Falcon

Doggone, it’s a long way from the front porch here at the doublewide at Big Pine Key to Mid Ohio, but worth every mile that Mazdarati Rob had to drive!

What a great track! Mazdarati Rob and I ventured off to Mid Ohio this past weekend for 3 days on track.

We got there Thursday night and went to the track Friday for the Mid Ohio BMW event. Friday was open lapping and Saturday and Sunday were HPDE’s. Because of terrible rain on Friday morning Rob and I waited until Friday afternoon to go on track. The format was just go out when you wanted and run like hell, so we did.

Saturday we were assigned instructors and off we went. Since they didn’t know us from Adam’s housecat, we were both assigned into the intermediate groups, which was fine with us.

Wouldn’t you know, though, Mazdarati Rob couldn’t be content with that! Nope, he had to make sure it was a memorarable day for his instructor. After a few laps, Rob said his instructor started making funny guttural sounds and wild hand gestures. But would that bother Rob? Nope! He kept to the task of driving, while his instructor was busy vomiting his guts up into his helmet. Not one with much compassion, and since the instructor’s mouthpiece on his communicator was plugged with large pieces of potato and undigested hamburger, Rob thought his instructor was saying, "Go! Go!," so he kept his foot planted until the end of the session. I’m not sure if that’s exactly how it all unfolded, but I’m sure Rob will chime in and correct any of my exaggerations, er…., uh…. I mean details.

Anyway, that track is fabulous, and very tight except in a couple of places. The surface is smoother than a Pamela Sue Anderson after a wax job. There are many subtleties to running the track fast and it’ll probably take a lifetime to learn them all.

Turn one seems to go on forever. The Keyhole takes some getting used to. Madness is crazy, the entry to Thunder Valley is blinder that a bat. The Armco at the end of Thunder Vally is close enough to “Reach out and touch someone.” And the apex at the Carousel is hidden better than Osama Bin Laden. Looking far ahead is rewarded well at this track. Without doing that, you’ll be a babe in the woods.

Every lap was a new adventure for me. I drove it completely in 4th gear for 2-1/2 days because it forced me into a smoother line and made me concentrate on learning it. Sunday in the second session I started using 3rd gear to help me rotate the car (Believe me, you’ll need all the help you can get for rotation at the Keyhole and the Carousel).

Overall, I really like the track. The other facilites are okay, but nothing special.

Here’s a clip from Sunday: Head ‘em up! Move ‘em out!

Up close and personal with a Hertz Rental Mustang a guy had rented for the weekend. And, yes, he had it on track:

Here’s the logo some guy has on his trailer and car. Gives me a whole new thought about Fed Ex:

CHJ In Virginia

Great video-- thanks for posting it. Mid-Ohio really looks like a fun track. I spectated at several races several years ago, but have not had the chance to run there yet.

varkwso

There you go again getting unfair advantage - I will have to get tips from you and Rob, again, on how to look cool at a new track

Unsuspecting instructors can be fun, I must admit....

Phil Smith

Jody,

Thanks for posting the video. Looks like a fun track. When do you head back there?

Love the story about Rob's instructor. Is it time for an open face helmet?

Phil

Falcon

Hey Phil,

I'll go back in September for the NASA Nationals Time Trials.

I don't think I'd want an instructor in an open faced helmet in my car if he's going to throwup. Let him keep it in his own helmet.

Mikelly

Jody, You get an enclosed trailer yet?

Mike

96GS#007

Excellent video and story as usual

Falcon

No, not yet. We used Rob's 48 footer and put both cars on that. He as a Ford 350 dually power stroke we pulled it with.


Thanks, Jim.

If any of you Midwest guys, or anyone else for that matter, get a chance for a Mid Ohio event, y'all need to jump at it. The track is a lot of fun and very challenging, at least it was for me.

ScaryFast

The new surface took some getting used to. Grip was different and some of my visual points for the line are now missing...

Can't wait to get back, the car should be done Friday. But I've said that for three weeks, now.

All in all a great track, in my top 3 for sure. I hope you took the time to eat at Decker Depot in downtown Lexington (the delapitated bright blue building at the main-4 downtown). Best breakfast this side of the Mississippi. Maybe even both sides.

