Monday the 29th, the was the track day portion of the 14th annual Lotus Owners
Gathering at beautiful Limerock Park. Well, I wouldn't miss this opportunity
for the world, and I didn't. But alas, my lovely Elan is sitting still
unrestored, and my TVR 2500M would be the car to take me around Limerock with
all those faster Lotuses. Checking with the event organizers, they said that
TVRs were their second favorite sports cars, and sure, they'd let me run amidst
a field of Lotuses (while on the grid I was kiddingly ribbed that I'd a lot of
guts to bring a TVR to Lotus track day). So, at 5:30 a.m., I met up with a
friend, Marc Cinnavei, who also drives a TVR, a '70 Vixen, and we were on our
way to Limerock.
Monday morning was wet as we all congregated at the track and began the drivers
meeting. Useful chalk talk from experienced folks, then the drivers were
divided into groups - experienced, intermediate and novices. The novice group
was large, around 40 drivers, and was broken into two groups. Each novice group
was to be taken out on the first run with instructors who'd drive the lead
showing the proper line. The instructor would then signal the car just behind
to pass, the instructor would fall back into line, show the next car the line
and watch the car ahead, then let that car pass, and so on. And no passing in
the corners, or at least their wasn't supposed to be. Each session was 20
minutes.
Because of my nearly nonexistent track experience, I was placed in the second
novice group. I had happened to line up first on the grid in front of a line of
Esprits, Elans, new Elans, Lotus and Caterham 7, and an IROC Camaro (his Elan
had developed a clutch illness the day before, and his wife was kind enough to
loan him her car - and I had the nerve to bring my TVR?). Many of the folks had
some track or autocross experience, and a few were fresh out of racing school.
I was a bit nervous on the grid not knowing how my TVR and my driving skills
would fare on the track, especially against cars that were clearly faster in
every regard, and the few drivers who had recent track experience. I followed
carefully and closely behind the instructor. As I was connecting the apex
"dots" I thought, this is pretty straight forward. The instructor signaled me
to pass as we came through the diving turn on to the front straight and I put
the throttle to floor. I was anxious to find how nervous I should be.
Hmmm. Now I'm at speed, or at least all the TVR would do, when should I brake?
I braked hard into Big Bend at over 100 mph, the first turn at Limerock off the
straight, in fact, trail braked to the first apex. Not too difficult. Okay,
sight the turn-in point, turn the car, and put the throttle back down to the
floor and head for the next turn-in into the Esses. The car is handling
beautifully, the chassis is silky smooth and wonderfully poised. I look into my
rearview mirror as I exit the Esses into the back straight and there's no one
there. I get a slight head rush as I crest the up hill turn and head for the
next turn-in. Then down the diving turn on to the straights. I like the diving
turn. My TVR tells me we can take this turn flat out, just try it the next time
round.
Down the straight, into Big Bend again, through the Esses, and traffic!!! I
came up on the last car in line in my session and my their going slowly. Now
I'm really being held up. This is no fun. I finish the session and decide to
request a reassignment with the organizers. I talk with the organizers and some
actually noticed I was being held up, including one of the instructors, and
that I can be placed into another group if I want. I said that I'd run another
time with the novices, then decide.
Running again in the novice field was a good idea. The organizers placed me at
the front of the grid the second time. But as we left the grid, a Turbo Esprit
was signaled to take off ahead of me. Geez, I was just talking with this guy on
grid, he's fresh out of racing school. This might be fun. My 106 hp TVR against
his 200+ hp Esprit. And it was fun. We both took off leaving the rest of the
field behind, me chasing after him. Darn it, he's actually taking a fast line,
no mistakes for me to exploit. And on the two straights he's a lot faster. I
have to watch him gain car lengths until we enter the corners where I'm all
over him, but there's no opportunity to pass him. I really can't and shouldn't
get around him in the corners, and on the straights he's just plain faster.
Then we hit traffic in the Esses. He gets and takes an opportunity to pass the
first couple slow cars in the Esses and is off up the straight. I don't want to
pass any cars in the Esses, and again, don't have nearly enough power to pass
the 7's and Esprits, or any of the Lotuses for that matter, on the straights.
