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Read my report on Willows and Buttonwillow.
Now, I like a thrill as much as anyone. I love amusement park rides. In a corporate teambuilding event, I’ve climbed a 75’ telephone pole, then leapt across 8’ of air to grab1” pipe. But, let’s get down to gearhead gooseflesh. What’s almost as good as your first time? Why, that’d be your first open-track in your Cobra! I had not a clue that open-tracks and driving schools would be so exhilarating. Now I scheme in my spare time about how to do it again, and again. For this latent motorhead, there was the first fast experience: 120 MPH in a 5.0 LX convertible across an empty straight in the wee-hours, with no one to watch. But slingshotting a ’97 Cobra out of Willow Springs’ turn 9, onto the pit straightaway as 200 people watch you kiss 120 MPH – that’s a completely different rush. If you consider the religious zeal that gearheads have about their cars, your first open-track is almost a rite of passage like a wedding, Bar Mitzvah or Confirmation. Just like when I first saw my wife, it was love at first site of my Cobra-to-Be. Because I’ve had many cars, I recognized that “I WANT THIS CAR!” feeling when I talked to the previous owner for the first time. Lance W., formerly a SCOASCC member, sold it to me with less than 3,000 miles. Moving from arid Southern California to a rainforest, he knew the Cobra would meet an early, rotted demise there. As First Owner, he had put four figures into upgrades when new. Tokico Illumina shocks and struts, Eibach sway bars, a B&M Ripper shifter, Hotchkis caster/camber plates, K&N filter and Cobra R wheels inside 275/40 Comp T.A’s. Perfect for me and my track aspirations! An interesting note about our cars and abilities is this: I asked members of the national SVT Cobra Owners Association (SCOA) email message list what mods I should next to do my car. About five very experienced guys chimed in, “Take a driving course!” The more I find out about our cars, the more I believe the driver’s talent is 95% of fast laps. In around four months I felt like I knew how to drive the car. In one of life’s little twists, I had a little tiff with my employer – that’s how I came to lurk around the Galpin Ford lot, meeting Wayne J., another enthusiast. As we compared notes on Saleens, Roushs and showroom Cobras, he told me about the Cobra Owners Club of America (COCOA) and SVT Cobra Owner’s Associations. Wayne had open-tracked his Roush GT and ‘65 Mustang with them, and invited me to call the Los Angeles COCOA president, Lynn Park. Which is what I did. Except for other SVT Cobra or Mustang clubs, a nicer membership you would not find. COCOA first fills its track events with owners of vintage original Shelby Cobras. Then later-model Mustangs, or Ford performance cars can attend as space permits. Lynn said you needed a fire extinguisher, seatbelts, and helmet, and you’d be welcome to run in their open-track. I had one of the best learning experiences one could have. On a late October Saturday, in crisp morning air at Willow Springs, I could barely contain myself as I idled into the tech line. Hollering out my window into Wayne’s red ‘65 Mustang, he looked surprised that I remembered him from months before. After attending the drivers’ meeting, a group of us took a reconnaissance run around the track in a van with Tom McIntyre giving us pointers and lines. Then I did my own laps in the slowest of the four “run” groups, but now in my own Green Dragon. Scared stiff could describe what I felt the first few times around the track. Knowing the limits of my talent, I got assistance from one of COCOAs many instructors, Gary Underwood. Gary’s a terrific instructor who’s also a sales manager at Citrus Ford in Industry. First, I asked him to check my style around the track as he rode shotgun. Because I’d never been taught performance driving by a qualified teacher, he rode patiently as I hit the rev limiter more than once, grannied into each turn, and took inefficient lines. Then, he piloted the most efficient lines as I rode, showing me how easily the Cobra could be managed if you knew how to drive it. Having the car take a “set” in turns – loading the suspension to give it a stable stance – was only one of his gems for the day. Knowing I was an enthusiastic first-timer he also introduced me to others at the track, including Michael Eisenberg of Maeco Motorsports, who prepares Shelby Mustangs and replicas. Hangin’ out with other tracksters was part of the fun. At this event I met Tim Gilpin of Brothers Performance in his slick ’95 Project Mustang, numbered 135. He grinned and laughed as I asked him if that was his average lap time for Willow Springs. Of course, event-goers got to ogle some Detroit iron so beautiful it’d make a grown man weep with joy: gleaming Shelby Mustangs, spotless Shelby Cobras. A blindingly fast Pantera