This second post also made reference to a previous post
that appeared on this blog. It was a reference to an outing in a Ferrari F430
that good friend David Roberts had arranged for me and my good friend Brian
Kenny while we were visiting him in Sydney. The venue was Sydney Motor Sport
Park and with a number of weekends completed with NASA there was still no
denying that a huge gulf in skill existed between a pro driver and those like
Margo and I wanting to simply drive our car fast.
For those who may have missed that post of November 12,
2013, simply follow this line to Two
golds and a red!
So here you have it; the second article to appear in
NASA’s Speed News!
THE
HPDE JOURNEY
You finalized your registration for your first ever
event with NASA and you checked the box for a weekend of on-track driving experience
in HPDE1. And it hits you – this is not going to be an experience like any
other. Everyone in HPDE1 will be at the same level of experience (or lack there
off) as you are and even after you have completed your registration you aren’t
all that sure what that means. Experience? Sure, I can go fast! Of course,
there will likely be a number of participants with a couple of years of karting
under their belt. You can always spot them early – the drivers with the ratty
Miatas.
No worries, as by the afternoon they most likely will have graduated to HPDE2
and then you won’t see them again! As for the rest of us, the initial
intimidation from entering a hot track is palpable and there is no denying that
the nerves are frayed in the extreme. The question every HPDE1 driver asks as
they enter the track for the first time, am I fully prepared? Will it all work
for me?
Considering how little contact there is between a car
and a track’s surface you would think tires would be the first thing HPDE
participants would check, but oftentimes, this isn’t the case. What to put on
for your first track outing? Having no experience whatsoever, it was less a
case of throwing on a set of slicks than it was ensuring you had a good set of
street tires. Take it from me, until you make it all the way up into HPDE3 or
have joined a racing program, slicks are the last thing you need first time
out. On the other hand wheels should be in good condition and with a lot of
tread left on the tires. Just as important, an alignment close to factory spec
is the best option first time out. Setups will change with time and experience
but initially, it’s all about coming to terms with that car you brought to the
track!
And let’s get serious here; check all your fluids. Again, first time out you just
need to have engine oil topped up as well as brake and clutch fluids looking
good. Don’t forget power steering fluid either as I boiled it on one occasion.
No need to upgrade to more track suitable fluids just yet but, in time that
will likely be the case. The mantra of HPDE is to go fast and to have fun among
like-talented drivers all heading in the same direction. It takes time – a lot
longer for some than others.
When I was in Sydney, Australia, I had the opportunity
for a ride along in a Ferrari F430 for a couple of laps around Sydney
Motorsports Park in the hands of a Red Bull hot shoe. That was eye-opening.
Nothing though compares to time spent in your own car on an equally famous
track like Sonoma or Big Willow. Even for novices like me, the HPE sessions end
all too quickly.
Pulling back into the pits after a session, grabbing a
Gatorade and heading for the HPDE1 download, there is an undeniable sense of
relief as there is just a small sense of accomplishment. Yes, it’s a small
accomplishment and no, not everyone will want to come back the following month
but for those in HPDE1 for the very first time that become hooked on the fun
with safety aspects, it’s the beginning of a long journey. For me, it will be
ten years with NASA and the emotion returns each time I check a regions
schedule.
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