Tuesday and Wednesday a group of us got together for a track day at NHIS for a great time with SCDA. We had the opportunity to spend 4 sessions each day 2 - 25 minute and 4 - 30 minute sessions on a 1.6 mile road course. What a blast and what a car.
MDickie, Dave Bernasconi, Speedracer, DanA, Baron and I represented Z06VETTE.COM very well. Unfortunately I could only spend Tuesday at the track.
November 8th the same group will be running a program at Limerock, I highly recommend it. The entire program was first class with all activities going off on time.
Tomorrow I will post a link for pictures from this event for all to enjoy. I am sure you will hear from the other guys regarding their experiences as well.
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2002 Black/ModRed Z06
2001 Chestnut F150 King Ranch
2000 Speed Yellow Porsche Boxster
NCM Member 11796
Want to echo your comments, should have stayed for day 2, we got just that much better.
Although I did not "kill a cone" this time, I did spin my Z at the end of day 1 in "the bowl" (a downhill-uphill hairpain). No damage to the car, although my ego took a beating. Recovered nicely on day 2 though with a new instructor who showed me a line I was very comfortable with, and it made a world of difference.
Dan and Jeremy were off the charts with their skill and speed on this very technical course, had to let them by everytime.
On day 2 after my last session I was approached by a gentleman who was running a stock 93 or 94 C4, who I had passed at one point in the session. He proceeds to tell me that his instructor was a BMW guy who was very impressed with his C4 and its power and speed. As we enter the main straight he points me by and the instructor tells him to back off the accelerator to let me go. His response was "we don't have to worry about that" as I blasted by in 3rd. Evidently the instructor's mouth just hung open amazed at the acceleration the 01 Z going by them while they were under full acceleration. Made me feel very good.
BTW guys, spoke to Ian Prout, the organizer for the event, who had very nice things to say about all the Z drivers. When he saw the attendee list and saw all the Z's on the list he was worried, but after day 1 he was very impressed with the car and the group of drivers for our skill, courtesy, and overall abilities on the track. He wanted me to pass this on.
Overall it was a ball, great to see everyone, great event, too damm hot, but fun none the less.
Blast is an understatement. I can't even describe how much fun it was. This car is truly amazing. No one in our run group could even come close to the performance of the Z. The only time I had anyone in my rear view mirror was when we were bunched up. Cars like Porsches, Supras, and a Cobra replica weren't even close as they were forced to wave us by. I pushed and pushed this car and just asked for more. The only downside was the 280+ trans temp and 300 oil temp during the 3rd and 4th runs. I also noticed the car seemed to get quicker as the day went on - I was spinning the tires a little on the front straight every time during my 3-4 upshift.
We had a black flag and a spin among us - I like to see that aggressive driving when no damage is done. The guilty parties can explain...
It was great to hang out with such a great bunch of guys too. I'm gonna look into signing up for the Lime Rock day as well. It will be nice to have the shorter drive.
I'll drink to that!! A great group Of Z06VETTE.com guys and A great event put together by SCDA. There's so much that happens that you tend to forget and every now and then it comes back. And the one thing that came back to me was the following. First I'm an absolute novice. Second, the Z06 makes even me look half way decent!!! Any ways, there are only 3 passing zones, front straight, then a chicane later the back straight and then after a kinda hairpin turn there's a up/downhill straight. Then you have to wait for about a 1/3 more track before you hit the front straight again. A good percentage of the time the faster cars get to pass on the front straight when your in a 4 or 5 car train. At the end of the straight you'll have a rabbit, BMW or in this one case a green Porsche. Now I was betting he was planning on eating my Z for lunch going through the south chicane. NOT!!! I took him atleast 4 or 5 car lengths coming out of the chicane and when I punched it for the back straight I was braking for the hairpin turn and he was maybe 50 feet past the chicane! It was like I'll beat yuh in the corners and I'll freggin woop yuh down the straights!! After navigating the rest of the track finally saw him again just starting onto the front straight as I was setting up for the chicane at the south end of it!! I understand Dan (who was moved up from the novice class to the intermediate class) put a thorough woopin on ANYTHING that moved on the track!! I think the Zs opened a few eyeballs at NHIS!!! And freggin lovin it!!!!
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01 Black Z06, Kirban shifter, Halltech TRIC, FLP headers, high flow cats
Here is an email I received from Ian Prout of SCDA regarding the Z06Bros at NHIS this week.
I think we impressed him quite a bit.
Dear Larry
A big THANK YOU To you and the rest of the Corvette crowd. You guys all did a great job, and it was a pleasure to have you and your friends run with us. I really was impressed with how you all drove.
The two last SCDA Events for 2002 are Monday, October 7 @ NHIS and Friday, November 8 @ Lime Rock Park.
Registration is open for both events, and applications can be downloaded on www.scda1.com
FYI... please have any interested parties get the applications in sooner rather than later, as space will be limited at both events. As of now, they are both open for all run groups.
Kind Regards to you and your group,
Ian Prout
Sports Car Driving Association, LLC
2 Prospect Street
Essex, CT 06426 www.scda1.com
860-767-2638
Cell 860-961-9944
Wow, what an amazing two days. I left all my cleaning stuff home on orders from my Z06 friends!! Hopefully, I showed them that I can drive the car as well. The others have described things quite accurately. These cars made us look really good. I thought we were quite humble and were very courteous to everyone. This is what the organizers were happy with.
Ok, I confess to the one black flag. It seemed like in the Novice class I was in a train all day. I would pass two or three cars in each of the three "legal" passing zones then get to the passing zone for advanced drivers only and have a car setup perfectly to pass there and have to wait all the way to the front straight. Finally, my instructor (who was awesome and really pushed me hard to get faster) said take em, a few times in the zone we weren't supposed to pass. I was black flagged and got to have a quick chat with Ian. Funny part of the story is that I saw the black flag and the instructor didn't. After that run, my instructor made me move to intermediate only after I told him I didn't want ot be in advanced just yet!! I wanted to work on what he helped me with at a more relaxed pace. I loved it.
