4:45 a.m.
Out of bed, in the car, meet at the caravan point, proudly join the line of trailered toys with my daily driver. Craig, Grant with friend Tim Mayer, & Don ( Jerry drove down the night before). Two hours to Hallett Motor Racing Circuit. A perfect time to review driving techniques, to demand controlled smooth movements. I look forward to the reality of the stories I have heard. The "Stop Sign" corner, the "look for the billboard uprights on a distant hill because you cannot see the end of the turn" corner, the "double apex" corner, the hard braking. Challenge, anticipation.
We arrive. It is raining. The trailers stay closed. Well, what better way for me to learn the intricacies of the course, to softly adjust to the demands of no adhesion and the desire to stay on the pavement. What other attitude to have......?
Jerry is in group 2, I am in 3. We report to the paddock for tech inspection; helmet, throttle, brakes, battery, long sleeves, smile, the track awaits. Bud rides along with me, a local instructor who knows the track and understands my car. Eggshell driving. He points out good braking and turn in points, reminds me to use the whole track. I concentrate completely on the black ribbon of road. The stunning beauty of the course is unnoticed.
The LuVshack gang has arrived. Greg, Marc, Mo and company. They were there to cheer us on. The weather chased them right back to Wichita.:( Jerry relayed his wheel lock/spin instructor experience. Seems the guy had a tendency to reach right over and grab. First we all had heard of "hands-on" instructing. Agreed that it would not be repeated. Craig suggested an aggressive elbow reaction.
The rain finally stopped. Grant and Don joined the second run session in group 0. We all proudly heard and watched "our guys" circuit the course turning in the fastest lap times. Lunch time. Track food. A great excuse to down a double cheese burger and fries. "Healthy" snacks stayed in our coolers! Craig decided to drive.
Group 3. Now the fun begins. The body excitement floods over me as I accelerate onto the track. Now I can push, now I can practice the techniques that Terry showed me at Heartland Park. (Thank you Terry!:) Fly through the sweeping left turn, flow over to the far right as you accelerate up hill. Is there track on the other side of the rise? The question does linger. Shift into 4th, then hard on the brakes for the "stop sign", your right wheel planted almost off the track, turn the wheel hard to the left, turn your head to the left as you accelerate up the next rise straightening the curves. Check your speed just before the top, stay out wide, hold, then in to the right for both cones, quick to the left to straighten the next two curves.Ahead is "My Favorite Corner", an out-of-camber downhill left. Stay far right until past the cone, in third, decisive short braking, pull to the inside edge, drift out to the right accelerating. And now my favorite corner. Uphill sweeping left blind corner, a right bend at the top with a downhill dive to the far left of the pavement and the "Bitch" 90 degree right following. This is where the distant hill old billboard uprights referred to earlier come into focus. And they do work for lining up the corner. You can fly through here.
The thrill, the smile, the opportunity to hunt bogies as you have a better line. Craig and I did hunt bogies, especially each other. It was a blast knowing we were both ok with filling the other guys mirror. Track tires won the day and I did let him by, admittedly several times, but had to decelerate in the straights to do so! The "Bitch" I learned was another stay out late apex corner with a sharp turn in by the gators on the right, flowing out to the left side to keep your speed, accelerating through a long rise to the double apex left turn 11. This one was tough.. Often I spoke aloud through the turn, trying to correct my line, tires squealing under me, protesting. Then accelerate down the front straight, into fourth and begin again. Terry's lessons and Bud's points. Do it better this time... Close in on that car ahead....
The equal pleasure to the driving is the comradery. Everyone helps each other. We watch as each takes to the track, Tim generously timing us, an attaboy upon return, listening to laments with this or that corner, offering suggestions when asked. Checking tire pressures, lug nuts, helping with fueling, finding a wrench, offering water, sharing snacks, walking to the tower to check on run groups, generous assistance by those you have just met. It does not get any better than this. Don and Grant thrilled the crowd with two run sessions in the afternoon. Their beautiful cars gunned for each other through the turns and straights.
The course at Hallett is almost viewable in it's entirety from the stands. We stood at the top, timing watches ready, twisting around with each pass, wondering who would be in front over the rise, times dropping. Dinner was in the tower, great door prizes were given (several winners in our group), the yarns began.
Don, Grant and Tim left for home. Craig suggested a walk around the track with Jerry and me. This is one of the best things you can do to learn the course. The elevation changes were much more pronounced, the slope of the track from side to side, the tire tracks left by others going off course, why that happened, walking the line and comparing braking, turn in and out points, walking the new line, admitting tire treads in the dirt that were ours! We walked out of the Bitch to find Grant and Tim still there. The bug does bite! They joined us at turn 11 along with Stevens, who runs the Hallett operation, for pointers on that challenging corner.
To try tomorrow: staying out very late, brake late and hard, front tire just past the far right cone, a gentle turn in with acceleration starting mid-turn, full acceleration when at the left turn-out apex, flow to the right side of the track, shift to fourth. Grant and Tim blasted off to their hard found rooms, we to Cleveland.
The desired off track fuel is at a station 2 miles north, 93 at $1.41. Watch for the dogs who lay dead to the world, trusting us track hounds to swerve around them. The usual lawn decorations of too precious to sell "classic" autos were pointed out by Jerry, along with other local scenic views.
Naturally we had to wash our cars before turning in for the night. Remember that the wand wash does not have change and the locals at the Quick Mart are mighty interesting. So are the warbling 1" frogs with a startling jump trajectory.
Back at Hallet Sunday, quick drivers meeting, check your vitals, head for the staging area. To note, Jerry leapt onto the track for his first run, taking the sweeping left smoothly, down to the stop sign, slosh! The cooler was still in the back! Always ready for any situation is Jerry. A scramble to check my car. I had a lethal weapon, my detector still hanging from the dash!
Out for our run groups, back for discussions, run to the tower to check official times. They were dropping! Craig and I continued to push each other. Our run group 3 had diverse cars and good passing challenges. Thanks to Grant's advice we had some quick lines through the turns. And the previous nights suggestion for turn 11 worked. I can't wait to go back. Time to buy track wheels and sticky tires!
Heartfelt thanks to the Wichita Region PCA members who generously help and welcome all who are interested. It means so much to me.
Teri Knebel