Watkins Glen Track Day

[newsvx]

Dan,
If you get to Summit, please look me up - I am only 20 min from the track.

As for groups that sponsor Subarus for track days at Summit, I don't know of any, HOWEVER, I belong to and have run with the Mercedes Club for about 15 years, and every year we have at least one track event, usually at Summit. This year, we had two track events - one at Summit and one at the Virginia International Raceway in Danville, VA (this is about a five hour drive south of me along the border of NC and VA. Great track. It is (in the configuration we have run) a 3.27 mile track with 17 turns AND a mile long straight. And smooth as glass! Nice changes in elevation too. Three quarters down the straight (after the Oak Tree hairpin turn - even the big 'Vettes can only make about 40 MPH exiting the turn to enter the straight), there is a "slight" rise where you can not see the last 1/4 mile of the straight - I am over 100 MPH at this point, and it is a bit disconcerting, to say the least. THEN at the end of the straight, there is a turn to the left, a turn to the right, another to the left and another to the right - while dropping 170 feet in elevation! They call the first part the "rollercoaster" , followed by the "hog Pen" . Check it out at http://www.virclub.com/guide/. You would love it!!

Again, let me know if you want come to Summit and run with the Mercedes club next year - the web site is http://www.gws-mbca.org/. We usually combine with another club for participants (cost this year was $180 for the day with four or five sessions at 20 min each), like the BMW and Audi clubs - one year we had Ferrari there with us!! What pieces of iron they are!! Beautiful cars put on the track running flat out - nothing like a Ferrari V-12 at song going down the straight!!
Anyway, keep up with the schedules on the site and "come on down"!! You "might" have to join the Mercedes Club, but that's not all bad at all.... And don't forget AUTOCROSS!!!

Harry

[benebob]

Glad you solved your overheating issue. Doesn't make sense that it just isn't getting enough air but if it works. How old is the rad? Might be time to upgrade to a griffith.

I'd still love to get ours out there but were still lacking the pass side safety equipment. Don't wanna spend $200 for a seat and harness that'll be used once or twice. Maybe I'll take my SVX out to get my "learning" done then take the racer one of these weekends. It'd be great to see 4-5 SVXs on the track together. Would make for some nice pics!

[newsvx]

Originally Posted by benebob

Glad you solved your overheating issue. Doesn't make sense that it just isn't getting enough air but if it works. How old is the rad? Might be time to upgrade to a griffith.

I'd still love to get ours out there but were still lacking the pass side safety equipment. Don't wanna spend $200 for a seat and harness that'll be used once or twice. Maybe I'll take my SVX out to get my "learning" done then take the racer one of these weekends. It'd be great to see 4-5 SVXs on the track together. Would make for some nice pics!

Ben,
It'll be like autocross - you won't be able to get enough - track time!! I'd love to see the racecar out on the track - my guess is that it would really do well!!

Harry

[TomsSVX]

I should be able to get out next season for a couple track days if I can get my suspension squared away. I now have a nice set of 245's Hoosiers with a designated set of wheels. Thnx Bill!! So I will be running next year if you guys want to setup a track day

Tom

[newsvx]

Originally Posted by TomsSVX

I should be able to get out next season for a couple track days if I can get my suspension squared away. I now have a nice set of 245's Hoosiers with a designated set of wheels. Thnx Bill!! So I will be running next year if you guys want to setup a track day

Tom

Tom,
Sounds good - can we count on Bill (Stock), Dave and Ben, and Dan? Who else? It will be Spring before we know when the Mercedes Club has the track at Summit next year. It is amazing how quickly they book that place - all tracks, in fact.

Harry

[newsvx]

Here's my "stock" SVX at Summit this summer .... On the Shenandoah Circuit - about 2 miles with 17 turns. We need more SVR'ers on the track!!
Harry

[benebob]

Originally Posted by newsvx

Ben,
It'll be like autocross - you won't be able to get enough - track time!! I'd love to see the racecar out on the track - my guess is that it would really do well!!

Harry

Well the problem is the seat time with an instructor and the whole thing about the instructor needs the same safety equipment as the driver. For use it would probably wait until we get our Solo Licenses thru hillclimbing next year.

I've done 3 track days but in nothing as nice as an SVX. They were all in NASCRAP cars.

[shotgunslade]

Harry:

I think it would be really fun to do an SVX meet at Summit Point next season. As it is such a drive, I would like to do a 2 day event. They have a thing called Friday at the Track "FATT" which provides instruction, and if there were a HPDE event on the Saturday following, we could get in both days. Will look at the 2007 Schedule as soon as it comes out and will announce on the network. I hope to do 10 to 12 track days next season, and will be planning on 2-day events at distant tracks like Watkins Glen and Summit Point.

By the way, PDA does some really great events at Pocono. If you see an All Tracks event on their schedule, you should definitely go. You will get 3 hours of seat time, two half hour sessions each on the East, North and South tracks. The real question will be whether you and your car will get through it undamaged. Both me and the car were on the ropes when I did it.

Ben:

You might be able to qualify out of the Novice class anyway, with your Autocross experience and if you spin your track-time resume the right way. That would get you past the seat issue. I would correspond with PDA and see what they say. They are pretty reasonable people. They're just there to have fun also.

Tom:

Car is back on the road. Camshaft angle sensor arrived today, is on the car, and it runs like a champ. You're a wizard. Will install Stage 2 v6 this weekend before Lime Rock on Monday.

[TomsSVX]

Originally Posted by shotgunslade

Tom:

Car is back on the road. Camshaft angle sensor arrived today, is on the car, and it runs like a champ. You're a wizard. Will install Stage 2 v6 this weekend before Lime Rock on Monday.

Just glad I could help man. Good luck with the off season, I know I will be busy

Tom