NHIS track event report

[glen.powell@smc.com]

  Well, had an absolute BLAST last Saturday
  with the COM Sports Car Club at NHIS.
  (New Hampshire International Speedway)
  We ran the road course, a 1.6 mile road
  course. This track is VERY technical, has
  many elevation changes, banked corners,
  flat corners, a 180-degree turn, and 1/2 mile
  straight and is VERY tough on brakes.
  Much more technical as compared to
  Lime Rock or Watkins Glen and takes a
  lot more time to learn and get comfortable
  with. (IMFO)

  They had an intro school for drivers new
  to the track that I found beneficial. I also
  had an instructor ride with me for my first
  two sessions. This was very helpful and
  he did an excellent job of showing me
  the various lines, etc. These guys are
  more advanced as compared to the
  QCUSA events. Passing was allowed
  on three areas of the track and cars
  are allowed to get as close together
  as they dare. This event had much more
  the feel of a real race Vs a "drivers school".

  Anyhows, my first three 20-minute sessions
  were in the morning and I had a blast. I then
  worked a corner while another group of
  sessions had the track. I had one track
  session in the afternoon and it had started
  to rain pretty well. I feathered the throttle
  and short-shifted on the main straight to keep
  my speed below ~80 MPH to avoid hydroplaning
  on my R1 "slicks". I really started to dice it up
  pretty nicely with a GTI that was following me.
  He'd catch me on the straight (he had street tires)
  and I'd pull away on the back twisties. One time
  coming into turn 3, the 180 degree turn, I got
  TOTALLY sideways. He was sure I was gonnah
  spin and let up and waited to see if he should go
  L or R to get around me. However, I caught the
  spin by staying on the throttle hard and steering.
  I shot off up the hill....he couldn't believe I saved
  it and got left in the spray....nice.....Quattro............

  He asked me about it after the session and wanted
  to know *how* I saved it. I told him I was only 50%
  out-of-control and that the AWD combined with
  throttle and steering just pulled me right out
  of it without a lot of lost velocity. He queried that
  I must have been "scared". Naw, autocrossing
  teaches one to drive right at the limit, or a bit
  over, in order to be competitive, and I feel that
  it was past autocross experience that enabled
  me to keep cool and handle it without even
  increasing the ol' heart rate, it was just an
  instinctive, automatic reaction, no thought
  was really required, just reaction.

  Anyhows, this event was A BLAST! If you enjoy the
  QCUSA events and are a "somewhat experienced"
  driver you will love these COMSCC events too!
  Highly recommended!     "I'll be back!"

  Sunday was a competition, but was already filled,
  oh well, next time.....    :)

  -glen