Welcome to Virginia International Raceway!! The official NASA time is Bing Bong....3:15 and the gates have opened for all the drivers and crew to go through the gates and into the vast paddock area. We were fortunate to be first in line this time and as we drove down the long road and reached the paddock area which would soon be filled with participants for the weekend, all to be seen was a sea of light green trash cans spaced out over the vast paddock area. A sight the few get to see. It was almost an unreal sight that would soon be flowing with activity and cars going in every direction.
It was cool and windy as I staked out my claim on our teams favorite spot in the paddock. Making sure I set up markers to save space for my team mate that was coming later that evening. I look around and see much of the same thing. I look to my right and see the CMC guys marking off ground for all the racers in that series. I look up the hill and see the corvette guys staking there territory. I look to my left and see yellow tape being run to section off an area for the staff and there race cars. Everyone is busy doing something, but yet everyone takes time to talk if someone walks up and wants to chat.
It was cool and windy as I staked out my claim on our teams favorite spot in the paddock. Making sure I set up markers to save space for my team mate that was coming later that evening. I look around and see much of the same thing. I look to my right and see the CMC guys marking off ground for all the racers in that series. I look up the hill and see the corvette guys staking there territory. I look to my left and see yellow tape being run to section off an area for the staff and there race cars. Everyone is busy doing something, but yet everyone takes time to talk if someone walks up and wants to chat.
After a couple of hours people start making there way over to the tech shed looking for a little relief from the wind and cold and to listen for hints of when tech is going to open. Then we look out and someone makes the move to start the line. It was almost a que for everyone to clear out and get their things and get in line. A stock car, a miata, a Porsche, another Porsche, a Subi, a BMW and so on down the line which developed quickly. One by one each car rolled through tech. A team of officials checking over the cars and making sure they are safe for HPDE and checking log books for the racers cars. Battery secure, hoses look good, seats and belts are secure, helmet meets required specs and so on. One by one everyone makes there way back to there spot and secure everything and finish up with last last minute preps for the next day.
Friday Morning 7am and a hot cup of coffee in a warm trailer with a laptop open checking the weather and seeing how cold it is outside, I can hear the familiar sounds of race cars making there way to and from tech. Test, test. "Welcome to Virginia International Raceway and the first event of the season and NASA MA 10th year!!! Tech is open and there will be an all hands meeting at...7:45. The official NASA time is Bing Bong....7:03." After the all hands meeting everyone is checking thier schedule to see where they need to be. For Doug and I, first was class time for the Instructor Clinic. Dan went over the first part of the full days worth of events. Then we headed off for some open track time to shake off the dust of the off season. After that we went back to class and learned some more things. Then the group split up. Doug and I were in the group for open practice on track again. The other half went on the hill for an exercise. After that everyone back in class again. Then we get our assignment to pair up for role play on the track. Each person is given a slip of paper with a character role to play and the session is split into two times for a switch. I was the first instructor and my partner was the student acting out his role. We were in his 510 and it was fun. Then we switched. Since I drive a car with small seats he let me drive the 510. Cool car for one and I kept it nice and slow and acted out my role. One of the hardest things I found was purposely driving off line in different places and thinking of things that new students would do. But it was fun to see how fast I was caught and taught the right thing by my partner. After that was over we went back to class for our next assignment. Drive your car blindfolded on a course laid out with your partner talking your through it. That was possibly the hardest and freakishly intimidating thing I have every done. But all went well and I think we all gained a sense of trust in each other that our common goal is to keep everyone safe. Once that was all done we headed back to class for the final time of the day and finished up the clinic and headed upstairs for a briefing on teching a students car. A step by step quick inspection plan was taught to all of us and we all watched and listened with great interest. Then it was over. A full day of a clinic and a sea of 35 new Instructors headed off for the evening to get ready for a weekend of events.
Potato's hit the grill to start the cooking and after some time goes by Jason returns with a bag of forks, knives and butter. We ask, how did you get them. After a grand tale of sweet talking a local waitress and getting the needed provisions we found ourselves again missing something. Plates. What do we do now? Tin foil and drink boxes were forged into plates and the feast was on! Ah the taste of a hot side of cow and a steaming potato. Who could ask for anything more than this.
Saturday morning 7am, hot coffee and the laptop checking on the weather. 22 degrees and a wind chill of 17. Brrr. No problem right? As we sit in the warms of the trailer and listen to the sounds of people coming in and getting set up for the weekend we hear our favorite crackle on the intercom and then....Test, test. "Welcome to Virginia International Raceway and the first event of the season and NASA MA 10th year!!! Tech is open and there will be an all hands meeting at...7:30. The official NASA time is Bing Bong....7:05." We pop our heads outside of the trailer and find all the cars covered in a heavy frost. First things first. time to get the cars started and thawed out. After the all hands meeting and the Instructor meeting we make our way back to the cars to finish warming them up for the first session. Cold track, cold tires, cold brains. First session is going to be one to take it easy and feel things out. After the first session of the day is done it becomes a non stop weekend of activity until the last session comes off track Sunday evening. Students heading to class, race groups griding up, Instructors walking the grid and getting in their students cars. Crew, family and friends finding places to watch and generally every driver walking around meeting new people and seeing old friends makes for and endless sea of activity that never stops. It makes for a perfect weekend for any person that loves the track. And it seems as though the weekend ends just that quick. All the planning and preparation everyone does to come out and have fun goes by in a blur of fast and perfect efficiency perfectly executed by the incredible NASA MA Staff.
That is a good one! Forgetting the plates and forks at a steak and potato dinner. I should not laugh (but I am). I once forgot to bring the pots and pans. Luckly I had a roll of alumiumn foil. Everything that I cooked that weekend was done in the foil. Now the entire race kitchen is in a plastic tub. Oh yeah, I still pitch a tent. More about that and the Pacific Northwest weather later.
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