So I've been wanting to go to an HPDE day but didn't want to spend the $179 for the day to do it. Well, now there's another option. It's called Hyperdrive, and they let you do one 20 minute session (compared to the four 20 minute sessions you get for the $179) for $40. Plus you still get to have an instructor ride along and give you tips. And, as an added bonus, if you become friends with Pikes Peak Int'l Raceway on Facebook, you can get another $10 off so it's only $30.

I'm signed up for the 10:45am session on Sunday the 3rd. I'm also planning on going to the driver's meeting at 9am to go over the track and get more info. Plus, they said I'll get to ride along with my instructor in a session before mine to get a feel for the track and braking points, etc.

Here's the schedule (if you're doing Hyperdrive, you'd be picking one of the HPDE 1/2 sessions):
http://www.nasarockymountain.com/nasa_forums/showthread.php?t=4723

And here's the link to sign up:
http://www.nasaproracing.com/event/1195

You'll need to make friends with PPIR on FB and message Dave Balingit on FB to get the coupon code for the $10 off.

NASA does an excellent job with HPDEs, especially for folks who are new to the track. It's great to have an instructor, too.
Hint: Many wise students will hold themselves back in HPDE1 where they are guaranteed an instructor to make the most of the free education!
I'm confident you will find NASA a well-run and welcoming organization. If you have any questions, please feel welcome to PM or email me. Have a great time! G-Man
(Disclosure: I am a NASA member, and instructor.)

Awesome to see you hitting the track! You will have a blast and NASA is awesome! Best group of people out there!

Yea I can't wait. I'm not going to want to stop after only 20 minutes, hehe.

Well, that was a blast. Got to see quite a few cool cars hauling ### around the track and got to ride in my buddy's Spec Porsche 944 and then got to drive the Mustang with him riding along as my instructor. I learned that performance brake packages are still not invincible on the track. I started getting quite a bit of fade after about 5 laps. I'll definitely be getting some nice race pads before the next time I take it on the track. Had a little mishap at the end of the front straight where I was getting up to almost 110 and then you have to brake down to about 35-40 and I came in too hot and had to go through the cones at the end of the straight. Other than that I didn't have any other major mistakes. Managed not to spin the car. It actually has a ton of lateral grip and I could really feel controlling the rear end with the throttle going through the turns. It feels very balanced with minimal understeer and there's oversteer if I want it. Just need to improve the braking with some good race pads and I think it will handle great. I'll upgrade the suspension eventually and it will be even better.

I was running faster than an old BMW 3-series and a Miata but everyone else on the track was running about the same pace or maybe a little faster. I held off an E92 M3 for 2 laps and finally let him pass. I was pulling away on the straights but he was catching me in the turns. I also held off a Mercedes SL600 for 3 laps until I finally screwed up the banked turn and let him by. There was another 2011 5.0 that I think was stock that was ahead of me for a bit and he was pulling away. This was the 6th session this weekend for most of these guys though so they were very comfortable with the track and I was just learning it so I think I did pretty well considering.

Here are some pics and a video. Sorry for the crappy quality on the video. It was on my phone and I was trying to hold it steady but didn't do a very good job. My friend was in the #37 silver Spec 944. The video shows my friend in his 944 and then at the beginning of the video is a GT3 that was dominating their all-German race which was a bunch of 944s, a few older 911s, the GT3, and an older M3. I have a couple pics of the GT3 in here too, as well as a new Boss 302.





















[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QW-8EhkNCs"]YouTube - ‪PPIR 070311‬‏[/ame]

Very cool. I was really trying to make the event but decided to spend my money on falling out of the sky (will post up). Looks like a blast and having someone show you the ropes is great way to start. What was the most valuable thing you learned?

The two most valuable things I learned were that performance brake packages are still no match for the track. I never have any brake fade ever on the street with my Brembo package, even driving very aggressively and stopping hard for several lights in a row, and it only took about 5 laps for my brakes to start getting very soft on the track. I'm going to get some Hawk HP+ pads before I go again.

The 2nd thing is that you have to make sure you're watching the corner stations. It's tough to be making sure you're on line at 100+ and also make sure you're looking off the track to the corner stations but it's very important that you watch for flags. They surprised us with a red flag halfway through our session and a bunch of people went right through two stations before they finally stopped. If it hadn't been a drill and there was someone disabled on the track it might have ended up really badly.

Glad to hear you had a good time! nasa is awesome! They pulled the red flag test at HPR during one of my sessions. It was good to hear it was only a test, i was concerned for a bit that something bad had happened to someone. End of Aug nasa is headed to HPR, you should come.

Oh, and that 996 Cup.

Yea I'm going to try to make it to HPR if I can get some brake pads before then.

And yea, I figured you'd like that GT3.

I REALLLY REALLY REALLY want to make one of these last trackday i did was a blast. and now I have alot of work in my suspension. but unless i can get a roll bar and somone to help me with the install. im SOL

Really hoping I can get my suspension done before next summer and try to go to as many track days as possible.

erod550 wrote:Yea I'm going to try to make it to HPR if I can get some brake pads before then.

Sweet! It will be fun.

erod550 wrote:And yea, I figured you'd like that GT3.

Oh how i do! mmmmmmmmm