170 MPH & 6,800 RPM...........(long post)
#1
10-23-2001 | 06:09 PM
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From: Warner Robins, Ga, CSA
170 MPH & 6,800 RPM...........(long post)
I just got back from Atlanta Motor Speedway(Hampton GA.). A friend and client had given me a 'hot-laps' ticket with the SpeedTech racing school. They were holding a session here for a couple of days.
Went in thru the back tunnel, parked my L at the classroom and walked over to the pit lane area on the front straight-of-way where 'class' was being held. 10 or 12 students, 6 or 7 Winston Cup cars, and 7 or 8 of the S/T people were watching a couple of students running laps.
The center of attention was the number 3 car--yes, one of Dale Earnhart's cars(from 1997-Monte Carlo) was being used as a training car. I asked if that could be the car that I would be in for my laps--she'd ask Randy.
Few minutes later, after the real students were told to take a break back in the classroom(they didn't want them to see a 'hot' lap yet), Randy climbs into number 3 and I climb in the 'passenger's' window, get buckled in and strap on a Simpson helmet.
Randy starts it up and takes off down pit lane headed for turn one. Hmmmm, this isn't too bad----now turn two-a little faster, but nooo problem. The back straight allows for more speed--a little close to the wall there, aren't we? Oh s#&t, we dove into turn 3 and accelerated into 4. My head was tryin' to get out the window! Front straight now, 6,800 rpm--dang, this eng. sings. Turns 1 and 2 go by quickly and there's that wall again. 3 and 4 are scary--at 165-170 mph, but Randy kept his cool. Time to breathe again on the front straight.
We did the same thing for the third time and then pulled into the pits and stopped. I turned to Randy and said " 3 and 4 are a b!$%h"--he laughed and agreed. Found out later that he had lost some oil before going into 3 and either flipped it or rolled it a few years ago. Turns out, 'Randy' is Randy Baker, Buddy Baker's son!
No, they wouldn't let me drive the L for a lap--'hot' or not.
Dan
Went in thru the back tunnel, parked my L at the classroom and walked over to the pit lane area on the front straight-of-way where 'class' was being held. 10 or 12 students, 6 or 7 Winston Cup cars, and 7 or 8 of the S/T people were watching a couple of students running laps.
The center of attention was the number 3 car--yes, one of Dale Earnhart's cars(from 1997-Monte Carlo) was being used as a training car. I asked if that could be the car that I would be in for my laps--she'd ask Randy.
Few minutes later, after the real students were told to take a break back in the classroom(they didn't want them to see a 'hot' lap yet), Randy climbs into number 3 and I climb in the 'passenger's' window, get buckled in and strap on a Simpson helmet.
Randy starts it up and takes off down pit lane headed for turn one. Hmmmm, this isn't too bad----now turn two-a little faster, but nooo problem. The back straight allows for more speed--a little close to the wall there, aren't we? Oh s#&t, we dove into turn 3 and accelerated into 4. My head was tryin' to get out the window! Front straight now, 6,800 rpm--dang, this eng. sings. Turns 1 and 2 go by quickly and there's that wall again. 3 and 4 are scary--at 165-170 mph, but Randy kept his cool. Time to breathe again on the front straight.
We did the same thing for the third time and then pulled into the pits and stopped. I turned to Randy and said " 3 and 4 are a b!$%h"--he laughed and agreed. Found out later that he had lost some oil before going into 3 and either flipped it or rolled it a few years ago. Turns out, 'Randy' is Randy Baker, Buddy Baker's son!
No, they wouldn't let me drive the L for a lap--'hot' or not.
Dan
#2
10-23-2001 | 06:46 PM
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Joined: Jun 2000
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From: Monrovia, CA
