When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Over the weekend, I was in Monterey and had breakfast with a young man(55) who went to college with my daughter. He had been a career Marine, just retired. He has a good friend who had been a race car mechanic at Laguna Seca Raceway. My friend assured me that, if I was interested, he could arrange for a professional to take my car out on the track and really open her up. And, YES!, interested! So next time I go over( probably in a couple months), I’ll be touch with my friend! Have it checked out beforehand, of course.
Interesting. Should prove exciting if you can go with him.
Might advise you to have some extra cash on hand. Even if the tires are new, they will have all the edges gone when he gets done.
Wish I could be there.
Definitely go along for the ride especially with a professional driver but don't be surprised if it gets up well over 100mph. The only problem is that you'll want to do it yourself. I've had my '97 coupe well north of 200kph (120mph) and for a 25 year old car it handles really good at that speed. Here's an example.
After this picture the wife made me put both hands on the wheel.
Definitely go along for the ride especially with a professional driver but don't be surprised if it gets up well over 100mph. The only problem is that you'll want to do it yourself. I've had my '97 coupe well north of 200kph (120mph) and for a 25 year old car it handles really good at that speed. Here's an example.
After this picture the wife made me put both hands on the wheel.
How funny!! I’ve had my ‘97XK8 up to 115mph. With my cousin, a Deputy Sheriff, as passenger, encouraging me. On my weekend coastal trip, my 55yo daughter kept saying “mom. mom. MOM!” Clutched the dash a couple times. If you Google Laguna Seca Raceway, you’ll see the track layout. It’s got 11 turns, a corkscrew, and a crazy elevation climb. I’m thinking that the driver will be cognizant of what my car is(not a race car), and keep the big speed on the straightaway. But, yeah, I want to be a passenger. My sister can video . Fingers crossed
that I can post something eventually.
You will enjoy the ride! The elevation and drop into the turn at Laguna Seca maybe like the uphill after the S's at Road Atalanta. We did this on a Club Track Day several years ago. You just choose the correct line and turn w/o seeing anything but sky. then drop down and continue on. At Road Alanta,should you fail to make the early turn, you enter a shut down lane and must continue on prior to entering track again.
[QUOTE=kstevusa;2750480]You will enjoy the ride! The elevation and drop into the turn at Laguna Seca maybe like the uphill after the S's at Road Atalanta. We did this on a Club Track Day several years ago. You just choose the correct line and turn w/o seeing anything but sky. then drop down and continue on. At Road Alanta,should you fail to make the early turn, you enter a shut down lane and must continue on prior to entering track again. [/QUOTE
Salinas native here… After James Dean was killed in a car crash while on his way to a race in Salinas( he was driving the Porsche he intended to race), public outcry resulted in construction of the Laguna Seca Raceway within a couple years. That elevation is 180’ I believe.
Cheers!
Whoever stole the body shell of Dean's Porsche Spyder could make a major fortune with it these days. Various engine and suspension parts that survived the crash supposedly were salvaged and installed on other Porsches around California at the time. But the body shell was later stolen while the destroyed car was being trucked around the country and displayed as a deterrent to careless driving. Sure wish I knew where it is nowadays....
Wish I knew where the wreckage of the Buddy Holly / Big Bopper / Richie Valens airplane is, also. I was 5 years old when that crash occurred, Buddy Holly was my favorite artist, and I will never forget that day. I was not quite 2 when the James Dean crash occurred and I have no memory of it....
Whoever stole the body shell of Dean's Porsche Spyder could make a major fortune with it these days. Various engine and suspension parts that survived the crash supposedly were salvaged and installed on other Porsches around California at the time. But the body shell was later stolen while the destroyed car was being trucked around the country and displayed as a deterrent to careless driving. Sure wish I knew where it is nowadays....
Wish I knew where the wreckage of the Buddy Holly / Big Bopper / Richie Valens airplane is, also. I was 5 years old when that crash occurred, Buddy Holly was my favorite artist, and I will never forget that day. I was not quite 2 when the James Dean crash occurred and I have no memory of it....
“Chantilly lace and a pretty face and a pony tail hanging down”…. Quote any of those singers to a Gen Z or X, and talk about a blank look….
These cars will go pretty fast in a straight line, a triple digit curve is going to be problematic however. They are a fine GT car, not a sports car pretender
My e types were very comfortable in giving 100%, curves or straightaways. But they were engineered with that in mind.
this XKR was more than willing to move past 131 mph. But my 72 year old reflexes were not so willing
When younger I used to bring my 61 Vette or 70 MGB-GT to Track Days (you had to be a member of a particular car club that had scheduled track days....I joined the local Mustang club even though I didn't own one).
The "Boot" was typically never open but once. Even in my mid thirties it was a very exciting, but physically demanding thing to do.
To date I've not exceeded 85 on the highway w/my 2001.
When younger I used to bring my 61 Vette or 70 MGB-GT to Track Days (you had to be a member of a particular car club that had scheduled track days....I joined the local Mustang club even though I didn't own one).
The "Boot" was typically never open but once. Even in my mid thirties it was a very exciting, but physically demanding thing to do.
To date I've not exceeded 85 on the highway w/my 2001.
LOL! Let’s refer to the “right” coast as the EAST COAST…and I’m on the WEST COAST, not “left coast”.
it is a challenge keeping my car at speed limit(but always has been, no matter the car). That being said, I am very cognizant of where I am. And in construction zones(45-55 mph), most everyone passes me , but fines are doubled and tripled then.
i cannot help it, am I alone in this?, when a car passes me, I say something like “ yup, you’re driving a KIA/HONDA/NISSAN,etc”..no offense, some pretty damn decent cars in there, but……..
What am I missing? Isn’t having someone taking your car out for an awesome ride, like having Ron Jeremy giving your wife the ride of her life?
I think what you’re missing is that i would be in the car with a professional driver on a sanctioned racetrack. The professional is trained, the track wouldn’t have CHP or traffic to be concerned with, but most importantly…he could put my car through her paces and do it right. Your analogy is a bit off the track, so to speak. And slightly offensive.
But thank you for taking the time to comment.
Surely there’s some leeway for risqué expressions without taking them in a thin skinned way.
I don’t see any mean spirited intent here in suggesting that driving your own car would be an instructional experience for you.
Can you do both ? It seems that there’s a lot to be learned by watching as well as doing .
Z
Z, of course… and I did take that a bit sideways. Not so thin skinned as that, that I should even be chastising anyone on a car forum. That being said, I have yet to discover the regulations on this particular course. I do need to research and have a chat with the driver, and assume some careful instruction would be rule of the day. Absolutely it is my intention to drive the track…at this point, I know the behavior of my car. It certainly doesn’t come close to opening the car up on a good, clear highway. I admit that I have done 115mph…. And I will deny deny deny. But a red Jaguar is very visible, so I keep the breakaway speeds to usually the “git ‘er done” quickly distances. Must say, she’s very responsive and handles beautifully.
I can attest that it does not take very lkong to hit 130mph in an XKR.
Lol! Easy, right? Smooth as silk. Sometimes I glance in the rear view mirror and am (almost) surprised by how far the cars are behind me. If I can see far enough ahead, and have maneuvering room, getting around a soon-to-be jam-up can happen very quickly. But I do try to get down to the “vicinity “ of the speed limit. And I always use my blinker for lane changes. Always respect the truckers , always.
I do admire the 130mph. Where?
My 55yo daughter is, apparently, faint of heart……
Race Track
