My Day On Track

"Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire" (arch-duke-maxyenko)
05/22/2014 at 20:58 • Filed to: Skip Barber

It was a perfect day to learn how to race, temperatures in the mid 70's and partially cloudy. I was in North Western Connecticut, at Lime Rock specifically.

Lime Rock is as loaded with history as it is with speed. The track is surrounded by the Appalachian Mountains, providing a beautiful backdrop for my first experience on a track.

The day started with some time in the classroom to go over the basic physics of a moving car: The weight distribution under breaking, acceleration, and cornering. We then moved on to the geometry of the track: The braking points, the turn in's, the apexes, and the turn exits. We were finally told how it all comes together on the track. We were then taken out and driven around the course in a van with an instructor behind the wheel.

After learning about what we were going to do, we actually did it, we suited up and put our helmets on. With a short introduction, we hopped into our first rides. The number 42 of the auto industry. The Mazda MX-5 Miata. These were stripped out and caged for track duty, basically how all Miata's will end up eventually. The instructors went out first in Mazda Speed 3's and we followed behind as they showed us the way around the track. Starting slowly and then picking up speed with each lap.

The Miata was extremely competent and forgiving. Being able to follow the leader and leapfrog with the other students instilled confidence and ingrained the track layout in my mind. On our second to last lap of the second session with the Miata's, I made a quick glance at the speedo and I was going over 95 mph. 95 mph in a car, and it was completely legal. But, the best was saved for after lunch.

The Formula 2000 Skip Barber cars. 1,300 pound, mid-engine, open wheelers. These cars feature a 2.0L 4 cylinder, a sequential shift manual, no power steering, and no ABS. These were a pure driving experience.

Once again, we followed the instructors around for a few laps. As I grew more confident, the only thing that I wanted to do was go faster. I felt no fear, only the sensation of speed and joy from nailing the apex. Our next two times out, I got my wish. These times, the instructors stayed off the track and we were on our own. For those minutes I was out there, I got to be Senna. I got to be Schumacher. I was Fangio. I was Kimi. I was my heroes. I was a racer. I know that what I was driving wasn't an F1 car, but it didn't matter. The sounds, the smells, the sights, the vibrations and the g forces were responsible for the grin on my face and the determination in my eyes.

In all, I had fun. Serious, ridiculous fun. I'd like to thank !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . If you ever get the chance to go to a !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , do it, it might just be the most fun that you'll ever have.

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DISCUSSION (29)

macanamera > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
05/22/2014 at 21:05

Awesome!

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > macanamera
05/22/2014 at 21:05

It was!

Sn210 > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
05/22/2014 at 21:09

congrats, you earned it!

macanamera > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
05/22/2014 at 21:09

You deserved it, bro. Glad you had a great time.

Shankems > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
05/22/2014 at 21:34

Awesome. LRP is the place I've taken my car for a couple of track days. The MX-5 sounds like a great platform to learn on. What kind of speeds were the formula 2000 cars reaching?

area man > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
05/22/2014 at 21:35

Somehow I did not realize that you had won that contest. Congratulations! Lime Rock is probably the best thing about Connecticut.

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > Shankems
05/22/2014 at 21:36

Couldn't say. No speedometers.

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > area man
05/22/2014 at 21:40

The roads around there were great.

Forgetful > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
05/22/2014 at 21:43

Kinja'd!!!

William Byrd > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
05/23/2014 at 07:33

This was fucking beautiful:

I felt no fear, only the sensation of speed and joy from nailing the apex. Our next two times out, I got my wish. These times, the instructors stayed off the track and we were on our own. For those minutes I was out there, I got to be Senna. I got to be Schumacher. I was Fangio. I was Kimi. I was my heroes. I was a racer. I know that what I was driving wasn't an F1 car, but it didn't matter. The sounds, the smells, the sights, the vibrations and the g forces were responsible for the grin on my face and the determination in my eyes.

I think I teared up a bit. Sounds like an awesome day.

mcseanerson > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
05/23/2014 at 09:50

Reel Big Fish is your top recommended article so it looks like they're gawking at your story.

Kinja'd!!!

mcseanerson > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
05/23/2014 at 09:54

I don't really care for F1 or Indy, they just kind of bore me. I've been watching more and more formula (insert random amateur class here) videos on youtube though and they seem extremely interesting and competitive to me. I hope it was as much fun as it looks.

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > mcseanerson
05/23/2014 at 11:07

BWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMMMMMMMMMPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP

Kinja'd!!!

mcseanerson > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
05/23/2014 at 11:17

Kinja'd!!!

WHAAAAAAAAAT!?!?!

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > mcseanerson
05/23/2014 at 11:30

We must go deeper...

Kinja'd!!!

mcseanerson > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
05/23/2014 at 11:32

Kinja'd!!!

Challenge accepted.

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > mcseanerson
05/23/2014 at 11:38

You win.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
05/27/2014 at 11:17

What's even more exciting is if you have a Miata/old BMW/old Porsche, etc. and realizing something amazing.

This is what they were built to do

After a few laps at Atlanta Motorsports Park in my Z4, I realized that. After I started really picking up speed, and turned a fast lap in the Novice group, I got out of the car and had but four words to say.

God! What a machine!

Leadbull > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
05/27/2014 at 11:18

You are now licensed to speed on public roads in a formula car and weave through traffic on the interstate.

Congrats!

Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
05/27/2014 at 11:19

God that sounds fun, I'm sure I would spin out and break things, but still wanna hoon! Congrats on the win too!

MPA > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
05/27/2014 at 11:56

Sounds awesome! I assume you were doing the 1 day racing school?

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > MPA
05/27/2014 at 12:09

Yes, 1 day.

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > Leadbull
05/27/2014 at 12:18

Bad Idea Hat > mcseanerson
05/27/2014 at 12:19

Kinja'd!!!

Bad Idea Hat > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
05/27/2014 at 12:21

That's pretty cool.

Did you ever get the chance to mumble "leavemealoneiknowwhatimdoing" while you were going fastly?

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > Bad Idea Hat
05/27/2014 at 12:24

Yeah, at one point we got stuck behind a slow guy in a formula car when we were doing follow the instructors.

Bakkster, touring car driver > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
06/05/2014 at 13:37

Now you need to get iRacing so you can race wheel to wheel with those cars at that track :)

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > Bakkster, touring car driver
06/05/2014 at 13:39

It's not the same.

Bakkster, touring car driver > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
06/05/2014 at 13:41

Of course not, but it's better than having it be once in a lifetime then never again.