SRT Track Experience, Summit Point, WV

[FastRam]

I attended the SRT TE yesterday at Summit Point, WV. Awesome event, excellent weather and a great time was had by all. This TE had only 20 attendees (out of a possible 75). With a small class, that meant more seat time. :rock: I attended the VIR TE back in October 2006 when Skip Barber put on the show. The Petty gang did a great job equal to Skip's. :congrats:

We drove all the new SRT hardware, except for the Challenger. According to our instructors, the Challenger will be part of the TE beginning in September. We had opportunities to drive the Caliber SRT-4 (autocross and road course), Jeep GC SRT-8 (autocross), 300/Charger and Magnum SRT-8's (road course) and the Viper (vehicle control). Surpirisingly, the little Caliber is one fast and quick car. Becareful when you encopunter one these pocket rockets, you may be in for a surprise.

The new Viper is one kick a$$ ride. That thing takes off and brakes insanely fast. When it was my turn for the Viper (vehicle control module), my ride along instructor said "when ready go". Well I did. Tacked it up to about 3 grand and dumped the old clutcheroo, rear end squatted and squirted to the right. I had a huge grin on my face while the instructor was screaming noooooo. He didn't care too much about the tires -- he was concerned with the clutch and the abuse. I backed off and when we came to a stop, and apologized. For my second round of hot laps with the pro-drivers, I got the pleasure to ride in a snakeskin green Viper coupe. That ride was crazy fast on a very tight and technical road course, which included a 24 degree banking section I nicknamed the "pukeodrome". This track section transitioned from a flat road course to a high banked NASCAR track (albeit one lane of banking). The G-force at speed and during transitions was awesome.

If you get the opportunity to attend one of the TE events, you won't be disappointed.

 

[TNVIPER]

Only 20 people?...you probably drove until you couldnt drive anymore.. ......and you were at VIR in Oct 06? I was there on the Saturday run...probably met and never knew...

 

[Manic]

:needpics:

 

[FastRam]

:needpics:

Sorry no pics, didn't bring the camera. Too busy driving and having fun to snap photos. Although, the SRT TE gang gave us a flash drive which plugged into a USB port located on the center console. This drive activated an in car camera, which captured your's truly in action along with video capturing where you were going, GPS tracking of your progress around the courses, a play back of your RPM and speed during your time behind the wheel and another camera (don't know where they hid this one) that took footage of your "forward progress". The instructors told us we should have our DVD's with all of our footage in about 4 - 6 weeks. If this DVD is all what they said it is, I'll post up some video of me running the dung out of SRT's goodies.

 

[TNVIPER]

Sorry no pics, didn't bring the camera. Too busy driving and having fun to snap photos. Although, the SRT TE gang gave us a flash drive which plugged into a USB port located on the center console. This drive activated an in car camera, which captured your's truly in action along with video capturing where you were going, GPS tracking of your progress around the courses, a play back of your RPM and speed during your time behind the wheel and another camera (don't know where they hid this one) that took footage of your "forward progress". The instructors told us we should have our DVD's with all of our footage in about 4 - 6 weeks. If this DVD is all what they said it is, I'll post up some video of me running the dung out of SRT's goodies.

I have a DVD from the Nashville experience last fall....kind of boring but may be better on a road course..:dontknow:

 

[FastRam]

Only 20 people?...you probably drove until you couldnt drive anymore.. ......and you were at VIR in Oct 06? I was there on the Saturday run...probably met and never knew...

I think we missed each other by a day or so. I recall I attended the VIR session held during the week, don't recall if it was a Friday or not. All I remember was getting up at the crack of midnight, driving 4 hours, attending the day long session, 8 - 5 and then driving another 4 hours back to DC -- had a ton of fun though and would do it again in a heartbeat. I can say that for a road course and the way Skip's folks set things up, VIR was faster, much faster. But, for a technical challenge and finesse, Summit Point took my vote. If you make a mistake at VIR, you have some runoff area. Mess up on the Shenandoah course at Summit and you have anywhere from 20 to 30 feet before you meet Mr. Jersey barrier and no there are no gravel pits on this course. They made a serious point to all of us, DON'T "F" with the ESP button.

And yes, only 20 people. That was the best part of it all. Small class and a ton of seat time. The day before, they had a full house and a bunch of nasty T-storms and rain. I guess I got lucky with my choice to run Sunday, instead of Saturday.