Walter Mitty challenge next weekend

[gogriz91]

http://www.themitty.com/

If you're within a 500 mile radius of Atlanta you owe yourself a trip.

[MikeW]

I just got my 3 day super ticket in the mail. I'll see you there.

[gogriz91]

I may or may not bring the car but I'm planning on being there with onuthin.

[Mike]

Did you guys put this in the calendar? It will show up on the main page if you do....

[peduncular]

I'll be there! Longest road trip ever in my car.

Fred

[d240zx2]

To those not familiar with Houston roads, apologies.

Yep, I had that much fun! The day started fine. Temp about 65, mild wind <5 knots. Sparse traffic on 45. Jumped over to the Hardy at BW8 for the run to 610. Paid my buck-fifty and tip-toed away from the toll booth. Got past the sweeping chicane about half a mile down and the road straightened out. The Z was making music! I topped the overpass on the last curve of the chicane at about 70. No cars for at least half a mile. My right foot got terribly heavy. The Mikuni carbs roared and the Z sang. I glanced at the tach: 6000 and climbing. Over to the speedometer: 120 and climbing. Traffic a lot closer. I lifted back to 80. As the traffic became smaller in the rear view, again, no cars for at least half a mile. Down it went again. Quick glance: 6200 and 123. Still down: 6700 and 130. I would have shifted into 5th, but a 4-speed doesn't have one. Traffic. Lifted to 80 again, and stayed there. Off at 610 onto 59 South, through downtown and to 45 South, all at legal speeds. Stopped for breakfast at Denny's in South Houston, then on to the Z Club rendezvous point at Almeda Mall.

Met up with three other Z Club families, chatted a bit, then caravanned down to GrandSport Speedway near Hitchcock, Texas. A bunch of ol' boys with tons of money have created a couple of real nice road courses out of the old WWI & WWII blimp base. New asphalt. That's about the extent of the facilities except for the porta-potties. There will be more.

I only had half of my "15 minutes of fame" doing "parade laps" behind a pace 'Vette. Pulling the old accordian trick, lagging behind the car in front of you to allow sufficient distance to build in order to punch it out through a couple of corners...I had some fun. Never got over 65, which was expected, but I wanted more than 8 minutes of track time. The Z was a willing participant, an "enabler," (to use modern psychobabble) if you will. As both the Z and yours truly are over 21, and the act was consensual, there was no crime. But it felt too good to be legal. I'm hooked, I'm afraid. Dammit. There goes the budget! I can see myself standing at an intersection with a bucket and sign that says "Race car needs tires!" At least I have a job, dude!

Next week-end will afford the opportunity for some REAL track time at Texas World Speedway. I'll have an instructor and will look like a real race-car-driver 'cause I'll have to wear a helmet. The Z and I won't be the fastest team out there, but I'll be having the most fun, I'll gaurantee ya!

And no, I'm not gonna put my eye out or wreck and kill myself. That's not fun. Besides, I'd miss Baby Thu too much if I did that.

A motto from the 70s: Arrive Alive at 55...Ok. What's the multiple?

Regards,

[d240zx2]

Part of an email sent to my step-son today after getting back to earth.:laugh:

Damn! You sure missed a good time! The Z was strong, weather was on-and-off, but doable. My lap times dropped with every 20 minute session....until I fried the brakes. I'll get some "machining" pads and get the rotors back true, then put some really good race pads on for the next time. Proper tires would be of great value as well. Ah, well, dreams.

What follows is a brief description of the course, at speed: Coming off the back straight at 115-120 then dropping the nose with a hard stab on the brakes to get to about 90, downshift into third while turning left (turn 1) a bit, then hard on the brakes to 60, then, still turning left toward the apex on turn 2, back hard on power, track out, then to left of track up to 95, hard brakes, steady throttle through the right turn (3) at about 60mph. Track out under full throttle, missing the pylon by inches. Hard brakes again. Up the rise and to the right. Clip apex on 4 at 70, track-out. Back to the right of the track. Left, holding center of track at turn 5 @ 60. See the dirt road. Stab the brakes, dive left at full throttle past apex of 6 and track out. Keep it in third toward turn 7. Taching 6700/95mph, tap the brakes again and literally dive left into the 90 degree, on-camber turn 7 at full throttle (close to 90 again). Up over the rise, center of track. Hard on brakes, then left (turn 8), then right (turn 9) at full tilt boogie. Down into the "carousel." Hard brake to 50mph, center of track, downshift to 2nd, hold steady throttle, bend hard to right, clip the apex on 10 right, then full power past apex 11 on left, shift into third still at full power....nail the brakes, left turn to 12, then back on 80% power in third. Brake hard, downshift to 2nd, hug inner left curb, apply power, tail end comes in, turn right and let off power (tail comes out) for perfect line up for apex of 13. Full throttle with slight steering inputs to clip apex of 14 & 15. Somewhere in there, hit third. Then onto main straight and do it all over again. Whew! What a ride. Bear in mind that all this takes place in just over two minutes. My lap times dropped from nearly three minutes to that in these two days. And yes, there were 'Vettes and TT SRT-10 Snakes and 500 rwhp 300zxs and 350Zs turning 1:45 laps. Fords got dusty.

Not bad for an old man and an old car, eh? Oh, well, I had a blast.

Regards,