TmillerC5

I will be there in July. Great video very helpful.
Anybody have a track map for it. I can't seem to get on to the Mid Ohio web site.
Thanks
Tim

sailohio

You are pretty smooth. Nice job on the carosel.

varkwso

Don't go stroking his ego.....but he is darn smooth at every track I have seen him at...

jeff

Z06 Silver Bullet

He's smooth as Pamela Anderson's *** after a wax job I am told...

MazdaratiRob

Here are a few more details about the poor instructor that unknowingly stepped into the silver RX-8 Saturday morning.

After the normal "get to know the student" questions, one answer to which included my objective to learn the track and gain the confidence I needed to be competitive for the upcoming Grand Am race June 23rd and 24th. Not much response from the instructor on my objective so I thought maybe he assumed I was giving him a line, although I did not notice whether he lifted his pants leg or not.

Off we went with only the occassional comment or question from me about specific parts of the track. The first five laps were very quiet and the only unusual aspect was that I was passing everyone. Keep in mind that I am used to trying to keep up with the Corvette crowd and usually get left in the dust, so it was a pleasant feeling when I started to lap the field a second time. I was in the "C" group, one up from the beginners.

My instructor was still unusually quiet, but I noticed he was sticking his hand out by the passenger mirror to direct air in on him and he kept looking at his watch. I thought this strange. As we closed in on the keyhole at a particularly fast pace, hard braking deep into the corner and the sharp right hand turn down hill to catch the apex with a full throttle exit I was particularly pleased with myself. I looked over to the instructor for some response. No response appeared to be forthcoming. At this point I asked my instructor if he was alright. He did not respond so I asked again as we were still going down the back straight. I noticed he started to fumble with the front of his helmet. I thought, OMG, a bee flew into his helmet and he is trying to get it out. I looked back over at him just in time to see the flow spewing from out the front and from the bottom of his closed face helmet. And I do mean spewing. I immediately slowed down before the turn in at the end of the straight away and drove off line all the way back to the paddock. All the way with him throwing up in his helmet and all over himself.

As we pulled down pit lane he was finally able to talk enough to tell me where he was parked. I took him straight there. I have to say I was impressed with his ability to maintain the puddle in his lap as he exited the car. I expected to have to smell barf in the seat all weekend, but he did such a great job there were only a few drops on the center console and the running board. Good thing he had a closed face helmet.

Several hours later I went to the Chief Instructor to see how my instructor was doing. I was told he was fine and this was unusual, "he had not thrown up in ten years". I wondered why he had to pick that day to start? Anyway, I got another instructor assigned and off we went to finish the weekend and had a blast. I continued to lap the field at least once each session, and sometimes twice depending on how quickly I was able to get by. I never did get signed off, I think my new instructor was having a good time riding with me.

Mid Ohio is a great track and I am really looking forward to the race. At least at this race I will have been on the track prior to showing up. I hope it helps.

varkwso

I am sure you will do great

levettegrl

OMG, Rob I didn't know you had to go thru all that! UNBELIEVABLE! I wondered why you were in C group, but knowing how they run their events-they DO like to have everyone run 1st before moving them where they SHOULD be. I wish I could have seen a video of all that! hahaha no in-Mazda camera huh?

it was great seeing you and Jody again, I thank you for your kindness and generosity in sharing your trailer digs with me this wknd


oh-the rental Mustang Shelby went off in the keyhole the FIRST lap out at the end of the day-we all sat in the boiling heat for over 20 min while the cleared the track

TooManyIDs

I guess this Smiley applies to this story.

xsiveone

When I heard that Ford was going to do a Hertz Mustang again, that's the first thing that popped into my mind. The originals saw a lot of race tracks. People would cut holes in the floorboards for roll bars and the cars often were returned with a different engine. The renters would swap engines with their Mustang's.

Did you by chance see where the plates were from? I dont recall Hertz renting this car anywhere near Ohio.

Ag-z06

, Rob! Excuse me - I have to go change my shorts as I just pissed myself laughing.

Falcon

You're right. He was nowhere near Ohio. He drove it quite a ways to make the event, at .39 cents per mile.

Oh, you should have been there, Adam. When Rob told me what happened, I didn't believe it. After I found out he wasn't kidding, I laughed til I cried. I couldn't make eye contact with the instructor after Rob pointed him out to me.