I survived my first day as an instructor!

I spent the day in the right seat of an e92 M3 and a Mustang Shelby Cobra. I reckon there's the best part of 750 hp between the two cars but I survived the day.

The finishing a hard 20 minute session and sprinting to get in car #1 for 20 minutes then jumping out and running to car #2 for another one all day leaves one about wore out. Bonine brand anti-sea sickness pills are money. I didn;t feel queesy all day.

Driving in the instructor group is pretty great. The pace is pretty brisk, no one parks it in the corners, and the passing is anywhere with a point-by - and no one seems stingy with the point-by.

The downside? session 2 - I exit Karussel (Summit Point Shenandoah has a 35 degree banked concrete scale model of the iconic Nurburgring bowl) and hear a some pretty awful sounds from beneath the car. It seems to be much worse when turning. My first thought is that all the diff mounts have torn out and the rear end is being constrained by the wheel wells. I moved off the racing line, looked for black flags and pitted at first opportunity.

Turns out the huge (expensive) plastic undertray has come adrift and it's scraping itself to death. I grabbed a jack and divested the car of $125 worth of German plastic.

Then - session 3 I pit and notice that I've broken ~yet another~ windshield. It's got a hug spider originating at the rear view mirror mount. No more OEM glass installed by the really good guy for $600/ea. Safelite take me away...

I'm back tomorrow, should only have one student, and should have time to go spectate the Jefferson 500 vintage race over at the main circuit.

Windsheilds and road race tracks are just made for each other. I don't have any big spiders, but the sandblasting is bad enough I think its time for a new one. Sundown=bad.

my dads racing in the jefferson 500. hes in the green lotus elan. im sure hed be happy if you dropped by

Congratulations -- sounds like you had a good day instructing. I arrived on Friday morning at an event, and the organizer approached me and asked if I would instruct, as well. It turns out they had more newbies than expected. Since the organizer is a road-racer, I took it as a compliment, and a recognition of the judgment I have on track.

I knew the Chatterbox I bought would come in handy . . .

Day 2 was great. The gifted student in the e92 M3 is getting the hang of threshold braking and is adjusting his line for speed very well. I found a few more places to make time as well.

I was asked to give rides during the "blue" group session, so I got a bonus session. I said "tell me if you think you're going to get sick - seriously" then went 98%. They had major fun.

The Jefferson 500 is major vintage car pr0n. Major-major. Like an Aston Martin DB3 race car, Lotus XIs, C sports racers, minis and Sprites and all sorts of old formula cars. Awesome sounds and smells.

Total mileage for the weekend about 450, parts tally - 1 under tray, 1 windshield, 20% each of a set of Direzzas and a set of Hawk HT10s, about 2 tanks of vitamin G.

Can I do it again tomorrow?

You forgot to mention the temperature and humidity. I talked to you briefly when you were removing the undertray. But didn't introduce myself since you were obviously busy. I was wearing my GRM hat and driving the Transit Connect.

Ahhh. Transit guy! I asked you if you'd welded in a cage or gone forced induction yet. I thought it was great at the instructor clinic last month - you had the Transit parked with the hood up in a paddock full of cars w/ roll bars and it was the draw for ogling and conversation. That's some GRM spirit there...

The ambient temp and RH were trending up but not too brutal yet. Good grip but no heat stroke. I did drink a LOT of water Saturday night and didn't get up for a wee so I must have been a little dehydrated.

I remember July and August weekends at Summit Point as an impoverished motorcycle racer w/ no pit canopy. High 90s temp and humidity w/ 125 degree pavement. In leathers. All weekend. Sure was fun though. Can I go tomorrow?