Trip Report: HPDE at Summit Point WV with Trackdaze

[roundel325]

After buying my boxter in the fall and spending the winter and spring prepping it, I finally completed my first HPDE event last weekend. It was put on by Trackdaze at the Summit Point Motorsports Park Shenandoah Circuit. Trackdaze did a fine job organizing and keeping things on schedule and the track was tight, technical, and a lot of fun. I was pleased to find the event entirely free of snobbery, despite everything from Ferraris to MK1 GTIs sharing the road. Everyone was really friendly and eager to share insights and loan tools.

My only prior experience was a few auto crosses about 15 years ago in my old E30. My instructor was a great help. For the first few sessions he had me keeping it in 3rd gear and concentrating on the line and being smooth. After four hours of seat time I was heel-toe braking and feeling much more comfortable. The boxster never complained and I'm sure I was nowhere near its limits.

I was the only 986 but there were a few 911s and my instructor was in a Cayman GTS, which I got to ride along in for a few sessions and was scary-fast.

Here's the video evidence (shot on a Garmin Virb XE):

https://youtu.be/efkUR_6woCs

And a drive-by clip with my race numbers representin' (boy do I need a louder exhaust!):

https://youtu.be/-fAASmW2kS0

[Chuck W.]

Very very nice. Many thanks for posting the video. I can only live vicariously through these videos!

[steved0x]

Very cool, that first corner is like the nurburgring karousel? That looks like a fun track and that looks like a good camera.

I thought your g forces were very smooth around the corners, great job on your 1st event in the Boxster!

[JayG]

Nice
Its a very slippery slope........

[Quadcammer]

Cool, I was just there in April. I turned a 1:54 in a fairly stock 99, but I'm a rookie track driver also and that was on NT01s so you were doing pretty well.

Enjoy.

[roundel325]

Steve -- That is a scale model of the Karousel. 20d bank and pretty bumpy, fun. Thank you for the camera mount suggestions, they worked great!

Quad -- Thanks! I am on old mismatched Michelin PSS and PS2 tires so I should probably get a fresh set before my next outing. I'm hoping to get to NJMP in the fall, it's closer to my house than Summit.

[Quadcammer]

Funny im headed to njmp lightning in late june and watkins glen in july.

Where do you live?

[roundel325]

I'm 1/2 hour north of Baltimore off I95.

[PGas32]

Originally Posted by Quadcammer

Funny im headed to njmp lightning in late june and watkins glen in july.

Where do you live?

Both with Riesentoter, right? I think I remember seeing your name on the registration list. I'll be there for both - silver #3. You'll hear me before you see me

And nice driving Jared! Hope to see you out there soon

[thstone]

Nicely done! You look smooth and collected.

I have to ask: is there a reason why your instructor brings his left arm up and over his head a couple of times?

[roundel325]

He's a big guy and is bracing himself against the top frame rather than let his whole weight lean into the door. The joys of dismal lateral support in the Boxster seats.