DE event in Nashville last weekend, first on-track time eith the 914 Options

[don9146]

BMW is playing on the Mini's history by using Phil Wix (who used to be a factory driver for Mini back in the 1960's and was even the stunt driver in the red Mini in the original The Italian Job) to put on driver's ed events at tracks around the country. He recently moved to Nashville and put on his first school at the Nashville Superspeedway’s combination oval and road course. In addition to several Minis in attendance, the school also had the local Corvette club and the Nashville PCA bring their cars to the track as well. I will try to attach some pictures of my 914 in action over the weekend.

First picture is of the parade laps where students play “follow the leader” to learn the correct line through the corners and guidelines for braking markers.

[don9146]

Following a 2003 Boxster S through the first hairpin.

[don9146]

A Corvette Z06 following me. I like to think he would have stayed there (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[don9146]

Coming off the banking on the front straight to the infield road course. There is no transition from the bank to the flat road course. When you have a wide tire with a stiff sidewall (like on my 914), the car basically rides on the outside edge of the tire through the transition. I was hitting that bump at over 120 MPH by the last session.

[don9146]

A nice shot of the 914 all alone on the main straight. I kept the roof on in the morning, but left it in the garage in the afternoon sessions. Driving with the roof off at speed was a huge rush!

[don9146]

The current F1 teams don't have this posh decor! My parents stopped by to watch me try to break my 5-year restoration project.
I explain to my parents my vast knowledge of racing. I am finished in 2 minutes.
You can see some of the PCA cars in the background. One of those 911s (I can't remember which) had a Superchargers of Knoxville Whipplecahrger on the car. The installation looked "factory" and the car would go like stink.

[don9146]

Talking Porsches in the garage. The 914 got a lot of attention even though it was surrounded by some great cars. Around here, you don't see crappy 914s, much less cars with owners that are crazy enough to waste the time and spend money to build one with flares and a six.
You can't see some of the other nice cars in the picture, but there was:
1. A brand new Viper. He started leaking radiator fluid. He couldn't tell where it was coming from and tried to drive the car home. I passed him 2 hours later putting it on a flat-bed tow truck on I-840.
2. An Audi S6 (or is that R6). Made nice sounds on the track. It is in the background of one of the pictures.
3. Jeff Lane who owns the Lane Motor Museum in Nashville brought out a Lotus Elise and a Catheram Super Seven. The Seven is made of carbon fiber and powered by a Hyabusa motor. It weighs under 1200 lb and has about 160 hp. If you are ever in Nashville, his museum should be a mandatory stop for any gearhead. He has a decent website that you should be able to find witht a Google search.
4. A 1971 big-block Corvette.
5. A well preserved MGB that also shows in the background of one of the posted pics.

[don9146]

My "minor" off track excursion. I braked too late on the back srtaight and couldn't get the car slowed down enough to make the trun. I kept braking into the corner and the rear end came around on me. I eased back off the brake, steered into the skid and caught the car befre it spun, but went straight through a small part of the infield.

[don9146]

Entering the pits for an inspection after I went "farming" through the infield. The front spoiler was jarred loose. I re-attached it later in the pits with some zip-ties. Note the nice MGB on the track in the background.

[don9146]

Here I am being waved by on the front straight by a Mini. Note that the roof is off and I am hitting about 120 MPH in 4th at this point.
The next lap, I am passed on the straight by the Audi S6 (or is that an R6?). It was powered by a twin-turbo V-8 and had 4-wheel drive. Very fast and easy to drive.

[don9146]

One of my last runs on the track and one of my new favorite shots of my car. You can just make out the red 964 caliper behind the front wheel. I am currently using this picture as my desktop. I plan to make it out to more of track events as work permits. I had so much fun I am considering the purchase of a dedicated track car.
I would like to thank Perry Kiehl (who owns The 914 Network) for all of the hard work he has put into this car, finishing all of the projects that were outside of my skill set. He is an honest guy to deal with and a real 914 enthusiast.
I also apologize for the file size of the pictures to everyone who surfs this topic with a 56K dialup
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[VegasRacer]

Thanks for the post and the pics. I looks like you had a great weekend. Your car looks super. It is very cool that your parents stopped by to watch. How much did your times improve?

I had so much fun I am considering the purchase of a dedicated track car.

Have I got a deal for you. Contact me if you are serious.

[URY914]

Great shot, looks like you had a blast.

Paul

[JohnB]

Nice shots! Where in Nashville is the speedway, is it still near the fairgrounds like it was when I was a kid (I grew up in NashVegas)?

