STi Files - Chapter 4: Thunderhill February 14, 2004

Thunderhill February 14, 2004

Shane's Account of the Weekend
Friday/Saturday
So I was sitting around at work a week ago and figured that since everyone else would be doing stuff with their significant others... I would go to the race track and beat the living hell out of my STi some more while they sit at home knowing I am having fun. hehehe

So I decided that I would go to the SCCA street school again. I figured for 200 dollars it is not a bad deal, even if I have to run with the chicanes at turns 1,3, and 8. Plus they are not really chicanes after a few laps and people start hitting the cones and opening the area up quite a bit. Another guy from work (Jeff) decided he would come along with me and bring his Maxima. So the plans are made and I start to get ready. Jeff needs a helmet for his alien sized head so the task of finding a helmet begins. We start out at Frey Racing they have the helmet he needs but not in the right size since his head is shaped like a alien spawn child. So after hunting around at some motorcycle shops too Jeff decides just to have Frey Racing order the helmet and over night it so he would have it Friday.

Alien boys helmet arrives and I pick it up for him at lunch time Friday. Hang around work a bit then take off early since nothing is going on. My 4 day weekend begins. I run to Sears pick up a new craftsman socket set and then head for home. Pack all my stuff and pack up my car as quick as possible. Head over to Erik's and meet Justin and everyone else there for dinner before departing for Thunderhill. Borrow Justin's Valentine 1 since he is going to be out of town for the week and also Erik's ham radio. Take off for Thunderhill. Arrive in Willows around 1am attempt to crash in the hotel room but alien boy snores like a freight train so I only get about 30 mins sleep the entire night. I feel like its a complete repeat of last time...

Get to the track that morning and empty out all the cars. Prepare to go out for our first session after the drivers meeting. I head out for my first session I get the worst instructor I have ever had for the first time out. Track was still cold and it had been a month since going out. I am trying to get use to the car again and what it is going to do in all the turns with the diff set to full rear, I am barely poking around the track. I would barely start to get on the gas in a turn and the instructor would wig out yelling slow down, slow down. At one point I am going down the front straight at barely 70 MPH on the warm up lap when he is like BRAKE BRAKE BRAKE 100 feet before the starters tower. At this point I was pissed I felt like pulling the e-brake and doing a 360 through the cones he had me so upset. First session of the day had me aggravated beyond belief I could not even start to push the car and feel what it was doing so I could adjust my line, I was not allowed to accelerate and my tires were still cold and not predictable yet. First session of the day made me want to leave for the day. So I start looking forward to the second session and hoping that I will get a instructor that has some balls and isn't a wuss like the first guy who was talking about his "patients" So I am assuming he was a doctor of some sort. My prayers are answered and I get someone who lets me start getting the car moving above 70MPH. I instantly start falling back on my instinct and pick up my old lines and start hauling butt around the track for the rest of my sessions. Last session before the end of the I overcook it in 14 and try to late brake unsuccessfully with a uber fast Mini S behind me. barely make the turn and hit the front side of the outside burm with my driver side wheel pull into the pits and make sure I did not break anything. I go chat with Mini guy and laugh about my stupidity and stupid stock brake pads and tires. Last session of the day was by far my best, I figured out the thresholds I could brake in every turn and what speed I could take through every turn with out overheating my stock brakes or tires to the point where they were no longer predicable for the rest of my lap. At the end of the session the instructor congratulates me and asks why I was not running C group all day, I ponder the same thing myself. Talked to him for a few mins and he recommended I try and get my SCCA competition license and start competing since I was so fast and consistent. I told him hopefully next year, this year I just want to get in a lot of cheating bastard practice at all the tracks.