Is it on a track eg doing a DE or on a mountain twisty road eg California Hwy 1 between Morro Bay and Carmel? I have had my C2S for about 5 yrs now and have yet to do a track event. I want to improve my driving skills, but frankly it sounds a little stressful on a track with a bunch of junkies driving circles around me, worried how bad I will embarrass myself. I went down to my local AAA and got some regional maps and as a hobby have just been exploring all of the good roads and hwys on the weekends when I can get away. I'd love to hear the opinions of people who do both.
Jim

 

DE for sure. No cops, motorcycles, bicyclists, or deer popping out at you. There's always uncertainty when you're pushing it around the bay area roads, and oftentimes a lot of stuff to hit. Only problem is insurance (probably) won't cover at the track...

 

+1

This is a beautiful car we own and you can't let it stretch its legs on public roads.

P.S. I love opening the sunroof and dropping the windows for a drive in the country, but the track experience is a critical part of appreciating a car like this.

Gary

 

I hit a pheasant once, at Thunderhill. Messed up my front bumper pretty badly (in my old E36 M3)

So, not completely free of things to hit, but much much safer. Whole different world from a spirited drive and definitely get out there and do one with a good club. You'll be grouped with people of similar skill level.

 

DE for sure. Don't worry about the track junkies, they'll be in more advanced run groups. Do a PCA DE event and you'll have a blast!

 

Agree. DE for sure. PCA green run group with an instructor.

 

That is a tough, tough question...

I see you are in CA so a Sunday morning drive in the Santa Cruz mountains or in Marin county with the roof open and the windows down on a sunny day is hard to beat... HW1 can be very busy so not my favorite. Plus when you drive spiritedly, you don't really have time to look at the scenery... Those drives also rely on a lot of stars to be perfectly aligned for that drive to work out well.

On the other hand, a DE is pretty much a sure thing... Never had one that wasn't fun. Even in the rain, snow, or sleet it is fun.

I understand your worries about going to a DE with regards to safety (both to you and the car). If you are not ready to commit, I would suggest you check out the PCA schedules in your area and just go visit in the paddocks while a DE day is going on. You will see that PCA is extremely well organized and that there is very little risk involved when running in the lower run groups. There is certainly more risk than there would be if you stayed home but probably not that much more than there would be if you did the aforementioned Sunday morning drive... PCA have been doing this for a while and, if they had not been doing such a good job, they probably would have been sued out of the scene by now...

Either way, just drive the car!

T.

 

Funny, I just posted about this in the topic titled Hwy 154, but have you tried Calif Hwy 2 from La Canada to Wrightwood? It is one of the few things I would really and truly miss if I ever left So. Cal.

It is a very long and very fun road, and has some advantages over Hwy 1 through Big Sur. First, there are zero campers or motorhomes on Hwy 2. Second, believe it or not, many if not most people actually use the turn-outs to let faster vehicles by. I am aware of no other road around here where people do that, and it generates a lot of good will and good feeling. Third, there are not as many hyper-tight turns as Hwy 1. Fourth, since the speed limit is 55 once you get above "red box", you can have a lot of fun while (more or less) obeying the speed limits, just stepping out occasionally. Fifth, since there are a fair number of motoring enthusiasts up there on weekends (though not so many that it is ever crowded), you will feel welcomed. But watch out for the CHP -- they are often out in force. If you are following super bikers, take note if you see oncoming bikes rapping their knuckles on their helmets - means CHP.

 

I would go way out of my way to drive the Beartooth Hwy out of Yellostone to Red Lodge, MT. BTW...I live in SC

 

I love spirited backroading but it's no comparison to the track for the reasons said above. Plus, the track is smoother and wider than most public roads.

That said, the reality of the track is that "incidents" do occur not that infrequently -- seems like 1 or 2 on average per two day event. Almost all of them are self-inflicted but IMO if you can't afford the insurance (or to self-insure) you shouldn't be tracking.

Another thought: Not to be too morbid about it, but suppose for a moment that the odds of striking a bicyclist, oncoming vehicle, or jogger is the same as having a track incident. I'd much rather deal with property damage than human tragedy.

 

Morro Bay to Carmel is a fine drive, but you need to go a little farther north for the big grins. Try CA Highway 36 from Red Bluff to Fortuna. One hundred forty-two miles of farm country, two- and even one-lane blacktop. Hills, dips, quick left and right turns. A much better technical ride than Highway 1/101 if you don't care about the coastal scenery, and almost NO traffic, particularly on a week day. Heading toward Fortuna, you will exit onto Highway 101, near Eureka. Go north to grab a bite in Fortuna, then drive back south along Highway 1 to Fort Bragg or beyond.
Highway 299 from Redding to Eureka is a tamer version of the same ride. If you drive 299 on Saturday, be sure to stop by the Weekender Cafe; funky, but good company.
Marshal

 

One item you mentioned that I don't think was addressed is: "frankly it sounds a little stressful on a track with a bunch of junkies driving circles around me, worried how bad I will embarrass myself."

I'm a big fan of DE's, first as a student 10+ years ago and now an instructor. The events are broken up into groups and as a newbie, you'll be grouped with a bunch of other newbies. Nobody will embarrass themselves and each will have an instructor in the car to help you through it, safely and enjoyably. Most people who try it, like it - or love it! The biggest fear is loving it so much that you go off the deep end.

Here's my best story about keeping the hobby in check:
When I was living in Boston, I'd go to Lime Rock once or twice/year for a two-day event. There was a guy I'd see and talk to who only did one day/year in his white 944. He said he'd been doing it for years and years. The region actually let people sign up and pay for just one of the days if they preferred.
At the time, I was off the deep end, doing like 20+ days per year - which is a lot, considering that 5 months are not viable due to weather.
His car was completely stock and he was very well grounded.

If you want the best drive - think about DE at a nice track with elevation changes!

 

I agree with everyone.

Go to the track to experience genuinely high speeds and learn to drive, but stay within the limits of your own driving ability to keep things safer. Then you can do 'spirited' driving on public roads more safely, and don't even try to hit track speeds on public roads.

Also consider autocross as a very safe, fun, convenient, and inexpensive option for developing driving ability, though I would say it complements the track rather than replaces it.

 

I started going to track events with these guys couple of years ago. I went from a complete rookie to a fairly good track driver. I'm no expert by any means, but I can definitely go around pretty fast and smooth.

http://speedventures.com/

They run different groups/skills. The easiest group is perfect for someone like you. Very little stress. No overtaking allowed the first couple sessions. Download sessions where an instructor goes over the group's performance. And you can request instructors to drive with you. Can't beat that imo.

Track events are awesome! Definitely recommend it -- way more fun than public roads, even Los Angeles Crest Highway or Southern Cali canyon drives.