(Click
on a picture for an enlarged view.) |
At the main entrance, the guard told me to
follow the Corvette around the track, through
the tunnel and into the infield. Never, ever,
attempt to follow a 'Vette around a racetrack.
|
The first thing I did after parking was walk
through the tunnel onto pit road and wave to
the thousands of fans who had waited
patiently for my arrival.
|
The weather was simply gorgeous. Mount
Baldy (Mt. San Antonio, over 9,000 feet)
looms much larger in real life than in this
picture. Thewater tower is all that remains
of the former Kaiser Steel Mill.
|
The Winston Cup cars are being readied for
the day's classes. Each car will turn more
than 500 laps before the day is over. The
new garages are absolutely spotless, as
is the entire facility.
|
Here's the back side of the luxury suites that
run the entire length of pit road. From here
it looks as if they go on forever.
|
After a short class that covered rules, hand
signals and racing lines, we walked through
the tunnel to pit road and the awaiting cars.
|
And here they were. Two Chevies, one Ford,
and a Chevy Super Truck. I didn't drive the
truck, but the instructors and other students
said it was more fun to drive than the cars,
since it had a longer wheelbase, more
downforce, and more stick in the turns.
|
There was a shaded waiting area where we
waited our turn to drive after each set of ten
laps. There was even a big cooling fan at the
far end of the cover that blew cold air at the
seats. Terrific invention. As you can see, we
are all standing in front of the fan.
|
"Okay, release the clutch and give it some
gas. GIVE IT SOME GAS! DON'T STALL
IT!!!"
|
Mumbling heard from mechanic as he installs
the cup holder: "Who does this guy think he
is, Jeff Gordon?" (Thanks to Vince Van De
Coevering for the caption.)
|
Many of the students brought their families
along to watch from on top the luxury suites.
Check out the smoked-glass bay windows
of the private suites. |
The family members had a great view of the
activities from on top the luxury suites. One
of the student drivers flies by at 150mph. |
"Okay, guys, close
it up."
|
"That's
better." |
