Just want to share - I took a high performance driving school at Pacific Raceways in Kent Washington.

The course was broken into 2 parts: 1) morning driving skills stuff and 2) afternoon laps on the race course.

I had no idea what to expect. The morning covered 3 basic exercises: 1) a crash avoidance maneuver, 2) slalom exercise and 3) BRAKING!

The best part was getting used to the ABS system in the braking exercise. You really see what it's like to try to maneuver while at 100% braking from 65 MPH. It's an amazing experience. If you've never done it (and I hadn't). It's worth going somewhere safe and trying it several times to get the hang of it.

Anyway, at lunch we watched as the afternoon lappers came on the course and raced around. HOLY CRAP! we all looked at each other (we students watching) thinking ..."no way we're going to do THAT".

The first exposure to the course was the instructor taking us around the course for 2 laps showing us the "lines" ie the correct path to take through the course. Then we did 2 very slow laps to just follow the line and learn the course. After that was the first of 3 sessions around the track.

The first session was without the outside afternoon lappers (the people that aren't in the class who come to just do laps). I seemed to have it down very well and after 2 or 3 laps I was pushing pretty hard. My instructor was constantly yelling "brilliant!" or "excellent line!" or things like that so I just went faster and faster.

Needless to say that very quickly I (and most of us for that matter) WERE doing what we saw at lunch. Whipping within a foot of the concrete wall accelerating into 4th (ie about 90 mph) going onto the straight. I'd get up to 115 as I bend off the straight, over a drop down into turn #2. You stay on the throttle all the way to the braking zone right before the corner.

Here I am flying at 115 DOWNHILL at a u turn and you only take your foot off the gas RIGHT BEFORE the corner. Needless to say you brake HARD!!!!! to get it back into 3rd to line up to get into the corner so you can accelerate out full speed an set up for the next turn.

I'm hooked. I've already signed up for additional lapping sessions.

For all you Seattle area folks...check the MINI site for they are having an Aug 28th driving course (exactly what I took) at a discount and hopefully with only MINIs there. I'll be there for the afternoon lapping session that day. I spoke with them today and they have 14 spots in the class still open (24 total students per day). If you ever wanted to try this, NOW is the time!!!

You only have to go as fast as you feel safe!!! it's NOT a race and everyone plays nice. You can only pass when waved by and you can only pass/get passed in certain areas. I was worried about damaging my car and I found that it's very very safe out there and you'd really have to screw up BIG time to get into trouble. Everyone had fun and even the gal in the Saab station wagon was flying down the striaghts at 100+ by the end of the day.

I highly recommend this class. It'll be the most fun you've ever had driving your beloved little car...I promise!!!



Picoman

 

sounds like you're totally hooked :smile:

Nicely written account of the day. Thanks.

 

Great write up. Track days can really spoil ya. I haven't done a track day yet in the Mini (only 8 weeks old), but have done Pacific Raceways track days several times on the bike. Favorite track I've been to. Great places for people to watch - like the bank overlooking the downhill to the switchbacks section you mentioned.
What kind of tires? & how'd they hold up?

 

Thanks for your experience. I did something very similar on a track in Hawaii in April 2003 and we have another sponsored track day on July 25th. The MCS is a great performer even in stock setup. Hopefully past the 1200 miles needed for breakin but some people break all the rules! Hard to believe.

Remember that you also need to be kind to your MINI and allow it to cool down between track sessions. Pop the bonnet and don't overdo braking. No need for too much brake fade, boiling brake fluid and warped rotors.

We only had one broken BMW 3 series by the end of the day out of about 30 cars, 7 were MCS and one a classic red mini with 40 HP (it was great in the slalom and on the turns).

 

Once you have done track, you can't wait to get back.

Pacific Raceway (the old SIR) is rates as one of my favorite tracks. It is an unusual track in that many portions of it (turns 3, 4, 4a and most of the back section) are like "real world" roads. They are not like most tracks I have been to and ad a really interesting feel. I am glad you had a good time and are spreading the word.

TRACK TIME IS GREAT TIME

 

Looking forward to getting a job so I can do it too. I've driven the track, but not at speed, as I volunteered for corner duty at a Motorcycle race day last year. Sitting on the inside of turn 3 as the SV 650's all come screaming down and lean in towards you is a real treat!

Note to self: Save up some dough for the first session of 2004... along with extra for new tires & brake pads when it's over.

Now the only hard part: Do I steal the wife's cooper CVT, or drive the hell out of my '85 MR2?!?

 

Is there a list somewhere that shows the location around the country of these places it always seems a million miles from where i am..

 

>>Is there a list somewhere that shows the location around the country of these places it always seems a million miles from where i am..

Try this place, they hav a pretty good list, although look like it's 3 years old now. Still has Pacific Raceways listed as Seattle International Raceway.

Race Track listing from North American Motorsports

:smile: