The new driving season got off to a very good start this past weekend. I participated in the Spring driver’s school with the NCC Chapter BMW CCA at Summit Point, WV. It was my first time in the fastest run group (Group A) and first weekend in the instructor training program. By the end of the weekend, I was holding my own in the run group, but it was a big step up in the beginning.

Since they repaved the main circuit last Fall, it’s a fundamentally different road course — tons of grip and much smoother, but devoid of many visual cues to help with turn-in points and brake markers. They also paved over most of the aprons so there’s very little warning before you run out of road. For me lap times were down almost 10 seconds. About half of that is due to the paving along. Hopefully some of the rest is due to improvements in driving.

Here’s what I need to remember next time I go back so (hopefully) I can pick up where I left off:

• Main Straight. Relax. Check gauges. Remember to tap brakes during the first lap out of the pits. Stay to the right after pit out; left when at speed. Don’t get too close to the left edge due to strong cross winds. Watch for deer. Shift into 5th before the pit out. Top Speed about 120 mph right before the braking zone.
• Turn 1. Brake at about 200 foot mark. Corner entry speed is about 50 mph. Go deep and turn past 90 degrees by the apex. Apex is very late. Look for seam in pavement past the red and white apron. Let the car unwind into turn 2. Don’t think of turns 1 & 2 being a 180 degree turn. It’s more like a 130 degree turn followed by a 50 degree turn.
• Turn 2. Let the car drift toward the dirt past the exit road. Shift into 4th. Line up toward the flagging station at turn 3. Stay to the right of the straight after the turn. Stay on the gas until reaching the braking point for turn 3.
• Turn 3. Fast lefthander. Turn in point is between the two access roads. Look through the apex and turn in when it lines up with the exit point which is in the right kink before the gravel trap. Steady gas through the apex. 70-75 mph in the corner.
• Turn 4. Act of faith. Crest the hill leading into turn 4 around 85 mph. Don’t tap the brakes. May have to lift to get the car pointing toward the apex. Steady gas through the apex. Gas up to braking point, then hard on the brakes. Downshift into 3rd. Trail brake if needed to get tight into turn 5. There’s more grip than you think after turn 4.
• Turn 5. Tight apex. Get left front wheel into the slot between new and old pavement. Let car push to the outside after the apex under steady gas. Then hard on the gas and brake hard in a straight line before turn 6.
• Turn 6. Tight apex and let car drift all the way to the other side of the track. Steady gas. Point car toward the silo.
• Turn 7. May have to lift to get the car tucked into the apex, but have to get the right line or else will blow 8 and 9. Steady gas. Shift into 4th as the car transitions right to left. Steady tire noise.
• Turn 8. Watch for standing water on the left. Steady gas. Set-up for 9. Smooth transition.
• Turn 9. Watch for mud on the inside. Steady gas. Let the car drift out, but in the damp don’t drift too far to the left. The left is off-camber and will throw you off track if you lift. Line up to cross under the bridge on the right third of the road. Steady gas to the top of the hill, will be on the rev limiter in 4th gear, but don’t shift. Top speed 100 mph.
• Turn 10. Watch for water at the braking zone and turn-in. Light on the brakes in the dry. Slow car to 70 for the turn-in. Look for scallop in paving on the left, that’s the turn in point. Full gas through the apex and stay on it. Let the car drift out to the exit and stay on full gas to the braking point for turn 1.
• Rinse & repeat.