The slower cars are kind enough to wave me through and I resume the chase, but
now I'm pretty far behind. Going into the diving turn I see the Esprit at the
bottom accelerating on to the straight and passing traffic. No way I'm going to
make up any ground here. I can't take any of these Lotuses in a straight, line.
In fact, I really shouldn't be able to do what I'm doing to any of them,
they're all just faster cars in every regard (how many g's does that Caterham
pull on road tires again?). I reach the end of the straight with about five
other cars. I decide to challenge because I know I none of them are will to
brake as late as I can, then trail off the brakes through Big Bend. I stay
right and do exactly that and pass everyone. Trail braking is cool. Go TVR!
The Esprit is in view up ahead. We stay like this for a number of laps. Then,
coming into the front straight, I see a yellow flag. The Esprit I've been
chasing misjudged braking into Big Bend and ran off on to safety chute. What
luck. He made a mistake. I go by and press even harder to make sure I can get
something of a lead, and put some traffic between us while I can. He made up
some ground by the end, but I came in up front.
The third and last run the Esprit I had chased in the previous session had left
for home and wasn't on the grid. I was feeling pretty good. The second session
was enough fun for me. I was happy to run with the novices. I had been getting
faster each lap and the car was handling impeccably. My friend, Marc, in the
Vixen had faired even better in his group, the other novice group. Marc has
been racing for a while, starting with go karts, and has been very successful
autocrossing his Vixen usually winning his C Stock group. TVRs were making a
fine showing for themselves. Fortunately for us, most Lotus folks have a
fondness for TVRs.
Starting the third session, I was again waved out second from the starting
grid. So rather than end up behind a lovely Caterham Seven for a little while,
I thought I'd just push harder from the grid and get to Big Bend first. Well,
it wasn't a bad plan, but I went in a little too fast and spun. Feet to floor,
both pedals down and I stopped quickly. I felt terribly about spinning. I had
been driving well under the limits of my little TVR, no sliding or drifting,
and I didn't want to appear reckless, especially to those on the track with me.
I watched as the field passed by, looked to see if corner workers had anything
to say about it except for the yellow flag and then went out to catch everyone.
Within a couple of laps I was through traffic and on an IROC Camaro. I was
quickly all over the back of the IROC. Whoa, what a big car.
I followed behind. The IROC was being driven well, but there were some missed
turn-ins, apexes, and a back end wiggle now and then, and I kindly let him he
had made some mistakes by diving in to left or right of him, feigning to pass.
The entire day I never tried to pass in corners, and only did when signaled to.
We were told not to, and for a novice field, and I being a novice, I was happy
abide. The IROC also was faster on the straights, but pulled away slowly, not
like the Esprit. I'd be on his rear fender coming into the front straight,
would watch him slowly pull away, then catch him at the entry to Big Bend.
After following like this for a number of laps, I decided to contest at this
point. I braked hard and late, again trail braking to Big Bend's first apex,
and he conceded. Now I had clear air. From my rearview mirror I watched as the
IROC fell further and further behind. I ended up lapping him, much to his
astonishment - and mine.
What fun! Lots of good feeling and friendly chat with each other after each
session. A great showing for the underdog, often underappreciated TVR marque. I
discovered for the first time how at home and happy the little TVRs are on the
race track. This is their element. They're totally transformed. A little more
hp would have been nice, and the brakes didn't quite have the edge I wanted
slowing into Big Bend, but I'm going to live with the hp and the brakes will
only require minor tweaking to get just right. Many folks made their affections
for TVRs known as soon as we drove in together, but my friend was inundated
with ride requests for the ride and drive session that ended the day.
Unfortunately for me this was so much fun, and at the same time my first track
opportunity, and I may not have another for who knows when. This was a great
treat and an almost complete surprise to find that I could drive my little "M"
competitively with folks who drive faster cars, and who have the same or more
track experience than I do. It would be wonderful to do again to see if I would
fare as well. Actually, I'd be more than pleased just to have any opportunity
to get back out on a road circuit.
- Steven
|