tntporsche

Avis and National both rent cars near Watkins Glen . . . I believe Avis is in Horseheads and National is in Elmira or Corning. Both about 10-15 miles from the track. . . .

tntporsche

There is also Alamo is at Elmira airport.

tsjoel

I have a trailer hitch on my gx470 so I guess I could rent or borrow a trailer. I wonder how bad that would be for my truck?

Alan G.

I'm with Arlene, just rent a car on the way in and drop it off on the way out. Watkins Glen is no place to be stranded without wheels. At least find a nice room and plan to drag your tired a** out to a classy dinner.

Brian P

When I was looking at purchasing a tow vehicle, I took a look at the GX470 as a possibility and saw that the tow capacity for it is surprisingly low for a V8 engine. Depending on the weight of your car and your trailer, you may want to reconsider using the Lexus as a tow vehicle.

911

The only way my wife will go w/ me is if she brings a second car to the track, and she's done this quite a few times. However, I must add that a hot day @ Willow isn't the best place for a bored wife & two kids during the summer! She's actually been a trooper, though, and has been very supportive of my POC events. Next year I hope to have a tow vehicle to make these trips easier on everyone.

DrJupeman

My wife drives at the track (Food Angel here on Rennlist - more posts than me!). She took a hiatus for a few years when our kids were born, but now she's attempting to work her way back into the swing of things.

sjanes

The hill up to the track is steep. If it's a heavy car on a rented (mosly likely steel) trailer, I hope the Lexus has a tranny cooler.

BrandonH

Can't believe the discretion of the rennlist community thus far in refraining from the inquiry: "is that your wife in your avatar?" As a veteran of 10 years of track events, with and without my spouse, during which she has driven with me or entertained herself otherwise,and also 19 years of marriage, my advice is: spend your tire/brake pad budget on some nice items from La Perla, and ask her what luxurious and private destination _she_ would pick for her birthday wkend...



Oh and on towing: yes that hill leading from the track into town is steep. I tow with a VW eurovan and a trailex. A great "ultralight" towing setup. But I boiled the fluid coming down that hill and had to roll at 5mph right through the intersection at the bottom of the hill while driving the '99. the '02 has much bigger brakes...

Food Angel

I think the only way to understand the madness that this sport inspires is to actually drive yourself. Have you asked your wife if she wants to drive? Have you explained to her if she's a little reticent that green group drivers are ALL beginners--and many of them have to unlearn bad habits that we pick up throughout our early street driving careers? I don't know about your region, but in NNJR I know that we have lots of great, patient women instructors who probably understand the psychology of wife driving husband's car for the first time on the track.

I knew how to fill my tank with gas when DrJupeman signed me up as his affiliate member in PCA. We went to a DE at Bridgehampton for our first event. I was convinced that I was going to sit in pit lane, have a light go from red to green, and then stall in the pits, totally pissing off all around me. After the instructor drove me around the track (with the parking brake on--who knew that I wasn't supposed to use that in the pits?), I got out there. I wasn't the fastest. I'm not sure I was the slowest though, either (loved that 944 Turbo...). And the adrenaline rush was understood.

I was a flagger and a tower worker, and I think those experiences also helped me to understand what happens on the track.

Honestly, if Jupe had never asked me to drive, I'm not sure I would have volunteered to do it. But our kids have been coming to the track since they were babies, and they enjoy hanging out with the other track rats. My return to driving has been slow, but I never begrudge Jupe his track weekends--mostly because he brings the family along to most of them! Since I have an understanding of what happens out there, and I know a LOT of the people at the track, it's not so bad to just hang out.

All that aside, I wouldn't suggest her first foray into DE be on her birthday. Join NNJR at MO or WG. Good luck!

Chaos

Have you guys noticed that operating costs triple with two people driving ?

TT Surgeon

Take my wife to the track? You gotta be kidding! There is nothing to do around the Glen, for my wife at least. It is suicide to go to the track on her birthday.
The last time I did the Glen my wife and kids met up with my friends wife and kids in CT while we did the track. That worked out, but my wife alone at the Glen, no.
The PDA has an event at the glen in may or june, as does the metrony pca. Check out trackschedules.com for all the tracks and events.

Brian P

Just want to add one piece to this... If you can take your wife to an event early in the DE season, it's quite likely that she'll be out there with people who are also on the track for the first time. If you wait until the end of the season, she might be the only one new to the track.

The first track that I took my wife to was a Watkins Glen event late in the season. On the ride home, I spent a lot of time convincing her that she did well even though she felt like she was always holding up traffic. Looking back, I realized that I probably pushed her into it a bit too soon. The Glen is a huge track (3.2 miles) and it takes a while for even an experienced driver to learn their way around the track. Plus, with many of the green group drivers having a few days under her belt, it was completely normal for her to be the slowest one out there.

The next event she did was an early season event at Lime Rock, and she was hooked after that. Lime Rock is a short track (1.5 miles) and she was quickly able to learn the basic line at the track. Plus, the event had a lot of new drivers, so she was able to drive at the same pace (actually faster ) as the run group. This let her spend more time watching the track and less time watching the mirrors.

tsjoel

First off, my wife is much hotter than Anna K otherwise she would have a problem with my avitar. It helps that mmblu created my avatar after I sent it to him and said do whatever. I guess that makes me an innocent bystander. I have enjoyed everyones comments and help. I think my truck is best suited for carrying kids and hauling dirtbikes and birthday weekends should be for the person having the birthday.

Food Angel: Thanks for a womens side of the slippery slope of DE's. I know my wife has no interest in driving at an event. She gets sick when I drive and does not like to go fast. She enjoys the cars I pick to buy but to her if it gets her from point A to B that is great. She does however request a stick shift if it is available (hence the six speed 540) which leads me to believe there is hope. As others have said "be careful what you wish for"($$$$$$$).

Jupeman: I downloaded some awesome split screen video of you at Watkins Glenn. Great music too.

Tntporsche: Is the NNJR event at mid-ohio a porsche only event? The reason I ask is that the friends I have that would go don't have porsches. (the friends that have porsches are afraid to take them to the track). Do any people show up at these events not knowing anyone?

tntporsche

tsjoel - If your wife drives a six speed 540, I think she is ready for DE - Many people can't ride in the passenger seat so that is not the issue.

Re Mid-Ohio - We do allow non-porsches at events where we will not sell out to Porsches. Tell your friends to contact me - trackchair@nnjr-pca.com

Many people come to events not knowing anyone . . . but that doesn't last too long . . . we are a pretty friendly bunch!

Hope to meet you at some point during the DE season!