HPDC impressions

[OldTee]

This is one of thoes 'new boy' had fun stories. And, i DID. :D

Twenty two years since my last track experience and the HPDC really got my juices going. All the instructors in the morning session were very good and patient. I was impressed by the consistency of the training which shows the excellent organization of the event. I spun out twice on the skid pad, once each way, I went left when the instructor said right, I braked before the pretend sack of potatoes and only donated $1.25 to the cone fund. All the instruction led up to the afternoon session on the track.

I pulled a fellow Dorki, Jason Scott as my instructor. Poor Jason. He suffered through me doing it wrong all over the place, only to be rewarded by my doing it right followed by doing it wrong again. He yelled (quietly), banged me on the head a few times (I told him to do that), pulled on the steering wheel to get me back to the proper line and lied when he said I did OK. I need a lot of work.

For those who have never done this, do it. The instruction is invaluable. You might just make some new friends, too.

Thanks Jason, you were professional in every way and a very good instructor.

:D :D

[Trak Ratt]

Great, now there won’t be any living w/Jason for months :twisted: John. glad you enjoyed yourself, most can barley go a few weeks w/out a “track fix”, how did you manage so many years :?:

[Jase007]

Oldtee: I think I'll try "Mr. L" instead ....

Mr. L.,

It was a pleasure being your instructor for the HPDC.. I think your SC was glad when the day was done but only b/c it was tired of lugging us around :wink: If I had a 22 year break from it ... I'm not so sure I'd slide behind the wheel and remember as much.

It was a good event, no rolls, crashes, "incidents" or quitters (though some were on the edge and had to be talked back).

I also enjoyed my 2nd student and his SVT Cobra with a blower on it and IRS :shock: That thing can flat HAUL A$$!. It was hard to point out the line b/c when he up-shifted the front of the car came up to block our view :lol: 390 hp @ 6K RPM ... before any "breathing" on it ... have I told y'all I really like mustangs ... :D (flame suit on).

Jason

[Spike]

I have to also add my thanks to all who were involved in providing the fantastic HPDC session. I was fortunate to have Tom for an instructor during the student/instructor driving, and I also had his advice for an informative threshold braking session.

Needless to say, I still need alot of practice on braking later and
on everything else. I had an absolute blast sliding around the 2nd through
5th turns and the decreasing radius turn was fun but I never did get that line figured out.

I learned a lot, had a blast, have to now get on the track for more practice, and wil be seeking advice from all, I'm sure.

Thanks again 8)

Emery

[Doug E]

22 years since your last track event ???? You should get an award for being able to stay away that long :shock:

Glad to hear it went well and that everyone came home happy.

[VaSteve]

Wow, I had a lot of fun! I am so glad I did this! Really learned a lot about the driving the car.

Thanks to Jason for the instruction through the slalom. Kurt for the instruction in the skid pad. That 360 was awesome!! (both feet in next time!) The recovery one was even more fun/scary. But I really wanted to hang it out there because I'm too chicken/sane to do it on the road. Thanks to other non-Dorki instructors as well (if they ever read this), especially Mark who really tried to get me to learn acceleration in my SC ("faster, faster!!" - that braking excercise around the curve rocked!) and Tim who encouraged me in the DE session - even though I didn't push it like I should.

The wag at the end of the straight (though I'd rather not repeat it) was awesome, but even better was hitting the 1st/2nd turn perfectly the next time - you could really feel it when you're right and when you're wrong you know that too. :oops: The hardest thing for me (aside from turn 7 and anything else my instructors noted :) ) was nailing it coming around turn 5 and flying up the backside - I couldn't give it enough gas when I should. It's hard for me to associate going faster and faster knowing there is a turn coming up I have to stand on the brakes for. It's a damn weird feeling and will take some getting used to.

The best bit of advice was the look where you want to go. I practiced in my other car today. For some reason it instictively made me go faster - I think it made my wife want to throw up. :lol:

Jason, it wasn't Dorki's that wanted to bail was it? Emery, was that you that said hello by the restroom? Someone knew me as a rabid-poster but we never got a formal introduction.

The car seemed to run well on the ride home, for those who know my constant tale of woe, but won't run now - see Technical section.


Here's a nice photo of me about to crash into the paddock.
http://www.dorkiphus.com/porsche/modules/albums/album66/P9180108.sized.jpg

[Spike]

Hey VASteve, I was the confused looking guy in the orange windbreaker/shell. Met too many people to remember and to be able to associate all the names with the faces - I am not good at remembering names the first few times. :oops: We probably did chat at some point during the day.

I'll remember Tom, because it is not many people I have met who can engage in chit chat and even laughter while being a passenger in a car being
driven nearly 100mph into a corner by someone asking what to do next?

