8 Laps Of Driving A Semi Prepped V8 Race Car

[Dean_HR31]

Hey guys,

As a 21st bday present my best mate paid for a package for me to drive a semi prepped V8 supercar around calder park on Saturday. I am abolutely rapt as i havnt had my skyline for 8 months and recently lost my license, this is hopefully going to release ALOT of energy!

Just wondering whether anyone has done this before?? Just wanting to know the modifications of the car exactly, what the instructor was like and how much your allowed to push the car...

Thanks!

Edited July 17, 2008 by Dean_HR31

[VB-]

dot know much about the course, but as for the car, pretty sure they mod suspension and brakes so grip levels etc are up there (but not quite) V8 supercar standard, but power is relatively stock.

yes i believe you get to go hard out for a bit, dunno how much of it though

[bluey33]

I got this too for my 21st off mates... Havn't done it yet.

I have heard as said above, fairly shitty power wise but supposedly have exceptional handling and braking.

[fake400r]

I did this a couple of years ago. I went with a company called V8 Race Experience. It was pretty good fun but 8 laps goes real fast.

The cars that i went in were just SS and XR8 road cars that had been race prepped. They had larger brakes, slicks, big clutch, exhaust, stripped out with cage, harness and seats. They arent scary fast but you would be surprised. You get up to about 200kph at AIR in Adelaide. I suppose it depends on the track as to how fast you go.

The grip was the thing that blew me away. I felt i was lapping fairly fast as we were catching alot of cars, however at no point did the car feel like it was at the edge of its grip levels like when you give a car on street tires a thrash. A lap with a pro would have been interesting.

Let us know what you thought after you have done it.

Cheers

[trel]

A mate of mine did it a few years ago for his birthday too and he said to me they don't let you take the car past 4th gear. Nevertheless he loved it. He would do it again. I wouldn't mind myself.

[FATGTS-R]

I've also done the V8 race experience and as mentioned power levels are stock. But car is stripped,caged and wears slicks. It was wet the day I went and did it so had to run on wets lol.

The instructors are keen for you to have a great time and actually encourage you to get up the car. 8 laps goes way to fast like was said. First lap or two you are getting used to the car and start to get some speed up for the next two laps and then a slower car in front holds you up for two laps. Then you've got 2 laps left and as soon as you blink the bloke is pointing into the pits.

It was my first time on a racetrack and when I pulled in the front brakes were on fire haha and I had a grin on my face all day from the excitement. Have fun!!

[MIDNIGHT R]

I did it and left very disappointed.

But yeah the breaks and handling are very good and didnt really come close to its limits. No power. But ohwell. There was quite a few people there and most seemed to enjoy it.

[Haysey]

I went for a spin in the passenger seat of a Proper V8 Race Car (only slight differences between this and a V8 Supercar... Engine wasnt one of them)....

and holy shit it was the best track experience ive ever had, totally pushed back in the seat, the grip and g forces were amazing, the noise and smell.... hammering around oran park was tops...

Yeah i wasnt driving, but i could barely walk and my face was hurting from smiling so much..

To be honest, i didnt think a commodore could go around a corner so fast!!

[Dean_HR31]

Ok, I just got back from calder.. while it was fun obviously i am VERY dissapointed with the experience due to the following:

-Could only use 3rd & 4th gear which absolutely sucked cos the rear/drift sector of the calder track NEEDED 2nd! Instead i was stuck at 3-3,500 rpm going no where in 3rd.

-NO HEEL & TOE DOWN CHANGES ALLOWED!! Do you believe this???? That demolished 80 percent of the experience. The car was near compression lock up 90 percent of the time because of this and it just makes the sound of the car sound amature coming to corners!

-No lap times recorded!!

-Your not alone on the track so about 3 of your 8 laps are F*** because of slow coaches in front of you

-Had to be really smooth with the clutch on up changes, didnt fuss me too much but still a little annoying

-Powerwise.. could not have been more dissapointed.. i swear on my dogs tail that my drift pig manual 6 VN wagon would not have been far behind these nuggets. These motors must be on the verge of dying cos the car i was in had no more than 110kws at the rears, no exageration. They are all just sound! Waiting for 3rd and 4th gear to finish was like waiting for a turtle to walk up a hill missing 1 leg and having prior surgery on the other 3 remaining..

-Probably the most dissapointing part of it all was the video recordning. The 2 cameras in the car are positioned to only show your face, shoulders and arms & the other cam only shows the bonnet and track. No footage of foot work, gear changing NOTHING. I still paid the $50 for the tape cos its something ill only do once in one of those un-bread crumbed nuggets.

Edited July 19, 2008 by Dean_HR31

[m3gtr]

Ok, I just got back from calder.. while it was fun obviously i am VERY dissapointed with the experience due to the following:

-Could only use 3rd & 4th gear which absolutely sucked cos the rear/drift sector of the calder track NEEDED 2nd! Instead i was stuck at 3-3,500 rpm going no where in 3rd.

-NO HEEL & TOE DOWN CHANGES ALLOWED!! Do you believe this???? That demolished 80 percent of the experience. The car was near compression lock up 90 percent of the time because of this and it just makes the sound of the car sound amature coming to corners!

-No lap times recorded!!

-Your not alone on the track so about 3 of your 8 laps are F*** because of slow coaches in front of you

-Had to be really smooth with the clutch on up changes, didnt fuss me too much but still a little annoying

-Powerwise.. could not have been more dissapointed.. i swear on my dogs tail that my drift pig manual 6 VN wagon would not have been far behind these nuggets. These motors must be on the verge of dying cos the car i was in had no more than 110kws at the rears, no exageration. They are all just sound! Waiting for 3rd and 4th gear to finish was like waiting for a turtle to walk up a hill missing 1 leg and having prior surgery on the other 3 remaining..

-Probably the most dissapointing part of it all was the video recordning. The 2 cameras in the car are positioned to only show your face, shoulders and arms & the other cam only shows the bonnet and track. No footage of foot work, gear changing NOTHING. I still paid the $50 for the tape cos its something ill only do once in one of those un-bread crumbed nuggets.

Hmm...

Better hope your mate doesnt read this...

[m3gtr]

and $50 for a tape>??

As in a VHS tape??

[Dean_HR31]

nah its a DVD decent picture quality... sound is average... its pretty funny watching my face expressions waiting for 3rd and 4th gear to go by... lol i still cant get over how slow the cars were...

[FC3S 13BT]

Glad I read this thread! I was wanting to do this at the end of the year.. so yeah that idea is in the bin haha

I did the U-drive down at calder 2 years ago that was ok.. didnt blow my socks off or anything, sort of like a bigger version of go-karting haha