[Carpe Diem]

In case any of you Solstice drivers are interested in having a chance to drive your car on road racing course, check out the attached web sites. There is a fast driving school and race day at the Willow Springs Speedway (in Rosamond, CA) on May 19th. $265 for a couple of hours of instruction (including heel/toe technique) and a full day of driving your car on a racing road course seems to me to be a pretty good deal. There will be a number of Miata/RX5s there as the soCal Miata club is planning to participate in this event.

If you would like to participate, the event is limited to 30 drivers. so consider registering soon before all the available slots are taken. I’ve already registered. I think it would be great if a bunch of Solstice and Sky owners made a good showing. It will be fun.

Check out these sites.

http://www.ravenwingperformance.net/Events/Dr-Sch/Fst-Lane-Main.html
http://www.willowspringsraceway.com/home/home.asp

Carpe Diem

 

[cerberus]

Thank you for posting this!! :thumbs: I just registered.

 

[Cpt_kludge]

OK, I'm In !
I just verified it with RAVEN WING PERFORMANCE that I was the LAST signup for Sat the 19th. They DO have some open spots for a Sunday class, however..

PM me and we'll see about a convoy up. I plan on going up Friday evening. Where are you staying? etc.
Joe

 

[Fakebil]

This is gonna be great

Right now, I'm planning on heading up that morning, but who knows what tomorrow will bring. Maybe I'm just too cheap for my own good. I was looking at cutting over the mountains by taking the 2 & the Angeles Forest Hwy.

 

[Cpt_kludge]

Right now, I'm planning on heading up that morning, but who knows what tomorrow will bring. Maybe I'm just too cheap for my own good. I was looking at cutting over the mountains by taking the 2 & the Angeles Forest Hwy.

Imapped that using Mapopolis on my Pocket PC, looks like a great drive. I would prefer to be rested when it starts at 7:30am:lol:
Looks like I will prolly stay at the Devonshire Inn in Rosamond, best rate and closest. If anyone wants to meet up, PM me and we can trade cells. Cya at the track
Joe

 

[cerberus]

Does Steets of Willow always run counter-clockwise? Most youtube videos I saw were, but saw one which I wasn't sure about. TIA.

 

[CADREAMIN]

I have never seen it go counter clockwise on the road coarse. on the small oval yes

 

[cerberus]

Do you enter the pit on your right or your left?

 

[Cpt_kludge]

Does Steets of Willow always run counter-clockwise? Most youtube videos I saw were, but saw one which I wasn't sure about. TIA.

I'll let you know Sat Night
Joe

 

[CADREAMIN]

willowspringsraceway.com will give you all the particulars. Looks like they can configure the track anyway they want. I ran a Buell on it and we ran clockwise. You will be on the streets track which is not the large track. I believe it is the first right hand turn after 60th street west. First garage you come to on the left. Have a fun day!

Wayne

 

[Crimson Avenger]

Does Steets of Willow always run counter-clockwise? Most youtube videos I saw were, but saw one which I wasn't sure about. TIA.

Usually, most groups run clockwise because that way, the bowl (at the North end of the course) is an increasing radius turn, rather than a decreasing radius turn.

I've run it one day in the counter clockwise direction, and it's a bit tricky. I really wasn't sure where the line was on a few of the turns. But like I said, most of my time out on the Streets of Willow has been clockwise.

Should be fun, see you Saturday!

 

[Cpt_kludge]

Willow Springs

OK, It's Official.
Willow Springs is OFFICIALY the most fun you can have on 4 wheels And the "Streets of Willow" track is a BLAST!
Danny McKeever's "FAST LANE" Driving School is WORTH the money.

There were 7 kappa cars there. 1 GXP (me), 2 SOL's, 1 Sky and 1 Redline as well as 2 SOL's that came out to watch.

Ths started about 8am. Danny gave us about 1 1/2 Hrs of classroom instruction then we headed for the track. First we all grouped up to about 10-12 cars each. the first group had been through the class before, so they got to go play on the track while we were in class. Then there was the red group of about 12 cars and the orange group of the same. Most of the cars were Miata's (this was sponsored by the Miata club, but there were a couple of Lotus's, a 350Z, a 240z, and some others. I figure we got around 50 laps of track time in about 2-5 sessions. We took our cars out onto the dry skid pad and got to do Bootleg and "Dukes of Hazzard" turns in the school cars.

All in all well worth it and more fun than should be allowed on the streets!
BTW, I found out that the car drives fine in normal mode, but when you turn off the TC and SC you open up a whole nuther level of performance. You can slide, drift and generaly drive it like a RACE car. I prolly ran 10-15 laps total with the TC & EC on in normal mode, but as soon as my tires heated up, I turned both off and just went crazy. Of the cars I ran with in my group, the only one that I could not leave in the dust was the 350Z. The combo of good diver and good car kept me at bay. I could not beat the Redlines down the straight (the only place we were alowed to pass) but I was able to out drive them so they waved me by.

Got to meet CADREAMIN, the Crimson Avenger, Fakebil(again), Carpe Diem(again) and some othered whose names/Handles escape me. My thanks to Carpe Diem for letting us know about this this.
Joe

 

[Carpe Diem]

OK, It's Official.
Willow Springs is OFFICIALY the most fun you can have on 4 wheels And the "Streets of Willow" track is a BLAST! Danny McKeever's "FAST LANE" Driving School is WORTH the money.
. . .
Of the cars I ran with in my group, the only one that I could not leave in the dust was the 350Z. The combo of good diver and good car kept me at bay. I could not beat the Redlines down the straight (the only place we were alowed to pass) but I was able to out drive them so they waved me by.

