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Where has Jason been?

Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2005 9:34 pm
by JasonGrahn
Monday Tuesday and Wednesday of last week.

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Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2005 9:53 pm
by legacy92ej22t
Lucky bastid.....

Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2005 9:53 pm
by JasonGrahn
Image

Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2005 11:15 pm
by scottzg
Nice hat. Where'd ya get it? ;)

Thats incredible, were you fixed up or was it a out-of-pocket event? I would sure love to hear about the experience.

Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2005 11:59 pm
by JasonGrahn
http://panozracingschool.com/Racing/ThreeDay.aspx

To start, there is NOT a lot of time in the classroom. It's very hands on, seat time, seat time, seat time.

Day one classroom goes over the circle of traction; how accelleration, braking, and and steering are all linked together. Going over HOW TO downshift (heel/toe), oversteer, understeer, different vehicle dynamics. Next was out to the track to play on the skidpad in the schools Audis. A4 quattro 3L's with lots of toe-out in the rear - makes for a bit of a tailhappy understeering car - as the instructor said "the most oversteer prone understeering car on the planet."

Next was downshifting - easy. Then the threshhold braking exercistes, but fun; and both done in the school cars, Panoz GT-RAs (http://panozracingschool.com/AboutUs/CarProfile.aspx). Back to the classroom for more talk about the racing line, late braking, turn-in points, track-out points. The benefits of each, the downfalls of each. Good stuff. Then, back out to the track.

More skidpad fun, an autocross, and lead/follow. In Lead/Follow, the instructor is driving around the course in an Audi while up to 3 cars follow behind. Once the car in front is understanding the line, the instructor clicks his blinker indicating for the front car to move over and let the next car pass.

Work is getting busy ATM, more to come later.

Posted: Tue Apr 05, 2005 4:47 pm
by tris91ricer
Wow! Cool!
You really went all the way to Georgia?
Sounds like a great vacation..:D

Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2005 4:02 am
by JasonGrahn
Alllright, back on track now.

Day two starts with a brief session on flagging, what they mean, what you'll see, how to interpret them, what not to ignore (everything), what to be worried about (black flag, meatball flag), and what to be happy someone else is seeing (passing flag). then, out to the track for line evaluation. All the students piled into VW EuroVans and went to each turn to discuss the line, where to be, where not to be, and why not to be there. After the small discussion, an instructor would fly by in an Audi to show the line and how it makes the car react. After that, it's out to the track for lead-follow sessions. We really picked it up here, getting upwards of 100 in the back straight.

After lunch was some open tracking sessions. By this time i was fully committing over the crest coming down the hill into turn 10a, everyone else lifted (pussies). passed maybe 3 cars this round. The day finalized with the instructor riding along to see how you were progressing. After your lap with the instructor, he'd tell you what he saw in your actions, then he'd drive the course with you in the car. My faults: not hard enough on the brake. my lines were clean, hand positions clean, watching THROUGH the corner (instead of just watching THE corner), and my downshifting was excellent. The instructor that rode along with me? Joe Foster, Daytona Prototype driver for HyperSport (http://www.hyper-sport.net/main.html). What he said to me: "You've obviously sat with some really good drivers and really bad drivers, because you've developed really good habits in car, and your bad habits you correct immediately. You've learned a lot sitting codriver for so long."

Day 3 started with more seat time (go figure). the whole morning was seat time seat time seat time. After lunch we went to passing under braking exercises into 10a, easy, then more open tracking. Then rolling starts in packs (VERY FUN!) then our final open track of the school. I ended up lapping people - I was kicking ass.

If you're interested in road racing, save up and go to this school. It is well worth the time and money and is an absolute blast!

Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2005 5:27 am
by evolutionmovement
That class and terrorist avoidance training are the top of my list. You got to drive a Panoz ... damn.

Steve

Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2005 5:44 am
by JasonGrahn
I made a bet with the boss, which i won, so i get to go to the 2 day advanced road racing class later this year too. Muhahaha

I'll try and get in-car when i go next time.