SATT at Summit Point
a thrilling experience
By
Jeffrey Fazio
DriveTime Columnist
Apparently
it's going to take the calendar flipping over to Jan. 1 for my 2005
race season to actually come to end. The network of friends that I
have accumulated within the motorsports community simply will not let
me put away my driving suit and helmet for the winter.
At
least twice this year I declared that my racing was finished for the
season after the car broke crucial components. On both occasions
friends rallied behind me to help get my car back into the fight. So
the racing season continued.
After
making it through my entire racing schedule, I was certain that the
end was finally here. However, that was not to be the case. My friend
David Hawkins coerced me to take the car out one last time to take a
shot at setting a record in the quarter-mile.
Unfortunately
that record was not in the cards. To guarantee that David would not
try to drag me out (kicking and screaming of course) for just one
more try at that record, we dropped the car off at my mechanic's
home for its scheduled winter work. The car was parked for the winter.
I
was finally done -- so I thought.
Barely
three weeks after putting the car away for the winter, I ended up at a
racetrack. I spent the first Saturday of December at Summit Point
Motorsports Park in Summit Point, W.Va. My friend, Peter Doane,
invited me to Summit Point's first Saturday at the Track -- known as a
SATT -- which they plan to make an annual event.
For
years, Summit Point has run Friday at the Track, which are, not
surprisingly, called FATTs. Summit Point's Web site explains that
FATTs are open-track days where novices and experienced drivers can
come out to experience high-speed driving in a safe environment.
For
the novice drivers, instruction takes place both in-car and in a
classroom. The day also includes several 20- to 25-minute sessions of
high-speed driving on Summit Point's main track. Although you are on
course with a wide variety of cars and drivers that have very
different capabilities, risk is limited through restricted passing
opportunities. You can only pass someone when they point you by.
Furthermore, passing is limited to specific locations on the track.
The
SATT that I attended was held for the instructors who have invested
their time throughout the year aiding the novices during the FATTs. It
was the track's management's way of saying "thank you" to
their instructors.
They
divided everyone into two groups -- street cars and race cars. Peter
and I spent the day racing his stepson's 2003 VW GTI amongst the other
street cars. This particular VW is completely stock and I was quite
surprised at how accommodating it was to being thrashed around the
10-turn two-mile road course.
In
fact, the GTI seemed more prepared for this activity than I was. I am
finding that as I do more and more racing a s a driver, I am becoming
terrible at being a passenger. Somehow traveling over 100 mph heading
into a 180-degree turn is less appealing to my senses when I am not
the one gripping the steering wheel.
My
weakness as a passenger caused me concern before we even got to the
track. It did not subside at all as I donned my helmet and strapped
myself in for our first session.
As
we got waved onto the track, Peter started to bring the VW up to a
healthy jog for the first lap. With his experience, he was well aware
of how foolish it would be to charge into the first few turns on cold
tires. So I "relaxed" for a quick tour of the facility at
moderate speeds.
When
we completed the first lap, he started to really hammer on the VW. As
we accelerated to triple-digit speeds going down the front straight,
all of the fears of the situation ran to the forefront of my mind,
crashing into each other along the way. Can he slow down in time? Can
he really negotiate the next turn at these speeds? Why , oh why, did I
eat that last donut?
Although
we traveled through that turn with apparent ease, each ensuing turn
became harder to stomach. The tires were squealing like pigs on the
way to the butcher. The noise was barely enough to drown out the
internal yelps of my mind.
After
two laps of this insanity it dawned on me that I was being paid back
for everyone that I had ever scared while driving. Three laps into
this I started considering the consequences of asking to be let out --
namely, it was really cold outside and the day had just begun. I opted
to stay seated.
On
the course next to us, there were some law enforcement officers doing
vehicle training and as we sped by I nearly yelled to Peter to slow
down. It's rather funny now thinking that in the midst of all that
action it actually crossed my mind, for the briefest of moments, that
Peter might get a speeding ticket.
Another
six or seven laps into the books and I started to settle down. I was
able to take in the experience. By the time we finished the 25-minute
session I asked if Peter had slowed down for the last few laps. He
said he hadn't and that was when I realized that I was getting used to
the experience. That also happens to be about the time when I finally
unclenched my right hand from the door's handle and realized that the
death grip I was using to hold on was causing me some serious pain.
As
the day progressed, I became acclimated to the sensation of intense
speed, braking and turning from the relatively foreign location of the
passenger seat. I got comfortable enough that I was able to watch the
other cars at different points of the track instead of
tunnel-visioning on what I was afraid we would hit next.
In
fact, I actually relaxed to the point that I was able to take a nap.
OK, OK, the nap happened between sessions while we were parked in the
pits, but I was still in the car and there were cars racing around me.
In
all, there were six sessions available for us to race, but we were
only able to take advantage of four of them. It was quite an
experience. It has motivated me to add some track time onto my 2006
schedule of hillclimbs and drag races.
For
more information on racing opportunities at Summit Point Motorsports
Park, check out: www.summitpoint-raceway.com
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