MarkD

Cool Pong!!

Pretty lucky getting Brandon too... apparently he has spent a LOT of time at that track. I'd guess you couldn't get better instruction and it was probably entertaining too. That guys has a lot of energy

At least it ended well for ya. Could have been much worse, as you said.
Thanks for sharing the story and pics.

CP

Steve,

Here is the Thunderhill event calender for the rest of the year.
http://www.thunderhill.com/html/get_...ill_at_the.HTM

If I go again, this their driving school I would attend.
http://www.thunderhill.com/html/driving_school.html

Why don't you look this over and see if anything strikes your fancy. Thunderhill is a good 7 hours drive from you. If we go, we'd overnight in Willows. We can share a room for about $40 per person. Thunderhill is super hot in the summer, and I will be very busy until at least July this year, so a late date (Oct/Nov) etc may be better. I originally did not think I will track again, but if you and Don want to join, I'm game.

Danny,

Another thing I consider is the cost of tracking. This P/F event is relatively cheap ($250 for the event). But throw in the brake fluid, lodging/food, race gas, CD momento, etc. etc. I calculated that day ran me $1,000. And this is enjoyment just for myself. Two days like this and I can pay my share of a lovely cruise on the Celebrity Summit, and have a wonderful memory that my wife also savors. While I know I can afford it, but for the family entertainment $$$$, tracking is not the best use of it.

CP

CP

Mark,

Appartantly you know Brandon. He was almost on the advisory team when TH remodelled the track. That says how well he knows the place. In fact, he will be racing in the NASA event there next weekend. If I can finish my tax in time, I may go there and check it out.

CP

MarkD

I only know him from Roger Kraus Racing, their shop over in Castro Valley... he seems like a great guy and really knows his way around a 993 alignment too.

Don Plumley

That's amazing speed down the front straight for your first time in that car. Nice job.

I've not taken the Thunderhill class, but they take the front straight out - so you wont' see that great speed nor get a chance to learn a good high speed corner. I think GGR PCA has some of the best instructors, and the combination of their ground school and safety ethos makes it a safe event for you and your car. Beyond PCA, Trackmasters and NCRC are both good NorCal organizations that I'd run with any time.

Yup - it's an easy $1K weekend and your perspective is well taken. I just make sure that the family gets a couple of outstanding vacations, etc. before I take care of my entertainment.

I'll be spinning the Hippo at Thunderhill on the 28/29th with Mooty and some other Rennlisters and Pelicans... Hope to meet a few more of you there.

Don

CP

Very true about the alignment part. he did my alignment on the Ruf, with the proper kinematic setting and all. If I want a car set up properly for handling, he is my man.

I also met him at Roger Kraus Racing. Roger (his dad) is a great racer in his days as well.

CP

ca993twin

Pong,

Gulp. That's a long haul to ThunderHill from here. Gulp. How about ButtonWillow? Its just off the 5 and northish of Bakersfield. It's further for you than me, but still not too bad. Prolly 4 hrs for you, 2.5 hours for me. We can organize a "rumble" (i hate to use that term on this forum), and get some of our buds to show up.

CP

Don,

Brandon hit 138 MPH on the front straight in the Ruf. I agree that for a first timer (myself), that's a lot of ***** to go 125. The Ruf has 426 HP and does 0-60 in 3.7 secs. So from a rolling start of 35 (exit turn 15) through 125 MPH, it's well within the capability of the car. If an expert racer goes 10/10 in the Ruf in that stretch, he could hit 140 MPH easy. Also, he'd take turn 1 at much higher speed that I'd ever dare, so he does not have to scrub that much speed off the car, but I know them Brembo Big Reds can hande it.

CP

CP

Steve,

Does Button Willow has walls? That's why I picked Thunderhill. It's like tracking in the Gobe Desert.

CP

Don Plumley

Buttonwillow has one wall, half as many as Thunderhill IIRC.

mooty

But if you guys have a group event, I may come by just to hang and smell the buring tires and brakes.

_________
4/28-29 at TH will be a HUGE event.
i know of 10 RL's going.

mooty

TH has a deadly wall at exit of 15. i see many incidents there.

BW has wall at "sunset". they dont number the turns. they NAME them.. the position of the wall and how you have incident at "sunset" is very similar to T15 at TH.

but both are much more forgiving than infineon (the BEST track on the west) and laguna seca.

mooty

i agree.
track driving makes you safer and more aware of your surrounding on the street. it also makes you less likely to speed. now i putter right at or 5mph above speed limit.

tracking is extremely cheap for me. it reduced my avg of 15 speeding tix and lawyer fees per year to zero tix for three years. the amount i saved, i can track literally everday of the year ;-)

since you have two cars. my suggestion if learn in the ruf first. cayman is fun, but you wont enjoy why/how it's tossalbe and correctable unlike a 911 unless you drive a 911 first. so do ruf. then do cayman and then go back to 911 at the end.

EricGT3

Much more forgiving than Infineon. Buttonwillow and TH seem to be the friendliest. Pong - I think you would like BW. Let's Go!

mooty

let me know when guys are heading down that way.
of course, eric wont caravan with me anymore. i wasn't kidding when i say i drove slow.