Newzchspy

OK, I've got Sunday May 8, 2011 at 11:00 AM. I believe EC (Jake ) will be there Saturday (I have a wedding), with a group of guys as well.

Note that address is:

AutoBahn Country Club
3795 Wilmington Road
Joliet, IL 60436

It's North of I-80 and East of 55.

*** if You see a Mars Red debadged Kleemann, it wasn't me!!! ***

C55Newb121

If it was next week, I would be down like a clown.

Zeebrock

I'll be there Sunday @10am with a friend.

kjb55

Saturday 4pm. Took the C55 out of storage for the event - but it looks like rain. C300 it is.

Quicktwinturbo

Sunday 10 am.. I'll be in my dirty slk.. lol

scarhead

We're going today at 15:00. Looks like rain though
Still should be a good time.

Quicktwinturbo

Have fun and please give us some feedbacks on the events when you get a chance!

scarhead

I will post as soon as I get home. I don't know how to use twitter, otherwise I'd give an update when I'm there. We plan on shooting video so I'll post that as well.

Zeebrock

The weather for Sunday:

10 am

60° F
Precip:10%

11 am

63° F
Precip:10%

12 pm

65° F
Precip:10%

loungn14

FREAKING AWESOME EVENT!

Lines were a little long, but well worth it. You get 3 runs, and your choice of a cls63, sl63, e63, or c63.

Race helmets are provided, and you are with an instructor telling you to floor it! I was able to push the sl over 100mph in the back stretch easily!

Very cool event, SLS sitting out there to look at as well as some of the other amg rides. Free drinks and giveaway bags as well!

Quicktwinturbo

Sweet! Were you on the south track or north?

Zeebrock

Its the north track, my personal favorite. Is it Sunday yet?

MIKESV8

you guys all suck....

Blown63

Can't wait for this event based on what im reading in this thread. My time slot is at 4 today, and I'll be in my C63. Send me message if any of you guys are going to be there around then, so we can meet up!

Quicktwinturbo

What an EVENT!!!! The new CLS was amazing.. However, C63 was a lot more fun to drive on the track..
Oh.. I think I saw MercedsFTW's car and Zeebrocks!

scarhead

Very cool event. It was set up perfectly. I have been to similar events before and there was always some hiccup regarding waiting in line or something, but not here. There were four models to drive: the C63, E63, CLS and SL63. The C63 was the most in demand! I was really surprised about this. In fact, towards the end of the day the line was so long for the C63 that the staff came over and said that it wouldn't be possible for everyone to drive the C because they were shutting down soon, so they told people to go to the other lines for other cars. There were two SLs with no drivers! That speaks volumes for the C63!

After driving each car twice I'll say that the E63 is my favorite, the C63 next and the SL last (I didn't drive the CLS). The E is an awesome car. It's a perfect combo of a daily driver and sports sedan. The SL was sort of disappointing for me. I never thought I would say that.

Having said this, I think I'm going to reconsider everything and take a good look at the E63 for my next purchase. I thought I was set on the C63, but...

I hope everyone else had fun and got the same feedback that I did. Cheers!

scarhead

One more thing...

I'll probably get flamed for this, but after driving the C63 I may like the M3 sedan a bit more. I say a "bit" more because there are very minute details pushing me in the direction of the M. The one thing I didn't like is that the C63's traction control is too quick to come on. It almost gave me a feeling that the car was stalling. Even the guy who was driving with me (the instructor) said that it is a fault with the car that he wished would be corrected.

Zeebrock

Overall I’d say it was a good time for free. However I’ve been to better Auto Events in the past. The lines were ok, the longest wait was for the 2012 CLS63 Turbo 5.5 V8 which we drove last. The C63 for me was the best car on the day, the SL63 2nd and the CLS63 3rd. We only got to do 3 “laps” total (a lap started from the pit lane at the end of the front straight and ended at the pit entrance at the beginning of the front straight) so I skipped on the E63.
Each car had an instructor, some better than others. They were however very relaxed and allowed you to go just about as fast as you wanted. It was disappointing that a lap did not include the front straight; it would have been nice to go out on a warm-up lap. Then one full hot lap and finally a cool down lap.
Food and drinks were OK, nothing special. The exit survey was kinda crappy, looked like a chimp had written the code for the program. Last of all the exit “gift” was embarrassing, A grocery size black lightweight tote and inside a cheapo Mouse Mat.


Pro’s
1. Good selection of cars.
2. Able to go ***** out (traction control ON)
3. Average wait times.


Con’s
1. Only one lap per drive.
2. Not a FULL lap.
3. Only 3 “laps” total.
4. No Autocross track.
5. Crappy exit gift.


and then . .. ...

