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Well, Coochas, the first car I tracked was a 1981 Maya Gold RX-7 that I destroyed mass amounts of pylons with since I lived 1 mile from the Solo Nationals site at the time ( Salina , Ks ). Ok , I fudged as I was autocrossing but I did share your love for those little rotary rockets, acquiring 5 more during the 80s and all were autocrossed. My first actual track experience with my own car was at a Viper Challenge Series Event at Road America in 1999 with a 99 Mustang Cobra. I am not counting the 3 Racing/Driving Schools I attended prior to 99, as that was all done in the various school's cars, so I will claim my first personal track exeperience was at Road America. That was followed in somewhat fast succession at National Championship for the Viper Challenge/Viper Racing League ( both part of Viper Days ) at Motorsports Ranch where the little Cobra had been switched for a bigger Snake, a 1998 Viper GTS. Surprisingly I won my Class and I have been hooked ever since, though now I end up autocrossing almost as often as I do track time ( NASA,SCCA, PCA )
Thanks for sharing. Those gold Rx-7s were so cool. I too have had a total of 5 Rx-7s! Plus a rotary pickup and two rotary powered formula cars!
My son and I ran a couple of races with Rotary Rockets, those Formula machines were such a riot to drive. Ran races at Gingerman with my son coming in 2nd both times right behind the Season Champion. I had been accidentally shown a red flag during one race and in the second race I ended with a mechanical so not the type of outing I was hoping for. I had run two days in one of the cars with no issues at a track in Iowa ( MAM , now called RPM - Raceway Park of the Midlands ) . The cool part was I negotiated with the owner of the Series, so he brought all his track cars down to Western Iowa for a group of my friends and customers to run a school and race.
My son and I ran a couple of races with Rotary Rockets, those Formula machines were such a riot to drive. Ran races at Gingerman with my son coming in 2nd both times right behind the Season Champion. I had been accidentally shown a red flag during one race and in the second race I ended with a mechanical so not the type of outing I was hoping for. I had run two days in one of the cars with no issues at a track in Iowa ( MAM , now called RPM - Raceway Park of the Midlands ) . The cool part was I negotiated with the owner of the Series, so he brought all his track cars down to Western Iowa for a group of my friends and customers to run a school and race.
Last year I was fortunate enough to do a few (very slow) laps in a borrowed third generation RX-7 that was pushing 550 to the wheels with a single turbo conversion at Pocono's north course. I would have taken mine but it was in pieces (this was of my own doing ), but this was probably the most fun fun I've had in anything on wheels, and It also inadvertently ruined street driving for me, which gave me an excuse to go build the car that I have wanted to for many years (and learn to drive it properly, of course).
Hope to eventually get mine where I want it and join you all in the world of hpde and performance driving.
My first foray was with my 2011 328i (manual, no sunroof!) at Gingerman in 2014 with Windy City BMWCCA. Had a blast and got hooked. Followed up with driving schools at BMW's Spartanburg facility and Bertil Roos, and many more HPDEs and autocross events. Eventually got a dedicated e36 M3 that I run today. Still have the 328i that started it all. Love this sport and the community!
Ran with Bertil Roos long ago at VIR. Great guy and well taught school. His cars are now residing at a track in Tennessee ( Polecat ) for a Driving School there, so nice to see those fun little Formula cars are getting a second life -- good tool for training in my estimation.
From: Durham, NC and Virginia International Raceway
Originally Posted by WillyDaP
Ran with Bertil Roos year back at VIR. Great guy and well taught school. His cars are now residing at a track in Tennessee ( Polecat ) that will be doing Driving Schools there, so nice to see those fun little Formula cars ae getting a second life -- good tool for training in my estimation.
Dennis Macchio is a gem and ran a terrific program for a long time. He was Bertil Roos to the thousands that went through there.
So is the Polecat principal, Keith Watts, and his crew.
Great programs, each.
__________________ -Peter Krause www.peterkrause.net www.gofasternow.com
"Combining the Art and Science of Driving Fast!"
Specializing in Professional, Private Driver Performance Evaluation and Optimization
Consultation Available Remotely and at VIRginia International Raceway
1995 BMW 325iS with the Sport package. 189hp and 50/50 weight distribution; what an incredibly forgiving car it was to learn road course driving on, and it was pretty quick given the time.
If only my son had started driving at DEs in a car like it I would have a lot less grey hair, since he started in my ‘15 Corvette Z06/7 and then we moved on to a ‘19 AMG GTR!
Dennis Macchio is a gem and ran a terrific program for a long time. He was Bertil Roos to the thousands that went through there.
So is the Polecat principal, Keith Watts, and his crew.
Great programs, each.
Dennis is great. I met him early on with PCA DE at NHMS. For the past few seasons he has been the head of track ops at MMC and he does an outstanding job.
2003 M3 in Phoenix Yellow. March 2004 at Road Atlanta with BMWCCA. After 1 event I knew that I was hooked and bought a dedicated track car, a pristine 924S in April. Within a month it was stripped, had a weld in rollbar and was sitting on Leda's.
12-25-2023 | 10:10 AM
), but this was probably the most fun fun I've had in anything on wheels, and It also inadvertently ruined street driving for me, which gave me an excuse to go build the car that I have wanted to for many years (and learn to drive it properly, of course). 
