As I pass by pit out, I get the thumbs up from the Chief Steward and turn in and up the slight hill, riding third gear. As I crest the hill, I’m now headed left and sqeezing in the gas more and more, opening the wheel toward the corner exit.
At this point I can see the BMW in front of me and I’m thinking, I hope he’s hustling that thing, I do not want to catch him. You only get so many chances to sample a friends sports car on a real race track with no speed limits and wide open track. Having a full lap with no one to pass on sticky tires just up to temp was what I planned when I exited out onto the track just over a lap ago. Carefully I placed the 350Z at the end of the largest gap in a thinly populated instructor group.
Nearing the end of the straight, Im forced to shift but as soon as I do it seems I’m shifting back and taping the brakes as I turn into the long uphill left-hander. A tricky blind turn, just over the crest of the the hill on this more than 180 degree turn you find the apex. There are many ways to tackle this turn but all good lines will hit that point or you’re way off.
Coming out of the right hand kink at the bottom the gas pedal is once again floored and the Z steps the back out to the left just a bit. Entering the next turn fast with a quick turn in and tight line, I’m again headed upward. Spoting the flag station I see all is clear as I shift into 4th, floor it and head under the bridge. Being lined up is important here as fast cars can get airborne on the other side. As the Z’s front tires regain contact with the pavement I’m mentally preparing to enter the carousel.
A replica of the karrusel on the Nurburgring, the funnest part of the Shenandoah circuit for me is dropping down into this fast and heavily banked turn.
As I feel the car bottom out, the downward and right G-forces load up. Looking ahead here means peeking out of the drivers window upward as if you were trying to spot a helicopter overhead. As the Z pops up out of the concrete embankment I’m again headed up and into a fast section with another blind apex and braking zone at the end.
Turning in sharply I am low in the tach but perfectly lined up to stay wide open throttle all the way through the next two turns and the straight.
As I dip down and touch the apex of the slight left bend in the straight I’m still wide open and flirting with the limiter at the brake zone. Just in time I hit the brakes hard and turn into the smooth flat left hand sweeper. Back in third now, the car is at the torque peak exiting the turn and steps out to the right in a very comfortably slide.
Diving back to track left I see the BMW taking pit in. I’m braking hard and cresting the small hill as I head right and past pit out again. I again get the thumbs up from the Chief Steward and turn in and up the slight hill. At this point I’m thinking, he was hustling that BMW cuz this Z is fast!
