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What an experience:biggrin::biggrin:

Gotta say I was very very nervous going out the first time but they paired me up with a pro who races every weekend so he tried to keep me on the track showing me when to turn in to a corner and it is way later than you think, so late I was thinking he forgot he was supposed to tell me im going off but each time he was spot on and most time I was going way to fast :cursing:

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It is bloody difficult, if you watch Top Gear the Stig makes it look soooo easy but it aint.
You learn that speed does not matter as much as technique and hitting those apexes right, do it wrong and you spend 10 seconds trying to line the car back up but before you get back on line there is another corner so you lose so much momentum it is very frustrating.

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That was not so bad as the Tesla has just awesome acceleration (at the beginning) I could catch anyone in the straight even after I messed up the turn, It is so tempting to just floor it and catch up and I did but within three laps in the limiter kicked in (It was 95 degrees outside) and it just got worse I went from 35 to 95 in a few seconds to 35 to 72 in 10 seconds it really sucks.

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I nearly lost it a few times by going way to fast into the corners and having a bad line but managed to save the rear (I think three times and at the same hairpin turn), when you hear that almighty squeal from the rubber and you know that you are losing it, is kinda strange things don't happed fast you have time to correct, the Tesla handles so well even on the edge it is very forgiving. Little more pedal, feel that surge and pull the rear back in line......... wow i'm drifting my Tesla....... well not really :redface:


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Get it right just a faint squeal from the tires all the way round the turn. Thank god I did not run the Blizzacks I would have spun without a doubt

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There were some nice high end cars on the track a couple of Vipers loads of Porsche a couple of formula fords, Vets and one Tesla.


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The Tesla's had to bow out early as I was burning KW so fast as you are out there for a good 20 minuets each session. I did not have time to charge up enough even though they have 240 and I was charging at 40 amps the car just could not keep up.

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Track Day was not about racing, there is less chance of crashing than driving on a highway, everyone on the track respects everyone else ability they give space and there is only passing on the straightaways and only when you indicate they can pass.
Most cars on the track were high end ICE's some drove to the track so they had to had to have a car to drive home other had enclosed trailers and mechanics to service their cars.

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I cut my third run by half and got home with -3.5 miles no AC and sweating but some great memories.


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There is another track day next week that I would like to attend I want to learn how to drive on a track so when the cooler weather gets to Florida I can not just keep up with but pass that Cobra without the limiter kicking in.


I have video I will try to get it edited and up later.
 
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Congrats! BTW, what track was this? What club sponsored it? (I'm assuming this was not an open test and tune day if there were instructors present).

Performance Driving Group (PDG) held at Homestead speedway but they do run all over the SE region, they ran four groups:

Beginner: (Me) you can request an instructor to ride along or go it alone now that I have done this with an instructor I would have no problem going alone as passing is strictly controlled and there is no actual racing just a lot of fun.
Intermediate:
Advanced:
Instructor: that's where the instructors get to run the course in their cars for free (A perk for trying to teach us neubies how to drive)
 
Congrats Brightonuk!

Good to see the track bug bite!
I'm a regular track rat and usually race my GT-R but have taken the Roadster out.

A couple things, when you mentioned the corners come so fast, this is where "looking ahead" really helps and makes you smooth. I know it's your first time out but doing this on the street and track helps a bunch (street avoiding accidents, track going faster). On the track I am typically looking two turns ahead.

and I love this quote:
Track Day was not about racing, there is less chance of crashing than driving on a highway, everyone on the track respects everyone else ability they give space and there is only passing on the straightaways and only when you indicate they can pass.
...

this is SOOO true, even though you are going 2-3 times faster than on the street you are actually safer as everyone is watching out and gives space and only pass when it's safe. That's why it utterly drives me INSANE when people drive under the speed limit in the passing lane with the excuse that it's safer!

LOL ok done ranting.

Glad you had fun and DO IT AGAIN! It's a blast. Also if you didn't already let your instructor drive your car for a lap. When you are driving, you really think you couldn't possibly go any faster and your driver goes out and literally cuts 5 secs off your time without even trying. It's humbling.

Right now I'm in the Advanced (red) Run group. Even with that there is still a lot to learn and people that can drive much better than me!

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Bottom line Model S is no track car then again I only did it because it looked like a fun thing to do not to prove anything.
The S handles so well (I did let the instructor take it for a few laps and he hit the apex every corner) but that limiter kills it every time, I could have gone missing a session and charge up an extra hour to finish the last session but when you start out running a Cobra (on the straight) to getting overtaken by a Ford Fiesta it kinda takes the fun out of it.

Next time I am going to try to take it easy in the straights and keep the temp down as much as I can and make it up in the corners, but the track surface must have topped 100 degrees.

Like they said you are not racing at my level it is just driving round a racetrack as fast as you can or as fast as your car will go.

Hope some others will join me next time or we have another Drag Night on July 11th

It really is the most fun you can have in your Tesla......legally
 
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Steve - what happened to your 19's? Looks like you have some new custom wheels!

Sorry I didn't make it - was out on the boat with the family. I'm going to try the PBIR circuit - I think they have a 1/4 drag vs the 1/8th mile at Homestead. I'm going to try that, and the Hooked On Driving first-timers event.. http://www.hookedondriving.com/first-timers

Not sure when - probably later in the year. Am tied up traveling and vacation through late August.
 
I spoke to a tech at Bridgestone who said it would be dangerous to run the Blizzack snow tires (that came with the car) on a track he said they would start to shed rubber.

So my option were buy new tires or buy new tires, I happened to go by Elite Roads and they had a set used rims from a Tesla with tires and caps and only 500 miles on them I talked them down and got a great price.

The wife is really pissed :cursing: so now I will have to sell them to keep the peace :crying:

As soon as the TPMS sensors come in I put the blizzacks back on :crying::crying: and wait till they wear out then get new tires.
 
....The wife is really pissed :cursing: so now I will have to sell them to keep the peace :crying:

As soon as the TPMS sensors come in I put the blizzacks back on :crying::crying: and wait till they wear out then get new tires.

so sad. I have 4 sets of wheels now :confused: wife doesn't seem pissed but her stuff takes up waaay more space than all of my stuff :wink:
+ an X would make her happy regardless of how many sets of wheels I have
 
I wouldn't count on it according to this:
Improve cooling of drivetrain - Page 3

:crying::crying::crying::crying:

Guess I will need to wait for Saleen to work some magic

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Steve - you shouldn't lose all the data - everything is captured. Go back into VT and go back to that date - everything should be there. If not, drop a note to Joe Pasqua.

Yes will do.


Let me know when you plan to do the Palm Beach drag I will join you (and not just so I can beat you again) :tongue:

I would like to try a 1/4 mile drag, I did contact the track and they said they do not have 240v outlets available which I find hard to believe I am sure they have 240 for the trailers and motor homes.

We might even get some Palm Beach owners to come along.. even better someone with a HPWC and a sense of excitement.