We had the Track to Ourselves

[Richard EVO]

I went to Thunderhill Raceway on Sun. and Mon. (Aug. 14 & 15, 2005) with TracQuest. Great (but expensive) event. Lots of track time, especially on Mon. when there were only 30 cars.

But that's not what this post is about. I was planning to drive home on Tuesday, but extended my vacation when one of the Tracquest instructors told me that he was going to a driving school event at Reno-Fernley Raceway on Tues. and Wed. of that same week. The Tracquest instructor was a student at this event.

There were 4 students and 1 instructor. 5 cars total. We had the whole tracK :D to ourselves for 2 days. It was AWESOME. No run groups, no flaggers, no bozos, no hassles. Just unlimited track time and excellent instruction. All that for $195 per day on a 2.4 mile high speed road course. I improved my driving skills and had a blast doing it.

[Cameron@xperformance]

sweet deal. tracquest rules!

[wilson1]

Wow, that must be awesome!

[evo_dadi]

wooot 5 cars alone on a track is a once in a lifetime deal :twisted:

[EVO GRIM]

You tracked 4 days in a row? You must be broke. How did the tires and brakes do?

[Richard EVO]

Tires held up well. I have 2 sets of RA1s, one well scrubbed in, and one brand new. I also have an extra set of stock Enkei wheels I bought used for cheap. I drove to and from the tracks on the new ones, and ran on the sticky ones on the track. Actually I had 2 extra very used tires (10 total), and when one tire corded, I just went into town in Fernley and had another used one mounted.

The brakes held up, although the pads are getting pretty thin. I had an extra set of pads and was prepared to change them, but didn't have to. The front rotors need to be replaced now.

I'm not just broke. I'm in debt boku. :P

[Gruppe-S]

haha....ya. I think 95% of the ppl on this forum are in debt. Afterall...you gotta pay to play.

Tom

[SouthernCrane]

Lucky guy :D

[evo_dadi]

haha....ya. I think 95% of the ppl on this forum are in debt. Afterall...you gotta pay to play.

Tom

lol sad but true :cry: :lol:

[crctslt]

How good of a job do you feel the instructors at Fernley do? i know Percy and I are looking into goind to The Next Level school they run there and am interested in a second opinion. I agree I think Fernley is a nice track :D definately looking forward to going there again. What do you think Percy?

[Richard EVO]

The instructor we had was "ET" (Eileen something) who races a Miata in NASA and other sanctioned events. She has been racing for many years. While I wouldn't say it was a Carte Blanche experience like you would get for $2,400 for 2 days at the Radical racing school at Spring Mtn., but it is only $195 per day at Reno-Fernley. ET certainly helped me get faster on the Fernley track. She said she runs 1:30 in her Miata. I am not the fastest driver in the intermediate group for sure, but I went from 1:50 the first morning to 1:37 the second afternoon. I know, an EVO is a lot faster than a Miata in the straights. But if you keep up the momentum, a well suspended light weight Miata can be pretty fast. I consider my improvement over the 2 days a pretty good achievement for and old guy like me, and it sure was fun getting there.

The most important thing about this driving school is all the seat time you get to practice what you have learned and being out there all by yourself is so great, especially if you have just been to a NASA HPDE/Race event with like 120 cars.

I think it is worth the drive to Reno for 2 days, at a total cost of $390 plus fuel, etc. Watch out, they charge $7/gal. for 101 ocatane unleaded at Fernley. The facility is primitive, no electricity except by generator, no running water (porta potties and foot pump sink). No air conditioned club house, just some tents for shade.

The driving course is run just about every Mon. and Tues. from what I understand.

[crctslt]

EXCELLENT THEY HAVE TENTS NOW!!!! When i was there earlier this year it was just you and the sun( and the butterflies). 1:37 is pretty decent there. I was running in the mid 1:30's there myself. I really like/love that track. It just seems to suit me and my "style".

Thanks for your reply. Tthat cements it for me, I am definately going to the school. 8) Ok Percy when are you up for it? :D :D :D :D

P.S. All the black spots on my intercooler in my avatar pic are butterflies from Fernley :shock: BUTTERFLIES FEAR ME!!!

[Richard EVO]

You haven't killed butterflies, grasshoppers, locusts, and all other manner of flying vermin until you have driven to/from and at Buttonwillow a few times. Justin, the shop manager at RRE recently told me that John Mueller told him to cancel any discount I might get for being a such good customer unless I washed all the bugs off my EVO. Strange but true, although I don't really think I ever got a discount at RRE. LMFAO :P

[crctslt]

I have only been to Buttonwillow in October of 2004. I guess I missed bug season :lol: When at Fernley I had this uneasy sense that I was going to be accussed of "Contributing to the Extinction of a Species" by the Sierra Club :wink:

[Richard EVO]

Well, don't worry about the Sierra Club. A modfied EVO run on the track on 100 octane gets 7.5 mpg (that's the figure for my car). There is no such thing as a "green EVO." Fuck them tree-huggin' sons of bitches. :P

[crctslt]

When I went to Humboldt State you were innundated with tree huggers. The headquarters for Earth First! was next door in Bayside(?) you kinda got used to it sorta like some kind of wart... :roll:

[dohcvtec]

But the "herbal remidies" humbolt has to offer must have made up for it. ;)

[Richard EVO]

The only good thing about those sandal-wearing, tree-hugging, tofu-eating knuckleheads is that the torch Hummers, not EVOs. :P

[crctslt]

All the good herbal remedies were grown on the Indian reservation at Hoopa. Uncle Sam has no say there. The funny thing is magic mushrooms grew wild in the planter boxes across campus. People would sneak them into the pasta sauce in the dining hall and group dose the diners :lol: Good times :D