Watkins Glen - August 3 & 4

[LilRedCorvette]

Apex Performance Driving has openings left for their HPDE at Watkins Glen August 3 & 4. $215 per day.

www.apexperformancedriving.com

Anyone ever attended one of this school's events? I'm thinking of going since I'll be in CNY for Vettes at the Beach on July 31st anyway. Thoughts?

[C5inWV]

WG is on my list of "to do", but it doesn't look like it will be this year. There are closer opportunities at that time of the year, plus other social and professional obligations.

If I were you, I'd do it. Then you can show us the way around next year.

I will have more time next year. I will go to MidOhio at a later date, Pocono at an earlier date.

[LilRedCorvette]

THIS WAS A TOTAL BLAST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You all missed a good time!

All I can say is this track was a whole lot of fun. It has a fantastic flow, lots of twisties and elevation changes, an off camber turn that LilRed seemed to like, and was a nice long track; 3.40 miles. I was perhaps the only person there who had never run it, but after a couple runs I had a decent line. By the end of the day, the line was memorized! Lots of seat time.

Was the only C4 vette there, there were a few Z06s, but there were some Ferraris (gulp), a Lotus, Vipers, and a ton of Porsches and BMWs. We only had one incident...first open track session a WRX totalled his front end on the esses. The esses (turns 2-4) were great as they were all uphill...just nail the gas and hug the apexes! I will post a track map and pics when I get a chance...

Will definitely be back there...this is a 'don't miss' track...but for now my Corvette Vacation is over...a cruise, a show, a track day...now it's back to work [:(]

[Black396]

[B-)]

Glad to hear you had a good time and brought LilRed home in one piece.

WG is definitely on my list of tracks 'to do'

[Akcelr8]

Way to go! Any pics of you carving the track? You definitely have qualified and passed the initiation for being a certified "track rat". [:D]

[LilRedCorvette]

[B-)]

Glad to hear you had a good time and brought LilRed home in one piece.

WG is definitely on my list of tracks 'to do'

YOU MUST DO THIS TRACK!!! You'd love it.

LilRed did well, a day at the track was just what she needed. [B-)] Everything stayed cool and ran well...to my delight!

[LilRedCorvette]

Way to go! Any pics of you carving the track? You definitely have qualified and passed the initiation for being a certified "track rat". [:D]

Gonna check their website in a while for some pics...they don't have any up yet. I think they snap a few informal pics but don't think they had a company there like Race Day Photo taking pics of each car [:(] Would have been nice, I would have bought some, since that track looked like it would photograph well. I did take some stills of some of the cars at the show...will post soon.

And I'm proud to be an Official Track Rat....w00t!!!!!

[LilRedCorvette]

Another instructor gave me this...they should have given them to all of the students...my only criticism. Here ya go:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v671/lilredcorvette94/WGITrackMap.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v671/lilredcorvette94/WGITrackElevation.jpg

We did the long course...3.40 mi.

[Black396]

With or without the 'bus stop' on the back straight?

[LilRedCorvette]

With or without the 'bus stop' on the back straight?

:yesnod: We did the bus stop...lotsa fun!

Funny, that's exactly what the instructors called it, too. [:))]

[AlohaC5]

Looks like an awesome track! I plan to make a trip to WG next year. We should get a group together and caravan there once we see it listed on the NASA website for 2006.

[LilRedCorvette]

Looks like an awesome track! I plan to make a trip to WG next year. We should get a group together and caravan there once we see it listed on the NASA website for 2006.

Great idea! Will do!

[wazzzup]

I'd be interested in that one! [B-)] I'm glad that you came back safe from that one Red! It would be cool to get a half dosen or so to go up there!

[kedvesh]

Looks like fun! Glad you had a good time. [B-)]

[LilRedCorvette]

OK, here are some (albeit cr@ppy) pics from the event. They didn't afford us much time in between classroom and track sessions to take pics of other run groups on the track, but here are some pics of the garage area and surroundings nonetheless:

Garage area, if you were lucky enough to get a bay:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v671/lilredcorvette94/Hpim0452.jpg

LilRed #92 cooling off after a track session (tent courtesy of a Nice Guy who let me borrow it!):
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v671/lilredcorvette94/Hpim0449.jpg

If I didn't already have a full tank of gas, would have bought some of the good stuff...only $7.00/gallon!:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v671/lilredcorvette94/Hpim0450.jpg

Some of the cars there running:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v671/lilredcorvette94/Hpim0451.jpg
Atkins friendly, only 2 carbs! [:))] :
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v671/lilredcorvette94/Hpim0457.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v671/lilredcorvette94/Hpim0456.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v671/lilredcorvette94/Hpim0455.jpg

Lotus:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v671/lilredcorvette94/Hpim0459.jpg

Would have loved a passenger ride in this Ferrari but he wasn't offering ANYBODY one!:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v671/lilredcorvette94/Hpim0454.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v671/lilredcorvette94/Hpim0453.jpg

[Woods977]

I've been there 6 times and I am still amazed by this track. The US Grand Prix used to run there. So running on the track that that the big boys ran on is quite amazing. No not NASCAR, F1 besides the Nascar car guys only run half the track. They never do the boot which the coolest part of the track (IMO). Going through the Esses at 140 mph is a rush too

[LilRedCorvette]

I've been there 6 times and I am still amazed by this track. The US Grand Prix used to run there. So running on the track that that the big boys ran on is quite amazing. No not NASCAR, F1 besides the Nascar car guys only run half the track. They never do the boot which the coolest part of the track (IMO). Going through the Esses at 140 mph is a rush too

We did the boot :yesnod: The entire track. And Nascar runs the other (short) track next to it...my instructor pointed out where it was.

The esses were my favorite part, quite a rush there. I still can't get over that I was there running it less than a week ago. It's definitely NOT a beginner track, kind of a big jump up from Jefferson Circuit, but I am glad I did it. Instructor said I had gotten a good line, and that makes me happy.

Can't wait to go back!