This is topic T-Hill 8/18 with NASA? in forum Road Racing, Auto X & Drifting at Northern California Ford Owners .
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Posted by need-a-cage (Member # 5415) on
:
Anyone going to T-Hill with NASA on the 18th?
I was planning on going to Sonoma with them but I might make the Thunderhill track day my first official track day and then run Sonoma later in the year if I can swing it. The only track experience I have so far is a Hyperdrive session with NASA at Sonoma last year.
Should I do it? I would be HPDE1 and hope to get signed off for HPDE2.
FYI, the blower is off of the car right now so I am at 335rwhp and 360rwtq at 3400lbs w/o driver. It would be a pretty good setup to learn the track without having so much power. It has run 12.29 @ 110.5mph with this setup.
[ August 01, 2012, 11:57 AM: Message edited by: need-a-cage ]
Posted by 9cobra7 (Member # 2812) on
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I don't think I'll be there myself.
HPDE 1 is the way to go for any first timer and don't worry about your HP numbers at all. Honestly you'd be fine in a 150 rwhp mustang just get the fundamentals down: smoothness, line, braking, shift points etc.
You have way more than enough HP so take it easy and just get into good habits before you create bad ones. Most important is just have fun and learn
Posted by SydeWaySix (Member # 3596) on
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Of course you should do it! Why wouldn't you lol?!? Thunderhill is a good track to learn on too since there's a lot of run off. Sonoma wouldn't be that great As your first "real" trackday since the walls may scare you.
Also, I don't think you should try to get signed off to HPDE 2 just after your first trackday. Instructors teach you a lot, ie: the correct line, brake points, how to pass, etc. Jumping ahead of yourself too quickly may end up in a bad situation. Take your time and learn how to safely drive fast. I'm a newb as well, but I can attest that NASA instructors are great!
Posted by acmikee (Member # 5568) on
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thunderhill is a way more forgiving track than sears. so go to th then sears. dont be in a rush to get sign off to hpde2. group 1&2 run together alot.
i will be there
Posted by need-a-cage (Member # 5415) on
:
Yeah, the big appeal to group 2 is just to save $50 at Sears Point. Also, I think I will relax more when I don't have the instructor next to me. We'll see what the instructor says. It should be pretty obvious to them if I don't know what I'm doing and I would hope that they wouldn't sign me off until I am ready. I think that my biggest issue will be making sure that I look at all of the flag stations and am aware of traffic coming up to me and going for a pass. During the Hyperdrive I just really focused on my line and looking at the track. I don't really remember checking my mirrors and I relied on the instructor to let me know if the flagger was trying to tell me something.
I may have to wait for Sears Point. I will have to drive up to T-Hill pretty damn early in the morning to make it to the driver's meeting at 8:00AM which will kind of suck. There are also 3 hours between the last two sessions and I won't get done until after 6:00. I'll be taking the long drive home pretty late after being worn out from sitting in the sun and hot car all day.
I do want to go though. It is just going to be a looooong day.
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