I have a few picture at www.abbene.com under the phot galleries. Not many, I was too busy!
Thanks to all my vette friends and Thom with the Camaro SS that hung with us. It was great to be with everyone!
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Dan Abbene Clubs
SSOA F99-1977 WWCC NASA
Gorgeous cruisin' passenger (Grace)
Last edited by DanA_F99_1977 : 08-16-2002 at 09:54 AM.
All I can say is WATCH OUT FOR DAVE B! I spent a day with him a few Z members, and Justin Bell here in Florida last year and he is 1 heck of a driver...
Nice tuh hear from you Les! I've gotta say Dan's got be beat so far! But I did sign up for the drags at the Z06fest weekend. I HOPE I DON't draw your number!!! How are things in the South? Hope life's been good to yuh! We'll tip a few at Bowling Green!!!!
Originally posted by Dave Bernasconi Nice tuh hear from you Les! I've gotta say Dan's got be beat so far! But I did sign up for the drags at the Z06fest weekend. I HOPE I DON't draw your number!!! How are things in the South? Hope life's been good to yuh! We'll tip a few at Bowling Green!!!!
Thanks Dave! You are pretty good youself and Jeremy is very good too. The cars make us all look better than we are. LOL.
By the way, I really suck at drag racing!! Smooth don't work so good in the 1/4.
Like I said before, Dan. The Z brothers done real good at NHIS! I think Mark has a good picture of most of the Vettes that were at NHIS. Each one can be very proud of a job well done.
Great day at NHIS. Wound up not feeling well( after lunch and a hell ride in my instructors race-ready M3 BMW....) My car handled perfectly. My instructor was very aggresive, and pushed me and the car to my max. That old saying "you need to go slow to go fast"is 100% true. Talk about late braking! Wow. I was shifting from 4th to 3rd at the #4 and than hard on the brakes at the # 3 marker ( at the end of the frt straight). My instructor drove his M3 at full throttle right past the #2 marker, and than BRAKED(at about #1.5)! I thought,"we're going straight through the cones, but, hard on the brakes and into the chicane. Awesome.
My original plan was to go up there and take it easy. Find the limits of the ZO6. See what it felt like when it did break loose, etc. But once there, with an aggressive instructor,I really feel like I abused my car. It was the hardest I have driven it in 13,000 miles. I hit the rev limiter at least 3 times(can't here the motor with the helmet on , and too busy trying to find my braking and shift points to look at the tach( Rookie mistakes). My tires do not look the same( and won't until I replace them). If I am going to continue to do this, I think I will invest in another set of wheels and tires to abuse on the track. Other than feeling lousy( never eat hot dogs ,cookies and a coke, and go for a ride in a race car. ) I had a great day, and a wonderful learning experience.Looking forward to the next one.
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My 16th Corvette. 2001 ZO6. Lowered 2 in,04 shocks, HRE 547s, Mich Pilots,Eradispeeds, TPIS,Borla ,Cartek 2X, Blackwing/Power Duct,LS1 Edit,Kirban, DRM Roll Bar,Sparco, Specter Werkes rear facia and C5-R Hdlts, ACI splitter. 515 HP/471 TQ CSX1965@comcast.net
Those rides are great. I got a ride in a Z06 with Ruppert Bragg-Smith. I had a light lunch and didn't feel well after that ride! LOL. I know how you feel.
Day 1, I was braking at number 3 and getting yelled at by my instructor for coasting before braking at 3 and then not braking hard hard enough. Day 2, braking very hard at 2 and hoping I was going to make that first turn. Sideways a few times and learned that sideways is good when it is pointing you in the right direction. Hit the gas hard and it straightened me out in the right direction. Really, the best lesson I learned this session was on the brake or on the gas. Never coast. Also, when on the brakes, get on them hard and then get off!
Hey Baron, I found out what it was like to "break it loose", as I spun it 180 degrees in the bottom of the bowl. Its amazing how nice and smooth the car spun from the outside of the track to the inside of the track.
Certainly shook my confidence a little, but I got right back on the horse the next morning and drove better and better with each session on day 2.
Man what a good time...
A couple of shots...
6 Zs and a coupe
The requisite banner shot, Jeremy (Speedracer) out on the left, Baron, Larry (Vintage53), Dave B., me, and Dan A.
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Any ways, there are only 3 passing zones, front straight, then a chicane later the back straight and then after a kinda hairpin turn there's a up/downhill straight. Then you have to wait for about a 1/3 more track before you hit the front straight again. A good percentage of the time the faster cars get to pass on the front straight when your in a 4 or 5 car train. At the end of the straight you'll have a rabbit, BMW or in this one case a green Porsche. Now I was betting he was planning on eating my Z for lunch going through the south chicane. NOT!!! I took him atleast 4 or 5 car lengths coming out of the chicane and when I punched it for the back straight I was braking for the hairpin turn and he was maybe 50 feet past the chicane! It was like I'll beat yuh in the corners and I'll freggin woop yuh down the straights!! 
, but, hard on the brakes and into the chicane. Awesome.
, and too busy trying to find my braking and shift points to look at the tach( Rookie mistakes). My tires do not look the same( and won't until I replace them). If I am going to continue to do this, I think I will invest in another set of wheels and tires to abuse on the track. Other than feeling lousy( never eat hot dogs ,cookies and a coke, and go for a ride in a race car. 
) I had a great day, and a wonderful learning experience.Looking forward to the next one.
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