- News from Track Day at Sebring
01-05-2001, 10:02 AM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2000
Posts: 359
- Hey peoples, I just wanted to tell you all about my awesome track day at Sebring International Raceway!
- The event, through Chin Motorsports and the NSX Club of Florida was probably the most fun I have ever had in a moving vehicle. Despite record lows of 27 degrees that kept our tires cold, things went very well. First, the coolest thing about it is that no matter who you talked to, everyone liked cars. And I mean everyone! It was a gearhead's dream come true. The event was planned very well and included helmet rentals, tech inspections, a safety meeting, parade laps, and planned meals through the lovely Chateau Elan Hotel.
- For Novices, like myself, we had instructors who rode shotgun. I lucked out and got the best instructor, Mike Dunn, who holds a course record on Sebring, and who personal track car is a thoroughly gutted CRX. So needless to say, Mr. Dunn was very familiar with a FWD car.
- My Maxima, a lightly modified '96 SE, held up very well. The engine is so good that I often wondered if it was even working up a sweat. Everything still worked at the end of the day and the engine started up so easily that it was as if I had been running errands all day!
- I was one of two 4-doors there, the other being a last generation BMW M5. So my car was the tallest one there. If you looked down pit lane, you couldn't see any cars parked behind me because the car blocked 'em! Nonetheless, I managed to keep up with quite a few cars and even pass a few - all this on STREET TIRES!!! Yeah, Maxima! My kills/passes for the day included, a heavily modded Civic Hatchback (that, very surprisingly, was dead-even with me up to about 80mph), a Porsche 944 Turbo (passed him twice!), about two or three others who I can't remember, and almost anybody who was on a warm-down lap! ;-) My instructor even passed a Porsche 911!!! Now that's driving!
- The car, equipped with a RSB (tuned to maximum effect)and a FSTB displayed decent turn-in and moderate understeer. I only got the car to wag its tail out once and it recovered very quickly. Top speed on the track was 118mph on my speedometer. Perhaps if I could exit that last corner faster, I could have gotten it up to 120. The tall suspension contributed to some body roll that will only be eliminated when I install some Cattman Coilovers. The only weak point of the car seemed to be the brakes. The rotors stayed too hot (even in temperatures that hovered in the 30's) and caused me to boil the brake fluid after a while. [Anybody know anything about Brembo's or the Big Brake Kit?]
- Overall, the event was completely, utterly, totally awesome. I feel infinitely more confident in my driving ability - and that is the most important part of the event. If you all want some more info or want to check out the pictures from the event, go to NSXFlorida.com and scroll down to the link to the "Dec. 31st Track Day at Sebring" link. Chin Motorsports hosts a few of these events a year, mainly at Sebring or in the Southeast. A year's membership is $40 and the events usually cost $200-$300.
- As Dr. Chin, himself, put it. This is cheaper than a speeding ticket and much more fun!"
- The event, through Chin Motorsports and the NSX Club of Florida was probably the most fun I have ever had in a moving vehicle. Despite record lows of 27 degrees that kept our tires cold, things went very well. First, the coolest thing about it is that no matter who you talked to, everyone liked cars. And I mean everyone! It was a gearhead's dream come true. The event was planned very well and included helmet rentals, tech inspections, a safety meeting, parade laps, and planned meals through the lovely Chateau Elan Hotel.
- For Novices, like myself, we had instructors who rode shotgun. I lucked out and got the best instructor, Mike Dunn, who holds a course record on Sebring, and who personal track car is a thoroughly gutted CRX. So needless to say, Mr. Dunn was very familiar with a FWD car.
- My Maxima, a lightly modified '96 SE, held up very well. The engine is so good that I often wondered if it was even working up a sweat. Everything still worked at the end of the day and the engine started up so easily that it was as if I had been running errands all day!
