Day 6 Tuesday 27th Sept. The day I'd been waiting for! Laguna Seca!
A typical early start with a scorching day forecast ahead. Elizabeth and I get there at 7.30am, sign on and then wait for Ivan, the owner of our ride for the day, the Sepang Bronze Z4M Roadster. Ivan arrived after a short while, we had a chat and I made it clear that it was his baby and that he was in charge!
The day was organised by 'Hooked On Driving' splitting the day between 4 groups who would each drive a number of sessions through the day. There were a number of differences compared to UK based trackdays, with an emphasis on improving your driving skills to move up from A (beginner), B, C and eventually through to D (expert). After each session on track there were 'download sessions' with your group instructor talking you through a video of a perfect lap, later in the day he followed different drivers with front and rear video on his car so that the group could then analyse lines and technique. Much more structure than our European days, maybe not as much fun, but it is safer and a better learning environment, I'm not sure that Tom and I would get away with your sliding antics!? Windows had to be down so that clear arm signals could be given, with overtaking zones clearly marked at 3 points of the track only. Not sure I'd fancy driving with my windows down in January at Snetterton?! Out here it worked well, with the 100mph breeze most welcome in the heat.
I was happy to be passenger with Ivan for the first two sessions in 'B' group, I was a bit naughty by taking a couple of quick photos and a video from my phone which quite rightly got us black flagged, I think they let me off once they knew it was the British tourist getting holiday snaps! Ivans driving was smooth and we kept up with others in the group with no problem, overtaking plenty too. I was impressed with the standard brakes which stood up to 20+ minutes hard driving in what was a very hot day (past 30 degrees in the shade). It was my turn to take the wheel for the third session, just before lunch. Laguna Seca is a circuit I've wanted to drive for decades, I was so excited! Very conscious I was in a new friends car on a circuit that's new to me and still a bit fuzzy headed from the cold, therefore I drove briskly but carefully. Ivan had new tyres put on before the event so I restricted any sliding to just a few moments out of turn 11. :wink:
A brilliant experience, the corkscrew is superb, you can't see the right hander such is the drop, you just have to guess and chuck the car down the slope. Being completely standard this car felt different to mine, with less powerful brakes and softer suspension but still familiar. Ivan kindly said I could drive the car again in the afternoon, but with my sensible head on I politely declined. Not feeling 100% and having not broken anything it was better to want more than have any kind of disaster.
Elizabeth had signed on as a passenger and I chatted to the instructor who was happy to take her out for some laps, in the end she did two separate stints in the Audi TT RS, the second when chasing other cars to get video footage, coming back with a big grin.
Lunchtime was an opportunity to drink more water and visit the well stocked merchandise store where I stocked up on a years supply of new T shirts!
More passenger laps in the pm with Ivan which was great fun, the M really is quick and we had a number of different drivers come over and chat to ask about it (fairly rare to see M roadsters on track this side of the pond too it seems). Beth and I walked up the dusty, parched hill to look at the Corkscrew up close then back to the paddock to buy photos.
I've chatted before to Tom about wanting to own a V8 at some stage in the future and I couldn't leave without asking for a go in a Corvette. I introduced myself to an older guy with a mean looking C6 Grandsport Centennial edition and asked for a pax lap and for the next 20 minutes enjoyed 430bhp and 6.2 litres of V8 growl, yeeeaaahhhh!
The kindness of strangers amazes me sometimes, Ivan had never met me, we'd exchanged just a few emails and yet he was happy to trust me with his pride and joy. the guys at Hooked On Driving were excellent and didn't charge me anything except the helmet hire (no charge for Elizabeths helmet). Almost all the Americans we'd met on the holiday had been so welcoming and friendly, interested to hear where we were from. The guys at the trackday had been the friendliest bunch yet.
I hope to be able to return the favour in my car when Ivan and his girlfriend visit Europe next year.
Shower and change at the hotel and out into Monterey for dinner at Bubba Gump Shrimp! Yup, a franchise had been set up after the Forrest Gump film success with branches in a number of major cities across the world. We knew what to expect, it wasn't going to be high quality cuisine but it could be fun. We both ordered different shrimp dishes and chuckled at all of the Forrest Gump references on the menu, walls, signs, TVs, everywhere! OMG we were stuffed, I LOVE Shrimp but it was almost too much for me to finish (almost
). I'd not had a milkshake yet on the trip and as this is also a favourite of mine I couldn't not have one when we passed a traditional diner, so we both had milkshakes as dessert. A good job they built the Mustang with suspension to cope with fatties!
Back to the hotel in Monterey to browse US ebay and other motoring sites looking at Corvette prices........hee hee. A brilliant day, one we will always remember.
