Heartland Park Touring Laps - September Version

Minidave · Post by **Minidave** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 8:55 am

For those who may be reading this thread for the first time, a number of your KC MINIac brethern have been taking a monthly run up to the Heatland Park road course to run our cars on the track. This is an excellent, inexpensive way to learn more about driving your car and it's limits, in a safe and controlled atmosphere. Cost is minimal - $60 per session - and if you sign up in the novice class as we all have so far, you get free instruction in the correct and safe way to go fast and handle your car properly. If you've priced any driving instruction courses anywhere you'll see what a bargain this is!

All events are held on the third Wed of the month. The track opens at 3:00 pm, you go thru tech inspection and the first cars hit the track at 4:30 pm after the mandatory driver's meeting. You must have a helmet with the correct rating, and your car has to be in good condition, tires with tread, good brake pads etc.

The point of this event is first, to learn to drive your car correctly and safely at high speed; second to have bags of fun while driving your MINI as fast as you can or want to in a safe and controlled manner. But, you can go as fast as you're competent to drive! Most of us were hitting well over 100 mph on the front straight..........

The next session is on Sept. 19, to register to join us go to Touring Laps Registration

There is a one time $20 fee to join, the helmet requirements are listed there as well. If you don't have a helmet, an inexpensive one can be bought Here for as little as $110 or so.

Right now we have 7 MINI's going to the September Touring Laps Session, we'd love to have 7 more! Come join us!

Check out the other Touring lap threads for more information and some pics and vids of the track and of us driving on it...........

petek · Post by **petek** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 10:05 am

For those who are on the fence about this because they aren't sure of their skills in a car being driven at the limit...

... this is NOT racing.
... you can have an instructor ride with you for every lap, every session if you want.
... I doubt that anyone was driving their car at the limit of the car's ability; instead, everyone was driving as fast - or slow - as they felt comfortable.
... nobody and I mean NOBODY will criticize you for being the slowest on the track.

My first track experience (at Gateway outside of St. Louis) was with my Cobra. 400 hp, 2400 lbs. 0-60 in about 3 seconds. I went to the track event and announced that my goal was to be the slowest on the track and simply to have fun. The organizer of the event, a seasoned professional racer, said to the group that my comment was the most intelligent thing he had ever heard at one of the track events. He went on to say that the whole idea of the track event was for you to learn about yourself and your car. It is the same with the track events at Heartland. There is more danger to you and your car on the drive from KC to Heartland than there is on the track at Heartland.

So, if you are on the fence about taking your car out to the track... hop off the fence, take the afternoon off and come on out and have some fun!

Minidave · Post by **Minidave** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 10:17 am

+ 1

Good points, Pete..........

Again, the emphasis here is on having fun, when you come off the track after your first session you will have a smile from ear to ear that won't leave till well after you get home that night!

Right now we have......

MINIdave
Petek
dimini
JeffWood
Minigeof
hctiev
sliboa
OasisT may make it as well.............

It would be great to have a really big group on the track, and the weather should be a lot nicer by then, so come join us for some fun!

We caravan up from the Legends area, anyone who would like to join us and just come watch is welcome too, there is no admittance charge to spectate..........

OasisT · Post by **OasisT** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 10:51 am

Minidave wrote:
Right now we have......

MINIdave
Petek
dimini
JeffWood
Minigeof
hctiev
sliboa
OasisT may make it as well.............

Unfortunately, I have 2 days of test/tune at Heartland Park on the 17th and 18th of September, then, the Prosolo Finale on the 21st and 22nd at HP followed by the National Championship warmup and National Championship event from the 23rd to the 28th at HP.

So, I definitely won't be able to make it for the September event, although, I would normally have loved to be there. I'll definitely be there for the October event if it happens.

Minidave · Post by **Minidave** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 12:09 pm

Wow! You have a busy month.......did you say you're running the Prosolo at HPT? How do they do that course?

hctiev · Post by **hctiev** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 9:28 pm

I'm in for October, too!

sliboa · Post by **sliboa** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 10:07 pm

I'm fairly certain that I'll be attending this event. I do have homework due on the 19th of September, but I should be able to turn it in on the 17th.

OasisT · Post by **OasisT** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 1:28 am

Minidave wrote:Wow! You have a busy month.......did you say you're running the Prosolo at HPT? How do they do that course?

Yeah, its my favorite two weeks of the year.

