Took Yssman (Brad) for a ride!! Grattan Raceway road track event July 28th 2007.

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CAMAROBOY69

CAMAROBOY69

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CAMAROBOY69
OK everyone I have been dreaming of doing this on Grattan raceway for over 7 years and the opportunity has finally arrived. My plan is to bring my 69 Camaro out there if everything goes well. You can bring ANY car onto the track and there isnt an inspection at all. If my Camaro breaks down I will be driving the Saturn on the track for sure. No matter what I will be driving on the track this year. I have been dreaming of this for way too long to miss it. Or if my Camaro breaks way before the event I can try and get her 67 Mustang going but I would rather not. lol


grattan1hk9.jpg

The event will be broken up into 4 classes. Each class depends on driver skill, driver experience, and car performance.

If you are interrested please let me know. This is a very advanced track with 12 turns. Several of them are blind and turn 3 has a massive negative camber turn that goes down then right back up the hill.
 
I would love to take my Sol around the track but the idea of driving with other experienced drivers is a little intimidating. I think I know enough to learn the track, but I've never raced right next to other cars. Maybe it's not as hard as I think it is, I don't know.

Oh, and my car isn't really up to the spec I'd be comfortable with on the track. I need new brakes badly and my all-season tires would crap out on me after one or two hard laps.
 
Keef
I would love to take my Sol around the track but the idea of driving with other experienced drivers is a little intimidating. I think I know enough to learn the track, but I've never raced right next to other cars. Maybe it's not as hard as I think it is, I don't know.

Oh, and my car isn't really up to the spec I'd be comfortable with on the track. I need new brakes badly and my all-season tires would crap out on me after one or two hard laps.
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Oh dont worry about it at all. There are 4 different classes and each class goes at a different time. If you dont have any experience you will be in the D class with all the other new people or slow cars. If my Camaro doesnt make it I will be in the D class with our very slow Saturn. :lol:
 
Too bad, really. I can't drive all the way up to Michigan.

Is there like an E class? for guys with sub-100hp cars running autos?
 
No the slowest cars or least experienced drivers are placed into D class. Its as low as it gets. A-D. With my 69 Camaro I am usually in the A class with the C5 Corvettes, Vipers, Porsche.... I can keep right up with the C5 Corvettes. Even posted videos of it a couple years ago. :) However I do go quite a bit slower when I have passengers. I want them to have fun, not get sick in the car or hate me. lol
 
What a great track. I used to race my bike on there not too long ago (yes, we've all heard the story), and I've always fancied a go in my own car. Problem is, I don't think the Jetta would hold up too well.

...Still, I've been telling my friend that we need to go see a race at Grattan. This may be the perfect opportunity for her to go to her first one...
 
You live so close and its a saturday. You shold go for sure. If the Camaro holds up again I could take you for a ride. And spectators get in and ride for free. :)
If the Camaro dies then I can take you for a ride on the track in our Saturn. lol You can also ask any driver if you can ride with them too. Everyone is very friendly.
 
Work is the big "if" here, but I'm going to do my best to get out there...
 
I was just watching a few videos of Grattan, and I have to say the track looks pretty rough. Many of the corners were pretty tough to read, but after watching a few laps I understood it better.

Myself and a couple friends were already planning a big trip down to Tail of the Dragon this summer, and they might be interested in going up to Grattan also. Hmm...

EDIT: I searched for "Grattan Raceway" on YouTube.
 
Where did you see the videos at? I was looking for some but couldnt find any? I made some of my own videos from Grattan but never posted them. (which really surprised me)
 
THat must be a youtube video. My work blocks them so I wont be able to see it. Maybe the other members on here can view it.
 
....Ah, the good ol' days. I wish I had some photos of when I was racing there...
 
That was quite a cool video - a good battle.

The track looks awesome! I wish we had stuff like there here in my country... :(

With a track like that, I'd think your brakes will be on fire after a couple of laps if they're not up to it.

Hopefully your Camaro makes an appearance. And take the camera, I enjoyed the last videos you had up. :)
 
ferrari_chris
With a track like that, I'd think your brakes will be on fire after a couple of laps if they're not up to it.
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Pretty much. The rather-long straight doesn't bode well for crap-tastic brakes, and the fact that you'll be riding them quite a bit around the back-side doesn't help either...
 
Oh yeah if I go in the Camaro I will have plenty of videos like I posted before from when I ran my Camaro at the other road track event at Gingerman. Grattan is much much more advanced. Just cant wait!!!
 
Oh wow I forgot about this thread. This event is next week July 28th. I will be getting the Camaro out tomorrow to go for a nice test drive and make sure its ready. I have been dreaming of running my Camaro on this track since I bought it around 5 years ago. I cant wait!!! I have run it on Gingerman many times but this is GRATTAN!!! Now in the voice from 300......"THIS IS GRATTAN!!!"
 
