My Sebring ride!, Update: Finished 44th out of 68. Fast lap of 2:43 Options

[ThePaintedMan]

So, no this is not 914 related, but some of you may know that I was attempting to have my car ready to run the Chumpcar 14 hours of Sebring in Sept. As is often the case with these things, the OTHER drivers who were supposed to pony up have not to date, and I just don't have the funds to finish the car appropriately on my own. We would be a joke, if not a hazard and I would rather get the car sorted correctly and have some fun on the street then rush into something. Maybe next year.

However, I saved enough money and set some aside to cover my own azz in just such an occasion. I started poking around on the forum and met a great team from Sebring - a father, son and brother in law looking for another driver. Though its not a 914, it is something I'm VERY familiar with.

'95 Mustang 5.0. Needless to say I'm very excited to be living one of my childhood dreams - driving a lap at Sebring. I'll let you all know how we do and post some more pics soon.

[ThePaintedMan]

Update:
The team took the car to PBIR this past weekend for a DE with Hooked on Driving. The goal was to shake the car down one last time and get everyone comfortable in the car. Little did I know, but they nominated me for the first session, which was Group "A" and included instructors. I didn't have the cohones to fess up that I had never done a track day, so I sucked it up and went out. Perhaps not my best decision, but after the session, one of the instructors stopped by to tell me how shocked he was that the car was actually pretty quick. I explained that we were there to sort it out and that it was actually my first time. He laughed and told me that I did fine and he really couldn't tell, other than my line being "pretty weird" at Turn 6 and 7. By the next A session I was getting much more comfortable, turning consistent 1:37s and one 35.

All in all, not a bad day. The team captain asked me to push the car so he could determine what else needed to be done, which I did. When everyone else was driving no one saw water temps over 210, but I had it darn near 235, which confirmed that we needed to open up the thermostat opening some. Also, saw brake temps over 800 right after my session. Is this okay, or was I being too hard on them?

Side note: I also got my first ride in a 911, which happened to be a pretty stout IROC that one of the instructors owned. How freakin cool is that? Car was a hoot to ride in - I want one!

[Randal]

Update:
The team took the car to PBIR this past weekend for a DE with Hooked on Driving. The goal was to shake the car down one last time and get everyone comfortable in the car. Little did I know, but they nominated me for the first session, which was Group "A" and included instructors. I didn't have the cohones to fess up that I had never done a track day, so I sucked it up and went out. Perhaps not my best decision, but after the session, one of the instructors stopped by to tell me how shocked he was that the car was actually pretty quick. I explained that we were there to sort it out and that it was actually my first time. He laughed and told me that I did fine and he really couldn't tell, other than my line being "pretty weird" at Turn 6 and 7. By the next A session I was getting much more comfortable, turning consistent 1:37s and one 35.

All in all, not a bad day. The team captain asked me to push the car so he could determine what else needed to be done, which I did. When everyone else was driving no one saw water temps over 210, but I had it darn near 235, which confirmed that we needed to open up the thermostat opening some. Also, saw brake temps over 800 right after my session. Is this okay, or was I being too hard on them?

Side note: I also got my first ride in a 911, which happened to be a pretty stout IROC that one of the instructors owned. How freakin cool is that? Car was a hoot to ride in - I want one!

How is the corner balance on the puppy? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sawzall-smiley.gif)