A 2

blueosprey90

Dropped off the S in Saratoga and was surprised to see Disgruntled Publicus up there. He had made a space for himself in the garage and promised to look after the car. Of course, just as I parked, he knocked over two out of the three bicycles.

Back home by about 1:45 a.m. this morning. Ground fog and tired eyes between Satatoga and home. Went to bed and dreamed of my last two runs the rest of the night!

s200059

Glad you fellas had a good, safe trip. You sure did wear out Mr A2, he told me about the rat race he had with 3 different students and a couple guys with S2000's.

I can't wait to see the pictures of those "collectible" S2000 shirts that Aashish had made for your special event. There won't ever be any more of those shirts in existence.

A 2

A 2

A 2

A 2

ah! Watkins Glen...always looks forward to those two days in July where the weather can do whatever it wants and track conditions are constantly changing, but the company of friends and fellow track rats keeps me going. I signed up to instruct at the event. A week prior to the event, I get an email from Elivan who forwards a request from the novice student I had at Club Motorsports. I said I definitely could. Ted my student is a young film maker who loves in the City and does not own a car. His uncle and aunt are SCDA regulars and tend to gather the whole family at the track driving all the cars they own. So this year they brought their GTR, a C7 Vette, an Audi RS4 and a Ford Focus RS. My student would be sharing the GTR with his uncle. The aunt would be driving the C7 Vette. His father would be driving the Audi RS4 and his brother the Focus RS.

Bugsy invited the group to stop over at his house on the way to Watkins. Alas, Mike and I were the only ones that could go. Also I couldn't do maintenance on the car and asked Jeff if he could help me and help me he did. Bugsy is the guy that taught me what I know about doing some maintenance on the car by myself. I'll always be grateful to him for that. We arrived at Bugsys home at 3 PM and Donna fed us a wonderful meal. Jeff had us laughing hard as did Hogan and together (as in mostly him) we got the car done in about 45 mins. We left there around 6:50 and arrived to the Budget Inn by 7:40 PM.

After checking in, I walked over to Ben & Jerrys to meet Rico and Liz while Mike decided he needed a rest from all the driving. I returned to the motel after meeting the guys to see Corvette John and Mike sitting out on the porch drinking beer. I sat down with them and had a beer and Mr. Osprey arrived as usual at a fashionably late time. We stayed up talking for a long time and went to sleep around midnight.

In the AM, we got to the track around 7 AM. This event too was sold out like the past years and we had no option but to find parking in the spaces furthest from the media center. Head to the instructors meeting and then walk back and unpack the car while the others headed to the drivers meeting. As I got ready to go out for my first run, Elivan stopped me and asked if I could take out an Advanced student. Turns out this guy was from Canada and he was there in this gorgeous red Alfa 4C coupe. He was an instructor with BMW CCC for a number of years but had never been to any of the stateside tracks. He rattled of all the Canadian tracks he had experience at. I took him out and narrated the lap best I could as I didn't have my communicator with me but we seemed to be able to hear each other. At the end of the session he thanked me and he said he liked my driving and said he'd have no hesitation with signing me off. I told him that meant a lot given that I'd started instructing only last year.

During the second session, one of the SCDA guys asked me if I could take a lady out with me as i was in pit lane about to go out. I asked her to get in and took off with a brief greeting as I did not want to lose any time. On about the second lap, I looked over and she seemed ok but I asked her if she was OK and she said she was doing great. I reminded myself to keep checking in with her and on every subsequent occasion when I asked how she was doing, she responded with a big thumbs up and a sing song doing great. Soon we started waving to her husband who was in pit lane and taking pics and then I pointed out another photographer at the bus stop to whom she could wave. On the cool down lap we get talking and she said she was here all the way from Alabama with her husband and young son. Her husband was driving his Vette. She herself had attended the Porsche 3-day racing school at Barber but was here to support her husband. And as the conversation progressed, it turns out she grew up in Memphis and studied there - the city where I went to grad school. We talked for a brief bit about Memphis and then I dropped her of and headed back to my student.

During the third session, I took Corvette John out with me. I told him we'd do 5-6 laps and then get back in so he could try to figure out why his car was going into limp mode. Well 5-6 laps in, the session was black flagged. I decided to cut this session short so I wouldn't have to go into town to get gas and so I'd have enough fuel to take my student out in the 4th session. But my calculation was wrong. About 20 minutes into the final session, the low fuel light came on and I pitted rather than stopping on track and causing a black flag.

I rode out with Mike on Day 1 in the S2000 and I really enjoyed riding with him although I was out only for 12 minutes as I had to get back and go out with my novice student. Mike was driving beautifully and pretty much on the limit of the car i thought. The other thing I was very impressed with was how calm and assured his demeanor was as he was driving. I rode out with Rico on Day 2 again for part of the session and he drove so well that I had this irresistible urge to pee. I requested he drop me off and made it to the mens just in time. Had he been lapping slower, Liz would probably have had to take the train back home. Rico was very consistent and fast too. Told him to make a few adjustments and I think that may have helped him. All three S2000s including El Jefe did very well and were lapping in the 2:20s which is a very good time in my opinion. Had me wishing I was running with them.

