How many hours of track time do you guys have?

[Crusin]

Also being an autox'r I agree that autox will help improve reaction times and car control. The main disadvantage of autoX is not looking ahead. At the track, you need to be looking far down the track, picking up your next execution point, looking for other traffic debris and such. With autoX, your next execution point is much closer, and this only reinforces a bad habit on the track, of not looking far enought ahead.

[TTA89]

Also being an autox'r I agree that autox will help improve reaction times and car control. The main disadvantage of autoX is not looking ahead. At the track, you need to be looking far down the track, picking up your next execution point, looking for other traffic debris and such. With autoX, your next execution point is much closer, and this only reinforces a bad habit on the track, of not looking far enought ahead.

I agree with Troy, I have run out at FT Devens 7-8 times a year over the past 3 years and its not at all what I think some of you guys are envisioning. Last Fall Troy and I were invited to run at an Auto X in the NHIS parking lot where 4 people drive 1 car to represent their club.

Having never Auto Crossed anywhere but Devens I was curious to see what it would be like. We ran the lower parking lot down on the right when driving in the gates to NHIS. It was very small, short, and slow. I don't want to sound like a snob but I wouldn't come back to do that again. I found it boring and not really challenging.

The Devens courses we setup and run are massive, its as long as an entire lap around NHIS except with 30+ turns. I have been in 3rd gear going 80mph out there, not quite OT speeds (well unless your in a miata KIDDING). It teaches excellent car control and since your on an airstrip there isn't any big concrete walls to hit. You can really push the car to its limits and see just were that fine line is without fear of hitting a wall or someone else.

Coming out and running with COM was awesome, Its not nearly the same thing but the basic car control skills that I learned at Devens totally apply. That was the first OT event in my Cobra and 2nd OT Day (First one being in a Lightning, I seem to be following in Brian Stonkus's upgrade path).

At least in my case I found looking ahead a natural progression and although I started off slow and cautious because I didn't know the track, once I learned what was "over the hill" and "around that corner" I was able to start picking things up. I felt in total control the entire time, I know when the car is being pushed and I went out to have fun but not scare my instructor or the other cars around me. The point being, I know where those limits are because of the Auto Crossing I have done. Its a HUGE advantage over someone coming off the street that has never put there car into a corner at high speed or knows how to correct when it does come loose.

I think in the not too distant future you will see more people from our Auto X club come out to try an OT Day with COM and I think the instructors are going to find that those people will have excellent control of their cars right off the bat, directly related to the Auto X experience at Devens.

Oh and to answer the originial question!

2 Practice days - NHIS and Summit Point
3 Year Auto Crossing at Devens
13 years Drag racing - Does that even count?

[Bane of Tires]

I'm licensed now, but I still don't pass people very much. Guess I really DO need to brake later.

[turtlevette]

I'm licensed now, but I still don't pass people very much. Guess I really DO need to brake later.

I don't worry about who is passing who. I guess that was my whole point of starting the thread. There are a lot of different cars out there with different capabilities some running street tires some race rubber. Lots of different experience levels within the same run group. I have 20 some odd hours some have many hundreds of hours of experience. Someone really good could pass us all in a pickup truck.

Everybody passes me. I lift and let groups go on by as i feel more comfortable running by myself. If i spin nobody right behind me that i can wreck. The whole point is to have fun no matter what car you have or experience level. If i am progressing and having fun that's all that matters. I've seen some real egos floating around on the Corvette forum and think that is a little scary.

[enjoythemusic]

I don't worry about who is passing who. I guess that was my whole point of starting the thread. There are a lot of different cars out there with different capabilities some running street tires some race rubber...

Agreed, there are some guys with so much talent that lowly guys (like me) are best to understand their place and allow those who obviously have more speed to pass. As for tires, there were guys with nearly fresh Hoosiers and then guys like me with Mich Pilot Sport PS2 with about 40+ heat cycles on them.

Everybody passes me. I lift and let groups go on by as i feel more comfortable running by myself. If i spin nobody right behind me that i can wreck. The whole point is to have fun no matter what car you have or experience level.

Ditto here on all accounts. This is what makes COMSCC so enjoyable is that virtually everyone is polite, gives point bys, etc. Have never been 'dive bomb' passed and this is appreciated. FYI: During open track days at NHIS it is like the Wild West at times. Thursday the 6th open track day was very civilized, but there were days last year...

If i am progressing and having fun that's all that matters. I've seen some real egos floating around on the Corvette forum and think that is a little scary.

The 'vette guys are not the only ones, though will bite my tongue to not get into other clubs/track events. COMSCC appears to do a great job at matching car capabilities/drivers and have them on track. Of course there will always be some odd guy who decided to upgrade his sway bars and that throws him into an (inappropriate) higher class...

[Bane of Tires]

Where can I find out about open days at NHIS? I looked on their site but didn't see anything.

[turtlevette]

Where can I find out about open days at NHIS? I looked on their site but didn't see anything.

http://www.nhis.com/

at the bottom Open test sessions. They don't mention cost. I wonder if half days are half price?

[turtlevette]

and then guys like me with Mich Pilot Sport PS2 with about 40+ heat cycles on them.

Try some skinny 60 series truck tires with 500 treadwear rating like i used to have on my car.

Them is fun.

[enjoythemusic]

i find the NHIS site lacks full info on ALL open track days ($100 for four hours, and if open for both sessions for cars 8-12 and 1-4 it is $150). Call them is your best bet.

Next open track day is Thursday April 27. Open track days seem to occur on a Thursday BTW. i may be there on the 27th, the new rims should arrive by then and will have heat cycled the Mich Pilot Cups i wtd to use for COMSCC. Need to do some testing i SHOULD HAVE DONE during the COMSCC event with adjusting the sways versus only adjusting the shocks. Still learning the newly uprated (again) suspension.

Bottom line, i see where at least 5 seconds simply disappeared and i am heck bent to get down to a realistic goal of 1:24 or lower lap times consistent by July at NHIS.

[enjoythemusic]

Try some skinny 60 series truck tires with 500 treadwear rating like i used to have on my car. Them is fun.

Impressive! Dare i ask, whay were you lap times at NHIS, what car/power/weight?

[Bane of Tires]

Bah! Figures it'd be on a weekday. Damn this full time job.

[enjoythemusic]

Bah! Figures it'd be on a weekday. Damn this full time job.

Call in sick

[turtlevette]

Try some skinny 60 series truck tires with 500 treadwear rating like i used to have on my car. Them is fun.

Impressive! Dare i ask, whay were you lap times at NHIS, what car/power/weight?

I have yet to run a time trial. For me the most important thing is to get cost effective seat time.

I may invest in a lap timer later.