Zeebrock

To add to the days fun on the ride home I had 2 stoplight “events”. The first one was with a new style (Transformer) red Camaro V6. We took back/surface streets home to make the ride more enjoyable. As we were on a section of 4 lane highway we got buzzed by a Red Camaro with a “little too loud for a V6” exhaust. As we followed him he would put the car in N and rev it at a light. And so tailing him we got to a light with him at the line and me right behind him. I figured he was going to go for it so I was ready. Green light and he rips away from the light. I follow maintaining about a 1.5 – 2 car length gap without too much effort.
At the next light we line up next to each other. I just look forward, my friend riding shotgun turned to look with that knowing look on his face, grinning at the driver and passenger. I have my traction control off and the trans in S, light goes green and he takes off again. I roll on the gas not wanting to light up the rears but I’m a little lazy and he jumps about ½ a car ahead. By the end of 1st gear we are level, as 2nd gear hits it was like my car instantly jumped forward by ½ a car length. At the top of 2nd I lift as it shifts to 3rd as by now I’m easily 3 car lengths ahead and pulling away hard.
The Camaro then does a “xxxxx” fly-by and immediately turns left at the next light.


and then . .. ...

Zeebrock

Then after dropping my friend off I’m close to home pulling up to a light and see a Black & Red Mustang up ahead with “S H E L B Y” on the rear. So I think lets go take a look After moving through traffic we are approaching a section of highway 4 lanes wide with 3 stoplights in the space of a mile, 55mph limit, flat clean and smooth. It is like it was made for “fun”. At the first light we both get stuck behind other cars, I can see into the car and notice a guy driving (middle age late 30’s) and 2 boys in the back about 8-10 years old. At this point I’m thinking I’m not going to get any action, even if I did a Shelby Mustang is going to smoke my stock C55. Next light he is at the line, I’m in a lane next to him but behind a car. Light goes green and he take’s off. I manage to get around the car in front of me and switch back into the lane next to the Shelby. As we approach the next light he slows down as if waiting for it to go red. Sure enough it does and we line up next to each other. This time I look over to see the 2 boys in the back talking to their Dad(?) with that “Please please please Dad” look on their faces. The drive turns to look forward with a grin on his face, the boys in the back do a “Fist Pump” and he rev’s his Shelby. I’m thinking that’s my kind of Dad. This time the trans is in M and the traction is still off.
Light goes green and we take off together. I get a much better launch this time, just a little chirp from the tires and grip. I hear the Shelby chirp his tires also so I know he got a good launch too. I look up expecting to read the word “S H E L B Y” on the rear of the Mustang only to see I’m ½ a car ahead. As I look at this scene it seems to take forever for it to sink in, I come out of my dream gaze to see the rev counter approaching 6k very rapidly. I grab for 2nd gear and wait for the
1.Rev limiter to cut the fun.
2.The lazy shift to 2nd to further hamper my progress.
3.The rear end of the Shelby as he disappears into the distance.
However, by some miracle of good luck I am barley able to perceive the Rev Limiter as it engages for a millisecond then the trans shifts to 2nd and we are away again. As I look over now the Shelby is just about at my rear bumper and dropping back! As I approach the top of 2nd I’m getting ready to shift to 3rd and immediately lift off the gas. And I see out the corner of my eye the Shelby lift and slow. As I’m still trying to figure out what just happened the Shelby cruse’s by with a small wave from the driver and the kids in the rear obviously talking too loud with a “That was totally awesome Dad” look on their face’s.


Upon further research it appears the Mustang in question was a 2008 Ford Mustang Shelby GT, I did not see a Cobra on the car anywhere just Shelby and GT and it was Black with Red stripes. The 08 Shelby GT was a stock Mustang GT with a standard manual transmission. The suspension upgrade over the Mustang GT is the Ford Racing Handling Pack, which consists of new shocks, stiffer springs that lower the car by an inch and a half, a front strut-tower brace, and special anti-roll bars. The engine is massaged with Ford Racing's Power Upgrade package, a 90mm cold-air intake, a 3:55 axle ratio, a new engine calibration, X-pipe, and Ford Racing "GTA" axle-back mufflers. On premium fuel, power increases 19 horsepower to a claimed 319 and torque is up 10, to 330 pound-feet. From what I can find it looks like it runs about a 13.7@104 in the ¼ mile 0-60 in 5.1s which explains the results and proves I’m just normal.

Newzchspy

ONLY because they won't let you turn them off (ESP) at these events..........very typical (they don't want you wadding up their cars...............)

scarhead

I had one instructor with (Kevin if I recall correctly) who said at classes he teaches with the CTSV and other high HP cars they actually disable the ability to turn on/off the ESP. He said they call it the "Crash Switch" because so many people were losing control of the vehicles with it off.

Newzchspy

I've done:

Lexus IS-F, MB, BMW and Mini, Chrysler and many others and at every onbe of these, they either did NOT allow you to turn off ESP or they disabled the switch..........

Probabably for "liability" reasons................

Even the first AMG Academy ONE Day Basic Training requires that ESP stay ON!! The instructor said that the large majority of people are faster/quicker with it on.

Quicktwinturbo

Yea.. As soon as I pressed t/c off button, instructor told me that I have to leave it on.. .. One guy didn't even let me switch trans mod to M.... lol..

Overall, it was a good event IMO... Weather was amazing and it was free.. can't ask for more..

It was kinda hard to see other members from this forum because we all had to wait in line... We should plan a gathering for the summer!

c32used

Are you saying it's not our cars we would have driven darn! I didn't go cause I didn't want to put that kind of stress on my car... I will take the time to read properly next time!