On Monday, I stay a little late at work, when I leave it's dark, I decide to drive home the long way, give the Z a workout, and I'm slowing for a stop sign about a mile from the office. Driving up to my right, a red 300ZX stops, sees my car, a chrome silver enthusiast, makes a left and we pass kinda slow, then I stop at the sign. He stops about 50 feet behind me. I slowly make a right and see he hasn't moved, so I pull into a parking lot that was right there. I knew he wanted a look. He makes a quick U turn, pulls up next to me, we get out, say hello.

His was a 1991 twin turbo that had been babied, he got it in Chicago about a year ago, beautiful condition, no dings.
He works in sales for Tire Rack just down the road. Tire Rack's huge new state-of-the-art headquarters in about 2 miles from my office. It has a big new test track with skidpad and a high speed turn around the skidpad at one end. In the summer they have club driving events there on the weekends, if you pay some $$ you can do a few laps. I had driven by there and wanted to get on their test track, but the gate was always closed.
So, turns out this guy is in charge of the test track events, amazing!

He takes his car to Gingerman in Michigan, Road America, Mid-Ohio, and other tracks. So, after admiring each others rides and talking for awhile, I get his card and we leave. We decided next summer we're going to hook up, go to some of these and do some laps (gee, where can I get some tires?).
That's Z close encounter #1.

So here's the part where the shooting occurs.

Wednesday I get hooked into a noon meeting at the last minute, so my lunch buds leave without me. After this meeting I drive the Z out to get some tasty Indian curry, great buffet, only $5.95, but a long drive. My office is in the middle of nowhere, behind the airport at the end of a 2 lane road by some soccer fields.

The road into my office is 1/3 mile straight that leads into a 4th gear decreasing-radius 3rd gear double-apex right hander, a short straight and a sharp left hand turnaround. This leads to the way out, sometimes I short shift into 3rd, sometimes it's a short 2nd gear left hand S turn, swing right, hit 3rd, hit the gas, and long increasing-radius double-apex left hander and out onto the straight. I zip around this turn, hit the gas for a moment, stomp the brakes, and pull into our lot.

I'm driving back from lunch, come around the first part of the turn, there's a woman holding a camera with a big lense pointed right at me! I slow down, go by and into the second part of the turn, I see a Maxima parked in the right lane with a guy at the wheel. I go by, pull into my lot, park, get out.

They pull in and park, get out come over, this cute girl says we are with Tire Rack, in marketing. They had just gone to a quiet, secluded road close to their office to shoot some pictures of the Maxima. We wanted to shoot a Z but couldn't find one, so we were going to use the Maxima instead, and you just came driving by! What timing! Would you mind if I shoot your Z? Would you drive it around and let me take some pics of you for one of our catalogs?

Well let me think about it for a second. Yea right, lets go!

She ran with her camera out to where she was before, and I take my lap, she takes a bunch of pictures, and as I went by she had a big pretty smile on her face. I park, they come over to thank me, and say if I want copies of the pics, just send them an email with my address. I send an email with my address, and also offered my Z if they need it for any more photo shoots. They said since the Z is still so rare, they'll be contacting me soon to set something up.

Z close encounter #2. What a fun car to drive, the Z draws a crowd, everywhere it goes. Enjoy your Z.

 

Man, you did a number on me with that story! I was in suspense waiting for the shooting part, and then realized I'd been duped! I'm happy for you that you weren't actually shot (with a gun, that is). Pretty funny post -- you're sure to get a lot of views with this one!

 

DAMN IT!!! I thought you got shot by a gun too!!!

 

Teaser

 

You write for a tabloid newspaper don't you? Fess up!

WayneTN

 

No lie, it happened just like that.

 

..same term AF pilots use too.

along with hand gestures of how the planes were setup.

mmwuhahah..

 

I know Luke..spoke w/ him the other day..Was trying to get fitments on the SSR GT3's

 

Yes, it was Luke, he has one sweet ride. I've wanted a 300ZX TT for years, ever since I first saw one. I can't wait to see how it does on the track next summer. You should see the parking lot at Tire Rack, it's filled with Bimmers, Porsches, nice shiney sports cars of all types. The owner has a silver Viper (racing stripe on the hood) that he parks out front, that must be fun on the track, too.

 

He could have just said "This girl from Tire Rack magazine took a couple of pictures of my Z because they couldn't find one on their own"....That's it! Why talk about how much the Indian food cost, etc? I want my 3 minutes of my life back

Oh and another thing...why did you have to make us believe that your car was shot at by a gun (because that's what everyone assumed)? Is it because you thought that more people would read what you have to say?

 

Sorry, my friend, you are responsible for your own assumptions, maybe you shouldn't jump to conclusions next time, believe what you wish.

 

*punch u*
hahaha... camera!! UGH!!! I WAS READING INTENSELY!

 

Ha ha, great story! And what freak good luck! Enjoy you Z!

 

Hey, ezee, I live in Columbia, MD, and you can tell the folks at Tire Rack that if they'd like some shots of a beeeooooooteeeeeful Lemans Sunset track model, I'd be happy to drive down to their track anytime. (Where exactly are they, anyway?)

And how can us locals get in on their track events?

--James

P.S. I'm a Tire Rack customer.

 

Was it just me, or did that book take about 45 minutes to read?
just playin man...but damn that was a long post.

 

Tire Rack is in South Bend, IN. I work on a project and spend most of my time here, but my home is in MD. Their track is sweet, but that would be a long drive from MD for a few laps.

Next summer when racing season starts back up I'll try to get into some club events, pay a few bucks, take some laps, yeehaa! Would love to see your Sunset next to my CS.

 

Follow the schedules of NASA, SCCA, BMWCCA, ACNA, et cetera... they usually book weekends at tracks and include driving schools, which are loads of fun.