Calder Practice day

[LookOut]

There was an open practice day today at Calder Park. I have never driven a proper car on a track before (go karts abit, but never a real car) so it was with trepidation that it went along in the R32. I turned up at about 10.00am, paid my money, hired a helmet and a racesuit (required) and drove out to the pit lane. Went along with a friend who runs a sports sedan (commodore) and he is pretty well set up with gear, so he checked and adjusted my tyre pressures - let a bit off mostly to allow for expansion when they heated up. Got a few tips about when to brake, how to pass/yield to other cars safely, which line to pick through corners, and off i went.

Took a few easy laps to warm up and settle down, then gave it a crack. Brakes worked pretty well, and didnt seem to fade too much (a little bit) over the morning. DSG was a treat, never felt like it was in the wrong gear, except when i accidentally flicked the steering wheel paddles going through a corner (twice - annoying). Power seemed right, even considering my inexperience, i didnt feel like it was hunting for horsepower too much - although those with more skill and better brakes would no doubt use a few more herbs. Managed to crack 200 in the main straight. That is a rush. Washing off 180km/h from after the 100m mark into a sharp right hander followed by a sharp left was probably what i struggled with most. I got a little bit sideways a few times at that point.

Other cars on the track, apart from me and my mates' commodore, were a couple of 911's, a BMW 3 series, a Corvette Stingray (Awesome looking, awesome in a straight line......) and the big banger - an Audi touring car that was testing prior to an event at Phillip Island this weekend.

Awesome fun, hard on the tyres, hard on the brakes, heavy on the juice, but.....I'll be back there next opportunity i get, maybe Winton?

[Water Boy]

Nice mate... Costs? Alos were you using the short track or the long track?

And are you allowed to run a passanger/instructor?

[LookOut]

Cost $185 to enter, $50 to hire a suit and helmet, and it was run on the long track.

Also, OK for passengers, as long as they have the suit and helmet. My friend came around with me on my first 2 laps.

[STV4SYT]

How long do u get?

is at number of laps or what? i noticed it started at 10am and u posted just after 2.

[LookOut]

Pretty relaxed in terms of organisation, (in a good way), they opened the track up at about 9am apparantly (i arrived at about 10ish) They let us go for it for about 1/2 an hour, then, as there were a few open wheelers, they did 1/2 an hour for them and 1/2 an hour for us. I left at about 12.30, so not sure after that. If there were more cars, I'm sure it wouldnt have been as easy going.