Hi Guys,

Brand new TT Roadster with less than 1,000 miles on it, and determined to keep it "shiny side up" at Road Atlanta.

Well, there I was with this brand new car, all dressed up and no place to go, at least without garnering speeding citations at a record setting pace.

Most of the local spring track programs seemed to be at the mercy of the early spring weather, and since the car's a Roadster, and required to run with the top down, I started looking at track programs in more Southern climes. I figured Road Atlanta (world class road course), Georgia locale (Georgia in May usually has pretty good weather) and Panoz Driving School (good reputation), would get me on the track in good weather, and under "adult" supervision.

Then I took a look at the map of the track ! Yikes ! Then I asked some sports car/motorsport friends about the Atlanta course, and now I'm wondering whether I haven't gotten myself in over my head. Looking back on it, I probably should have gotten the Quattro Driving School under my belt before tracking the vehicle on my own. Patience, patience, I have NO patience,...The Wife says I haven't got the common sense to put the top up in the rain. "But Honey, the top ruins the lines of the car".

Well, anyway,... you get my drift. Anybody have any suggestions/advice for the new guy/rank amateur who's booked his brand new car on the Road Atlanta course without having the sense to learn the car first ??

My wife Sheila and I will have the car out for the LRQC Spring Tour on April 21, and we're looking forward to meeting fellow Club drivers.

In the meanwhile, what's this shiny red knob do? OH ! Now I can burn rubber and wear out my tires ! Cool ! Now if I can just find the gas cap release before I run out of gas !

Mike "TT Tanzeln" (TT Ambling) Langenfeld

I went from racing karts to jumping into the probably second fastest class that SCCA runs; an F2000, or Formula Continental. Talk about taking a bite bigger than your mouth can handle...

One thing you need to do when you get your chance to do the school (I am very jealous, but I get to run Mid Ohio and Road America this season :P ), is to recognize the fact that you are there to learn, not to show how large your shorts are. Everyone that will tell you what to do will know LOTS more than you will. Be tremendously humble and open to criticism.

You will have more fun than you can believe, and you will learn more than you will remember.

See you in April. Look for the very unusual Ginster Yellow Coupe Quattro, and stop by and say hi.


doug

Should be the button on the left. :)


I am trying to acquire an Aviator Grey TT 225q Coupe, myself.

Hi Doug,

Thanks for the response.

I hear ya, no point in trying to impress experienced drivers/instructors with what you Don't know :-). About ten years ago my wife and I took up aerobatic flying, I showed up for my first lesson in full "Tom Cruise" mode,...and promptly had my head handed to me in a basket. It took a few lessons before I began to realize just how much I didn't know. I can remember a former Navy fighter jock telling me to leave my testosterone in a cup on the desk, and they'd give it back to me after we landed :-).

Not intending to let my ego make the same mistake re: the aerobatics lessons, I plan to arrive in Atlanta in full "Humble" mode.

I was hoping somebody reading the forum would have some first hand experience with the Road Atlanta Track Touring program, or one similar to it, and could fill me in on what to expect or look out for. I'm reliably advised that the Atlanta course is very unforgiving and has a section in the back straight that warrants particular care. I'm not driving competitively just touring the course at speed. The novice category seems to be a "follow the leader" sort of affair. Presumably the instructors leading the pack have a sense of what the cars/drivers are able to do, and raise the bar on suceeding laps until the instructors feel the students are on the verge of driving over their heads.

Anyway, that's what I'm expecting, what I get might be entirely different.

Thanks again,

Mike L.