Joe

Ahem . . .

As I recall, there was one NA Mysterious Solstice that could pretty much stay out of your way in all the twisties, but could not prevent you from passing him on the straightaway. Once your Mean turbo was ahead, the Mysterious could with somewhat relative ease (in its driver's biased opinion) stay close on your tail in all the twisties, but was no match on the straight where your turbo showed its stuff.

OK, all the BS aside, I think all of the Kappa participants will all agree that this was one heckuva fun day, most definitely worth the $265, and we all learned to appreciate our Kappa cars a whole lot more, in several ways. These cars are awsome, feel like real race cars, and are very forgiving of us wannabe road race neophytes. Simply they are FUN!! And there was a lot of camaraderi (sp?) between all of the marques - Sols, Skys, Miatas, RX7s, Lotus Elises, and a several more.

 

[cerberus]

Thanks for the heads up on the day. Yeah, that was fun. The last sessions were definitely a hoot. Great meeting up with you guys. Ok, one more reason to drive with top up. Less dirt and gravel in the car after you slide into the dirt (wasn't me,lol).

 

[VFX]

Fun!

Great meeting you guys today!

I'll work on my track skills a bit more so I can give you a better race other than the straights.

(I feel like I cheated on the straights. My redline isn't exactly stock anymore)

I learned a lot today, and I highly recommend this to everyone! Hope to see you guys/gals at the next one.


chris

 

[Cpt_kludge]

Ahem . . .

As I recall, there was one NA Mysterious Solstice that could pretty much stay out of your way in all the twisties, but could not prevent you from passing him on the straightaway. Once your Mean turbo was ahead, the Mysterious could with somewhat relative ease (in its driver's biased opinion) stay close on your tail in all the twisties, but was no match on the straight where your turbo showed its stuff.

OK, all the BS aside, I think all of the Kappa participants will all agree that this was one heckuva fun day, most definitely worth the $265, and we all learned to appreciate our Kappa cars a whole lot more, in several ways. These cars are awsome, feel like real race cars, and are very forgiving of us wannabe road race neophytes. Simply they are FUN!! And there was a lot of camaraderi (sp?) between all of the marques - Sols, Skys, Miatas, RX7s, Lotus Elises, and a several more.

Carpe, you were right on my butt thru most of the twisties When I was behind you I was impressed with your line and frankly don't think I could have passed you except for the straight.

Thanks for the heads up on the day. Yeah, that was fun. The last sessions were definitely a hoot. Great meeting up with you guys. Ok, one more reason to drive with top up. Less dirt and gravel in the car after you slide into the dirt (wasn't me,lol).

I realy loved it with the top down. Using the helmet, there was no wind buffet that I noticed (busy driving, you know ) and I don't have anything more than normal road dirt on the inside. Carpe picked up a small stone in his ORE (Off Road Excursion ). I think he's gonna frame it:lol:

Great meeting you guys today!

I'll work on my track skills a bit more so I can give you a better race other than the straights.

(I feel like I cheated on the straights. My redline isn't exactly stock anymore)

I learned a lot today, and I highly recommend this to everyone! Hope to see you guys/gals at the next one.
chris

Ya, your lines were a bit funky, but I noticed in the last session that you were doing a LOT better Especially in the esses. I just could not beat you to the first turn

I agree, this is the best bang for the buck I've ever seen,if you like cars and racing

Now we need to set up a Solstice Sponsored meet! Crimson?

You guys have a good run today, I'm off to fry at the Chino Air Show
Joe

 

[Im2damnsexy]

Let me know when you go again! By the time i found out about it there were no more spots left. Glad to hear you guys head a terrific day!!!

 

[73sbVert]

Let me know when you go again! By the time i found out about it there were no more spots left. Glad to hear you guys head a terrific day!!!

:agree: :agree: Me too! I can be there in a couple of hours!
I2DS, maybe we could meet up and caravan out there!

:cheers:
Paully

 

[Cpt_kludge]

Let me know when you go again! By the time i found out about it there were no more spots left. Glad to hear you guys head a terrific day!!!

:agree: :agree: Me too! I can be there in a couple of hours!
I2DS, maybe we could meet up and caravan out there!

:cheers:
Paully

I'm definatly going again and will be keeping in touch with Danny McKeever about having a solstice meet. One of the guys that runs Raven Wing might be interested in setting some thing up. This was a great time and not to be missed
Carpe, I'll PM you on a link for your photos
Joe

 

[Cpt_kludge]

Photos of Willow

Here are some shots of Me, Carpe Diem and FakeBill. Most of these were taken by CADREAMIN the first one by Carpe Diem.
And a BIG thanks go out to him! I had not realized that anyone had taken any action shots
Carpe Diem and Cpt_kludge Basking Thanks carpe!

Fakebill on the Skidlpad

A Sky (VFX?) and Fakebill

Cpt_kludge and Carpe Diem coming into the pits

Cpt_kludge getting onto the straight!

If you havn't done it, you cannot even imagine how much fun this is
Joe