Cameron was a race-car driver / Drove so god damned fast / Never did win no checkered flags / But he never did come in last!
Well, I finally had my first race weekend with NASA this past weekend racing 944 Spec. It was amazing. Most fun weekend... probably of my whole life. I set out with the goals: first survive without incident; then, try to not finish embarrassingly slower than everyone else. I ended up surprising myself with how well I did. I was solidly fast (although with definite room to improve); I just need to really work on my race craft.
The race on Saturday was good. I was in 4th behind three much faster drivers, and in front of two much slower drivers... or so I thought. So I relaxed and had one of the "slower" drivers catch up to me while I was lazy and complacent. I can't kick my brain into gear fast enough, make a mistake (oversteered badly and scrubbed off speed). The guy passed me and we fought for three laps. I almost made a pass but screwed up my corner entry. Then, the guy spun his car 3 turns later, and I take my position back.
Sunday was even more amazing. It was a constant battle for 4th place between me and another racer from green to checkered. I started in 4th, but didn't defend my line into the first corner, so it gets stolen. The entire race, I fight to try to get that back, and he fights to hold me off. I get my nose in 4 times. At least two of those, I should have been able to pass, but I chickened out and gave up the turn. But the entire time I stayed on him. It was fantastic.
I thought just HPDE was fun but... man. The whole rest of Sunday evening, I would stare into space and just be able to hear my exhaust note, feel the vibration of the car, and see the back of his car as I would make my charge coming out of turn 11 at Thunderhill. Man, I want more.
, and was really itching to race when he got back on Sunday.
Biggest adrenaline rush of my life.
