This is a longer post than I would normally do, but I'm still so daggon excited that I need to write a longer message.

Wanted to send y'all a e mail with pictures of the Vettes 4 Vets event in Pell City, AL. This event was a fundraiser for the veterans and is an experience that I would recommend for anyone. The event was held on Talladega Superspeedway and the setting could not have been better. Just seeing that track in person is an experience. Simply put, that place is HUGE! While inside the tri-oval, only part of the track is visible. Most of it is not visible due to its sheer size.

The program started out with a reception, honoring the Veterans. This was a good place for networking, getting advice about the track day, and getting some good Alabama BBQ. Following the reception, the National Speed Museum was open for us to look around. This is a must do for the first timers.

Track day was simply amazing. Even though the event is for Corvettes, there were a few Challenger SRT8's, a twin turbo V12 Mercedes, a few Mustangs, and others. Each pass consisted of a pace vehicle and a trailing vehicle. In between, groups of 15 where let out on the track. Rules were, no passing, if you break, get to the grass, and by all means, forget about speed limits. Driving took a good deal of finesse, feel for the car, and turning off nanny controls (traction and stability control) was a MUST! The rules of having the lead and trailing vehicle, kept the speeds down quite a bit.

On my first run, I was 2nd in the group of 15. This is a perfect place for a newbie. I had to stay with the pace vehicle and this ensured I kept the speed down and get oriented with the track. Entering the first straight away, I could see turn 1. OK, from watching NASCAR on TV, you cannot appreciate the turns at Talladega until you walk or drive on them. The bank is just under 34 degree pitch. It feels like you are driving on a wall. It plants the driver against the door and the passenger must hang on to anything they can grab to keep them in the seat. Since I was up front next to the lead vehicle, our speed was about 60 mph at that point. Even though the turn was a left, I had to turn fairly hard right, to keep the car on the side of the track. The rear of the car actually hangs or sags down below your front tires. This will eat your tires up quickly! The whole idea of a speed limit is challenged coming out of turn 2 in the straight away. I hit a modest 110 on the back stretch on lap 1. Coming into the next turn is a white knuckle experience for me at 90. Into the turn, the car pressed against the curve and I kept the go peddle to the floor in 5th gear through the turn. The faster you go through the turns, the better the car performs and the more comfortable you become. No longer leaning on the door and the passenger grabbing something to keep them from falling into the driver. By lap 2, you have the routine down. Toward the end of the first session, I was driving through the turns at about 100 and hit a high of 130 on the straights. Not flying, but round one is really to get folks comfortable with the track.

OK, round 2... Laps 1 - 4 were faster, 110's in the corners and mid 130's on the straights. I ended up as the last vehicle in the group, which is a prime spot for generating some speed. The group pushed up against the pace car entering into our final lap. Then, about half way back from the pack, a driver hit the brakes hard. The entire pack fallowing this person knew that some space was being placed between the back half of the pack and the front. I could see the trailing vehicle start to approach the rear of my car, and I was only going about 30 MPH. Then the fun began... The first car that hit the brakes opened up the throttle, followed by the remaining cars in the group. Entering turn 1, I was at 125 and accelerating. The car pushed HARD against the turn and we all banked down into the flat part of the track, giving you a slingshot approach. I held the peddle to the floor as long as possible before catching the group as they entered turn 2 and 3. As I pulled my foot off the peddle with the RPM's at about 5k in 5th gear, the car started to decelerate at a fast pace. At this point, all color in my wife’s face was gone! After ending session 2, my wife said “let's go again”! Unfortunately, time was up and we had to get on the road home. Next year we will plan to stay in Alabama, so we can stick around until the end and run a few more laps.

If you ever get a chance to get to this event, it is well worth it! Below are a few slideshows of the event (most pictures of cars and the track) (sorry about a few pictures taken on the cell phone). I will send a picture of my car on the track and sitting in Victory Lane once the event photographer posts them. I also have a very short video of the first two laps of session 1 that I will share once it loads.


Reception

http://s229.photobucket.com/user/awhe ... 3%20Talladega%20Reception

Museum

http://s229.photobucket.com/user/awhe ... 2013%20Talladega%20Museum

Track Day

http://s229.photobucket.com/user/awhe ... 20Talladega%20Track%20Day

Vettes 4 Vets......a perfect Memorial Day.

Beware: High speed driving can be addicting.

Ha, Bill, I can completely understand what you mean! It was great to be in a place to let the car breath a little and scratch that speed itch in a legal setting. I plan on getting back out there in future years....

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I have 2 days this weekend on track, instructing.

The big ovals are fun but I do prefer something with long straights and hard turns.

On our track, a Z will hit 135 on the main straight, brush the brakes going into some gentle (but frightening) S-curves with very hard braking at the end for a 2ond gear corner.
Yea, scary in the right hand seat.

That looks like a BLAST!!!! Thank you for sharing!!!

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Yep, I would love to try that style as well. I really wish there were more places near central Missouri! Well, maybe this is a good thing as addictive as these events can be!