# My day at Buttonwillow - April 5, 2005



## jvr826 (Apr 22, 2002)

I thought I'd share some photos and stories from a very unique opportunity I had the pleasure of participating in on April 5th, 2005.

*Background*
Late last year before the holidays a friend of mine who works at Cisco Systems in San Jose, CA contacted me about a fund raising event one of the Senior Vice Presidents was doing. Cliff Meltzer had trailered three of his personal vehicles to the Cisco campus and put them on display to collect donations from employees to support Second Harvest Food Bank, a charity that Cliff supports quite generously. His yellow Ferrari Enzo, yellow McLaren F1, and orange Lamborghini Gallardo were gleaming in the California sunshine while folks had the opportunity to get their photo taken with the cars for a $20 donation.

But there was more. Folks wishing to donate $1000 to the charity were offered the opportunity to spend a day at Buttonwillow Race Park with Cliff, his special toys, and professional driving instructors. He'd bring as many cars as necessary so that all students would get a chance to learn high performance driving skills and experience different cars from the driver seat, on the track. The decision to donate took about as long as a gear change in an F1 equipped Ferrari in sport mode, about 150ms. 

*Track Day - Morning*
We arrived at Buttonwillow at 8am to sign the liability waiver and get a ride around the East Loop of the track to learn the line. After the ride we congregated in the instruction room and were introduced to the instructors. The lead instructor was Tom van Overbeek, father of Johannes van Overbeek the American Le Mans Series driver who was also present. More on Johannes later. Tom explained the basics of track driving and the importance of being smooth with our inputs to the car among other safety items. Cliff spoke about the main goals of the day, safety and fun.

While we were meeting, the 2 transport trucks were being unloaded in the background. One by one the cars were lowered to the ground, their engine started, and moved into the lineup in the paddock. A collection to be envied by anyone, the cars were on display: Ferrari 360 Spyder, Lotus Elise, Ferrari 360 Modena, Ferrari 575 Maranello, Ferrari Enzo, Aston Martin Vanquish S, Porsche GT2, Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale, Lamborghini Gallardo, and a brand new Porsche Carrera GT. Do the math folks, this collection represents quite an investment. All but the Porsche Carrera GT, one of the Ferrari 575 Maranello's, and one of the Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale's belonged to Cliff.

There were approximately 23 students participating, most Cisco employees, the rest family and friends. We then broke up into groups, 3 per instructor. We were asked if anyone had previous track experience, three of us did, so we were assigned to Tazio - an Italian driver who brought his own 360 Challenge Stradale to the event. My participation in the BMWCCA track school on March 5-6 at Infineon paid off big for me today because Tazio was a great instructor, but also very charged up to give us a great learning experience filled with thrilling laps at Buttonwillow. He also didn't like to see a car sitting unused, so we got plenty of seat time.

We got into personal cars and played a little follow-the-leader with Tazio driving his 740i. The goal was to learn the line and see where the braking points were. This was done at slow speeds not exceeding 50mph. I carpooled with my friend so I was driving his Acura CL-S. We exited after about 10 laps around and headed into the paddock.

Our first instructor/student laps were to be done in personal cars. Since I carpooled and my friend needed his car to do the lead-follow exercise, I was without a car. So Tazio decided we'd just use his 360 Stradale. I couldn't argue with the guy, now could I?  Tazio didn't bother with instructor driven laps, he was all about giving me seat time. We spent a couple minutes in the paddock where he introduced the car to me. I had never driven a paddle shift car before. He fired up the throaty V8 and we proceeded to the track. The car was a dream and I can only equate my first impression to that of a cart racer like the cars driven at Speed Ring, only the 360 was larger and much more powerful. Using the F1 shifter was easy and quite enjoyable. The computer control built into this car is unbelievably natural, in fact it doesn't even feel like it's there. The car just responds and does what you're expecting it to with no surprises. We spent about an hour on the East Loop sharing the 360 between the three students in my group. Tazio was full of energy, every time we pulled into the paddock to change drivers he'd jump out and hurry the next guy in - he didn't want the car to cool down.

*Track Day - Afternoon*
We broke for lunch and socialized a bit, then Cliff gave us an introduction to his cars. One by one he described the car to us, the horsepower, the weight, the type of brakes it had, what to watch for and where we could get into trouble. All cars were F1 paddle shift except for the Lotus Elise. There were 3 cars that would not be driven by students, the Enzo, GT2 and Carrera GT, but those vehicles would be used for hot laps with instructors and Johannes van Overbeek. Cliff recommended we drive the heavier cars first and he suggested driving the Ferrari 360 Spyder and Modena before the 360 Stradale.

After the introduction we were back in the classroom as the afternoon sessions would take place on the entire track. Tom went over the new portion of the track we'd be driving on and gave us warnings about which corners would be the most challenging. We discussed the back straight, the one that followed the "NASCAR" corner where speeds of up to 180mph were possible, however no student in this class would be traveling at that velocity. It was decided that students would be limited to 100ish mph for safety reasons. Though the statement had a bit of a tongue-in-cheek tone to it, Cliff reinforced the number one goal of the day - safety - with the secondary goal - no equipment damage. .