that had to be hitting 160 MPH on the front straights, an errant Viper running via a gracious dispensation, other SVT Cobras or Mustangs, and a full-blown Ford NASCAR racer were all there. When you run an open-track, your mission is to make sure and drive within your talent, improving your skills while having fun. Another Cobra owner once told me you should never, “Run out of talent and run off-track.” By 4:00 PM on Sunday afternoon I was a more capable driver, and was running with two faster, more experienced groups. Nine sessions at around 20 minutes each did the trick. Not that anyone was keeping times, because this wasn’t a race, but I’d guess I was doing two minute laps. Around mid-day, my wife, Vicki and son Drew came out to see me. After I pitted from the first run she saw, she walked up to my car as I was taking off my helmet. She took one look at my face and lamented, “Look at that smile on your face! I’ve been replaced!” My serene reply was, “Well, not exactly, sweetheart.” Driving home I was a very happy man; I had done something both challenging and exciting in a safe environment. Searching for different open-track clubs, I found National Auto Sport Association’s Los Angeles Chapter (NASA-LA). They’re well organized and professional, and don’t expect you to race. Settling on one of their Willow Springs events, I talked with club director Ryan Flaherty, who explained an extra feature of the event was the Toyo Pro 7 Series Challenge. In between run groups, open-trackers could watch the Challenge among a variety of cars including Bow-Ties, Cobras, Mustangs, Mazda’s and other imports. The Mustangs carried the day in their class, of course. SCOASCC’s Open Track Coordinator, Steve M., Cam T. and I drove together in our cars up to Willow. We pitted together, and Steve was a friendly host, introducing me and Cam to other track visitors including Eric and Melissa R. With my previous track experience at the same track, in the same car, I was this time much more comfortable inside the limits of my ability. NASA also insists that first-timers at their events sit for a one-hour drivers’ classroom course. Open-track instructor and pro racer Larry Lim taught us tips, tricks and survival skills that were essential. For example, I’d had a problem ever since I ran Turn 6 the first time. It drops out of sight into nothingness, and beginners like me lift the throttle because they can’t see more than 60 feet of track. On track, lifting the throttle can cause you traction and stability problems unless you’re careful. But, with his native understanding, he grinned and explained, “Let me tell you a little secret about Turn 6. They didn’t move it overnight since you were last here, so you need to trust that it’s there, choose your line, put your foot into it and go.” The net result of his advice was I slipped into and out of the turns much more cleanly. I was surprised to have Steve compliment me, saying, “You looked pretty smooth out there, Mike, pretty clean.” Although I’m a newer driver with a lot to learn, this was very encouraging and a highlight of my day. He seemed to think I was into 1:51 territory. Steve’s not one to brag about his experience, but I could tell that he knew what to do by running his 1:48 times in traffic. When I later found out the comments came from a former IMSA and SCCA racer, I felt like the efforts I made to become a more capable driver were paying off. NASA’s events are particularly interesting because you get to see first-hand how your skills compare with those of other drivers in different marques. I saw and talked with some excellent drivers, and they weren’t all in Cobras. The run-groups were diverse and included Mustangs, Cobras, Trans Ams, some Camaros, Sentras, and Civics. Even an older MG! I suppose it’s OK to admit these guys can be good drivers, although they have inferior cars (snicker). Although passing among beginners groups is only allowed on straight-aways, one really good driver in a Sentra, for example, was capable of passing me anywhere except the straights. It was truly funny to see a helmeted guy in a little, underpowered car like that behind a fairly powerful Detroit legend, whenever he wanted to be. It made me respect them, and I talked with these guys to see what they were doing that I needed to. For more personal experiences with open-tracking, and the organizations that run them, please feel free to email me at RadixMan@SoCa.com. The open-track clubs that operate in our area are all accessible and well run. They include Green Flag Driving Association, NASA, and Los Angeles Cobra Owners Club of America. I’m also considering attending Bob Bondurant’s school in Phoenix so I’d like to give you a first hand account of what they teach. See you at the track! Modifications to Mike's '97
Cobra include: Mike Austin <RadixMan@pacbell.net>
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