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AUSMHLY
Yoda
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Well guys, I finally did it. I got my car on a race track!
Here's a link to infineon vintage csrg
and here
Last weekend I attended the infineon vintage car races in Sonoma California.
I didn't race my car, but I did park next to the paddock area and take my car on the track. Here's the scoop.
The race schedule will be interrupted mid-day each day with Track Rides for Charity and track parades of Vintage sports cars. The Track Rides for Charity are an event in which anyone 16 or older can experience three laps of the track, at speed, in a Vintage race car of their choice, at a cost as low as $50. The track parades are open to any car that is eligible for the Car Club Corral
in the Paddock, with a limit of 75 cars each day.
From 11:00-12:00, one could be a passenger in a vintage race car of your choice, for a nominal fee between $50-$150 depending on the car. I of course choose to ride in the tri carb 100-6. I'm so glad I did, for it showed me another side of what a Healey really can do in the right hands! (Right Dougie)
My mechanic tells me to stop babying the car. Well, all that is about to change, now that I rode with someone who showed me how fun it is to put the pedal to the metal.
12:00-1:00 was the window for the parade style ride around the track. For those of us who drove our vintage cars to the event, parked them next to the paddock area, and would like to take their car around the track. Yup, that would be me and every other guy...for a modest fee. Money well spent.
So here's how it went down. We were SUPPOSE to follow the leader, keep equal distance and do about 3-4 conservative laps. Well the lead guy didn't show up, so someone else was appointed.
We like the new guy! All started out like it should, slow around the track first lap. Second lap was faster and the gap widened from car to car. Third lap faster still and gaps became larger, plus some of the guys purposely held back from the guy in front, so as to increase that gap, then he'd could push his car faster to close up the gap.
The guy in front of me was in a Lotus and he was a great driver, nice lines. So I followed his lines and started pushing my car. Every lap was faster and my confidence increased even when started to feel the back end slide out a little. That was enough for me. Believe me, I was in now way pushing my car as hard or fast as the racer in the 100-6 I rode with. That was an incredible ride!
As much fun as it was to push my car harder than I ever had, and feel the thrill of racing around the track with guys in front and in back of me, I could not completely focus on pure driving, like you should. I was constantly thinking; you don't really know how to handle the car and you don't want to be that guy that people talk about later, the one who spun around, or off the track, or worse. We made 6 laps, everyone faster than the one before. What an experience.
Now we're off the track, and parking our cars.
You could feel the excitement in the air from these drivers. Everyone talking at the same time, talking to whomever was next to you. Expressing how much fun it was and that most of us have never been on a track nor drove our cars this hard. We never reached race speed, but to us, it sure seemed it, with the sound of screeching tires, back smoke coming from the tail pipe in front of you, and the nevus smiles we (me) had most of the time.
Those who have meet me or seen my car, know that I have spent a lot of time on my frame off restoration. I am very thankful to so many people here on the BCF that helped me through those five years. I've been lucky to win first place at some of the big shows, like the San Francisco concours d'Elagance, Palo Alto Concours and the local shows. People at those shows ask me, do you drive it? I answer, yes I do, everyday if I can. Now I can honestly say, oh I drive it, like I stole it... on a race track!
I wanted to share with my fellow Healey brothers and sisters here this exerience, for I went outside my comfort zone bringing my car on the track, and getting close to some race speeds on certain sections. There was someone taking photos and selling them of you driving your car. There was a nice photo of the car leaning, compressed down on the drivers front wheel. Good times!
I don't know when the opportunity will present itself again, or if I will act upon it, but I am thankful for the good time and how much it felt like being a kid again.
Cheers,
Roger
Here's a link to infineon vintage csrg
and here
Last weekend I attended the infineon vintage car races in Sonoma California.
I didn't race my car, but I did park next to the paddock area and take my car on the track. Here's the scoop.
The race schedule will be interrupted mid-day each day with Track Rides for Charity and track parades of Vintage sports cars. The Track Rides for Charity are an event in which anyone 16 or older can experience three laps of the track, at speed, in a Vintage race car of their choice, at a cost as low as $50. The track parades are open to any car that is eligible for the Car Club Corral
in the Paddock, with a limit of 75 cars each day.
From 11:00-12:00, one could be a passenger in a vintage race car of your choice, for a nominal fee between $50-$150 depending on the car. I of course choose to ride in the tri carb 100-6. I'm so glad I did, for it showed me another side of what a Healey really can do in the right hands! (Right Dougie)
My mechanic tells me to stop babying the car. Well, all that is about to change, now that I rode with someone who showed me how fun it is to put the pedal to the metal.
12:00-1:00 was the window for the parade style ride around the track. For those of us who drove our vintage cars to the event, parked them next to the paddock area, and would like to take their car around the track. Yup, that would be me and every other guy...for a modest fee. Money well spent.
So here's how it went down. We were SUPPOSE to follow the leader, keep equal distance and do about 3-4 conservative laps. Well the lead guy didn't show up, so someone else was appointed.
We like the new guy! All started out like it should, slow around the track first lap. Second lap was faster and the gap widened from car to car. Third lap faster still and gaps became larger, plus some of the guys purposely held back from the guy in front, so as to increase that gap, then he'd could push his car faster to close up the gap.
The guy in front of me was in a Lotus and he was a great driver, nice lines. So I followed his lines and started pushing my car. Every lap was faster and my confidence increased even when started to feel the back end slide out a little. That was enough for me. Believe me, I was in now way pushing my car as hard or fast as the racer in the 100-6 I rode with. That was an incredible ride!
As much fun as it was to push my car harder than I ever had, and feel the thrill of racing around the track with guys in front and in back of me, I could not completely focus on pure driving, like you should. I was constantly thinking; you don't really know how to handle the car and you don't want to be that guy that people talk about later, the one who spun around, or off the track, or worse. We made 6 laps, everyone faster than the one before. What an experience.
Now we're off the track, and parking our cars.
You could feel the excitement in the air from these drivers. Everyone talking at the same time, talking to whomever was next to you. Expressing how much fun it was and that most of us have never been on a track nor drove our cars this hard. We never reached race speed, but to us, it sure seemed it, with the sound of screeching tires, back smoke coming from the tail pipe in front of you, and the nevus smiles we (me) had most of the time.
Those who have meet me or seen my car, know that I have spent a lot of time on my frame off restoration. I am very thankful to so many people here on the BCF that helped me through those five years. I've been lucky to win first place at some of the big shows, like the San Francisco concours d'Elagance, Palo Alto Concours and the local shows. People at those shows ask me, do you drive it? I answer, yes I do, everyday if I can. Now I can honestly say, oh I drive it, like I stole it... on a race track!
I wanted to share with my fellow Healey brothers and sisters here this exerience, for I went outside my comfort zone bringing my car on the track, and getting close to some race speeds on certain sections. There was someone taking photos and selling them of you driving your car. There was a nice photo of the car leaning, compressed down on the drivers front wheel. Good times!
I don't know when the opportunity will present itself again, or if I will act upon it, but I am thankful for the good time and how much it felt like being a kid again.
Cheers,
Roger
Yes, Roger, that was fun! And it was fun talking to you, too, even if you did insist my BN4 is stock. 
