I'm hoping to get in- and out- car video during the parade lap... I got 2 video cameras, but only one is small enough for inside or outside mounting, not both...

would be nice for a front and rear view clip... that would mean 3 cameras (outside front, inside front, inside face rear)..haha

 

If anyone is still interested in caravaning from
the South Bay to meet up with the Santa Cruz
folks at the Safeway:

Time: Between 4:45am and 5:00am
Place: The Fry's parking in Campbell (just off the the Hamilton exit of CA-17)

This should put us in Santa Cruz in time for the
the caravan starting from Safeway.

Please reply to this post or PM me so that I know
whether there will be anyone at the Fry's.

Also, could someone from the Santa Cruz caravan
exchange cell phone numbers with me so that we
can update you on any last-minute schedule changes.

Thanks!

 

There's a motorcycle cop that likes to hang out on the roads into Laguna. When you get close, keep it legal until you are on the track. I don't know if this is high enough profile an event to get his attention, but you don't want to find out the hard way. Many a fan has had their day start badly when they get a ticket on the way into the race.

Matt

 

AHHH!!! I can't wait!!! so excited!!!

 

Flying out in the morning ..... Drivn down PCH from San Fran at 11am ...

I'll be partying Tuesday Night , see you guys soon

 

I will be coming from Millbrae and plan on meeting up with the Santa Cruz caravan. As I understand it the meeting time in SC is 5:30-5:45. In the Safeway parking lot on Morrissey.

Wonderdrug did anyone pm you on meeting in Campbell? If not then let’s meet in SC.

PM me to exchange cell numbers.

 

I did not get any responses for the caravan from Campbell. So, I will probably just head down to SC, or maybe drive down tonight and find a Motel 6 somewhere (I'm not a morning person).

 

Hey Steve,
Glad to see that you can make it. Should be a good day to test out your latest mods!


See you all tomorrow, bright and early!

 

Thanks to all at Phil Wicks Driving Academy and all the instructors for putting on a great track day at Laguna Seca. Great day, great people, great food, great times!

Mike

 

I hope to hit it next year guys! Would love to see some photos and/or video though (hint, hint) .

 

Wow, it was a GREAT day at Laguna Seca! Will, Eric, Steve and I met in Santa Cruz at 5:45am and headed down to the track at 6am. We got there around 7am as the sun was coming up. As we came up the hill, I must say that it was pretty intimidating seeing Laguna Seca for the first time, especially knowing that I would be driving on the track later that morning. Here's Will, Steve, and Eric aka: The Santa Cruz Caravan.


This was my first track event and I was assigned to group 3 and Eric was in group 1. To me, it all seemed pretty hectic in the morning but things settled into a rhythm after the groups started heading out to the track. I had to share an instructor with another driver so I Eric was great to volunteer to ride along with me on my first session of the day. Driving around the track was a great experience, climbing up the hill through turns 5 and 6, we quickly made it to the top and I got my first look at the corkscrew. What a trip! Eric and I had about 4-5 laps and my speed (and confidence) was increasing. At the end of the session, I was so pumped up that I didn’t want to stop. This was the most fun I’ve had in a very long time!

Here's Steve (wearing my size meduim helmet!) heading out with Phil (Group 1) for a session in Will's car:


As the day went on I got to drive with my instructor and my speed kept increasing. Every session was better than the last. I wanted to keep pushing myself to go faster but kept remembering the 4 accidents and kept it to 90%.

The accidents, as I remember them:

• Some guy slid around turn 5 into the tires and totally smashed the passenger side of his car
• Group 2 guy rolled his Mini coming out of turn nine
• Group 2? driver wend into the kitty litter between 9 and 10 and flattened his tires
• Group 2? Driver when into the gravel on turn 3 and bent his rotors

Most memorable moment of the day:

• Randy holding his own against the yellow Corvette!

Here’s a short video of Randy on what I believe is lap 4 or 5. The vette was finally able to pass Randy and 2 laps later the supercharger belt on Randy’s car broke forcing him to pull into the paddock. Randy said the belt probably broke because the vette went into the gravel which caused a rock get between the belt and the pulley. Everyone was out on the pit wall there watching Randy. What a sight!

Then the day was over and we drove home through bumper to bumper traffic, back into the real world…

What a great day.

