VTECIntegra9

A week ago I attended my first (and hopefully last) SCCA drivers school at Waterford Hills road course in Clarkston, MI. It's basically tucked into a sportsmans club that backs up to a subdivision (which was built after the course)... Crazy sound limits here (hence the huge muffler).

Okay so I wasn't in my Honda, but we had done a ton of work over the winter preparing the car to fit me... My Dad has raced this car for 30years and he's about 7" shorter and 50lbs lighter... so we had a lot of modification to have a seat made, make me fit, etc.... but it worked great and the car became very comfortable to drive considering how small it is and how low the main roll hoop is. This was my first time ever driving the car - Hadn't even driven it in a parking lot or anything).

Anyways I had such a freakin blast I wanted to share a video and couple pictures...

If anyone gives a **** here's how the weekend went down in a nutshell:
Day1: We had 5 total sessions where they would throw out various flags, tow vehicles, black flags... etc... and all while we learned the track and our cars. Beautiful day.. high 60's, sunny all day, no humidity... Tons of slow traffic and a few people on track that had some serious issues because they were complete noobs and all over the place... scary.
Best lap time was about 1:21 (I did a 1:22 in my integra on a track day) ... not bad but still off pace for the car.

Day2: Cloudy day but dry all morning on the track (some small rain "spits")... In the morning we did a normal session to grab qualifying times (based on total time of the session? was just for fun anyways) and we then did some side-by-side driving w/ another car... we would take turns running laps while staying exactly next to the car next to you... Big confidence booster there and after that they waved a green flag and we were able to do a few hot laps for position.
On the GPS my "optimal lap" would have been in the 1:18's..
Then the rain came....... and fresh Hoosier rains went on.
In the afternoon we did practice starts after lunch with random grid positions. We would do a pace lap, go green (or a wave-off), and do 2 laps hot before pulling in, shuffling the grid, and doing it all again. This was another huge confidence booster for everyone and you could really see that people became comfortable around traffic and passing and made for some more fun... especially in the rain! I think I avoided about 5-6 cars spinning/avoiding accidents for that 30minute session.
The last session of the day was a full race 'simulation'... grid, pacelap, green, 10laps of racing, checkered, in for impound, beers.... to end the school and the weekend.

Here is the uncut video of the 10lap race: I started 12th spot, was about to catch up to the 2nd place car... and then spun out... Came back on and was able to end up finishing 5th... The car that was behind me when I spun ended up in 2nd place. My friend in his King motorsport CRX (who won about ever race locally last season) was first by a mile.


Lots of oversteer :-D And I was mostly blind the whole race until I got in the clear... made having the feel the road and pick out curbing and braking markers my only way to tell exactly where I was.

So I passed and got credit to now race regional races.. I'm still extremely excited and ready to rock.... once I powerwash the car inside and out.

Here are some pictures my good friend and teg driver Mike Simari shot. You can really see how damn small the car is.

Enjoy.

Xian

Congrats on finishing the school!!

BTW, the "King CRX" is Robert Moser's old car, right? Both that and the sister car are fast, fast, fast in the right hands. Probably 2 of the most/biggest winning IT CRX's ever.

miamirice

Congrats. Looked like drifting school at times.

VTECIntegra9

Yep that's the one. The driver is the son of the guy who built our rollcage/car when it was... built. Dunn's Welding... He's very quick and just started last year. He's excited I'm racing now so he can have some competition :-)

I believe he's running the IT challenge this year also - should be a good time.

Ex_EM1

Congratulations! I've always thought that doing an SCCA school would be a ton of fun, just never had the time or means.

Lo-Buck EF

Congrats!!

Egezzy

iTrader: (2)

More Teal!

known

iTrader: (1)

grats man!

Wai

Congrats Ryan! Now you need to repaint that car.....

VTECIntegra9

Thanks guys.

Wai and Brab - Yeah a beautiful BG33P Paradise Blue-Green Pearl Metallic would be the best colored racecar in history.... But I hate body work and yellow is very easy to see in the mirrors of the car's I'm about to pass :-D

redzcstandardhatch

can't wait to race with you pal

VTECIntegra9

Hells yeah... We should pick a race weekend to both go to for sure... A double regional is really what I'm looking for - unfortunately the one at Nelson Ledges in june I can't make because of a friend's wedding that weekend :-(

redzcstandardhatch

yeah, I'd love to . Text me if you pick a "first race". I'm just waiting for my license to come back. Sent that money the other day

GEN2 LS

iTrader: (3)

out of curiosity how much does that school cost?

egvera89

That's awesome man. Congrats on the achievement.

redzcstandardhatch

Basically the same as a regular race weekend, around 500 with the novice permit fee I believe.

Its a highly regarded school around here.

Xian

Yep, double schools aren't too expensive at all. Roebling in Savannah does one every Jan/Feb. Well worth attending if you're looking to get a license.

sackdz

congrats now we rub fenders