All day on the first, my student was in the Nissan GTR. He was driving the Audi RS4 last year at Tamworth and this was his first time driving the GTR. I told him to leave the car in automatic and just focus on the line as he said he didn't have experience with the paddles. I told him we could try the paddles on the second day. We gradually worked on picking up the pace and once up to speed, he had no issues with nailing the gas pedal and moving me from one corner to the next. If I had to guess, he probably was lapping the track in as much time as I was lapping in the BRZ

During the last session of the day, we started to smell gas. Initially we felt it may have been another car but the smell was rather strong, also the transmission seemed to be lurching while upshifting in a manner that made us move in the car. To err on the side of caution we pulled in and the crew in pit lane also confirmed they could smell gas but saw no leaks. We decided to park it and went back to the paddock. When he told his uncle about it, his uncle said the owners manual says the car will smell of unburnt fuel when a driver is leaning hard on the car. This car was on Hoosiers and was being driven for 8 sessions in the day, so it was being leaned on, but then his uncle thought we should park it too so he can try to figure out the clunking.

On the second day, Ted walked over to me and said the GTRs pads were worn out and they had decided to park it so they could drive it home. He said he was going to share the Audi RS4 but that too would be unavailable in the AM as both uncle and Dad would drive it and that one of them would give up their afternoon sessions so Ted could drive. He also said that his aunts C7 was available but that it was on slicks. It had rained heavily the night before and during my first session, an instructor put his E46 into the tire wall between 9 & 10 on the first green lap. The session was black flagged and within the remaining time we only got one out lap and one in lap. The track was damp on line and the grooves in the curbs had water and the painted surfaces were inviting the errant tire. I told Ted that it probably wasn't a good idea to go out on slicks. As we were talking his aunt comes up and says that we could take the car if we wanted but that the tread on the Pilot Sport Cup 2's was low. That was a street tire. I immediately walked over and looked at the tread. It had the center ridge and the grooves on the side and was bald everywhere. To me it seemed safe to drive as there was no standing water and as long as one avoided clipping the apex and touching the painted surfaces. So I made a decision to go out so Ted could get all his runs in. I told him to leave it in 4th, keep about two feet away from the apexes and generally go very smooth and easy. That session went well and the surface had dried out on the line thanks to the advanced group. We gradually built up speed and Ted's confidence grew. We went out and did the second session again in the Vette. I got to see sibling rivalry play out as both he and his brother engaged in a dog fight passing back and forth while they passed the traffic.

After lunch, Ted drives over in the Audi RS4. He said he now had use of this car as the Corvette was now being shared by two other members of that group. So we go out in the Audi. Ted has never heel-toed and I told him to only drive the car in 3rd and 4th. The Audi needed third gear for some corners as this is the older version with a proper NA V8. Ted tended to brake turn in and grab third after tracking out. By this time the car bogged a bit and I did not want him to deal with going down to second. I asked if he knew how to rev-match and he said he didn't. So I asked him to pit in so I could show him by doing a lap. I went out with him and demonstrated rev match down shifting at as many corners as I could for a lap. I asked if that was good as we went past Turn 9 and he asked me to do another lap. It was definitely my pleasure - the Audi was so awesome and all that power is so addicting. Ted tried downshifting with the rev match after this and was doing ok but not as smoothly and quickly as I wanted him to. We were going slower so I wasn't worried about the car getting unsettled - also the nannies were there to save us if something untoward happened. After the session I took him to one of the parking lots and made him practice rev-match downshifting. He got better for the shorter final session, but still needed to work on coming off of the clutch smoothly. The one nice thing I liked about my student was how well he braked for a novice. His brake release was also very smooth.

As far as my sessions for the day - I decided I'd ditch the last session so I could come home and play with Antara before she went to bed (alas, she was asleep by the time I got home). Because the track was damp from the overnight rain, I figured that would help me a bit in terms of keeping up with the other cars. During the first session, the entire track was damp but starting to dry. Went out and circulated under yellow with Mike riding along and on the first green flag lap, I think I passed a couple of cars. Coming out of Turn 7 we saw the black flag and then saw a waving yellow at turn 9. The BMW was stranded between 9 and 10 on the line with its nose in the wall. Got back to pit lane and waited out the session. Mike was asked to leave the car as they only wanted instructors alone in cars to do a recon once the black flag was cleared. We got to go out and and do an out lap and as I started my second lap the checkered flew at the sole of the boot. Session was done. The second session, I took Rico out with me to hopefully help him but I think I may have been an ass and not really helped any. Third and my final session of the day, I took Mike out again and we did a full session. Then it was time to do one more session with my student and Jeff and I hit the road at 5:30ish and I got home at 9. Ate a quick dinner, sneaked a quiet peek at Antara and then hit the sack.