I'm going to do my best to head out that way before work (assuming that I'm working that day... I think I am), as I'm eager to see cars on the track again.
 
YSSMAN
I'm going to do my best to head out that way before work (assuming that I'm working that day... I think I am), as I'm eager to see cars on the track again.
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I guess a majority of the group is sleeping overnight the night before which is Friday night. We might even do the same thing depending on the weather. So we will probably be there all day since my friend is bringing his show winning 70 Camaro.
If you do show up on saturday I am sure you wont have a hard time finding me. I would love to give you a ride if you want for a few laps around the track. :)
 
I'd love to take the Jetta out for a spin, but I'm afraid one of my front struts is going bad, much less the crap-tastic tires. Oh well, it will be fun to watch. Maybe I'll bring a friend or two with me...
 
YSSMAN
I'd love to take the Jetta out for a spin, but I'm afraid one of my front struts is going bad, much less the crap-tastic tires. Oh well, it will be fun to watch. Maybe I'll bring a friend or two with me...
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Your way to late for that. To bring a car onto the track you need to be registerd way in advance. This sold out a long time ago. I barely got my friends 70 Camaro in the event.
The good news is that you can ride with anyone that brings theirs cars onto the track. And you get in for free.
 
Damn I wish I was going to be in the states, I would be there for sure.
 
Its been several months but I got the Camaro out this weekend. Heather and I took a good 2 hour drive with the car yesterday and it seems like its ready. I forgot how rewarding it was driving that car around. All the thumbs up, waves, smiles and "nice car" make it a very exciting experience every time I drive this thnig. :)
I have a couple very little things to take care of but other than that I could easily drive it to the event right now. I am still having starter issues. I think I broke a tooth of the flywheel a year ago so once in a while the starter wont engage. Thats the only major problem I have but other than that its ready.
Hopefully the weather is nice on saturday. It also looks like my friend and I will be in the same group together for this event.
 
I'd totally go, but my trip to the Dragon soaked up a lot of funds. I don't have any money left to fix something if it should break. And of course, I'd be driving as hard as I could. I mean, my brand new brakes are already squealing after 7 runs down the Dragon, and we hardly got over 80 mph! I can't imagine what slowing from over 100 would do to them. :lol:

I'll give thought to coming to watch but I'm not sure.
 
Its too late for anyone else to sign up. But any spectators can get in for free and ride for free.
From what I have been told I should easily be able to hit 120-130mph on that 1/2 mile straight. I will definetly be in 5th gear for sure. 👍 I just hope my brakes survive the stop at turn 1. lol
 
Here are all the cars separated by groups. My friend will be in group C with me.

Group A
1 - Porsche 911
2 - 97 911TT
3 - 06 Lotus Elise
4 - Lotus Exige
5 - 06 Lotus Elise
6 - FFR AC Cobra
7 - 04 STI
8 - STI
9 - S2000
10 - S2000
11 - S2000
12 - S2000
13 - ?
14 - S2000
15 - 07 Z06

Group B
1 - R32
2 - BMW 330i Dinan
3 - BMW 330I
4 - CLK 500
5 - 04 RX-8
6 - 92 civic hatch
7 - 04 STI
8 - 04 STI
9 - 03 WRX
10 - 84 GTI
11 - 91 SC miata
12 - 92 miata
13 - vette
14 - 03 WRX
15 - 03 vette

Group C
1 - 05 STI
2 - 95 LT1 Vette
3 - 04 vette Yellow
4 - 98 vette
5 - GTO
6 - 89 turbo TA
7 - 2006 Mustang
8 - 2007 Mustang
9 - 2006 Mustang
10 - 2004 SRT-4
11 - 69 CAMARO
12 - 65 Mustang
13 - 92 Mustang LX
14 - 1970 CAMARO
15 - 91 miata

Group D
1 - 86 SVO
2 - G35
3 - 93 Porsche 911
4 - C6 vette
5 - 1997 Thunderbird
6 - 00 vette
7 - Masda 6i
8 - ?
9 - Civic Delsol
10 - 06 Impreza OBS
 
CAMAROBOY69
From what I have been told I should easily be able to hit 120-130mph on that 1/2 mile straight. I will definetly be in 5th gear for sure. 👍 I just hope my brakes survive the stop at turn 1. lol
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I assume that you're running east down the course, so 120-130 MPH would be quite easy since you don't have to worry about the downhill, but that doesn't make the right-hander at the end of the straight any easier either. I've seen BMWs go off there, and the tires at the end are not forgiving. Last time I was there for a test/tune/"race" there was a modified Corvette running hot laps, probably scratching at 150 MPH before slamming on the brakes and setting them ablaze.

Of course, going around on four wheels with an engine is still a bit different than two wheels and the power of your legs. But, even then, we'd often hit well over 30 MPH on the same straight... Keep in mind these were pedal bikes with more than 150 people on the track at once...
 

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