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2011 TL-SHAWD on the Montecello Motor Club Racetrack
I have a rare opportunity to make some laps at the track as well as drive the tires off a CTSV that day. I am very excited to see how the TL handles on a real track as there is almost no way to ever find the limits on public roads. ALthough the CTSV is not in the same catagory of performance vehicle as the TL, it will be interesting to see how both handle on the same track back to back. I don't know how I can video tape myself and drive at the same time as I do not have any mounting system for the camera, and I will be fully engaged in the driving so holding a camera at the same time will be impossible.
However, I will take still pictures and post them when I get back. I am fully expecting this to be a blast as I'm considering joining the club. The prices are a little steep, but so is a trip to Hawaii and I can't do that everyday. The track is 90 minutes from me so I could pop up there anytime and be on the track with just about any exotic car you think of. Of course just about any exotic sports car will drive laps around me, the experience would never get old. Just do a youtube search with Montecello Motor Club in the search criteria and you will see all kinds of cool things. I will report back to you once I have my day! |
Very jealous to see you have that kind of access to MMC. We have a number in north TX, but that track looks amazing. The TL should be fun, wait til you do it in a proper sports car vs the sedan.
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:pics:
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I can't provide pics since I have not gone yet. As I said, WHEN I go I will take some pictures. I will also try to take a short video clip with the camera if I can handle it while on the track. I doubt that since I will need both hands on the wheel. I am going this week weather permitting.
Originally Posted by Bearcat94
(Post 13546429)
:pics:
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Weather permitting? Screw weather. haha
You should invest in a GoPro and use it to video the run... |
If the track is wet it will not make it any fun as I will not be able to explore the TL's limits, nor flog the CTSV the way I am planning to. What the heck is a GoPro?
Originally Posted by rossv1
(Post 13546501)
Weather permitting? Screw weather. haha
You should invest in a GoPro and use it to video the run... |
top gear does wet runs all the time. the TL might outperform the CTSV in those conditions. a tesament to the TL.
GoPro is a camera that is easily mounted and nearly indestructable. |
You are right about the TL in the wet compared to the CTSV. It will be more fun in the dry though.
I will do some research on the GoPro. Seems interesting. I think I have seen some commercials with the snowboarder who skis off a cliff and parachutes as the avalanche falls behind him.
Originally Posted by Litt
(Post 13546519)
top gear does wet runs all the time. the TL might outperform the CTSV in those conditions. a tesament to the TL.
GoPro is a camera that is easily mounted and nearly indestructable. |
Originally Posted by Litt
(Post 13546519)
top gear does wet runs all the time. the TL might outperform the CTSV in those conditions. a tesament to the TL.
GoPro is a camera that is easily mounted and nearly indestructable. My bro-in-law flogged a 'vette on a racetrack with an racecar instructor and he said it was an insane amount of fun. |
Holy shit, it's in NY. I might join as well!
Edit: n/m just saw the membership fee + dues...oooff |
Originally Posted by HeartTLs
(Post 13547456)
Holy shit, it's in NY. I might join as well!
Edit: n/m just saw the membership fee + dues...oooff Pretty much all tracks have a high entry cost - they're pretty expensive to build/operate. |
I assumed it would be expensive, just not that much. For 35k annual I could join manhattan car club and get some seat time behind porches, r8, lambos, ford gt, etc, which I think I'd enjoy more.
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When I hit the track, I am going to do one lap with VSA on and another with it off to see how the car reacts. Should be fun either way! Also I will be interested to see what my max lateral G's are through the turns.
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I was at the initial Montecello offering for the Caddies a few years back. 1/2 day behind the wheel of 3 variants ... 0 to 60 to 0 in a base CTS Coupe ... down and back on a stretch which included a couple of 'hills' and a few quick switchbacks in a CTS-V Sedan, and 4 laps on a limited portion of the track itself in the CTS-V Coupe. All sessions were with pro-driver sitting in passenger seat, and no personal vehicles on the track. Maybe things have changed. Although somewhat entertaining, not nearly as much fun as the MB AMG Challenge at Pocono was.
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I will find out and report back. Wednesday is my day weather permitting. It is looking sort of iffy on weather.com. I'm getting unlimited access of the whole track, and was never told I could not take my car on the track. That would be a shame if I can't, although flogging a CTSV isn't going to suck. This is going to be fun either way.
Originally Posted by Six Shifter
(Post 13549895)
I was at the initial Montecello offering for the Caddies a few years back. 1/2 day behind the wheel of 3 variants ... 0 to 60 to 0 in a base CTS Coupe ... down and back on a stretch which included a couple of 'hills' and a few quick switchbacks in a CTS-V Sedan, and 4 laps on a limited portion of the track itself in the CTS-V Coupe. All sessions were with pro-driver sitting in passenger seat, and no personal vehicles on the track. Maybe things have changed. Although somewhat entertaining, not nearly as much fun as the MB AMG Challenge at Pocono was.
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I take my TL to Nelson Ledges just east of Cleveland all the time. My dad has a 2012 Lexus IS-F and we just bought a GoPro 2 for next season. I plan on posting some video when the season starts up again. I got rid of my RL just because I wanted to go to the track more often.
Monticello Motor Club is supposed to be beautiful and it just opened up a few years ago. |
It is confirmed! I am taking the TL onto the track! I will post what ever pictures and possible video that I can when I get back. It is not everyday that one gets this kind of opportunity to be on a closed track, especially at this caliber. The only question I have is how am I going to sleep tonight?:toocool:
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Track Day!!
It has been a very long time since I have had that much fun! I have done some cool things in my life, but this was the grand slam to win the world series when you are 3 runs down and have a full count.