And your comment about the Lane Motor Museum is right on, I went there with my brother when I was home for Christmas last year and it is very cool. It's in the old Sunbeam Bread bakery building and there are a wide variety of cool cars there from all over the world and even a few motorcycles. My brother is a fire sprinkler engineer (yes, there is such a thing) and he designed the system for the building when Mr. Lane bought it. I spent my time oogling the cars and he spent the time critiquing the installation of the sprinkler system. Go figure.

john

[don9146]

Thanks for the post and the pics. I looks like you had a great weekend. Your car looks super. It is very cool that your parents stopped by to watch. How much did your times improve?

In the beginner class, they discourage timing your laps to make sure you are focusing on learning proper racing techniques instead of setting your fastest lap. I really have no idea what my times were like. I could just see my speed increasing on the front straight to measure my progress. I was hitting close to 125 MPH with the roof off by the end of the day. I could have improved the car's coefficient of drag by running with the roof on and possibly hit the 125 MPH mark, but where is the fun in that?

Have I got a deal for you. Contact me if you are serious.

I have been in talks with Brad (when I can get a hold of him (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) ) about bringing a car from CA to TN when he drives out here for one of the 914 get togethers. I need to buy a "multi-race series" car since there is not enough racing in this part of the country year round to build a car for one series. i.e. I need a car I can race in SCCA, PCA, HSVRA, NASA, etc.. and hopefully be at least semi-competitive with all of the sanctioning bodies.

[don9146]

Nice shots! Where in Nashville is the speedway, is it still near the fairgrounds like it was when I was a kid (I grew up in NashVegas)?

The fairgrounds still has the Nashville Speedway. Therre used to be some of the best short-track racing in the country out there (with Darrel Waltrip and Coo-Coo Martin). This race was held at the Nashville Superspeedway which is on the South-West side of Nashville, near Smyrna (see http://www.nashvillesuperspeedway.com/ ). They put on some non-roundy-round races there through the infield course and even have some motorcycle road racing on occasion. The same Phil Wix that put on the automobile driver's education course will be starting a motorcycle driving school there soon.

And your comment about the Lane Motor Museum is right on, I went there with my brother when I was home for Christmas last year and it is very cool. It's in the old Sunbeam Bread bakery building and there are a wide variety of cool cars there from all over the world and even a few motorcycles.

Chech out http://www.lanemotormuseum.org/default.htm for more info on the museum. Mr. Lane himself will come out to several amature racing events around the city. He is very active with the Tennessee Spokes Sports Car Club (see http://www.tennessee-spokes.org/ for my 3rd link of this ramble...). He will usually tow his race car to the event in an ex-German military truck making him easy to spot! At the last Spokes get-together, he took people out on Percy Preist Lake in his Schwimmenvagon. He would pick you up at the picnic in the car and drive you right out onto the lake. He is a real nice guy and a good driver to boot.

Later,
Don

[IronHillRestorations]

Nice to see Don! Now who set up that car for you??? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[shoguneagle]

Nice job and enjoyed every minute of your "track experience". You are certainly right regarding Perry Kiehl. Nice car.

Steve Hurt
Shoguneagle

[Brad Roberts]

Don,

I didnt/couldnt read all of your postings... but was this the first time for you in the car on the track ??

Most people have NO clue what their 914's are capable of... you just experienced it.



B

[don9146]

Don,

I didnt/couldnt read all of your postings... but was this the first time for you in the car on the track ??

Most people have NO clue what their 914's are capable of... you just experienced it.



B

It was my first time on the track, and you are right about "not knowing what the car is capable of." I don't think anyone at the track that day knew what the little Porsche was capable of (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) .
After just a few sessions I could #1 out-brake everyone and #2 out-handle everyone. The cars on the track at the same time as me included some Corvettes (and one Z06 as seen in one of the first picures), an Audi S6, a Mini Cooper S, and a Boxster S. I could also at least hang with everyone (except for the S6) on the front straight, mainly because I was exiting the long sweeper onto the straight at a much higher rate of speed than everyone else.
The car is set-up well, but it is still very "streetable." It has an upgraded suspension, a 200 hp six, and front 964 calipers with a T-fitting (note: brake balance was excellent).
With just one weekend on the track, I learned more about car control that I have since I got my driver's liscense. That is why I am stoked to get a purpose-built race car now and throw even more money away on another 914 and racing each weekend (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_pokal.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) .

Later,
Don