Maxine Takes Me to Driving School

[OldJedi]

Maxine turned 1501 miles as we made the final turn towards Homestead Race Track. I had signed us up for a driving school given by "Hooked on Driving" and today was the day. Erik from Torq Automotive was there also to test some new performance goodies that he had added to his ZL1. After registration, we attended a 45 minute classroom session for first time drivers. The moderator colorfully described how easy it was to crash if you drove beyond yours or your car's ability. Instructors were assigned to each of the new students and would accompany us on all five 25 minute sessions.

I was in class 'C' for beginning drivers. Cal was my instructor and I found out he has the patience of a saint. Our class was called and we eased out on to the track. I wanted to drive Maxine fast but really did not want to crash my baby into a wall. Being nervous cannot begin to describe my feeling as we edged to the start. We took the first two laps at medium speed and then Cal coached me to go faster. I concentrated on his instructions and looked for my brake markers. Turned in hard on my apexes and powering out the turns. Speed was building and so was my confidence. we completed the 5th lap when there was a full course black flag. We came off of the back straight and entered turn 10 and saw a new Jaguar had gone into the tire wall very hard and sustained serious rearend damage. I raised my fist signaling that I was going into the pits.

The second session went a little bit better. I was braking harder and hitting my marks. I could smell my brakes and I was glad that I had upgraded my brake fluid to DOT4, the OEM DOT3 fluid would have boiled on this track.

Lunch Time, and the school set out a great catered Bar-B-Que spread.

The third session came and Maxine and i were doing a little bit better. Actually Maxine was just out doing her thing and I was the one trying to learn her true capabilities. I looked at the gas gauge and was amazed to see that I had used up 3/4's of a tank of gas in 3 sessions. I went to get gas at the track until I saw it was $8.50 a gallon. I jumped outside and got gas at a Chevron station and came back.

The fourth session was horrible! A total lack of concentration and driving ability. I had managed to pass a BMW M3 in the straight before turn 9 and then totally missed down shifting before the turn and wound up taking the hairpin out of gear and wide without power. Stabilitrac came up in the HUD and said "I just saved your ass dummy". I expected Cal to get out the car and walk home.

For the fifth and last session, I was determined to make amends for the last time out. It became overcast and the track cooled to a balmy 98 degrees. My goal was to show Cal that all of his instructions were not wasted after all. I concentrated and hit my marks and braked harder. I passed the Mustang GT on the second lap. I kept mistakes to a minimum and managed to pass the CTS-V. Only a few laps to go and the Z06 was all that remained in my sights, literally! As I was going down the inside course straight the Vette was right in the middle of my HUD. The round tach display looked like a gun sight and the Vette was in the middle as I aimed for him. I gained ground with each turn until he took turn 9 a little too wide and I knew I had him. I cut the turn perfectly and headed for the back straight hot on his tail. When he could not accelerate away from me, I knew I had him. He gave me the signal to pass and I led him into turn 10. Through the S turns and then up on to the front straight. Cal warned me not to look in the rear mirrors. I hit the end of the straight at 103, tapped the brakes and dove into turn 1. Hit the brakes hard and turned in. The checkered flags came out and the session was over. I slowed down and finished the cool down lap. My first laps were 2:01, I ended with three consecutive 1:54 laps.

Pete from Pedders had once told me that I really should track the ZL1 at least once to see it's true potential. He was so right, thanks Pete. This car just yearns to be driven. If you get a chance to take a driving school in your Z, do it, you won't regret it. Thanks Team Camaro, you built a phenomenal car.

[armysig]

Great write up, looks like you had a lot of fun.

[Pappa Joe]

Sweet! nice pics too!

[IROC U]

Way to go Jedi!!!

[rpepka]

Where is the driving school?

[Brutal SS]

Awesome! Dedicated to all those who said, "Aww, nobody is gonna buy a ZL1 and actually track it.".

[1954 Belair-man]

Thats a great write-up and it looks like so much fun.

[Happy_Dan]

Nice write up! Did the instructor take you for a ride? Just when you think you are getting to be a racer, it's great to have an instructor take you for a ride and you realize you aren't. LOL

Sounds like another road course convert! Congratulations, go to more and have fun!

[Z4me]

Very nice Jedi, I plan on doing the same once i get my car over the 1500 mile mark. Great write up thx for sharing your first exp at the track .

[Z69]

Jedi we met over at Towers a couple weeks ago!!! Nice to see you finally opened her up!!! And on the track that is awesome!!! Hopefully I will soon have my ZL1 on the track as well enjoying her to the full potential!!! Congratulations on your fun run hopefully we will be be doing the same together soon

[SlingShot]

Sounds like a lot of fun, and would beat the 0-45 if your lucky around here.

[Blitz]

Very cool!!

... hate to be the guy with the Jag, that would be my biggest fear.

[OldJedi]

To catch up with some of your replies:

The school is put on by "HOOKED ON DRIVING". I got the information from Erik at Torq Automotive and they have a web site as well. They charged $300.00 for the day and put an instructor in the car with you for the entire 2 hours you spend driving the five sessions and it included lunch. The instructors concentrate on safety, learning techniques and having fun at the same time. Plus these pictures were furnished by a couple of the volunteer photographers that were there who had access to the track. I felt it was a very well spent $300.00 and will do it again. They also hold schools at PBIR and Daytona.

After having babied the car for the past 3 months it was wonderful to listen to her wind out on the straights, man she sounds good! The brakes were flawless, I never felt any fade at all. I kept the suspension in 'Sport' mode and did not get into the PTM settings. As I get better, I will let her teach me what she can really do. I have to admit that when I entered turn 10 and saw the silver Jag with a dislocated trunk and bright yellow transfer paint all over the rear end, it was very disconcerting. But the Z never broke loose no matter how badly I screwed up. She just helps you build confidence with each lap and rewards you when you do things correctly.

Z69, I do do remember that we parked next to each other before the storms came through. Hooked on Driving has as a school next month at PBIR, but I am taking Maxine to CF3 in Indy in August.

The instructors did not take any of us for a ride in our cars but I would like to see what the car is truly capable of achieving in the hands of a true professional driver. I have been in a ZR1 with an instructor from Ron Fellows School. I quickly realized that I knew very little about performance driving and to always take an extra pair of underwear with you just in case.

Thanks for all of the kind comments. Yes it was a hell of a lot of fun !! Even though they kept saying that there would not be any racing, it was extremely satisfying passing somebody on the course. At the end of the day I was looking for a representative from the Rolex GT series that I knew wanted to sign me up as a driver, we must have just missed each other.

I have a much deeper respect for endurance drivers now. It takes a great deal out of you to concentrate turn after turn, brake mark after brake mark for hours at a time. I was tired after each 25 minute session much less after a couple of straight hours.

I would be remiss if I did not put some "THANK YOU'S" out there for everyone to read. First, thank you Team Camaro, Scott, Al, Cheryl, John, the engineers and everyone at the Camaro plant that builds a truly great automobile.

My wonderful wife Leslie that has watched me obsess about this car for over two years now. She was out in the heat all day Saturday taking pictures and video taping me going round and round and round.

Erik, from Torq Automotive for many words of advice and loaning me a helmet.

And thanks to all of you for being such great friends and comrades, I hope to see you at CF3.

[Frankzl1]

Originally Posted by rpepka

Where is the driving school?

+++1 i would love to take the same class - please provide info when you can

Thanks!!!!