My First Track Day (Alternate title: EVERYONE GET OUT OF MY WAY)

"Brian Silvestro" (BrianSilvestro) 09/26/2014 at 13:50 • Filed to: track day bro

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Lime Rock Park was the Venue. Probably the best day ever. The !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! is a great way to get you and your car on the track if you live in the Northeast, and I would highly recommend it. I passed everyone in my group multiple times. My instructor said there was "no question" that I should be moved out of the novice group. (Video games and autocross get the credit for that). I kept up with the GT-R, so there's that. (many pictures of awesome cars inside)

I'm honestly still trying to figure out if it's me that's a good driver or it's the Fiesta. Because the Fiesta is ultra fun.

Someone bought one! This guy was also my instructor, and gave me a ride in it. He was a very nice guy. So awesome.

A herd of Abarths arrived and began to graze.

This poor car :( There were two other casualties, an old GLI that hit the wall with airbags deployed, and a WRX with a cracked bumper.

NEED

This Lambo showed up, went on track, and spun out somehow.

OH MANUÉL MY FRIEND!

A 968 Coupe. The first (and probably last one) I'll ever see.

The Fiesta took a chunk of rubber flung up by a car at speed while going around the left hander. Battle scars.

Mathias Rios > Brian Silvestro 09/26/2014 at 13:54

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You're an awesome driver, keep it up!

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > Brian Silvestro 09/26/2014 at 13:54

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I've been to Lime Rock once...

Meatcoma > Brian Silvestro 09/26/2014 at 14:01

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PANTERA!

Decay buys too many beaters > Brian Silvestro 09/26/2014 at 14:02

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How many times did you tripod? I love watching the current batch of Ford STs playfully lift the inside rear wheel at auto crosses. (Picture of Focus because I couldn't find a good one of the Fiesta)

Corz > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire 09/26/2014 at 14:04

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Me too!

Brian Silvestro > Mathias Rios 09/26/2014 at 14:06

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Thanks! I'm going to New York Safety Track tomorrow.

Brian Silvestro > Meatcoma 09/26/2014 at 14:07

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I had a similar reaction.

Brian Silvestro > Decay buys too many beaters 09/26/2014 at 14:07

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I was in the car, so I have no idea. Probably a lot.

Forgetful > Brian Silvestro 09/26/2014 at 14:18

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I don't think you're ready for:

Brian Silvestro > Forgetful 09/26/2014 at 14:22

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That's a great picture.

nermal > Brian Silvestro 09/26/2014 at 14:25

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Make sure you stick the landing!

Forgetful > Brian Silvestro 09/26/2014 at 14:26

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Its fairly representative of my current state of jelliness and maybe my anxiousness because I finally get to take my FR-S autocrossing this Sunday. First time out since GTAc nationals.

Brian Silvestro > nermal 09/26/2014 at 14:28

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Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Brian Silvestro > Forgetful 09/26/2014 at 14:29

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Yeah you're an amazing driver, I forgot. You'll fit right in.

CAcoalminer > Brian Silvestro 09/26/2014 at 15:22

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Is this a Honda Accord?

Brian Silvestro > CAcoalminer 09/26/2014 at 15:26

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Hehe yes, I was very confused.

CAcoalminer > Brian Silvestro 09/26/2014 at 15:36

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Well, I'll give him credit for exercising his machine. Also, you did quite well on track. You must have lapped some people 3-4 times.

Brian Silvestro > CAcoalminer 09/26/2014 at 15:52

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Yeah the only time I let someone pass me was an over confident guy in a Mini. He overshot the front straight and locked his brakes.

Vicente Esteve > Brian Silvestro 09/26/2014 at 15:55

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So much soon in the pictures. I want to do a track day so badly! Nice driving as well.

Brian Silvestro > Vicente Esteve 09/26/2014 at 17:43

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I like the Lambo/Miata SOON the best. Thanks.

CAcoalminer > Brian Silvestro 09/26/2014 at 19:11

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Geez. That's why I feel that anyone new to a track should go through at least some form of walk through. If nothing else, just to learn the track and its braking points.

Brian Silvestro > CAcoalminer 09/26/2014 at 19:21

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Yeah I agree. My instructor said some of the other instructors were new, so they were still learning how to teach. Hence the reason why I didn't pass that Mustang the entire time.

CAcoalminer > Brian Silvestro 09/26/2014 at 19:45

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Ah.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > Brian Silvestro 09/28/2014 at 12:05

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There are at least two of these that live somewhere vaguely near me. I keep trying to get a picture for y'all because I know how rare they are.

