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AMG Performance Driving Academy

960 views 4 replies 3 participants last post by  SLKomatic 
#1 ·
On 23 June I participated in the AMG Performance Driving Academy in Austin, TX at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA). The event was worth every penny and if I didn't have a significant project at work the following Monday, I would have jumped into the sudden opening in the Advanced slot. I highly recommend this event if you have a spare $2K kicking around.

COTA is one of two Class-1 rated grand prix tracks in America. The other is Indy. Just driving on the track was fabulous, but spending the morning on GT-R/S SLC 43 and other fabulous AMGs running lead-follow laps to learn racing techniques was nothing short of bucket list stuff. Here's a clip from a couple of my laps in the GR-R from my YouTube channel. https://youtu.be/fxAmgl_pDVk
You'll notice my instructor was pacing us a bit slow. I told him I'm planning on buying an SLC 43 and own an SLK 250 so please let me wring it out. He let us run it to 130 on the back straight. From turn 9/10 on the downhill leading to the turn hairpin turn 11 leading to the backstraight, she accelerated smartly past 100. I dove into the hairpin (slow in fast out) at about 40 and felt that car seemed to bend in the turn as I apexed late but kept the power on to load up the turbos. In short order I was in my instructor's 3/5 car length safety zone at 130 and we cruised into the "blue collar" turns 12-16 until my favorite right hand sweeper, turn 17. Watch how you set the steering angle and throttle in. The G-meter does not fib. I so want an SLC 43. For the price point she's a fabulous ride. In truth, when we hot-lapped the GT-Rs with our instructors with the baby-sitter buttons (traction control) off in race mode, it was truly humbling. I recommend professional driving instruction because it makes you a more skilled driver....and you truly recognize you are an amateur. I was a master military pilot and civilian ATP and flight instructor and the difference between a professional and amateur came back to me immediately after this training. The instruction is important....but you're still an amateur.

Cheers,
max

 
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