SRT8U hits the Road Course! W/ Vids!

[SRT8U]

My first Road Course Track Day w/ My SRT8!

I have been a road racing fan since I was a kid, and after attending the SRT Track Experience and getting the bug for driving I knew I had to take my car to the track. Unfortunately. every time I found out about an event near me it was either too late and booked up or conflicted with some other event. So finally Dec 16, there was an event being held close to me at Moroso Motorsports Park that I could attend. This event was being put on by the PBOC (Porsche and BMW Owners Club), which was a very organized great group of people. I signed up for the Novice Class since my only prior Road Course Experience was at the SRT TE.

We had three sessions of 30 minutes and you had an instructor ride in the car with you. In addition to novice class they also run sessions of Intermediate, Solo, Super Solo, and Race. They actually had three 30 minute races which were pretty cool to watch. A wide variety of cars, from purpose built Diasio and Radicals, to Porsches, Ferraris, BMW's and Mustangs.

So my first session it starts sprinkling as we enter the pit lane...wonderful! I let my instructor take the car around the first time to show me the line, which was a huge help since I had never seen the course before. After a lap we swapped, and away I went, what a freaking blast, unfortunately as my session went on the rain came down harder and harder to the point where there were puddles in the turns! I will say that my Falken FK452 tires handled AWESOME in the rain. Very predictable and never lost grip. The nice part about the rain was that it made you really learn the line since you were forced to drive a little slower that if it was dry. The session was great and I felt much more comfortable once I was done. After watching a few other classes go out, and the rain subside, it was time for me again. The track was still wet but it had stopped raining. So out on the track I went again, this time with much more confidence.

My Novice class was made up of a wide array of cars. Mini Coopers, Civic Si, Mustang GT's, Porsche 911's & GT3's, BMW 3 Series and M3's, and a Camaro Z28. In this session and the next one I went faster and faster each lap, braking later and accelerating off the corners better. I could feel my times dropping each lap. Now here is the best part. In the Novice class you have to point to allow a pass. So if you see a faster car behind you then you point them by in the straights. The only car I had to point by all day was a new 911 GT3, the cars that started behind me Mustangs, BMW's, Porsches I never saw again, and I passed alot of the Mustangs, Camaros and BMW's in front of me. The car handled awesome, and I can truley say that I love the EBC Red Stuff Pads, I have been running them on the street for a while and liked that they didn't dust much, but was unsure how they would do at a track day. I can tell you after numerous 100+ to 40 mph stops all day I expereinced no fade, and they still feel great on the street. My Falkens held up great, were very sticky and did great in the rain. And of course the coilovers and strut brace helped out in the corners. My two favorite things were when my instructor yelled..."do you realize you just passed a Porsche with a 4 door car!" And when we were done he told me he really enjoyed riding along, which doesnt happen often as most Novices either scare him by trying to drive too hard or drive to slow lol. He was also very impressed with the way the SRT handled. The best part is that after only one event he recommended I get bumped up to Intermediate for the next one!! Woot!

Bottom line: If you havent driven your car on a road course you havent really driven it! These cars are a blast to drive and you gain so much more knowledge about the way they handle whne you do an event like this. Drag racing is cool and I will still do it, but it isnt even on the same planet as Road Racing as far as fun goes IMO.

Ok here are a few vids that Lisa took, she didnt get me in the last session, so alot of these were when I was stuck behind slower cars lol!
I hope the next time I go I will see another SRT there so I wont have to carry the flag alone! A big thanks to Lisa for taking all the awesome video, although it will probably be the last time because next time she will be out there driving too lol!

http://www.tvbmc.com/play.php?vid=648
http://www.tvbmc.com/play.php?vid=637
http://www.tvbmc.com/play.php?vid=647
http://www.tvbmc.com/play.php?vid=649
http://www.tvbmc.com/play.php?vid=641
http://www.tvbmc.com/play.php?vid=626


here are some of the race class:
http://www.tvbmc.com/play.php?vid=640
http://www.tvbmc.com/play.php?vid=625
Crash!
http://www.tvbmc.com/play.php?vid=638

[LowGo]

Looks like you had a great time! Road courses are fun. I wish I could do more too. Thanks for sharing the vids.

[Ghostface Mag]

Looks like alota fun...Thanks for sharing...

[SRT8U]

Thanks guys. It really is a blast!

[formerice]

Nice. You need to set a dashcam. Did you use the tiptronic shift?

[SRT8U]

Nice. You need to set a dashcam. Did you use the tiptronic shift?