The only video I have sadly (Ivan hadn't set a camera up in his car yet)
https://www.facebook.com/david.smitheram.7/videos/10153785478767102/
A typical early start with a scorching day forecast ahead. Elizabeth and I get there at 7.30am, sign on and then wait for Ivan, the owner of our ride for the day, the Sepang Bronze Z4M Roadster. Ivan arrived after a short while, we had a chat and I made it clear that it was his baby and that he was in charge!
The day was organised by 'Hooked On Driving' splitting the day between 4 groups who would each drive a number of sessions through the day. There were a number of differences compared to UK based trackdays, with an emphasis on improving your driving skills to move up from A (beginner), B, C and eventually through to D (expert). After each session on track there were 'download sessions' with your group instructor talking you through a video of a perfect lap, later in the day he followed different drivers with front and rear video on his car so that the group could then analyse lines and technique. Much more structure than our European days, maybe not as much fun, but it is safer and a better learning environment, I'm not sure that Tom and I would get away with your sliding antics!? Windows had to be down so that clear arm signals could be given, with overtaking zones clearly marked at 3 points of the track only. Not sure I'd fancy driving with my windows down in January at Snetterton?! Out here it worked well, with the 100mph breeze most welcome in the heat.
I was happy to be passenger with Ivan for the first two sessions in 'B' group, I was a bit naughty by taking a couple of quick photos and a video from my phone which quite rightly got us black flagged, I think they let me off once they knew it was the British tourist getting holiday snaps! Ivans driving was smooth and we kept up with others in the group with no problem, overtaking plenty too. I was impressed with the standard brakes which stood up to 20+ minutes hard driving in what was a very hot day (past 30 degrees in the shade). It was my turn to take the wheel for the third session, just before lunch. Laguna Seca is a circuit I've wanted to drive for decades, I was so excited! Very conscious I was in a new friends car on a circuit that's new to me and still a bit fuzzy headed from the cold, therefore I drove briskly but carefully. Ivan had new tyres put on before the event so I restricted any sliding to just a few moments out of turn 11. :wink:
A brilliant experience, the corkscrew is superb, you can't see the right hander such is the drop, you just have to guess and chuck the car down the slope. Being completely standard this car felt different to mine, with less powerful brakes and softer suspension but still familiar. Ivan kindly said I could drive the car again in the afternoon, but with my sensible head on I politely declined. Not feeling 100% and having not broken anything it was better to want more than have any kind of disaster.
Elizabeth had signed on as a passenger and I chatted to the instructor who was happy to take her out for some laps, in the end she did two separate stints in the Audi TT RS, the second when chasing other cars to get video footage, coming back with a big grin.
Lunchtime was an opportunity to drink more water and visit the well stocked merchandise store where I stocked up on a years supply of new T shirts!
More passenger laps in the pm with Ivan which was great fun, the M really is quick and we had a number of different drivers come over and chat to ask about it (fairly rare to see M roadsters on track this side of the pond too it seems). Beth and I walked up the dusty, parched hill to look at the Corkscrew up close then back to the paddock to buy photos.
I've chatted before to Tom about wanting to own a V8 at some stage in the future and I couldn't leave without asking for a go in a Corvette. I introduced myself to an older guy with a mean looking C6 Grandsport Centennial edition and asked for a pax lap and for the next 20 minutes enjoyed 430bhp and 6.2 litres of V8 growl, yeeeaaahhhh!
The kindness of strangers amazes me sometimes, Ivan had never met me, we'd exchanged just a few emails and yet he was happy to trust me with his pride and joy. the guys at Hooked On Driving were excellent and didn't charge me anything except the helmet hire (no charge for Elizabeths helmet). Almost all the Americans we'd met on the holiday had been so welcoming and friendly, interested to hear where we were from. The guys at the trackday had been the friendliest bunch yet.
I hope to be able to return the favour in my car when Ivan and his girlfriend visit Europe next year.
Shower and change at the hotel and out into Monterey for dinner at Bubba Gump Shrimp! Yup, a franchise had been set up after the Forrest Gump film success with branches in a number of major cities across the world. We knew what to expect, it wasn't going to be high quality cuisine but it could be fun. We both ordered different shrimp dishes and chuckled at all of the Forrest Gump references on the menu, walls, signs, TVs, everywhere! OMG we were stuffed, I LOVE Shrimp but it was almost too much for me to finish (almost
). I'd not had a milkshake yet on the trip and as this is also a favourite of mine I couldn't not have one when we passed a traditional diner, so we both had milkshakes as dessert. A good job they built the Mustang with suspension to cope with fatties!Back to the hotel in Monterey to browse US ebay and other motoring sites looking at Corvette prices........hee hee. A brilliant day, one we will always remember.
The only video I have sadly (Ivan hadn't set a camera up in his car yet)
https://www.facebook.com/david.smitheram.7/videos/10153785478767102/
We had hours of the stuff which was a shame, so a stop for some sickly sweet sodas and on we went again.
1066 Country
:trampoline: :titshake: :happyclap:
