Learning to track in the rain
 

Let's get to the fun video first...

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIfkhY6DzdQ"]Thunderhill Track day in the rain - YouTube[/ame]

This was our (collectively, myself, @mkivsoopra, @BRZkitty, and Matt) first time on a track. And, it just happen to be cold, windy, and very, very wet. We were learning lines around the track, how to do point-by's, flags, and the whole lot. The instructors were very good and just the nicest bunch of folks you could ever want to meet.

Some of the things that I learned beyond the classroom... How the car reacts when hydroplaning. I also learned (well kinda figured out) that when you are four wheel drifting around a corner the Vehicle Stability Control won't kick in because it is based on Yaw rate. If your car doesn't rotate while it is sliding sideways at 50 mph then the nannies won't help you get it back under control. I first figured this out going around turn 5a. It was a little unnerving at first but after a couple of laps and started pushing it and carrying the slide around the corners. That was fun.

In the middle of the day, before we were let loose on our own, I was talking with the others about how things learned from some of the fully immersive driving sims that I have built in the past would translate to a real life experience. Well, I can say that driving/racing sims help you understand finding the fastest lines around a track. But, they just can't compare to the visceral feeling of the lateral g's and environment effects (wind, rain, etc.) that you get from the real thing.

And now, for a couple of pictures courtesy of Blue Milk Photography. The Blue BRZ with the taped up headlights is @BRZkitty and the white BRZ is @mkivsoopra

http://i.imgur.com/IbN97jt.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/PbSnK0C.jpg

What? Is that a GT-R getting left behind by an FR-S and a BRZ? Yes... Yes it is.
http://i.imgur.com/6AktYrT.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/3nw6lRs.jpg

I am so looking forward to doing that again, but hopefully next time with no rain. Maybe in July when the West section of track opens to create 5 miles of fun?

This is awesome. I would love to do something like this in the near future. Anyway you can point me to where I would need to register to do events/track days like this?

i guess the windows down rule still applies in the rain. looked awesome.

Northern California Racing Club

Hooked on Driving

SCCA

Even if you only do it once in your life, it is an experience that you won't forget.

We were allowed to have the windows up in the heavier rain but the windows fogged up so much that the Defrost on full blast couldn't clear it. So, I rolled them back down.

It was coming down most of yesterday over here so I was curious how you guys were doing up north a bit. Rain or shine it seems :P One of these days I'd like to drive around the track.

Awesome. This is perfect. Thanks!

Nicely done!!!

LOVE hearing about stuff like this. HATE that I wasn't able to come out there with you guys and be on the track... :23:

I'm surprised they took rookies out on a wet day, that's kinda scary but pretty cool! As you stated you learned a lot about how the car reacts when hydroplaning and sliding. Sounds like you had some great instructors. I'm also a big fan of racing sims, they DO pay off!

BTW those pics are GINORMOUS! Might want to resize them.

Hey man I was the blue frs on the drift pad. Here's a video my gf recorded of me in the afternoon. :) Watch "Afternoon" on YouTube
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teT7vR7Pleg&feature=youtube_gdata_player"]Afternoon - YouTube[/ame]

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Who did you register with for the skidpad? I havent seemed to figure out what groups do it beside grip drift skid events

Driftgripskid. It was 85 bucks for me because I signed up last minute. Just lined up the entire day and went out one at a time

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Edit: it's gripdriftskid

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