- 864
- NorCal
- oppositelock27
...that event doesn't exist.
Or does it?
My employer graciously arranged for attendance by yours truly.
Since I spent the entire day jumping in and out of cars I wasn't able to take many of my own photos. The ones you see are courtesy of the event photographer. The weather constantly alternated between torrential downpours and glorious sunshine all day long, making for a unique learning experience.
The morning classroom session with professional race driver Tommy Kendall.
The fleet. Value: $4 million+.
The first lesson was in basic accident avoidance in a C63. Accelerate to freeway speed, then mash the brake and avoid a series of cones representing an overturned truck.
Careful not to loop it!
Getting ready for the skidpad lesson, this time in SL63s. This is the only time we were allowed to disable traction control and stability control in order to purposely induce understeer and oversteer. I'm the dorky looking guy on the extreme left.
Now a drag race and braking test in CLS63s. The first car to stop inside a box of cones at the end of the strip wins. Sound familiar? This was accompanied by a slalom exercise.
"Taxi rides" with instructors in CLK Black Series. These guys take your notions of physics, roll them up in little balls and flush them down the toilet.
On track in the SLS. Words don't exist to describe driving one, so I'm not even going to try. Imagine a UFO with wheels and you're halfway there. Instructors led the way to demonstrate proper lines and braking zones, giving instant feedback to students through the vehicle audio system.
I embarrassed myself a bit in the autocross event. With my previous experience I should have placed better than third.
I was 1/100th of a second behind second place and 1/10th behind first. Good enough for a nice Meguiar's detailing kit.
Putting on my thuggy gangster face.
Without a doubt the best 10 hours of my life.
Or does it?
My employer graciously arranged for attendance by yours truly.
Since I spent the entire day jumping in and out of cars I wasn't able to take many of my own photos. The ones you see are courtesy of the event photographer. The weather constantly alternated between torrential downpours and glorious sunshine all day long, making for a unique learning experience.
The morning classroom session with professional race driver Tommy Kendall.
The fleet. Value: $4 million+.
The first lesson was in basic accident avoidance in a C63. Accelerate to freeway speed, then mash the brake and avoid a series of cones representing an overturned truck.
Careful not to loop it!
Getting ready for the skidpad lesson, this time in SL63s. This is the only time we were allowed to disable traction control and stability control in order to purposely induce understeer and oversteer. I'm the dorky looking guy on the extreme left.
Now a drag race and braking test in CLS63s. The first car to stop inside a box of cones at the end of the strip wins. Sound familiar? This was accompanied by a slalom exercise.
"Taxi rides" with instructors in CLK Black Series. These guys take your notions of physics, roll them up in little balls and flush them down the toilet.
On track in the SLS. Words don't exist to describe driving one, so I'm not even going to try. Imagine a UFO with wheels and you're halfway there. Instructors led the way to demonstrate proper lines and braking zones, giving instant feedback to students through the vehicle audio system.
I embarrassed myself a bit in the autocross event. With my previous experience I should have placed better than third.
I was 1/100th of a second behind second place and 1/10th behind first. Good enough for a nice Meguiar's detailing kit.
Putting on my thuggy gangster face.
Without a doubt the best 10 hours of my life.
