FATT

I'm probably light years behind the eight ball - found this day on fast and furious fun online. A day of high performance driving at Summitt Point raceway. I'm registered for the course May 23rd (counting the days) and it would be very classy if a few more 350z''s were out there - anybody?

 

I'll be there. I'm hoping to get to the May 9 one, too.

See you there.

 

Have you ben out there before?

 

I was suppose to go Apr 11, but it was rescheduled to Apr 18th which was Good Friday. So, I rescheduled. All booked up until Aug 1. But, yes I'm dying to go and I've seen posts from several people who've gone.

 

Hmmm.... Let me check my records:

10/14/99 FATT
03/21/00 FATT
07/14/00 FATT
10/13/00 FATT
11/26/00 FATT
12/15/00 FATT
02/27/01 Seat Time
03/19/01 FATT
05/10/01 Seat Time
05/25/01 FATT
06/05/01 Seat Time
06/25/01 FATT
08/29/01 Seat Time
10/03/01 Seat Time
02/20/02 FATT
05/31/02 Seat Time
10/25/02 FATT
11/19/02 FATT
12/13/02 FATT
03/07/03 FATT
04/18/03 FATT

Only 21 times in three cars (Miata, 944 Turbo, 350Z). Why do you ask?

April 2000 (note the evidence of my first and only off-track excursion, knock wood):

 

April 2003:

 

That looks like way too much fun to be legal!


Seriously, how good is the instruction, what's the "vibe" like how's the track, how competaive do folks get out there - so many questions.

Cool pics btw.

Andy

 

If you search the forum on "FATT" or "Summit Point" you'll find a bunch of posts, including this one about my first day there in the Z. If you go further down in that same thread, you'll find my second post, which describes the FATT sessions.

You can also get more info at the track's site: http://www.bsr-inc.com/RDS.HTM.

Here's a secret tip for newbies: if they say that a FATT is full for Group 1 (novices), go out there anyway, show up early (no later than 8 am), and get on the waiting list. Once you're there, you have a pretty good chance of getting in. No guarantees, of course, but in my first year I did it that way about half the time, and was never turned away.

And if you don't get in, you can still hang around, probably sit in on the classrooms sessions anyway, see a bunch of cool cars and nice people. Better than a day at the office, right?

After you've run a few FATTs, your instructor will approve you to run in Group 2, where you don't have to have an instructor every time. Once you're in Group 2 you're golden, because that group rarely fills up completely.

And the Group 1 situation may improve once the new Shenandoah track opens up this summer.

See you there.

 

James your a mind of wonderful information - I shall probaly do as you suggest, you said you'd be out there May 9th? I'll make plans to scive off work and head out there with my fingers crossed!

Huge dissapointment today - they called and said the Novive (group 1?) course was full 5/23 - next available 9/19, I'm on every cancellation list between now and then - but I will devise a cunning plan for 5/9

Thanks again for the info mate - cheers!!

Andy
Chrome Silver Touring

 

My going on May 9 depends on two things: finishing the May issue of my newsletter (work) and having the new transmission installed by by May 8.

But I'm definite for May 23.

 

James -

Great pictures. Damn, are you instructing yet? Question, how do you like your 350Z vs. the 951T that you previously owned? The 951 looks like a GREAT GREAT track car ...

Hope to see you out there soon at some events. What DE's are you planning on doing? Auto-x? Doing Salazar's auto-x this sunday at Rosecroft?

If you guys have not done a DE/FATT ... be prepared to smile with open glee at day's end. Honestly, it teaches you so much. Just bring your car stock and you'll have a blast.

There's no real danger ...

I'm hoping to get some seat time at VIR this year. I should have done it with Audi club this past weekend; but, could not get off work

Hope to see you around this region guys ... if you see an E36 M3 with hawai'i plates ... wave!

 

NoSoup:

No, not instructing. I don't think I'm all that good. Also, I'd be too afraid to ride with someone who was as bad as I was when I started!

Your best chance to run into me... I mean meet me... is at FATT. I ran a couple of autocrosses in my first year in the Miata, but not since then. The HPDEs are more exciting, and give you more time on track per day.

I will be running an SCCA road rally (Soft Shell Crabs) with a friend at the end of the month. We've done a few simpler rallies before, but this one looks rather complicated.

I'd also like to run at VIR. I may have some news on that score in the near future.

See you at the track!

 

Sorry to say that it doesn't look like I'll be at Summit Point this Friday. No word from the dealership on that backordered part for my new tranny. I suppose I could just go anyway and grind the hell out of third gear, but everyone would think I was a moron who doesn't know how to shift.

Also, it looks like rain, and every one of the six event days I've run since last December has been cold, wet, or both. So I think I can pass on one more wet one.

Finally, if I don't go to the track, I have an extra day for getting my work done, which would make life a little easier.

BUT!
IF the dealership calls Tuesday and can have the car done by Thursday.
IF the rain holds off till Saturday.
IF I can get my work done early.

I may still go.

You never know.

 

I don't know if anyone cares anymore, but two of the three IFs I mentioned above have come to pass: The new transmission should be in by Thursday afternoon, and I should be done with all my work by then, too.

So now I just have to decide if I'm willing to spend another cool wet day at the track.

Andy: are you still on? Are you going to bail if the weather doesn't look good?

 

Unfortunatley no, I swear the gods were conspiring against me, the more I tried to keep my schedule empty the morte it filled up, with stuff I can't walk away from.

Are you still planning on going out the track 5/23?

Andy

 

I won't be there tomorrow because the dealer's not done with my transmission yet, so just as well (from my point of view) that you won't either.

Yes, I'm definitely on for 5/23, with my friend Craig in his Caprice.

See you then.

 

James

Definatley 5/23, sorry to hear you missed out today, but you will forgive me for taking some cold comfort from that fact as I'm stuck at work, not racing the day away at the track.

One question, paranoia at work, are you totally conviced that I wil be able to "gate crash" the party?

Andy R

 

See your PM

 

By hook I by crook got my baby on the track, all be it during the lunch touring laps at the Jefferson 500 behind a pace car. I hope the pace car driver had a change of underwear, because I was backing way off before the straight then redlining all the way down the hill to the hairpin - what a rush. Roll on FATT!!

Andy R

PS James are you still planning to head out there this Friday?

 

I'll be there, but it looks like rain again, dammit! Let's hope it clears up by the end of the week.