View Single Post
      01-10-2017, 11:03 PM   #7
redpriest
Colonel
redpriest's Avatar
2146
Rep
2,527
Posts

Drives: 2011 M3/Porsche 992 GT3RS
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Bay Area, CA

iTrader: (0)

Garage List
Quote:
Originally Posted by MayorAdamWest View Post
At least in NorCal, NASA is literally the worst for HPDE. Crowded track, expensive, and super super unsafe drivers.
Was at Sonoma when a bunch of kids (literally - young teens, couldn't have been older than 15) in NASCAR stock cars were divebombing people in turn 11, in the advanced HPDE-4 group.

In a foreshadowing of the race that was happening the next week, where Tony Stewart forced Denny Hamlin into the wall at the same corner to win the race, I was forced to basically hug the wall at turn 11 to avoid hitting one of these kids as my turn in disappeared.

Fortunately I saw it coming, but for a few people who were brand new to HPDE-4, it unnerved them quite a bit. I'd never seen any one as pissed off as the gentleman in charge of that HPDE-4 group. The kids were using the session for obvious testing, as they had professional spotters in the grand stands, a crew chief, etc.

Was an interesting introduction to doing HPDE in a NASA event for sure. My first experience at NASA, lol.

Was also so crowded there was a Conga line going into turn 10, a high speed corner that people were doing 20 mph in the advanced group when the TT drivers shared it with us for two sessions. Bizarre experience all around.

Fastest lap I was able to pull during this two day circus was 1:59. I ran a 1:53 a couple weeks later in a less crowded HPDE.
__________________
'06 BMW M3 ZCP 6MT | JRZ RS Pro + Hyperco 650/750 | Epic Tune | Brembo 355mm BBK | too many to list
'11 BMW M3 ZCP DCT | Akra Evolution | Eventuri intake | MCS 3-way | 4.6L Carbahn S65 | Zebulon Aero | AP Racing Radi-CAL BBK by Essex | 305/645-18 Pirelli DHB
Porsche 992 GT3, 991.2 GT3RS, 718 Spyder
instagram.com/titomanlio
Appreciate 1
trackm4125.00