| HOME > HOBBIES > PORSCHE 911 > TRACK > GINGERMAN 3 |
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The last time I was on the track was last fall
also here at
Gingerman Raceway
and also sponsored by
Speed Trial USA. We thought November was cold, but being the midwest we
were hit by some unusually cold weather for this event. Snow and sleet was
predicted for the night before!
The event was nearly cancelled but at 3:30pm the day before the word went out that the event was a GO after all. We got up that morning only to find our cars and roads covered in ice and snow! We at first thought we wasted our time go all the way to South Haven but the track people managed to get a snow plow to scrap the ice and snow off the track then the sun came out and helped to slowly dry out the track! It turned out to be a fun day! Lily came along again this time driving my 1999 Boxster, Jason driving his new 1997 993 as well as Jeremy in his RS America. Once again I was driving my 911 but this time with a new suspension, wheels, tires and seats. It felt like a new car to me! I didn't even bother to set up the HotLap as the track was wet most of the day and since it never got over about 35 degrees, the tires never warmed up so we might as well have been driving on a wet track. I think I'm finally over my fear of spinning. I certainly did enough. I had three or so good spins. Lily and Jason had a few as well. Additional write-up and pictures of the event available on the Speed Trial USA website at: http://www.speedtrialusa.com/event-april00.htm |
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) The track looked more like a winter wonderland than a racetrack when we first arrived. |
) Finding shelter was a higher priority than prepping the cars. |
) The event organizers took a Subaru Outback for a 'spin' to check out the condition of the track. |
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) I guess we can't say our cars never saw snow. |
) Eventually the snow started to melt. |
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On my first session I spun my car three times in the first two laps! I obviously just couldn't get the brand new A032Rs to heat up. It was practically like driving on ice! The second lap I spun in corner 10 where I slid sideways into a small pile of snow on the inside of the track. I didn't go off but when I went into the pits to get the car checked anyway I was told there was something dangling by my right front wheel. Turns out my brake cooling duct broke off. Fortunately it was only the zip ties that broke. I tried to fix it but the duct was filled with a solid block of ice so I ended up just taking that one off. I figured I won't get the brakes hot enough to matter on a day like this. |
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) Shot of my car just before I went out. |
) You can see my cooling duct dangling. |
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We ended up having a great time driving the rest of the day. I went for a very scarry ride with Lily. She ended up going into corner 1 way too fast and spun it when she hit the wet spot. We nearly got stuck in a muddy puddle just off the track but somehow she got it out without needing to be pulled out. I went for a ride with Jason in his new 993. The car feels very solid and controllable. The torque in that car is intoxicating. |
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) Nice shot of Jason's car once the sun came out. |
) Jason going through corner 1. You can sort of see the water still on the track. |
) Jason going through corner 2. Notice how little body roll with the stock suspension. |
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Michael joined us at this event again and the following are some of the pictures he took of our cars. |
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The rest are just some miscellaneous pictures I took at the event. I didn't have my camcorder so there is no in-car video today. |
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) Jeremy's RS America. |
) My Boxster and 911 side by side. |
) A very nicely set up 996. |
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) One of the several RX-7s. |
) Yes, that's a carbon fiber hood held down with duct tape. |
) Someone took the Subaru Outback for another spin once the track was more dry. |
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