Hey gang...

Holy Crap was it wet! It never stopped raining, but changed from gentle drizzle to full blown downpours. Other than slowing us down, it shouldn't have posed much of a problem. But we were required to drive with our windows open, so lots of our cars' interiors got wet, and our MINIs are going to smell like wet puppies if we don't air them out pretty quickly.

Great overall turnout for the event... only one instructor (out of about two dozen) and one student (out of about 50) were no-shows. Three of us from DCMM were there, as posted above, and we acquitted ourselves admirably in the face of hordes of greater and lesser cars (somebody actually had a Scion on the track!) and really snotty weather. The combination of cold temperatures, pollen and rain made the track slicker than, well, just what you think I'm about to say! Use your imagination

Great track, lots of turns and elevation changes... almost as good as Rab's last run! Probably not as sweet as MOTD, but still it was great fun. The less than optimal traction contributed to several cars getting creative with their cornering... plowing fields from time to time, getting stuck in the off-track mud, and pointing the wrong way at various places on the track (none of us DCMMers, though).

Incredibly good learning experience in low-traction conditions, especially with stock runflat tires I've had more traction on snow than I had a few times on the track today. Still, it was a great time, a safe and very well run event, and we wish more of the club had joined us.

Be sure to sign up for the Phil Wicks event in July... an all MINI event in the summer, in scenic VA. Maybe the sun will shine for that one!

 

Awesome.

I'm sure you all had a blast.

I couldn't make it out there to witness how fun it was as planned. I woke up and noticed that it was pouring, not a chance to take any picture or to see anything.

Yes, I'm ready for Phil Wick's, should I bring 2 sets of tires. One for dry and one for wet track, just to be ready.

 

By the way, any "Wet'n Wild" images to share?.

 

Remember all that earlier fuss about helmets?

Must have this approval, that approval, etc? Well, they never even looked at our helmets. As long as we had a helmet on our head when we entered the track, we were fine. And nobody 'inspected' our cars at the track, either, unless the car was driven off the track into the mud.

Bottom line, at least for this event, is that we were on the honor system, and it was up to us to comply with the rules. Serious enough to be safe, but not so strict that it wasn't fun. Great balance!

 

Well, it was my first track event and I had a blast. Thanks to Mr. EZ and Hypnohealer for coming out and for putting up with my newbie nerves.

I was initially intimidated by all the Corvettes and other sports cars that were also out on the track but all three of us held our own. In fact, I think we did a great job under the circumstances. None of us spun out, none of us went off the track...although I know I was inches from doing so!

What a great feeling to be "in the zone" and zooming around the track and passing non-MINIs!

And what a reality check when you realize someone has been buzzing your butt for half a track and you have to let them pass. No bother, inevitably you'll catch up to them around the next corner because they've spun out! I had six, SIX incidences when someone passed me that within a turn or two they'd be either in the middle of the track after spinning...or, worse, on the side in the muck. The Mazdas and Toyotas (?) seemed to have the most trouble with that.

Yes, it was pretty much a heavy, steady rain all day but that just gave me much needed confidence in my own and my car's abilities. I slipped, I slided...I had a great time pushing my car. And even with several happy tails, my instructor said I wasn't even close to pushing my car to the limits.

So much to learn yet.

If you all get a chance to drive at a track...do it! Just drive within your limits and you'll be okay.

Glenn

 

No photos.

Since it was raining and since we'd have to leave our belongings unattended at the pit area, we didn't bring our equipment.

g.

 

Awesome...

I wish I could join you guys out there. Well, will definitely see you at VIR though.

Now, it's time for you to try another kind of thrill in your MINI. Join us on May 10th for an autox.

 

We had a heck of a time. I have some video...... problem is that I lost the battery charger for the camera. 'll get one some time this week and edit the video and post it.

Thanks to Ed and Glen, we had a great time, and Ed it stop raining and the sun came out, 2 minutes before our last run, but at least we saw his face, not dry enough but a bit dryer.

 

Good fun at the track i must say. Shenandoah is a nice track, sans the large concrete walls looming and the muddy run-off areas.

This was my first track event without the mini. Seeing the minis zipping down the back straight made me miss mine. Well i missed it untill i hit the back straight and rocketed up to triple didgets, which i could never do in the mini Sadly the rain kept the r-comps on the trailer. Would have loved to see what the new MS3 can do with a proper tire.

i took a video of my last run. It is up on you tube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qEEvXTYvFU

See you all at the next event!

 

Awesome! Thanks for sharing.

You didn't seem to have the same problem on that last turn before the pits (turn 17?) as most of us did. Seemed everyone had happy tail in that section and no matter how slow or what angle I took that corner, my back always wanted to kick out.

And you're right about the speed. I think the max I did all day was in the 70s so you didn't miss your MINI there...but that was plenty for me.

Glenn

 

That Speed3 sounds Awesome. How are you liking it? BTW I owe you guys a drink in old Town.

 

Ya, i couldnt get the car to do anything but push the front around in the rain. My instructor said he went out in one of the minis and said it was very tail happy in the wet. Everyone was going crazy with the sliding on that turn. My buddy spun out in his miata on the like 5th lap or so on that turn.

70 in my mini felt like 100 though, as it was so tiny and low to the ground.

golden- yes you do! ha! hows that suspension working out for you? no regrets on the speed 3. The car has done nothing but impress me so far. With r-comps it is an absolute blast at auto-x. A lot of parts are starting to come out now to add some go-fast, but honestly it already has more power than you need, especially in a fwd car.

i did end up selling off the vibrant downpipe back exhaust though, and went with the mazdaspeed catback from the stealership. I like it a lot better, it is low toned when your cruising and a nice growl when your into it a bit.

mrmellow - are you autocrossing with CDC this year? I am assuming you had the yellow r56 that was out there. That was the first time i heard the newer mini on a track. It sounded really good when we were up on the bridge and you passed by on the middle straight! They definitly made that exhaust sound nice.

 

Yep, that was me.

It's funny because every time I drove under the bridge I was thinking to myself how cool my car must sound! Thanks for noticing.

I am getting peer pressure to do autocrossing so I'm sure I'll cave in eventually. Right now I'm content with just observing. Maybe I'll see you in Frederick in the coming weeks.

So who was your instructor? I had Klaus Hirtes....a treasure trove of great info.

g.