Just got back from a wicked time at Thunderhill Raceway in Willows, CA!!!! (It's about 100 miles North of Sactown) If you haven't experienced what a Z06 can do in a corner, you haven't lived!
My birthday was a few weeks ago, as my present my wife signed me up for their High Performance Driving School. It's a one day course on an AWESOME road course!!! It couldn't have been more smooth. I was surprised the only real rule was not to pass in the corners. Coming out of turn 7 was a solid 1/4 mile or more straightaway where we could pass. I was hitting 120 with no problem.
There was 77 cars divided into 3 groups, based on skill level (A, B & C, C was the fastest). There was your usual suspects -- a half a dozen vettes, a lot of porsches, audis, miatas, lotus, etc. Oh and one clown shoe. With the school I got five 20 minute sessions on the track with an instructor. Doesn't seem like much but it whooped my butt. The instructor was great! The instructors are all SCCA certified.
I've had my car since the 1st of the year, and absolutely love it. But not nearly as much as I do tonite!! Z06's are flat out amazing!!! If you have a chance to do something like this in your local area, DO IT!!!! If there's no where close by, Thunderhill is definitely worth the trip!!
I'm hooked and will be going back as soon as possible.
Well now it's the morning after and I still cant get the smile off my face.No bypass on turn 5.My instructor said 'Trust me,there is asphalt on the other side.Brake hard,turn hard and nail it.'
I was at Thunderhill the day before your class and drove the only Z06 that day. Yeah, it's an awesome track and it wiped me out by the end of the day. That was my first experience at that track and I would like to go again for sure.
Like with any new track, I was struggling in the first two sessions but slowly started to get familiar with the layout. By the end of the day I was getting better but I have much to improve. I got a tranny over temp warning in the last session and had to stop early.
I took rides with other drivers during their sessions and this one guy with a 911 said that he had been to Thunderhill about 40 times! His developed driving skills really showed on the track. I also got a ride with an instructor in an NSX. That was a crazy ride!
Let me know if you are looking for more track time at Thunderhill and I can refer you to the group that I went with. Hope to see you at an event soon.
Originally posted by levettegrl wonder if they have something like that here in the midwest/east coast...? bday present to MYSELF!
Yes we DO! It's called FATT (Friday At The Track) at Summit Point Raceway just outside of Charlestown, WV. Here's a link: http://www.bsr-inc.com/FATT.HTM
A bunch of us from the Md. metro area are signed up for Nov. 8th. We go up thurs., stay at a B&B and hit the track by 8:30am for four 20 minute track sessions. It might not seem like much, but you are tired at the end of the day! I hit 135 going down the straight!
Check out www.tracquest.com. Todd Serota does a great job with his driver education events. Dave B, his son, and I went up to Watkins Glen in May for two days of running flat out.
You are right, I am hooked, going to NHIS in a couple of weeks with about 6 of the NE bros for two days of running their 1.6 mile road course, not quite the Glen, but it will do in a pinch.
Great way to get to "drive it like you stole it..."
Big D,
Awesome! Like you I've had my car since Jan (6th to be exact). I'll be going to Willow Springs (the big track) on Sep 19. It'll be my 1st time at that track and 1st time taking the Z06 to a roadcourse. Having been to Buttonwillow a couple times with my Z28 I'm so looking forward to WSIR. I'm curious to know if you did any prep work on the car prior to running it at Thunderhill. Did you flush the brake fluid, install a trans coolor, or anything? How did the brakes hold up? Anybody want to chime in?
Thanks,
RT
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Black/Black C6 Z06, 1LZ Navigation: Thanks to Jason Walter at Ross Downing Chevrolet!!!
They have a pretty good website at www.thunderhill.com. All of their contact info and even nearby lodging info is included. Look for the High Performance Driving School. Thunderhill is 6 miles east of Willows CA. Approximately 100 miles north of Sacramento up I5. I would HIGHLY recommend going to this school. Not only was it educational, but it was a big time kick in the ass. Email me if you want more info.
All I did was had the oil changed a few weeks before and checked alll of the fluids. I went over their tech inspection list (which you can find on the website), the only thing I found the car was missing was a cover over the negative battery cable connection. So I snagged some black duct tape from another guy and we were off and racing.
When I got home I rechecked all fluids and oils. Everything was fine. The brakes were excellent. I didn't notice any brake fade just lots and lots of brake dust. The track was extremely clean--no rocks or pebbles. (I was very concerned about chips in my paint or rock dings in the windshield.)
I did learn a few tricks from watching the other guys, like duct tape over the front running lights in case of flying rocks. I noticed the other Z06's had removed the center cap and the little plastic covers on the lug nuts, but I didn't have any problems. I double checked the lug nuts to 100 lbs., ran 30 lbs of air pressure--real basic stuff--and the car was phenomenal! My instructor had never been in a Z06 and was blown away.
The Z06 truly is a car that ready to road race right off the showroom floor. I've read where other guys have had problems with tranny temp issues. It was 100 degrees that day, I drove it hard as hell, and didn't have even a hint of a problem.
For anyone on the east coast thats interested, I just did a two day event with my Z06 at Watkins Glen track in NY. The Car Guys run the event and it is also a blast 4-30min sessions each day with classroom time as well.
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It couldn't have been more smooth. I was surprised the only real rule was not to pass in the corners. Coming out of turn 7 was a solid 1/4 mile or more straightaway where we could pass. I was hitting 120 with no problem. 
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