I found this while tracking members of a defunct chapter
.
(This takes place in 2000)

Gang,
I had to opportunity to go to Thunderhill, a racetrack in Northern
California.
Bill owns several Detomasos, both Mangustas and Panteras.  He heard
about my loss, and wanted to help me turn things around.  He called and
invited me to join him at Thunderhill this weekend.  So I said, what
the
hell.
I love racing, and would enjoy helping out in the pits or whatever.

Well, Bill is also the Panoz distributor for the west coast !  I'm sure
you
racer-types know about the Panoz.  It's a 351 (Windsor) powered,
fiberglass, tube-frame chassis.  The motor runs the GT-40 alum heads.
Since they are setting up a "Panoz" series (all cars alike), the SCCA
actually builds the motors, seals them up with special tags, such that
every car has the same power, and race teams can not make any "fine
tuning".
These cars are light, and FAST !

Bill is setting up the "Boy - Racer's Dream".  You can buy a car, even
finance it,
and he can supply EVERYTHING !  Dedicated mechanic, trailer, spares,
even  great driving instructors.  I talk to one driving instructor,
(Brian
Geyer)
who also supports NASA, Thunderhill, and everybody else, and he offers
to take me out on a  familiarization ride, just before the driver's
meeting
at 8.
The cars are getting some minor adjustments, so he suggests we take
Zack,
my 1967, all original Firebird !  Out we go !  We are the ONLY car out.
He is showing me the line, and suggesting different ways to take
corners,
all the while demonstrating how to push (thrash) my old, old
'bird around the corners.  If he went a little slower, I would have
noticed
the
icechest dumping water and ice around the back seat at every corner !

Note:  ALWAYS empty your car, even for a (slow ???) check ride !

Thunderhill is a great track, smooth, new pavement, and a challenging
layout.
Blind (over the hill) off-camber turns, long straights (2125 feet), and
turns
that you can take FLAT OUT !  My stomach passed my heart heading
towards my mouth several times !

We make it back in time for the meeting.  The important thing I glean
is that ANYTHING an official tells you overrides any other directions
(like flags).  This turns out to be VERY crucial later.

I help add a couple of real minor enhancements to one of the Panoz
during the first sessions.  A electric fan to one, and a "burp" valve
to
another.
These are VERY early chassis', like #9 and #10 !  This is just GREAT !
I'm taking some photos here and there too !
Next thing I know the instructor say "we" need to go test a car !
#9 (car #21) has two seats, and I slip into the passenger side, and put
on
my helmet.
(How did I know to bring my helmet ?  Well what fool would go without
one
?)

Visit www.thunderhill.com   (?) and view the images of a hot lap demo !

Out we go, with a Viper on our tail.  The guy came by our pits earlier,
after
watching Brian "demo" my firebird, and asked Brian to show the correct
line.
Well Brian has to slow down often to keep the guy close behind.  Not
only
does the guy improve quickly, Brian shows him some good spots to pass,
and how to set up for them.  We drag this Viper (GTS/R ???) down the
straight, pulling away the whole time !  The only traffic ahead is a
twin-turbo Porsche already 1/2 down the straight as we got on it.
BLAST DOWN THE STRAIGHT....which ends too soon....
YIKES here comes turn one, a SHARPO-looking left 90 degree.
Brian lets off only a little, but does not touch the brakes, drifts
from
the apex
to the outside edge, RIGHT UP TO the Porsche !  Downshift to third !
Downshift to 2nd ! follow this Porsche thru the twistys (3,4, over a
blind
hill,
off-camber 5, then 6...ease on a little power to nudge the Porsche
on...)
Then from the apex of 7...BOOM power is ON FULL !  At turn 8,
did the Porsche stop ?  NO he is just going only (?) 80+MPH maybe
fast for a good Porsche, but no match for us.  We slow WAY down, and
then
wave
the frustrated Porsche guy by, to let the viper get back on our tail
for
some
more "lesson time"...Turn 9 comes next, which starts with a slight left
to
the crest
of a blind hill, then drifts right slightly...You have to go REAL slow
if
you don't know
turn 9 by heart, but learn fast as others DO know it !  A sharp but
fast
left, turn 11,
thru a chicane 12 + 13, then it's the back straight...half way down is
that
Porsche...
POWER ON !  Hug the wall, upshift, then move across to the far left,
BANG
the Hawk
brakes (Very loud brakes ?!?) because we are right on the tail of the
Porsche !
Pass the brake markers and enter #14 + #15 which leads to the front
straight.
POWER ON !  Which causes my face to wrinkle into a funny-looking
ear-to-ear
grin....like those astronaut wrinkle faces on lift off !  Know what I
mean
?
Yea, I thought so.

After a few more laps of this, we pit, our session ended.  I can't get
rid
of this
silly wrinkle-grin, with such an adrenalin rush I nearly pee in my
pants !
Then Bill walks up....and says with a stern face, wipe that grin off
your
face !
You have 5 minutes to get ready to drive the next session !
I stammer....wha  wha  me ???,   in THIS ????
He cracks the smallest grin, turns and walks off !
His assistant runs up, hands me a form to sign.  I can't read with the
tears in my eyes,
so I ask what is this ?  She says, you wreck it you bought it, don't
flat
spot the tires
either, they are $200 each.  "Have Fun !"
She takes my shaky "X" for a signature and giggles, and
she is gone.  I now have 2 minutes, so I run for the toilet....man I
gotta
pee....
Ever been so excited that you CAN'T pee no matter how much it hurts ?

I'll write about my first drive when I'm back !

Chuck Melton
Panoz VIN 009

(Posted by Karl to show what a simple practice  lap on a real race
track is like)

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