- I was one of two 4-doors there, the other being a last generation BMW M5. So my car was the tallest one there. If you looked down pit lane, you couldn't see any cars parked behind me because the car blocked 'em! Nonetheless, I managed to keep up with quite a few cars and even pass a few - all this on STREET TIRES!!! Yeah, Maxima! My kills/passes for the day included, a heavily modded Civic Hatchback (that, very surprisingly, was dead-even with me up to about 80mph), a Porsche 944 Turbo (passed him twice!), about two or three others who I can't remember, and almost anybody who was on a warm-down lap! ;-) My instructor even passed a Porsche 911!!! Now that's driving!
- The car, equipped with a RSB (tuned to maximum effect)and a FSTB displayed decent turn-in and moderate understeer. I only got the car to wag its tail out once and it recovered very quickly. Top speed on the track was 118mph on my speedometer. Perhaps if I could exit that last corner faster, I could have gotten it up to 120. The tall suspension contributed to some body roll that will only be eliminated when I install some Cattman Coilovers. The only weak point of the car seemed to be the brakes. The rotors stayed too hot (even in temperatures that hovered in the 30's) and caused me to boil the brake fluid after a while. [Anybody know anything about Brembo's or the Big Brake Kit?]
- Overall, the event was completely, utterly, totally awesome. I feel infinitely more confident in my driving ability - and that is the most important part of the event. If you all want some more info or want to check out the pictures from the event, go to NSXFlorida.com and scroll down to the link to the "Dec. 31st Track Day at Sebring" link. Chin Motorsports hosts a few of these events a year, mainly at Sebring or in the Southeast. A year's membership is $40 and the events usually cost $200-$300.
- As Dr. Chin, himself, put it. This is cheaper than a speeding ticket and much more fun!"
01-10-2001, 10:11 PM
#3
Guest
Posts: n/a
your wrong.
Wrong reason number 1.
It was much colder the 27 in that motorhome!!
#2
ther was a IS300 there too which last time i checked was also 4 door.
#3
I caught you and you had to flag me by ha ha ha ha.
#4
This one isn't wrong but I was very impressed matt you kicked the crap out of that T2 Cobra. espically on the first day.
It was much colder the 27 in that motorhome!!
#2
ther was a IS300 there too which last time i checked was also 4 door.
#3
I caught you and you had to flag me by ha ha ha ha.
#4
This one isn't wrong but I was very impressed matt you kicked the crap out of that T2 Cobra. espically on the first day.
01-12-2001, 07:50 AM
#4
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2000
Posts: 359
Well...
Originally posted by UntouchableMX-5
Wrong reason number 1.
It was much colder the 27 in that motorhome!!
#2
ther was a IS300 there too which last time i checked was also 4 door.
#3
I caught you and you had to flag me by ha ha ha ha.
#4
This one isn't wrong but I was very impressed matt you kicked the crap out of that T2 Cobra. espically on the first day.
Wrong reason number 1.
It was much colder the 27 in that motorhome!!
#2
ther was a IS300 there too which last time i checked was also 4 door.
#3
I caught you and you had to flag me by ha ha ha ha.
#4
This one isn't wrong but I was very impressed matt you kicked the crap out of that T2 Cobra. espically on the first day.
- Just for the record, Ian, I would like to point out that I allowed you to pass me going into the hairpin because I knew that your heavily modded, comp tired, coil-overed Miata would spank the crap out of my skyscraper-tall sedan in the twisties. But bring it on for the straights! ;-)
- Yes, there was an IS300, who was technically NOT signed up for the day. He was one of the tech guys who was allowed to take his car out because he wanted to show his student how to drive. Keep in mind that automatic cars were not allowed to sign up.
- Yes, temperatures did drop below 27 degrees, but my Floridian mind cannot comprehend anything colder. ;-)
- Yes, I spanked that race-prepped Cobra, but it was either because he was on a cool-down lap, or because his kid was driving and didn't want to power oversteer off by the hairpin.
- Yes, you are a punk!
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