Thunderhill Raceway ~ story and pics!

**blink21me** · November 18th, 2006 04:29 PM

What’s up tsikoteers, just wanted to share my first track experience in Thunderhill today, a whole lot of fun and learning…

The first session was kinda funny… I didn’t know how to be smooth at all, and of course trying to know how to get around the track and all… After the first session, my instructor suggested me to ride a long with him since he is running in the next group, and whhoow, I didn’t expect to ride in a Ferrari F430… I got scared on the first few turns, the lines he was taking were just too aggressive to me and we were thrown and went sideways a few times during that session. That car was just amazing, and it’s also tiring as a passenger. He said he was still learning how to drive the car in race mode, well he did screw up a few times, I could tell he was really pushing it… We were doing a lot of talkings afterwards about many things in the track.

Second session, after the ride in the F430, I felt nervous to drive my car. I was given the impression that I need to adjust by A LOT and had to get at least a little close to the Ferrari guys lines. This time I went with a different instructor who I was supposed to go with in the first session. His main concern is how smooth I needed to be in the throttle and steering wheel, brakes, and what/where my mind should be set while on the track. Those were what I was mainly working on the whole day, and successfully faced the challenge.

Third session was such an improvement, I felt comfortable that I was driving 10x better. I was able to draw the right lines and follow it almost as good as I wanted, and I think I was able to push and control the car even though I was starting to slide on turns… My instructor was starting to do less talking and let me drive on my own, eventually he would get excited and give me thumbs up’s…

After the third session was a meeting with all drivers and instructors, people tell what they were having problems on in the track, and of course many gave tips and tricks etc…

Fourth session, my instructor made me choose whether or not I wanted him to go with me. I said, I might be interested to run alone as long as they let me… I went ahead without an instructor, I did not feel as confident nor comfortable without him because I was kinda’ having trouble communicating with other drivers/instructors… I couldn’t just pass because I didn’t know all the hand signals (some of them were confusing and I didn’t focus on that since I knew I was gonna have an instructor).

Fifth/last session, my instructor went with me again. Did a few laps until unfortunately a black RSX only 2 cars ahead of me lost control on one of the turns - went up and off the road ~ his rear bumper was getting dragged. I passed and after 3-4 more turns I see a black flag getting waved, next thing I know the blue subby also went off the road and up top on a hill for some reason. The session was decided to be ended earlier than expected, it sucked ‘cause I was still having so much fun.

My instructor was telling me how impressed he was on me being able to learn and adjust as quick as I did, and that he didn’t think I could go as fast as I was going being a first-timer on the track… When he said he thinks that I was faster than anybody else in the group, I kinda paused for a second ‘cause I know there are some cars that are quite faster than me. Not that I’m bragging or anything like that, I just had so much fun and excitement today :P

Some car that I went with in the same group; some cars I didn’t expect to go as fast were insanely fast, and there were some that were supposed to leave the shyt out of me weren’t as fast. There was an Evo MR, which probably had something wrong with the driver. He’s pushing at least 270whp but he was kinda slow in spite that it’s AWD. He was fast on straights but kinda gets slow on turns. There was a 2005 Sti, that thing was fast, he would get behind me little by little then I’d have to let him pass, but after that he wouldn’t pull away as much unless we’re on a straight. There was a red Prelude that was quite fast, too. The red M coupe was fast on turns and on straights, but he messes up a lot more than I do so he would have to make me pass him when we get to the passing zones. There was a black Porsche Carrera that wasn’t that much faster than me, I didn’t get to pass him but I think he should of pulled away easily. What shocked me the most were these 2 black RSX’s. They were so fast on turns and on straights… One of those 2 (the one that lost control on a turn) I later found out was supercharged ~ he pulls away on straights and get around corners pretty quick (many times quicker than I do), I think he’s also even faster than the Sti on straights. The other black RSX was just as impressive as the other, I didn’t know what else he had other than the Stoptech BBK he mentioned to me.

On to the pics (on the way to and on T-hill)

**blink21me** · November 18th, 2006 04:32 PM

Now I'm not the cameraman anymore, but here are some more my friends took...

**blink21me** · November 18th, 2006 04:35 PM

Attachment 6206 Attachment 6207 Attachment 6208

**mbeige** · November 18th, 2006 05:25 PM

Nice...envy, envy!!!

Now I'm sure you're wanting to give it another go!

**bagz606** · November 18th, 2006 05:49 PM

Ka-inggit ka naman...

:groupwave:

**uwak18** · November 18th, 2006 06:12 PM

I wish meron din dito. Well Besides Subic and Batangas.

**Negus** · November 18th, 2006 06:17 PM

nice! kaka-inggit! sana may time din ako para sa mga ganyan. time is a luxury talaga. dapat magtayo din sila dito ng racetrack yung malapit lang sa manila..... gusto ko rin maranasan yung driving to the limits ng car kahit minsan lang! yung kumo-corner ka tapos nasa limit bago mawalan ng kapit yung gulong.. %#$ kakainggit ka blink21me!

**Mamar** · November 18th, 2006 09:12 PM

deymn... ganda nung lotus elis!

**blink21me** · November 19th, 2006 04:03 PM

thanks guys, the day sure was a blast... Ma-swerte lang ako may chance and time pa ako para ma-enjoy kotse ko... Gusto ko pa bumalik to try many things, also to practice of course, got a lot more to work on, I expect to go with more of my friends next time, my friends drive nice cars bt they are still too gay to really drive it, isa lang yung sumama saken, yung naka-white E36 M3 lang din...

The Elise was so fast, sumasabay sya sa Ferrari nung first session na nakasakay ako. Nakakabilib yung kotseng yon, 1.8L engine, 190 hp according to the owner I talked to, massive downforce especially on turns, unbelievable handling it could maintain it's speed up and going throughout the track with only that much power... Merong sumakay dun sa isang red na car - yung mukhang laruan, tapos nasuka sa loob ng sasakyan, heheh... hindi kinaya ng stamina...

**niky** · November 19th, 2006 07:11 PM

Haha... sounds like you had fun. Those guys must have been wild!

You'll often find, during track days, that some people with powerful cars don't feel comfortable pushing them to the limit. If they're new on track, there's sometimes more ability in the car than in them. You'd be surprised to see that driving instructors in crappy front wheel drive compacts can run rings around them on the infield, even when they're pushing.

I've already finished my second track day (wish the Batangas raceway was closer... it's a tiring drive going there and coming back, especially with the traffic due to the beach-goers), and I've got my lines down well (dicing with cars on modified suspensions with my stock springs and shocks...) and my only problem now is my heel-and-toeing and downshifting in the corners... it's hard to keep everything in mind while STILL being smooth and STILL keeping pace with that M3 or touring car in front of you.

Man, I envy you... I've heard that that was a great track... but the BRC is also tons of fun.

Especially in the rain.