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Cobra Crashes at Willow Springs
Wow, this driver is so lucky! I’m glad he made it out of there alive with just some minor injuries.
On the front straight doing 130mph, something breaks. The cobra veers hard right and off track. The car leaves a 6O foot gash in the asphalt as it veered before leaving the track and continued for an additional 500 feet off track to its resting point. I received only minor injuries to my left knee and bruised ribs.
Driving Pucker Moment
A “pucker moment” is the involuntary tightening of the sphincter when one escapes a close call to severe personal injury. You will most likely experience this yourself if you are a track driving enthusiast. I present to you JC Meynet’s pucker moment on Willow Springs International Raceway at Subiefest this past weekend.
Track Day – Horse Thief Mile, Willow Springs – Friday 4/23/10
Saw this upcoming track day on a car forum.
Where – Willow Springs Horse Thief Mile – This is a 1.1 mile tight road course similar to driving a mountain road. There are switchbacks and lots of elevation changes. It is both a fun and challenging course. There are many safe areas to test the limits of your ability. This will not be a drift event. There will be a full safety and flag crew on site for the entire day. Sessions will last 20-25 minutes and alternate between the two run groups.
When – Friday, April 23, 2010. From 8AM to 5PM.
How Much – $150 for almost 4 hours of track time. There will be only a maximum of 30 open spots, divided into 2 run groups, based on skill level and amount of people attending.
Big Willow Track Day Photos 3/13/10
I wanted to practice taking photos of cars on the track. My friend and I headed out to Willow Springs International Raceway to spectate the Speedventures HPDE there today. We camped out at the top of the omega section and started taking shots in the chilly wind. Here are some of my favorite shots.
Willow Springs International Raceway – Rosamond, California
Homepage: http://www.willowspringsraceway.com
Address: 3500 75th Street West, Rosamond, CA 93560
Event Calendar: Willow Springs International Motorsports Event Calendar
Typical Event Price: $180
Likes: Very fast track. Triple digit speeds in turn 8 and the long straights. Long 2.5 mi. track, you can drive without seeing another car. Easy on the brakes.
Dislikes: None.
Willow Springs International Raceway (Big Willow or WSIR) is a high speed track with long sweeping turns. This track is only used in a clockwise direction in one configuration. The track is 2.5 miles long. There are nine turns at WSIR. Highlights are “The Omega” and turn 8. “The Omega” is called this because it resembles the Greek letter omega when viewed from a distance. One can carry triple digit speeds in turn 8. There is a lot of run off space available for off road excursions. The hardest braking occurs before turn 1, after the long front straight, and before turn 3.
Streets of Willow Road Course – Rosamond, California
Homepage: http://www.willowspringsraceway.com
Address: 3500 75th Street West, Rosamond, CA 93560
Event Calendar: Willow Springs International Motorsports Event Calendar
Typical Event Price: about $150
Likes: Great track for beginners and still interesting for advanced drivers.
Dislikes: Typically wears either the left or right side tires more than the other depending on direction.
The Track:
Streets of Willow (SoW) is a technical track with thirteen turns in the typical configuration. The typical configuration is with the full bowl and skidpad, SoW can be run in a clockwise and counter-clockwise direction. The track is 1.8 miles long. This track is ideal for beginners due to the low speed and that there is a lot of run off space for unintentional off road excursions. The highlights of this track are the chicane, the bowl, and the skidpad.
Tires tend to get more work on the right side (higher tire temperatures) when driving on this track counter-clockwise, vice versa clockwise. Best to rotate your tires at the middle of the day to balance out wear.
HPDEdriver's Speed Feed 