GT,

While doing some burnouts in a parking lot might make a high school kid smile until he get’s bored it really can not help anyone learn anything. You and I both know that almost all of us have smoked our tires in a parking lot at one time or another for miscellaneous reasons. Unfortunately when we drive on a race track or even any public roadway they are not flat like the average parking lot. A parking lot can not simulate an off-camber sensation or the sensation of the car getting light as it goes over a crest. Then there are other scenarios take for example, if you are coming into a mild right hand corner you might set up a certain way however if there is a sharp left hander right after it the set up will be entirely different and even more so if these situations are going up or down hill or off-camber. Yesterday a friend sent me a video of some guys doing some burnouts in a parking lot and the guy got too loose and hit a phone pole which led to his car catching on fire and before they could do anything the car was burnt to the ground. This is just one more reason why these things should be practiced on a track where there are good coaches and safety equipment. No to mention no phone poles.

I’d like to just find a huge empty secluded parking lot or other large expanse of tarmac on a wet day and work things out myself, or at least just have a little fun with the Firebird that would get me in trouble on the street. A little drifting… a few donuts… y’know… simple and fun.

Mark, That’s correct and I have other friends that will be running in the Targa this years as well. The majority of us who race in most of these types of historical events tend not only to do it for the racing but for the shear fun of the whole adventure as well as meeting the fans. Keeping that in mind I know for a fact if you approach some of us early enough or at the right time you will be surprised what can happen.

I’ll defanitly look the name up.
Do they come to race in Targa?

Mark,

I see you are from Newfoundland. Some of my friends along with some of the best drivers in the world race there. Get out your thinking cap and get innovative and figure out how to ask some of them to give you a lesson or two. My good friend Bob Arnold and his wife Tammy Hull have won there as well and I know for a fact they would give you some free lessons. You might be surprised how far a case of beer or hospitality will go.

I would love to learn how to drive on a wet track, let alone a dry one. The nearst track to where I live is atleast 2 provinces over. I drive in the snow and rain alot but I’d like to see what limits there are when driving in bad weather like, on a snow track.