After the classroom we again headed back to the track for some lead/follow in personal cars. We were in three groups this time and followed the lead instructor's line around the whole track. After each lap the car directly behind the instructor would pull out and allow the rest of the cars to move up, then he'd merge back in at the end. We did this until all drivers got a lap directly behind the lead car.

We then exited to the paddock, it was time to drive the good stuff! Since I had already driven Tazio's 360 Stradale, he wasn't too interested in our group driving the other Ferraris. In his Italian accent Tazio said "you don't want to drive that (shaking his hand at the 360 Spyder) after driving the Stradale (pointing at his car). You've graduated... now let's go, c'mon let's go!" Tazio's energy was contagious.

Lap after lap I became more and more confident in the Stradale as Tazio directed me where to give it more throttle. After a couple times around the new section of the track we were exiting the NASCAR turn at much higher speeds. Tazio encouraged rolling on the throttle steadily through that turn until the exit where he energetically exclaimed "ok, more, More, MORE!!!" until I had the accelerator on the floor as the V8 sang it's tune and the tachometer climbed to 7500rpms. With my foot firmly on the floor he'd gesture to upshift. The Ferrari would snort and take off reaching for 8000rpms again. Since we were in his car the 100ish speed limit on the back straight didn't seem to apply to us, so we went as fast as I was comfortable going. After a few times I was able to approach the braking zone at about 140mph, at least that's what I saw on the speedo when I glanced down in the seconds before I reached the braking zone. The ceramic brakes on the 360 Stradale slowed the bullet in record time to allow preparation for the next corner. They were firm time after time, never fading, and always leaving me feeling like I could have gone faster and slowed shorter. Braking late is what ceramic brakes are all about.

We kept at this for three hours. As cars came into the paddock instructor/student pairs would grab one and head out to the track. My group spent most of our time in Tazio's 360, he wasn't interested in driving the heavier cars, and frankly I didn't care to either. Although the spirit of the event was to experience the other vehicles, I was too comfortable in the Stradale. Eventually we took some laps in the Vanquish S, the Gallardo, and the 575 Maranello. I did want to drive the Lotus Elise, but it never seemed available when I was in the paddock. One of the students in my group allowed me to take some laps in his Porsche Carrera Cabrio which also was a treat. Until yesterday I had never driven a Porsche.

*Hot laps with Johannes *
If you ever want to be humbled on your abilities as a driver, no matter how many track schools you've taken, get in the passenger seat with a professional driver and learn some lessons. The Ferrari Enzo was on full time hot lap duty during the afternoon. One by one Johannes took interested students out for a "ride." I can sum up the laps I had as "a continuous controlled skid" around the track. Johannes can drive the hell out of that Enzo, which most of us described as a "road jet." Airplanes leave the ground at 160mph, the Enzo doesn't even think about leaving the ground at 180mph. Johannes has his hands and feet moving at all times, constantly feeling the grip of the tires and applying speed. The back straight was a new experience in the Enzo with Johannes at the wheel. I swear he didn't even look at the brake until we reached the last of four braking cones, and we'd whisp our way thru the decreasing radius turn and into the esses before I knew what hit me. Blink a couple times and we were thru the hairpin and going full speed on the front straight. The sound of the Enzo under full throttle is indescribable, at least by me. Everyone who returned from a hot-lap with Johannes had a look on their face like they just had sex with a supermodel. What a treat!

*Wrap-up*
The experience ended around 4:30pm where we gathered together and debriefed on the day. Thank yous went out to the instructors for donating their time and they were given a plaque to commemorate their participation. Special thanks went to Johannes for sharing his talents with us, and of course Cliff Meltzer received a roaring round of applause for his generosity. We learned then that our contributions raised over $33,000 for the Second Harvest Food Bank. As with all track schools we were reminded that speed limits on public roads still apply and that our sense of speed would need some adjustment for the drive home. We were also reminded that we were more fatigued than we were aware of, something I could relate to. I was quite exhausted by the end of the day.

*Driving Impressions*

_Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale_
Incredible performer. Ceramic brakes could stop a freight train with no fade. Acceleration is fast and pulls hard all the way to redline. F1 shifting is smooth and fun with nearly instant gear changes. Steering is tight allowing even the tightest of corners to be taken without moving hands from 9 and 3 position. Visibility of gauges and thru the windscreen was excellent - I never had to look out the side window or around the a-pillar and there were no reflections off the windshield. Road feel and feedback was unmatched by anything else I drove. However, I spent most of my laps in this car, so I have the most experience with it.

_Lamborghini Gallardo_
Excellent performer, excellent brakes, excellent acceleration. It felt heavier than the 360 Stradale, but sure footed with it's 4 wheel drive. Tazio warned me of the glare on the windshield, it's slope caused reflections of the dash board which was a bit of a problem depending on the position of the sun. The steering wheel was smaller than the others and the gauges not quite as visible. It was fast and it felt good, but didn't have the feedback that the Stradale had. Tazio asked me what I thought of it when we exited and I said it was great, but nothing like his Stradale, though I would not kick it out of my garage if I was given one. 

