Track Day 2007
I know this isn’t too closely related to the Black Saab Orange Stripe, but you get to read about Track Day 2007. Barrier Motors’ Driving Experience is an annual event that Barrier hosts for owners at Pacific Raceways in Auburn . Last year Ani’s dad and I attended in my V70R. This year, Ani and I attended together, again in the R.
Ani was a bit apprehensive about the school before we went. She didn’t know what to expect, didn’t know what to wear, didn’t know how it would go. Her dad was the one who said she should go, he agreed to pay her tuition because the driving skills portion of the program is valuable, and he felt she would benefit from it.
Because I had attended last year, I had an idea of what to expect, and I tried to explain it to her. Unfortunately, the program wasn’t quite as sharp this year. Whereas last year the classroom portion really focused on “high eyes” and “9-and-3” hand position on the steering wheel, this year’s program was more disjointed, jumping around a lot between handling terms like “understeer” and “oversteer”.
We mostly had fun in the handling exercises. Because our car was dual-driver, we were instructed to “cut” in line at each of the exercises so that we could finish at approximately the same time as the single-driver cars. The other drivers were instructed to let us cut. Some people, though, were too important, or too cool, to let us in. A certain short, balding man in a red S4 sedan comes to mind.
When we got to the track portion, Ani and I were paired with a male instructor named Scott. Unfortunately he wasn’t as clear in his instructions as the woman who instructed Larry and I last year. He never told Ani when to shift, and at one point stopped her from shifting down, so she thought she had to leave the car in the same gear the whole time. She lapped the track in 4th gear. Third would have been a lot more fun.
When I was in the car, Scott would tell me to “squeeze” the pedal on, but he used the same word for both the brake or the accelerator, and he would just say “squeeze”, and there were two sections on the track where I wasn’t certain which one I was supposed to use. I eventually asked him to be more clear, because I was getting frustrated. Fortunately another instructor had taken me for 2 laps on the track during lunch in the R and I got to watch where he shifted, so I simply shifted in the same locations he had.
It took me a while to get into the track. My first session I was all over the place, I wasn’t really “on”. The second session was much better, and I was really enjoying myself. I hadn’t slept well the night before, though, so I was having trouble concentrating as hard as I would have liked.
Last year there were several Rs at track day (we had all planned to come togther). This year ours was the only R. There was one XC70 (Cross Country) which was the only other Volvo. There was also a Mercedes GL 320 Diesel, which is a large, slow SUV which isn’t selling well. I can’t imagine even attempting the course in such a large, slow vehicle.
So that’s track day. I love driving the R fast. Evidently, Ani loves driving it too. She and Luisa took off for Lopez Island this morning in it. Lucky girls. I’m stuck in Portland , but it’s totally Saab day here. I walked over to the Pearl this evening, where I ate at Hot Lips Pizza. I passed tons of NG900 and several Classic 900 cars. Which reminds me…
When I drove the Black Saab Orange Stripe car earlier today, the belts were squealing a bit, I think I need to adjust the alternator tension nut (which controls tension on the belts). Erik had better remind me to do it, as he’s next on the 900’s schedule later this month!
Check out all of my photos from trackday here. My hotel internet connection isn't the best for all of this internet use...