Check out the pictures and short video. I found out some very interesting stuff today. If you have seen the latest CTSV commercial that is talking about the electronic shocks on the 458 Italia coming from the CTSV, that track that the commercial was filmed on was this one! If you can imagine the exotic car, it is either at the track now in storage or will be arriving once the weather breaks. You can not drive a track like this like you would on the street. It is an entirely different experience and I found the limits of my brakes in two laps and it was damp and 35 degrees! At one point I lost my courage on the back straight when I touched 115 mph as it was damp and I knew I had to slow to 35 mph for a hairpin at the end. I probably would have hit 125 or more if it was dry, if I had upgraded my brakes and tires, had more track time and more nerve. The TL performed fantastic! I could easily drive faster through off camber turns and get on the gas sooner because of the SH-AWD. I blew through 1/2 a tank of gas the fastest I have ever done before. I think I did about 10 laps maybe 12 in total. I can only imagine how cool it must be to be in a 458 or ENZO on a dry warm day with a professional driver. The TL could have easily gone faster if the brakes were up to the job, which on the street they are great. On the track they went away 50% in a few laps. On the video the professional driver was behind the wheel (I was holding the camera), and he only gunned it half way down the back straight. He limited himself to about 100 mph, but again he was driving my car and did not want to be responsible for wrecking it so he held back. I apologize for the short video as I was running short on data storage. I picked the wrong data card! I am a golfer and there is not a country club membership I would choose over this place even if it were free. I just can't say enough about how cool this was. http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7206/6...c9d9337013.jpg DSCF2663 by Altegris, on Flickr http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7044/6...1168250628.jpg DSCF2662 by Altegris, on Flickr http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7058/6...72f898cf49.jpg DSCF2661 by Altegris, on Flickr http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7043/6...4943b8190d.jpg DSCF2660 by Altegris, on Flickr http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7070/6...a934de0679.jpg DSCF2659 by Altegris, on Flickr [flash=http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=109786]width="400" height="300" flashvars="intl_lang=en-us&photo_secret=b3aa78ab6d&photo_id=6882925109" bgcolor="#000000" allowFullScreen="true"[/flash] |
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Nice...Thanks for posting
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F'ing awesome, I wish there was more video and that either of you thrashed it!
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Originally Posted by HeartTLs
(Post 13556785)
F'ing awesome, I wish there was more video and that either of you thrashed it!
There was only so much we could do with the conditions. We could only drive to about 7/10th based on the wet conditions. I was very surprised how hot the tires got even though it was chilly and wet. They were steaming when we stopped for a break. The weakest part of the car for track purposes are the brakes. We did brake hard from 100mph+ to 35mph over and over again, not to mention the other times we were braking before the other turns. |
Altergris,
Thanks for the write up and the posting of the video. To know that this car can touch 115 is really neat. I wish it had been dry for you so you could have really stretched you and the car. Billy |
Thanks for the video. Must have been great fun. Your car sounds great, especially when the cam profile changes over.
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Originally Posted by JM2010 SH-AWD
(Post 13557247)
Thanks for the video. Must have been great fun. Your car sounds great, especially when the cam profile changes over.
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I am so jealous right now, looks like you had fun. What an experience! Thanks for the vid and pics.
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The TL is a heavy car and they could have put better brakes on it. Good brake pads and brake fluid makes a huge difference in brake fade if you are just tracking the car occasionally.
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Originally Posted by Altegris
(Post 13557272)
The driver said that the car felt and sounded great. He really appreciated the steering input. He likened it to an M3 which he drives regularly on the track. Quite a compliment I say. He also said that the engine felt surprisingly strong and that he was expecting less. He loved the SH-AWD and said that if the car weighed 1,000 lbs less, and had 50hp more with better brakes, this car would be one of the best driver's cars on the planet. That is saying something considering the hardware he is exposed to. I have more pictures that he provided that I will upload tomorrow including a one of a kind Ferrari that very few people have ever seen anywhere. I felt like a kid in a candy store.
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Altegris all that took place on your track day (3/15)?
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I may take the TL up to Mid-Ohio this year. Been jonesing for some tire squealing apex fun since I sold the S2000 last year.
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Originally Posted by HeartTLs
(Post 13558431)
Altegris all that took place on your track day (3/15)?
No No. The pictures I took were of the club house and the video too. The other pictures are from MMC. I downloaded them from the DVD I picked up and then uploaded them to Flicker. I take no responsibility for those pictures as they were taken by what I assume is a professional photographer over the last couple of years. I just thought you would be interested in seeing some of the hardware that gets on that track. This is one of the most exclusive and elite tracks in the world. Many of the members fly in by helicopter and land on the property, and some have even landed their jets on the back straight of the track. I guess Maverick and Goose are flying those planes. You can't just show up at the track, drop a check and be a member. They have a board of directors in which you interview with, and they make a decision as to whether you are worthy to join. Considering their members are some of the most elite people on the planet, I was shocked I was given this opportunity. There is a high level of exclusivity to this rare club. The track is so isolated that unless you knew where you were going, you might not ever find it unless you had a GPS. There is no infrastructure to have an F1 or Indy race there as there are no hotels and restaurants to support such an event. There is talk of a casino being build across the street from the gate, and if that happens this could easily be a world class racing location. Although I don't have any pictures, they have Bugatti, Maserati, Pagani and very rare race cars that very few know exist. These people are the top .0000000001% that Obama says are the devil and need to pay more taxes. Say what you like, these people help to make the world go round. Anyway, sorry for rambling, but this was just the coolest thing to do, and I have now checked this one off my "bucket list". |
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