actually went to see how fast you and your car are instead of just talking about it. Way to go. Pictures look awesome!

05-20-2013, 12:37 PM	#5
Macater Drives: 2012 1SS/RS Sunroof, Con Pkg Join Date: May 2012 Location: Maryland Posts: 29 View My Garage	Thanks. It's one thing to know how fast the car can go and another to know how fast you can get it through a turn. Shenandoah, is a very technical track 24 turns over 2.2 miles I believe, and 4 straights. The car has so much low end 90% of the time I was able to keep the car in 3rd throughout the sessions and only kick it into 4th half way down the back straight. My guesstimate is I was running around 115 by the time I made it to the end of the straight and taking the turn around 45-50. Can't really say how fast I was going, there's really too much going on to worry about such things.

05-20-2013, 01:42 PM	#7
Macater Drives: 2012 1SS/RS Sunroof, Con Pkg Join Date: May 2012 Location: Maryland Posts: 29 View My Garage	I felt the same way, but then I thought, it's better it breaks at a track then on the highway where it could take a long while before you have any help. My car is also a daily driver and after this, I'm thinking once everything is paid for and I have money to buy another car, it'll be my track car. As it sits right now, the SS has plenty of power under the hood to out perform a lot of the other cars that go to these things. All the crew that run TrackDaze were awesome. They are quick to offer help and correct any problems that arise, and there were a few that did come up. The instructors that I interacted with were very nice and were great to talk to, one even gave my buddy some brake pads in case he ever needed them. His instructor, we later found out works with SCCA which surprised the hell out of us. I'm not sure how much they get around but from their website it looks like they do a lot of events around here. But I remember them talking about some events around Atlanta, which I'll have to figure where those are so I can check one out when I visit my family.