_Aston Martin Vanquish S_
A big and heavy car that was pure luxury inside and out. Beautiful to look at and the V-12 sang a note like no other car in the stable. Torque was very strong. Road feel was somewhat isolated and the nose tended to push out on hard cornering rather than tuck in and swoop around. The brakes were very good, but nothing like the Ferrari. This car would be a real fun daily driver and very comfortable on long trips at 160mph. Gobs and gobs of power.

_Ferrari 575 Maranello_
Another heavy car packed with luxury, but this one was a real performer. It's V-12 had unbelievable low end torque, so much that I pushed it too hard coming out of the hairpin and almost slid the rear end out. But the car was well connected to the road and gave me enough warning so I could let off the go-pedal just enough to dial it back in. It spun to redline effortlessly. Excellent brakes and visibility. The car felt very confident in the corners, much more so than the Vanquish, so it was easier to drive hard. If I had a choice for a daily driver/cruiser the 575 Maranello would be it!

_Porsche Carrera Cabrio - 6-speed Manual_
Great performer, good power, silky smooth shifter. The car felt butt-heavy with good reason as all of it's engine/transmission weight are in the rear. The front felt light and a bit bouncy compared to the Ferrari, but these are definitely two different cars. A fun daily driver for top-down cruising and I suspect with more seat time it's abilities would be more visible.

*Conclusion*
As I exited the Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale after my last lap with Tazio, he said to me: "You did really well today. You drove better than me. You should get a Ferrari man!" Needless to say I was quite encouraged and I told Tazio that if I was ever in a position to own a Ferrari, the 360 Challenge Stradale would be it, hands down. I sure hope that April 5, 2005 is not the last time I have an opportunity to drive a Ferrari. But, until the next time, I'll continue to improve my skills with track schools in my BMW - which I must say is quite balanced and capable. With better brakes and about 100hp more under the hood, I do believe I could do some real damage at the track.

Now to decompress from the exprience and float down from Cloud 9 and ease back into my normal, daily life. And, get some Super Lotto tickets. Until yesterday I have always said I'd never want to own a Ferrari, that I wouldn't want such a flashy car. I'll take one Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale please, and make it "arrest me red." :str8pimpi


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## jvr826 (Apr 22, 2002)

more cars...


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## jvr826 (Apr 22, 2002)

Porsche Carrera GT...


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## jvr826 (Apr 22, 2002)

Ferrari 575M Maranello


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## jvr826 (Apr 22, 2002)

Aston Martin Vanquish S


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## jvr826 (Apr 22, 2002)

Lamborghini Gallardo


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## operknockity (Apr 19, 2002)

:wow::wow::wow::wow::wow::wow:


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## Jon Shafer (Dec 15, 2001)

Awesome writeup Jeff!!

Damn!!


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## Raffi (May 18, 2002)

:jawdrop: :jawdrop: Holy cow! :jawdrop: :jawdrop:


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## doeboy (Sep 20, 2002)

:jawdrop: :jawdrop: :jawdrop:


Freakin' SWEET!!! :yikes: :wow:


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## Lanc3r (Sep 5, 2004)

doeboy said:


> :jawdrop: :jawdrop: :jawdrop:
> 
> Freakin' SWEET!!! :yikes: :wow:


Gosh!

.


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## jvr826 (Apr 22, 2002)

Jon said:


> Awesome writeup Jeff!!
> 
> Damn!!


Thanks dude! The experience was unforgettable to say the least! I wish every enthusiast could have an opportunity like this.

If anyone is interested I have an MPG file of the Enzo making a pass on the front straight. It's just under 9mb so you'll probably want to avoid it if you're on dial-up.

But if you're not, have a whack at it and PUMP UP THE VOLUME!

Video - Ferrari Enzo Passing (8.6mb)


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## Melissa (Aug 9, 2002)

Fantastico!! :clap: I read the whole thing...Most excellent review! :thumbup:


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## Melissa (Aug 9, 2002)

*Oh, and might I add...*

YOU SUCK :neener:


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## SergioK (Aug 14, 2002)

Wow! That musta been a blast! I miss BW!!!!


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## scottn2retro (Mar 20, 2002)

Holy buckets! :yikes: :yikes: :yikes: :thumbup:


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## liuk3 (May 3, 2004)

Dooood, WTF?!!!!
:yikes: :yikes: :yikes:


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## Alex Baumann (Dec 19, 2001)

jvr530i said:


> Aston Martin Vanquish S


I think I need to clean my keyboard 

Great write-up and awesome photos. :thumbup:


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## Patrick (Dec 23, 2001)

I am speechless. :yikes: 

This one of the coolest threads ever!


.


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## jvr826 (Apr 22, 2002)

*More pics*

A few more pics from different angles...


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