SRT Track Experience 2011

I put the year in the title because I have a strong suspicion we'll be back again another year.  If you don't care about cars, save yourself now and just stop reading.  This entire post is dedicated to our awesome day at the track, sponsored by Hubs' Challenger SRT8 purchase last summer.

After introductions and breakfast, we went to the first driving area via "shuttle vehicles".  And we, the guests, got to distribute ourselves however we saw fit - drivers and passengers and all!

The morning started with an Auto Cross module - two laps in a Challenger SRT8 then two laps in a Jeep SRT8.

Those Jeeps KNEEL!

"Brake in the box! Don't go over the line!"

Hubs got the 3rd fastest lap of the day!

My apologies for the crappy cell phone photo.

1st one called up - he's hiding in the upper right corner over there.

For the morning track session, instructors led us around the track, 1 at a time.  I didn't take any photos of this, and the videos are 4-6 minutes long each, so I'll skip them for now.

After the track session, we broke for lunch, then shuttled ourselves back over to the Auto Cross area.  They had set up a new course:

Two cars, positioned on either side of the tent, started at the same time, raced the track, stopped in the box where the OTHER car had started from, launched again, and finished the course.  First scoring criteria was number of penalties -cones hit, or improper stops (outside the box, or "California" stops)- and then, if penalties were even, the first car won.

I won 3 of the 4 races (this video is the one I lost!).  Hubs lost, too. :(

Then we drove back over to the track.  The new setup was 1 instructor car in front, 2 student cars behind.  We were to do our best to stay in the line driven by the instructor, and keep up.  The instructors went much faster in the afternoon than in the morning, and there was an unexpected dynamic change with the addition of another car in the line.  A lot of 3rd cars had trouble keeping up, and Hubs and I were no exception!

Lastly, I'll post videos here of both mine and Hubs' Hot Laps - a ride with the instructors as they drove the cars to the limits!

A bit of explanation about my Hot Laps: This is Instructor Johnny.  I worked HARD in the 300C trying to keep up with this man, and absolutely could NOT.  So I rode with him, listened to him, then drove again... nothing worked until my VERY last run of the day (which, coincidentally, was with Hubs behind me!), in a Challenger.  The very next thing we did after I figured out what I was doing wrong was Hot Laps.  I had spent all afternoon yelling at poor Johnny (from two cars behind) and -both when he could and could not hear me- telling him that he needed a Challenger, with the way he drove that 300C.  So when I realized he'd been given a Challenger for Hot Laps, I was sure to jump in his car and see what he could really do!

Other photos from the day:

Getting settled in the Jeep.

Pretty much what my face looked like.  ALL. DAY.

Hubs getting ready for the Head-to-Head Challenge.

Me getting ready for the Head-to-Head Challenge.

Me getting ready to LOOOOSE the Head-to-Head Challenge....

Auto Cross fastest lap winner got a ride in the Viper SRT10 Comp Coupe.

Look closely, you'll see the Viper screaming up the back hill there...

I can't describe the sound it made when it went screaming by at well over 100.

Challengers taking off for another round of Hot Laps.

A car-count of attendees.  Yes. Someone brought a Shelby Mustang to a DODGE event. :/  Oh  yeah, and that's a Mitsubishi Evo on the end, too.  And that Ram SRT10?  It's for sale.

Last picture of the day, as we headed out.

For the rest of the videos from the day, go here.