Monday July 20th the Connecticut Auto-x and Rally Team will be heading back down to Pocono, PA to play on the high banks. This time we'll be tackling the South Course....Nascar Turn 1. Open track all day means you can run until you run out of gas.....then fill back up and keep on running.
Cost.....a measly $150! Thats right $150, to run your car ragged all day long.
Instructors are available throughout the day. There will also be a time trial at the end and the CART Team Relay Event.
Click here to register.
http://www.cartct.com/trial_reg.shtml

I promise you, you'll have a good time.

 

I wish I could make this.
I also promise if you can't have a good time with these guys....you just can't have a good time!!!

 

Jablonski! So its just me and nick then? Come on, I was hoping for a z car freight train

 

Liam you might get some people to sign up if you bet them if they can beat you and nick in the tt you will pay their entry. They would have to be in a Z of course no Z06 ringers

 

I've run with CART a few times in my Miata which is set up like a Spec. CART is a nice loose bunch to run with. The last few years CART has been on the South course in July and the DelVal Miata Club has been on the North Course.
The Miata Club does the North on Mon-Tues (July 20-21). It seems the past few years CART and the Miata's are there on the same Monday.
This year I can't make the Monday--but I'll be there Tues. with either the Miata or my 350.

What have you done to your Z's re:the track?

Maybe I'll join you guys next July with CART. Did any of you run NJMP with CART?

 

jablonski and i ran NJMP with CART. THAT was an awesome event. I cant' wait to get back there and shave 2 or 3seconds off my time and try to reel in that crazy Z06.

Nicks car is an 03 base model 350z. LSD, just installed larger brakes, full exhaust, intake, intake plenum and spacer, under drive pulleys, sway bars, shocks/springs, control arms, 275 kumhos all the way around

Me....just an 07 350z. stillen catback, cobb front bar, hoosier r6s. good enough to run sub 60sec at pocono north, and 1:14 (unofficial) 1:16 official at NJMP

 

that would sound too cocky...i'd be impressed if someone did though

 

Sounds like you guys have some pretty nice set ups.
Have you ever gone out with PDA/NASA?
I probably run with them more than any other group.
Which track did CART run?
Aside from Pocono in July do you have any other dates planned?

 

Nicks car is nicely set up. Me.... I'm just stock
I ran with PDA a loooong time ago in my Mustang, never run with NASA

Cart ran Lightning, might try to do another day down there this year if money permits
We did Limerock a few weeks ago.
The rest of our days are at Pocono, we have another North day in August. Then in Sept, we have whats called Circuits Maximus. We have the ENTIRE facility...we run all 3 courses, north, south and east. You pretty much run what ever course you feel like for as long as you like. Its pretty awesome.

 

Idstang50,
Sound like you go out pretty much with CART. PDA runs what they call the GrandSlam at Pocono. Same deal as CART. All 3 tracks going at same time. They are doing it the Fri in July befoe CART on Mon.
They will be there Fri-Sun. Fri-GrandSlam, Sat-Double Infield, Sun-Single Infield Long Course. Sun. they run most of the NASCAR oval going into the North Course in reverse.

 

hmmmmm
I'll have to check that out.
I'm the activities director for cart, so my time is pretty consumed by them

 

I think CART is cheaper to run with. Check out pdadrivingschool.com

 

sorry for the noob question, but when you say "instructors avail. throughout the day" does that mean I can get a instructor to tag along with me in my car and get instructions on how to drive at the track?
I've never been in a track before and would love to.

 

eckeryi,
Yup, that's exactly what you will get. I can speak only for the clubs I've learned and instructed with. PDA/NASA Northeast (PDA took over NASA NE last year), Porsche Clubs of America (Schattenbaum and Reisentoter Chapters), SCDA, DelVal Miata Club and a few more.

Here's how it works. All these clubs emphasize safety 1st and fun second. If you are not safe the odds are you and the other drivers around you are not having fun.

That being said anyone new to the group has to show he is capable of driving in whatever group he says he belongs. For instance, the first time I showed up at a Porche Club event, I had been driving for 3 years at that point. Maybe 50+ track days under my tires, but no one new me, I did have my track book(that's another thing I'll get into) showing my past history. I told them I was an advanced driver. They assigned some one to go out with me on track to see if I was what I said I was--we did a few laps and he saw what he needed to see. And I was good to go, I now instruct with PCA as well as other clubs.

OK, now back to you the new guy. As a new guy you will be attending about 3, 30 minute classroom sessions during the course of the day. You will also be assigned an instructor for the day or days you'll be there.

You will start out in the Green(Novice) group with other people like you, noobies or minimal track experience in a variety of cars brought to the track. Last week with PCA the noobie cars ranged from an Audi R8, Aston Martin, Viper, Porsches of course, an Outback Wagon and an 84 Dodge Omni. Each car has an instructor riding along in the passenger seat with headphones for both of you so you can communicate.

If for some reason you and the instructor just don't mesh you are encouraged to request a different instructor. No hard feeling on anyones part. You need to be comfortable and having fun.

You will have a log book that will be filled out at the end of the day by the instructor. It will more or less critique your strong points and weak points to be worked on and offer suggestions. You should always bring it with you to be updated as you gain experience.

You will have an instructor with you at all future events till the instructor signs you off to solo--if you are both OK with it.

Typical groups are:
Green-Novice Instructed
Blue- Advanced Novice can be instructed or if signed off, uninstructed
White-Intermediate Uninstructed
Black-Advanced
Red-Instructors

You can ask for an instructor in any group. I always asked for an instructor at a new track I'd never driven on. Even now I'll sometimes ask for someone to ride with me, or I'll ride with another instructor.

You are also encouraged to ask your instructor if has has not offered to ride with him, or ask any instructor to ride with him.

With PDA, they encourage all uninstructed drivers new to a track to ask for an instructor, at least for a few laps. They also encourage the instructors to ask the intermediate drivers as they sit in the grid waiting to go on track if they would like an instructor. I will drive in the intermediate groups sometimes and watch other drivers. If I see some one that looks like they may need some help I'll approach them later and ask if they are having any trouble with any part of the track. If they say yes, I'll ask them to ride with me and later I'll go out with them if they want me to.

When I start out with a new guy I ask if he would let me drive their car for a few laps. This is at a comfortable pace, what we call maybe 5/10's. I want to get a handle on your car but more important I want the student to relax a bit, let me show him the flag stations the line and other stuff before he gets behind the wheel. It's easier to absorb stuff as a passenger in the beginning.

I hope I did not bore you with my long windedness.
Check out some of these sights for more info:
pdadrivingschool.com
nasanortheast.com
scda1.com
They will have good info for you.
PM me if you want more info.
MWest

 

Thanks for the extremely detailed and helpful information!