Day 2
We got to the track on Sunday morning around 8 am and had breakfast in the Busch Garages. Little weird to be eating where next week, they will be working on their cars, but cool at the same time.
After breakfast, we headed out to the track for our first 10 lap session. I was in the last group to go (3 at a time), and got to drive one of Elliot Sadler’s old 38, M&M’s cars. It was a blast! Since we were on the track with other cars, we could pass if we caught, and so toward the end of my run, I did catch someone on the backstretch and passed in turn 3.
After that, we then went out for a 20 lap run, and had to come in 3 times for stop and go on pit road. Somebody else screwed up my 38 (problem in the rear end), so I had to change cars, and ride in the Fusion’07. Not a bad ride, but not quite so hooked up. We had to run the course a little more true, and not cheat so much, couldn’t get back in the throttle as earlier. And of course, all three times on pit road, I stalled it out, but we got her back running. We ran out of gas with 3 to go, so I had to squeeze in my 3 laps a little later, during competition. Worked out well, gave me another pit road start, and my instructor and I worked out a plan, and fixed a few things for us. I did my 10 lap competition run, when we had to come in a make a stop and go, and that time we didn’t stall her. It was a good run.
We then had lunch, before heading over to the on-road courses. First, we ran the precision driving course, where we just had go through an auto cross course. Next we went and practiced the drag race with the tree and everything. Finally it was back to the trailer tow for another practice run there. I still didn’t get as well as I liked, but a lot of the instructors were firefighters, and were offering the same advice as Phred. It did help, but it still was tough for me.
After that, we started competition. First up was the off-road course. I was 8 out of 9 to go, and what a ride!!! I took the first part pretty easy, but after coming down the banking from the speedway, I was moving pretty good. There was one tight turn, I had to back up and re angle, to missed the concrete barrier, hit the gas, sent some mud flying and up the hill we went. I gassed it on the way up, hit the huge bump, bounced, came down, my foot landed on the gas, and my arm (or chest?) hit the horn. We launched! Went airborn and planted it on the other side of the hill. I think we scared all the Ford People on the other side of the hill. Finished the run, my instructor and I were laughing!!!! It thought it was so cool! And everyone that it awesome I honking the horn to get their attention so they all got to see us flying. I think they were all making much more dramatic then it was, but it was cool.
After that was the trailer tow, competition and man, that was a struggle. But I got her backed in, didn’t get a DQ, and survived. That was what we were hoping for. After that we ran the precision road course, pretty decent there, only caught 1 cone, in 2 runs. Finally (and by this time it was dark!) we competed in the drag race. I didn’t get quite the jump I would have liked, but how cool. We only got up to about 80 (1/4 mile), but we only had a few hundred feet to get ‘em slowed down. By the end of the day, my right leg was a little sore, from standing on the gas, then standing on the brake all day.
After that we went back for dinner, where we had steak, and chicken, and salmon, and potatoes and veggies, salad, and bread, and a sundae bar with alllllll the fixings.
I should mention, guets stayed at the hotel Sunday, so Ralph missed all this and only got to hear the stories later. He took a cab down to South Beach, spent some time there, and then came back to the hotel and had some drinks with some of the Dale Jarret instructors.
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Good job!!
Huney, Bon & Simba-missed so very much
Originally Posted by 4 Dog Mother
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