Adventures at Road America with NASA

CarsDiva — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 16:16:00 GMT

Much to my delight, I was invited by my dear friends, Jeff Henderson and Rudy Arias, to NASA's (National Auto Sport Association) weekend at Road America, August 1-3, 2008. Located in Elkhart Lake, WI, Road America is the world's fastest permanent road course, and what a thrill it was!

I had the opportunity to hit the track in my RX-8 as a driver, and also as a passenger in a Corvette Z06 with Jeff Henderson, Chief Instructor of NASA Midwest. A much faster and more technical road course than my previous experiences, Road America reignited my fire to continue with the sport.

I was also able to interview several participants from the weekend, both at a novice level and experienced drivers, to get their feedback on being on the track, specifically Road America.

Michelle Maher shares her thoughts below:

CarsDiva: What did you drive?
Michelle: A RED ‘03 Nissan 350Z

CarsDiva: How long have you been doing this?
Michelle: This is my 2^nd summer.

CarsDiva: How did you get into the sport?
Michelle: My boyfriend (now husband) did it for a few years and I got tired of going to the track and just watching.

CarsDiva: Do you compete?
Michelle: Not yet. I'm loving HPDE for now and seeing gradual improvement. It's addictive. Maybe someday I'll evolve to competitive driving.

CarsDiva: Best and/or Worst thing(s) about the weekend?
Michelle: The driving is always the best thing. It’s a close second to the great people and the sense of community at the track. The worst thing? Hmmm… I always have Saturday morning jitters due to running around, tech, meetings, etc. but as soon as I’m on the track, it’s all good!

Thanks Michelle, for your input, and to Jeff and Rudy for the invitation. And of course, I can't wait to hit the track again (very soon!)

Videos soon to follow...

Auto Racing - Track & Racing Blog

Adventures at Road America with NASA