Yeah next time maybe we will do some in car cam action!
I actually did not shift just let teh tranny do it, I plan to shift in the future though. My goal was to learn the track and the line, and to try to get to Solo as quickly as I can

[AJ_Gil]

Great write-up, you may get me out there next time

[GoofyTimL]

Thanks for sharing... I've got to do this some day!

[SRT8U]

Great write-up, you may get me out there next time

Awesome Gil! Now you can beat me in two types of racing lol!

[MattRobertson]

The only car I had to point by all day was a new 911 GT3

Aren't point-by's awesome? Especially knowing that guy in the sports coupe is going to go straight home and kick the dog and stomp off and lock himself in a closet.

Bottom line: If you havent driven your car on a road course you havent really driven it!

Dam straight! Its killin' me that my car is laid up. I've missed a ton of fun.

Glad you had fun! Have some more!

[Steve Levin]

Our cars are definitely a lot of fun on the road courses!

Steve

[stevesrt8]

and I can truley say that I love the EBC Red Stuff Pads, I have been running them on the street for a while and liked that they didn't dust much, but was unsure how they would do at a track day. I can tell you after numerous 100+ to 40 mph stops all day I expereinced no fade, and they still feel great on the street.

Thanks for the final push I needed to order a set.

Bottom line: If you havent driven your car on a road course you havent really driven it! These cars are a blast to drive and you gain so much more knowledge about the way they handle whne you do an event like this. Drag racing is cool and I will still do it, but it isnt even on the same planet as Road Racing as far as fun goes IMO.

This is a real truth, and if you haven't done it you can never really appreciate how amazingly balanced these cars are!

Thanks for sharing what must have been a terrific day!

[lou1355]

SRT8U:

I've been wondering if our cars are too heavy to be competitive around the road course--I think you've answered my question.

Here are a few more questions, if you have the time:

1. What was the track fee?

2. Did you get any lap times?

3. How does that "point around" system work exactly? Do you literally have your window down and use your arm, or do you use your turn signals? I take it the guy in back initiates?

4. What do I look for on the Moroso web site to figure out when they are going to do another one?

Thanks.

[SRT8U]

SRT8U:

I've been wondering if our cars are too heavy to be competitive around the road course--I think you've answered my question.

Here are a few more questions, if you have the time:

1. What was the track fee?

2. Did you get any lap times?

3. How does that "point around" system work exactly? Do you literally have your window down and use your arm, or do you use your turn signals? I take it the guy in back initiates?

4. What do I look for on the Moroso web site to figure out when they are going to do another one?

Thanks.

1. The cost for this event was 200.00 and that is a full day...3 sessions of 30 minutes, including and instructor in car with you. That is pretty standard, but there are soe two day events that will run a little more

2. No I didnt get any times...some of the more advanced classes cars do run timing/scoring depending on the track

3. The point around system works differently depending on class..In Novice and Intermediate classes there are designated passing zones (usually Straights) where you are allowed to pass...if you see a faster car behind you, the ettiquite is to point them by when you reach these zones. Basically it is a hand out the window and a point to which side you wish to be passed on.

4. As far as finding out about events..I intend to post up in the FLXC section when we have events coming up...but I suggest you register at the following sites:

PBOC (Porsche BMW Owners Club) that is who put on the event I attended.
www.pbocflorida.com
Their next event is at Sebring Next weekend, but is only for Intermediate level and above, and is already sold out

Also sign up here:
www.driversregistration.com
And select the following clubs from the list, all of these do events in South and Central Florida

• BMW Car Club of America - Everglades Regions
• Porsche Club of America - Gold Coast Region
• Ford SVT Owners Association - SVTOA of Tampa Bay
• Equipe Rapide Sports Car Club
• Porsche Club of America - Suncoast Region
• Ford SVT Owners Association - SVTOA of Central Florida
• Porsche BMW Owners Club

These groups also run events in the area
NASA
http://www.nasaproracing.com

Chin Motorsports
www.chinmotorsports.com

A Couple of other things.

There are various classes based on skill level...if you have never run or have ltd experience then you will start as a novice, and be on the track w other newbies, and an instructor will ride with you. Once you have proven yourself..which could vary from as soon as one event (which happened to me) or several events you will move to intermediate. Still with an instructor, but more advanced. There are then Solo levels you can graduate to which no longer have instructors in the car and bridge the gap between Driver Ed and racing. it is a blast I can tell you from expereince.

My suggestions before hitting the track:
Make sure you have new or relatively new brake pads-nothing will ruin your day faster than running out of brakes
Bleed your brakes and add higher temp fluid before hitting the track

Obviously any suspension/brake mods will help ya..sways, better pads, coilovers, strut tower brace etc

[Pigman 440]

Looks like a blast!1