I hope the folks I met I get to see again at the DE's or at other group functions. If the HPDC is any indication of how much fun the other events are, I am anxious to sign up for the next!

[Geoff]

Time to add in my two cents:

Charlie, Thanks a ton for lending me your car. I had the pleasure of driving VaSteve's twin at the same event. It was a blast!

I pulled Kurt for my instructor and also had a chance to meet and talk to most of the dorki's not to mention a bit of personal your doing it wrong, but hey try this, time with Jason.

I will second the motion that all of the instructors were superb. I think any time you can go from thinking you know something and realizing you have no clue, but still wanting to learn even more means you had a successfull event.

I know I will never look at driving the same (now if i can just get rid of that track noise I keep hearing).

If any of you get a chance to learn from Kurt or Jason I would jump on the opportunity. They both have a laid back style and are encouraging even to truely green newbies.

Thanks a ton guys it was great meeting everyone!

Hope to see you fishing sometime OldTee.

-Geoffrey

[Lisa]

What a kewl event. I don't know about you guys, but I can't get turn 7 out of my mind.. I'm dying to try it again!! When you hit it right, you absolutly knew it ... although same thing when you hit it wrong :shock:

As you all have said, the instructors were all just awesome. Thanks to all of you!!

I've only had my Boxster for a few months, so I"m still learning how to find my way around Club Event Calendars, but I"m sure I'll see you all at some other events.

Lisa Sarubbi
00' Rainforest Green Boxster S
(Green Flash)

[APKhaos]

Who would have guessed on Friday that such a great weekend was in store! Great to hear that the HPDC went well, and had a strong Dorki contingent.

Too bad you guys didn't have time to come over to Summit main - had the best weekend of racing, and Lucky had a ball in the NASA DE event. Next stop - Summit Point the first weekend of October.

[Jase007]

Too bad you guys didn't have time to come over to Summit main - had the best weekend of racing

Actually ... Geoff, Charlie and I watched your sorry attempt to catch that grey / neon green numbered 944 in your afternoon race (from the carousel). :lol:

JEEZ! everyone else was jumping the curb in #8 and and riding the red & whites tracking out in #9 .... did you leave the parking brake on again? :wink:

Jase

[APKhaos]

That was Eric Rupert I was chasing. His years of racing experience showed when he pulled a perfect 'pick' using the first slower car we lapped. He got through traffic better than me, and I could not close the gap. Guess I was being a little conservative, but wanted to preserve the car for the Sunday race AND preserve the series points. Managed to do both, so its not all bad.

Will admit that I feel like I'm driving a little too conservatively, although Dorkis who have ridden right seat with me may not agree :shock: . Following Eric in Sunday's qualifying was like following a combine harvester - just follow the dust cloud. I'm gonna buy him a John Deere cap. He left nothing on the table!

[Charlie Stylianos]

I had a fun time volunteering at the slalom station. Little did I know that the slalom exercise required constant running and picking/setting up of cones. Nonetheless, it kept be busy and warm.

Jason was nice enough to take me out in the 2.7 and show me some advance techniques around T-1. Don't think I'll be trailing throttle over steering anytime soon, but its pretty neat how a little breathe off the go-pedal will rotate the rear. Gotta remember, just a LITTLE breath, than back on. :P

I went for a ride in my own car while Kurt was piloting. That was a hoot to see how the brown SC behaves in the hands of the experienced.

Here is a little clip of Geoff coming out of the 'quad-apex, triple-lutz' turn.

http://www.dorkiphus.com/porsche/modules/albums/album39/final2.avi

[BW911]

Will admit that I feel like I'm driving a little too conservatively

Finally you've caught on, Tony. We've all been saying that about you -- Tony just drives that new car like a girlie man. He needs to really step harder on that right pedal. :wink: :lol:

Bill

[Manny Alban]

You can all thank me for the weather on Saturday. I spent Friday afternoon rushing to switch from my Cups to my 'brand new, bought in February, but never used' Kuhmo V700 rain tires (full tread) because I thought for sure it would be wet all day Saturday. Of course, I was so confident in the weather, I didn't bother bringing the Cups. Well, needless to say, it dried up, the sun came out and as it turns out, I had a blast pushing #53 around the JC on less than desirable tires :)

Thanks to everyone, instructors, volunteers and students, for making the event a success.

[VaSteve]

I went for a ride in my own car while Kurt was piloting. That was a hoot to see how the brown SC behaves in the hands of the experienced.


Humbling isn't it? You never realize what they have in them until you find someone who can get it out! What was really fun was doing the laps in my instructor's car. He held back since the brakes were gone and still drove it twice as fast as he did my car! :shock: