86graphitecoupegt

It was a great event again. Such a beautiful track! The weather was great except for some rain and lightning on Monday afternoon that shut the track down for a half hour - cornerworkers with lightning rod umbrellas. Tuesday was about 80 and sunny. I think I'm starting to get the track down pretty well and driving the car at really close to its limit. I had a student with 4 or 5 event experience with a TT and I kept trying to get him to push the limit a little - he was ready, just nervous, and worried about hurting his car. So I noted to him that my old car was going faster in the corners AND in the straights too than he was going - and that certainly wouldn't hurt his car. Then I took him for a ride to prove it. He swore I had dual turbos! These Coupe GTs are still a lot of fun - when they're set up right. During another session I pulled up behind a BMW 325ix who let me by and then tried to stay with me; then after a few laps I slowed a little and let him by to watch his line and technique - great fun. Update on the bridge for Hal: I really missed it on my first few laps - I had NO IDEA how to go from 12 to 14. But then I remembered my old line - use all of 12, staying on the track-out rumble really late; turn to follow the turn-in rumble on the right for 13, shift up to 4th while going straight and turn left to ride over the apex at 13, then track out all the way to the right and head straight into 14; a little braking and a quick downshift keeping as much speed as the car and tires will carry through 14. Then after I got the hang of it I even had to shift back up into 4th by halfway up that steep little hill, into 5th halfway down the straight, staying on the gas past the crest of the hill to get the car to just touch 100 before taking turn 1 in 4th at about 66 and so on. By getting the corners right and the exit speed up in all of the corners I could get into triple digits before corners 1, 5 and 12 and darn close before corners 3 and 8. By the third session I didn't miss the bridge at all. This event was a ball. Next year it'll be Brainerd, Mid-Ohio, maybe Blackhawk again and probably Road America again and I'm trying to decide between Mid-America in Iowa or Grattan in Michigan for the spring. The picture I have in my sig I think is from Brainerd in 04. I tried adding another track pic but apparently forgot how; I couldn't get it to come up.

Dwight V.

Looks like my old car. Good memories. Yes, they are excellent track dawgs with a little work. If only they had more power.

hals86cgt

I had a blow -by blow account of the event from my friend with the red MR2 Turbo.. complete with pictures of the new set up & the entrance without the bridge..! I was REALLY jonesing to be there...Next year I will. It sure sounded like good event..!!!

Didnt you drive my car a couple years back..?

You DEFINITLY have to do Mid-Oh.. the CGT's love that track and while one gets passed by the way high horsepower cars... you can reel them in thru alot of the track as it has so much twisties..

Ive not run Grattan, but would be interested in coming out for that next spring, assuming it doesnt conflict with the Spring VIR event.. plus I could probably sneak in an evening at Gingerman..

We'll run together nexy year..!!

Hal

86graphitecoupegt

Yes, I drove your car at Road America in 04. I was wishing I had taken my Coupe, but I took my TT there as a last chance to take the Roadster on a track. That year I took the TT to Brainerd and Road America and the Coupe to Mid America. There was a red Coupe GT set up similarlyt at Brainerd in 04 from Vermont. We were in different run groups but got to ride along with each other at different times. I don't recall who that was but I think he's part of this forum too. <img_src="http://www.pictureposter.audiworld.com/117168/bir_2004_vt.jpg">
I can't get the picture of the red car to post?