I'll upload the videos eventually and share them. But I wanted to thank everyone that was directly or indirectly involved with this event for their help and participation. We have a great community here. We've been a bit quiet of late but as a group are still very helpful and hospitable. So thanks to Bugsy who helped me get my car prepped and to Donna for her hospitality. Hogan for coming along to Bugsys and adding to the merriment. Greg for his advice, mentoring and constant monitoring. Lisa for the shirts. Paul for constantly checking in to make sure things went well. And the guys that came this year and in years prior in spite of costs going up with the repave (especially Mr. Osprey the one constant and my room mate). It is each and everyone of you that helped to make this event happen and made it special. We've had a good run since 2013 when we started doing this. This was always about a group of people getting together and bonding over their love of the car and the hobby and I think we achieved that each and every year regardless of the count of cars. I am not sure if I will continue to try and organize this going forward - the cost is prohibitive and cheaper options abound like the S2K takeover at NYST and Track Night in America and I can very well understand how people would hesitate to pay as much as Watkins Glen demands. Some clubs with deep pockets are able to offer very cheap track time too at Watkins Glen, unfortunately I do not have an in with any of those marque-specific clubs to where I can arrange for a deal. I will most likely continue to go to this event every year and I hope to have fellow owners come as well discount or not.

I am afraid there is no TL;DR version for this post. So if you've read so far and haven't torn your hair apart for wasting 5 minutes, I to you

blueosprey90

Life changes and our ranks are thin. I try to recruit some younger talent without success. But I still had a great time at the Glen. Thanks Aashish for setting up and being the anchor.

Got up early and started loading the car for Club Motorsports. But also need to sew up my driver's suit! Also have to go to work!

Foulone

Hi Y'all (I lived in Ga for a year so I guess I'm allowed to say that). Just want to say that I had a great time seeing Aashish and meeting Mike at Jeffs on sunday. I wish I had my shit together enough to participate in one these track events, but I don't, so it's just as well that I don't. Always a pleasure to meet any of you guys and wish you all the best. Maybe catch up on one of the drives.. Hogan the foulone

NoDelta

Looking back over the past 8 years of owning this car, these events stand out as a highlight. The track is amazing and the company can't be beat.

The trip this year started with a near miss for me - I checked my oil early in the morning, was about a quart short so I topped it off, then hit the road. Stop number 1 was to grab A2 and then onto Bugsy's. When we got there, he and Foulone were in the driveway drinking beer (of course) when Foulone noticed some white smoke. I popped the hood and sure enough - there was oil everywhere and my oil cap sitting top dead center on the valve cover. ****. When I filled it in the morning my little boy was running around the garage and I think that I just forgot to put it back on. Once it cooled down I found I was down a half quart - not enough to do any damage, just enough to make a mess. When we got to the Budget Inn, Aashish went out for ice cream and I pulled down the oil soaked insulation/sound deadening and just tossed it. The idea of an oil soaked rag just sitting over my engine was pretty horrifying - plus, my car is at least a pound lighter than it was previously.

Day 1 felt like a normal summer day at the Glen - hot as hell, sunny, and no shade in sight. It took a little time to find the rhythm of the track, but after the first session it felt like visiting an old friend. I think that the only changes I've made to the car since my previous visit were better brake pads, a seatbelt lock, and 2 years more experience for the driver. This was good for 3sec off my previous best time. Night 1 brought dinner at the Harbor Hotel, massive thunderstorms, lightning, and torrential rain. Fortunately I was able to find a good parking spot

Day 2 was much cooler than the previous. We started with a wet track, but fortunately, there was no more rain. During the second session I had an M2 in front of me and Rico behind me, and that combination was enough motivation to cut an additional 3 seconds off the previous day's time! Between the second and third sessions, Corvette John commented that he had lots of little cracks in his rotors from all the heat. Rico checked his rotors and noticed the same. I checked mine and just had One. Big. Crack.
It's the first time I've ever cracked a rotor! I`m kind of proud, but also, didn't have a spare so that was the end of my event. lesson learned. 1) Carry spare rotors. 2) Don't turn rotors that you're going to track.

Day 3 was spent replacing rotors in the Budget Inn parking lot (It's really convenient having advanced auto across the street) and driving home.

Next on my list is some routine maintenance for me - I`ve got a blown diff bushing (going to install some collars when I replace the bad bushing), some old diff fluid that needs to be replaced (its been 2-3 years), some new SS brake lines (yup, I dropped a caliper when replacing the rotors. No leaks, but I just don't trust it any more), replacing a clutch master cylinder (it's got a slow leak), and replacing a clutch slave cylinder (with the CDV delete) just because I need to break into the system and bleed the lines anyway

Bugsy, Foulone, Donna - thanks again for the tour of the shop, beer, and hospitality
Bugsy, JsEnclosures - thanks for the car parts
A2 - thanks again for putting this all together.
BlueOsp - thanks for the laughs!
Rico, Freddy, Anthony (if you're here) - it was great meeting you guys and I hope we can do it again sometime (Palmer!)