 

creeker, a BIG THANK YOU! I'm still downloading Randy in action. I've seen the guy before, and he is impressive for sure...

 

But four crashes! That's pretty high for a learning/teaching day... I've been to 5-10 track events with my NorCal Shelby club, and nothing worse than one off track excursion due to a bone head move on a red flag (guy stopped his car in the middle of the track, not the side, and a driver that hadn't gone by a flag station had to get creative to not hit him).

But sounds like fun... I'm bummed. I was north of Boston, and in Portland Maine. High temp was friggin cold, to use the scientific terms...

Matt

 

Can you confirm that everyone was ok following the accidents? I saw a report earlier today to that effect.

 

Everyone was okay.

Just returned. What an unbelievably great day. I'll post some photos of one of the crashed cars tomorrow.

 

Everyone was fine. Here's a bad picture of the car that bit it in turn 9.
There was a lot more damage and I'm sure the car was totaled.

 

Here are few photos of the MINI that rolled and one of the MINI that flattened two tires.

 

I'm glad that no one was injured, at least physically. I'm sure some are not feeling so well though, and that's understandable. I realize that not everyone who participated posts here on NAM, but it would be nice to hear some of the details that led to these mishaps... Any in-car footage?

 

Matt, yes the car-nage rate was quite high - definitely the highest number of wrecks that I've seen in 8 track days.
I spoke to all of the wrecked drivers - they're all ok.
- The rollover had a Schroth harness - said he was a bit sore, but was doing ok. Said the tail came out coming into 9, he tried to correct, then drive off straight, but went boom instead. Waylen may purchase it for a race car.
- The guy who slid into the wall (IB/W) had a new Rspeed sway bar on the middle setting. Said he experienced lift throttle oversteer coming out of six.
- The flattened tire guy (Group 1) was carrying too much speed down the hill and grazed the tire wall with the left rear and hooked something which unbeaded both tires. They were both reinflated (one bent rim) and he was going to drive home (slowly) on them.
- The bent rotor guy was on cold tires and just slid off.

There were a few other off track excursions, and one mechanical - a belt broke, and the tensioner snapped, galling the crank pulley. Props to Randy Webb for having the shiny new aluminum crank pulley, and taking the time to install it after the event (he was finishing up as I left at 6pm.)

At any other track day, an accident would be cause for pause, and a stern talking to. I was quite surprised that even a rollover didn't warrant a group sit-down, especially given the 'driving school' tenor of the event.

It sure was lots of fun though!! Highlight of the day was Randy taking my car for a few laps. I swear he went faster going into the track entry than I went all day! Drifted it all around the track like he was walking in the park. The second highlight was the corner worker telling me I had a nice, consistent line through the corkscrew.

 

Does anyone know who the owner of the Silver MCS that rolled or the Yellow MCS that got into the gravel on turn 3 are? I have video of both incidents.

 

Does anyone know the website for the Photographer that was there?

 

I would love to see that vid of the Silver MCS. I just missed the roll but did see the aftermath and the driver walking away from the incident. Pretty scary, glad he was alright.

 

Props to everyone that attended. We all learned something, even if it wasn't our experience. I have to say that the course workers where excellent. The guy at the top of the corkscrew was awesome. I think he really enjoys his job.

We had a long drive back to Phoenix yesterday but I must say that it was well worth drive and money. I'm ready for next year.

 

Ditto,

I had a GREAT time, ended up driving with 5 "students" as an instructor, took 5 people in "my" car for different runs in Group 1 and had a very successful event. I even went out and instructed in the right hand drive classic MINI, I had soo much fun in that thing, suprised me too

All of my students did well, this was an "advanced" event, not many "slow" cars after a few sessions ... Very challenging track, I have LOTS of video, includind\g Vacu-Cam and front and reverse chase Cam videos !!!!

Phil -in MSFIT's car- It did very well, very neutral handling JCW

The racers were sick-fast

 

It will be interesting to hear from Randy about this incident, I'm wondering if he again went against his own teachings and was running a 19% pulley. IIRC, that's what happened and caused his belt to break at the Mini Meet East meets West last year at Blackhawk Farms.

It is a cool video, especially when you hear the MCS before you see it!