Brian Silvestro > sm70- why not Duesenberg? 09/28/2014 at 12:05

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I DON'T BELIEVE YOU

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > Brian Silvestro 09/28/2014 at 12:08

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Brian Silvestro > sm70- why not Duesenberg? 09/28/2014 at 12:08

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PS9 > Brian Silvestro 09/28/2014 at 12:16

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Not hard to see why it spun out. Murcielagos are extremely unforgiving. Take this car over the limit and it will kick you out of it a moment later. It takes real driving talent to put this car at the edge and keep it there without going off the track.

Brian Silvestro > PS9 09/28/2014 at 12:18

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But he never really pushed it as far as I saw. I never heard it go full throttle.

Gulfstream G6 > Brian Silvestro 09/29/2014 at 16:22

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Lambos are for posters, not for driving. I thought we all knew that.

Brian Silvestro > Gulfstream G6 09/29/2014 at 16:23

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Well that goes without saying.

TheNoblePatriot > sm70- why not Duesenberg? 09/29/2014 at 16:37

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I have seen this exact vehicle, before. After all, seeing as I live in Massachusetts, I'm bound to run into it.

Jacque8080 > Brian Silvestro 10/02/2014 at 16:35

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What kind of modifications to you have? And is it a FiST? I drove a Cobalt at National Corvette Museum track this weekend.

Brian Silvestro > Jacque8080 10/02/2014 at 16:39

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FiST with zero modifications.

Coty > Brian Silvestro 10/02/2014 at 17:26

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DAMN IT BOB.

Brian Silvestro > Coty 10/02/2014 at 17:55

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YOU WIN

JDIGGS > Brian Silvestro 10/02/2014 at 18:30

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Did that Pantera go out?

whatisthatsound > Brian Silvestro 10/02/2014 at 18:42

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When I saw that cracked bumper my first thought was a quote a Marshall said to me, "There are two types of people who race on tracks those who have crashed, and those who will." Somehow though, it is all worth it.

Nigel the 968's pilot > sm70- why not Duesenberg? 10/02/2014 at 18:47

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This is my 968. Had it a couple of months - I'm the luck recipient of the previous owner's care/maintenance. It was very balanced and predictable on the track due to the near 50-50 weight balance... I had a great time.

Nigel the 968's pilot > sm70- why not Duesenberg? 10/02/2014 at 18:47

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This is my 968. Had it a couple of months - I'm the luck recipient of the previous owner's care/maintenance. It was very balanced and predictable on the track due to the near 50-50 weight balance... I had a great time.

Nigel the 968's pilot > sm70- why not Duesenberg? 10/02/2014 at 18:58

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That's my 968. Had it a couple of months. I'm the lucky recipient of the previous owner's care/maintenance. Car was great on the track - near perfect 50-50 weight balance.

Brian Silvestro > JDIGGS 10/02/2014 at 19:04

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Hell yeah it did! Watch the video, I pass it a couple of times.

Brian Silvestro > whatisthatsound 10/02/2014 at 19:05

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It really is though.

Nigel the 968's pilot > TheNoblePatriot 10/02/2014 at 19:21

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How about just waving... and not running into it?

TheNoblePatriot > Nigel the 968's pilot 10/02/2014 at 20:50

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Haha. Well, of course!

GanjaTwister > Brian Silvestro 10/03/2014 at 11:29

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Why is it that NO ONE is willing to point you by BEFORE the turn? I mean I know at least in most novice groups, it's always passing only on the straights, and only with a point, but get your hand out there EARLY!

It makes a much more enjoyable session if the slower drivers will let you exit the corners at speed, knowing where you'll be passing them BEFORE you're flashing the lights half way down the straight.

Brian Silvestro > GanjaTwister 10/03/2014 at 11:33

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You wouldn't believe how frustrated my instructor was getting. I was pretty agitated too. I really wanted to get the most out of my car, and have the most fun.

Jeff Glucker > Brian Silvestro 10/03/2014 at 14:33

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Damn, you were taking down cars that should've been smoking you - nicely done.

Brian Silvestro > Jeff Glucker 10/03/2014 at 14:35

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Thanks Jeff!

alexlam24 > Brian Silvestro 10/04/2014 at 15:43

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It's not a proper trackday without a Miata appearing.

Brian Silvestro > alexlam24 10/04/2014 at 15:47

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There is so much truth in that.

Brian Silvestro > Nigel the 968's pilot 10/07/2014 at 12:01

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Dude that's awesome! You probably had one of the coolest cars there.

Joshua Rollins > Brian Silvestro 10/08/2014 at 14:13

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I actually just wrecked my bike on the last corner there, its an awesome place and very technical.

Brian Silvestro > Joshua Rollins 10/08/2014 at 14:18

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Damn that sucks! Still sounds like you had fun though, nice.