MSR Houston Track Day
 

I was invited by an associate in my office to join his Cobra club at this track in South Houston. Never been there before, so I thought I'd give it a go. And for $75 for a half day, I couldn't beat the price!

When I arrived, I only saw one Cobra replica. There was a Laguna Seca Mustang, a couple of 911s, a half-finished GTR Kit car (seen in background in pix below) and get this... three McLarens! We were all under the covered parking area avoiding rain, which was surely going to make driving slow if it didn't let up.

This track was SLIPPERY. It's just old enough that it's been patched here and there with blacktop sealer and the first session was nothing more than everyone attempting to keep their cars on the track.

Second session was for newbies and they also helped dry off the track.

Third session I was back out with the fast boys in the fast cars and on the second lap, I was passed in the straightaway by two of the McLaren drivers that must have decided the track was now dry and warmed up enough to run hard.

They passed me in my little 2.5 liter boxer motor WOT as if I was in park (of course) and disappeared around the bend. Three turns later they're both wrecked and off the track! Evidently, the first one lost grip and the back end let loose and the one behind it Tboned it, flipped it around and hit it a second time. Ugh!

The first McLaren sustained the most damage. His rear passenger wheel was completely dangling off the car when they got him back on the track. He also sustained body damage on two sides of the car, although it didn't look that bad. The Second McLaren sustained front bumper cover damage as well as front passenger wheel damage. Looks like he snapped a control arm and his steering rod.

Thank God I drove my boxster home in the same condition in which it arrived.

The other "excitement" for the day was that one of the Cobra club owners showed up in his newly acquired DeLorean! He let me sit in it and took my picture, which is below. It may have had the original engine in it because I lapped him at least once, and I rarely lap anyone!

The day was cut very short by the accident, but we had one more run with both groups participating for a half hour. Great fun. The track was dry and I carried a lot more speed throught the corners. I would like to go back on a dry day.

All this to say, here's some pix:

Sounds like an eventful day Randall. I actually enjoy track days in the rain because I learn so much about wet driving dynamics.

We had a McLaren hotshot driver stuff his car into the wall at Fontana last year while running with the Toyota club. He drove foolishly and was going to really "show those Toyota drivers something". He did. They all got a good look at what can happen with a $250K car/ $1.50 driver combo. :o

Poor cars :(

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I don't care about them giving a crap. I feel sorry for the cars. Meant for so much more

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