(Editor’s Note: Ryan Johnson is our first Track Night in America guest writer, and what a great job Ryan did! He’s from Denver and has been having fun at High Plains Raceway. Check out his insights below. And if you have a story and picture to share, email it along to Jim@TrackNightinAmerica.com.)
By Ryan Johnson
Wanted to share some thoughts on the great events that have been put on this summer at High Plains Raceway (HPR) through the Track Night in America Driven by Tire Rack (TNiA) program. I have a little past experience having previously done a few track days in the Midwest at Road America before moving to Colorado. After a few years of getting settled and a hiatus from on-track events, the track day bug began to bite again and the TNiA value was too hard to resist. Gotta love those TNiA sponsor discounts!
Being new to High Plains, my first evening at the track in May was a bit overwhelming. Learning a new track, there was so much information to process it was a lot like drinking from a fire hose. Even simply running the “West” (2.00mi) configuration was sensory overload. However, with each lap and each session it began to get easier. As the seasoned drivers like to say, the more laps you run, things start to slow down for you even though you are actually picking up speed on track. You begin to become familiar with the preferred racing line and you more consistently hit your key points for braking, turn in, apex, track out, etc. Over the course of that first evening my top speed on the longest straight improved by 15 mph, largely due to carrying more speed out of corners that lead on to that straight. I left mentally exhausted, but grinning from ear to ear.
My second TNiA event in June, I could certainly feel things slowing down and I started to notice some small details on track I hadn’t seen during my initial visit. One specific example I remember: At the end of the straight approaching turn one there was once a painted white line on the driver’s right side of the track. Most drivers are setting up for the corner with their car as far to driver’s right as possible and have thus worn off the paint trying to use every inch of track. As an instructor told me once, “You’re paying for every inch of the track, you might as well use it.”
At a certain point approaching the corner, the paint reappears. The lesson for those of us with less experience: There is a reason no one has worn the paint off the track in that part of the corner. All the drivers who know the best way through the corner have already initiated their turn towards the apex. If you haven’t turned in by the time your tire reaches the painted line, you’re late for the corner. Next time, turn in a bit sooner. Every key point at every track has those subtle little clues just waiting to be discovered. For me personally, finding those keys to unlocking a little more speed and a smoother lap behind the wheel is a very rewarding part of the on-track experience.
While I may be in it for the finer details of learning a new track, I’ve met many people at TNiA events who are going on track for the very first time. While some look a bit apprehensive at the pre-event drivers’ meeting, not knowing what they are about to experience, I have yet to see one of them leave without a smile on their face. For anyone who truly enjoys driving, I highly recommend coming out to a TNiA event in your area. You’ll get to have some fun seeing what your vehicle can really do in a controlled environment and you’ll also meet some great people with a common passion for cars of all makes, models and levels of performance.
See you at the track!