They set it up on the Solo Pad, also used for the overflow Road race paddock. They setup two mirror image courses with a drag strip start. Typically, there is a 2-300' straight to start the course and then the courses branch away from each other and then continue throughout a 40 secondish course which often times ends where you can see your competitor on his course. Its extremely intense and competitive. For Prosolo's, competitors get 8 runs on day 1 and 4 runs on day 2 followed by a single elimination top 32 car superchallenge. Anyone can come out and watch, if you guys are in the area, come take a peak Friday or Saturday.

Minidave · Post by **Minidave** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 8:12 am

hctiev wrote:I'm in for October, too!

Yep, you're on my list there...........

hctiev · Post by **hctiev** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 4:02 pm

OasisT - I need to double check my calendar, but I might to to come out and support you on Saturday.

petek · Post by **petek** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 4:44 pm

I don't remember if this has been posted here or not... but there is a pretty decent high speed driving manual at: http://www.detached.ro/index.pdf

Minidave · Post by **Minidave** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 5:48 pm

Good find, I downloaded and printed that out before I put up the first Heartland Park thread back in June, but I forgot to post the link to it, thanks!

Race · Post by **Race** » Wed Aug 29, 2007 6:58 pm

I am going to do my best to make it.

Minidave · Post by **Minidave** » Wed Aug 29, 2007 7:41 pm

Cool!

As it gets closer to the date, we'll start planning the meet up and so on..........

hctiev · Post by **hctiev** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 8:26 pm

We're getting closer!!!!

Hagar46 · Post by **Hagar46** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 2:54 pm

I just signed up for September 19th. I'm a complete novice and have not particpated in any KCME events, but I am looking forward to something new.

Minidave · Post by **Minidave** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 4:20 pm

Welcome, Hagar46!

Don't forget you need a helmet, you can buy an inexpensive one at soloracer.com if you need to..............

Check your car over carefully and prepare to have a blast!

We'll be setting up the meet up in the next week or so, watch this space and welcome aboard!

Oh, and I think we all signed up as novices, so don't feel like the loan arranger!

hctiev · Post by **hctiev** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 9:38 pm

Minidave - how many does that make for September?

...and would anyone be opposed to meeting at Ted's Montana Grill on the day we drive over to Topeka? Man, I love their lemonade!!!!!

Minidave · Post by **Minidave** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 7:48 am

Ted's is fine with me, just remember - no alcohol..............

I count 8 now since Oasis will be running Solo that week, 9 if Race makes it. Twice as many as our first time! Great turn out, guys! A few more would make the party even better.........

MINIdave
PeteK
dimini
JeffWood
Minigeoff
hctiev
sliboa
Hagar46
Race (?)

Race · Post by **Race** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 10:07 am

I went online to register for the 19th, and it says that it has been cancelled.

I am guessing that there are activities going on to get ready for the SCCA Solo Nationals and National Runoffs.

MiniGeoff · Post by **MiniGeoff** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 10:40 am

Race wrote:I went online to register for the 19th, and it says that it has been cancelled.

I am guessing that there are activities going on to get ready for the SCCA Solo Nationals and National Runoffs.

Nothing I've heard about, and they were pretty prompt in getting emails out last time they canceled. I'm hoping that's not the case.

Race · Post by **Race** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 12:46 pm

Go to this link and scroll to the bottom of the page.

http://hpt.com//store/catalog/road.php

Minidave · Post by **Minidave** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 1:54 pm

CRAP!

This is really starting to tick me off, this is the third cancellation in a row.............

I think I may be done with HPT ..............

petek · Post by **petek** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 2:16 pm

I'm bummed. Last few weeks I've been having to put in a LOT of time into work related items and I was really looking forward to taking a half-day break.

Darn it all!

Somebody start an October thread...

Minidave · Post by **Minidave** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 3:20 pm

Why? So they can just cancel that one too?

I'm going to call and bitch about this big time............

I also have made substantial adjustments in my life and work schedule to do this, and I was really looking forward to a day on the track under nice weather conditions (Yes, I know it could have rained us out.........)

Not to mention all the other MINI guys who have done the same in order to go, it's not only not fair to us, it's very poor management on their part, and I think it shows in what low regard they consider the status of these events............

I expect they're going to say they need the track for the Solo events or something, but come on, like they didn't know the event was scheduled for this date, and that they might just have a conflict?

Anywho, I am majorly pissed.................

<End Rant>

Kansas City MINI Enthusiasts

Heartland Park Touring Laps - September Version

Heartland Park Touring Laps - September Version

September HPT Touring Laps