Night Ninjas of Buttonwillow
Dear GGR Members,
By the time you read this, we will have come back from our track weekend at Buttonwillow. For this month, I just want to share a fun story about Buttonwillow from 2018. For context, 2018 was the year when I started focusing on track driving. The first event was at Thunderhill for the Instructor Training program, so over that weekend, I started to get familiar with that track. I passed the program, so I was now a Provisional Instructor. The second event of the season was also at Thunderhill, so I had the opportunity to continue to refine my driving at that track.
This is where my story really begins - the third event of 2018 was at Buttonwillow. Because this track is halfway to Los Angeles, instructor attendance is lower than usual. So I was needed to instruct at Buttonwillow. The problem is, I’ve never driven that track in my life!
So a bunch of us arrive on Friday evening, we get our cars teched before the sun goes down. I’m the newbie instructor hanging out with a bunch of seasoned instructors that have been doing this for decades. They break out a grill, coolers full of food, and coolers full of beer and wine. Before I knew it, there was tenderloin and sausages on the grill, side dishes were on the folding table, and the bottle opener was the most popular tool being used at the moment. We sit around in a circle in our folding chairs, eating, drinking, and chatting. As we finished the food, the drinking continues. I’m probably 3 or 4 beers in, enjoying the warm evening in Central California. At some point, I mentioned to the group that I’m a bit nervous because I have a student tomorrow, but I’ve never driven the track before.
This is when senior instructor Steve Taty tells me, “no problem Howard, I’ll take you around the track for a few laps in my car”. Keep in mind, by then, it was already dark outside. I’m thinking this is a great idea, a few reconnaissance laps the night before! Note that racetracks are on private property, so DMW rules do not apply here. So I get out of my folding chair, beer in hand, as we walk towards Steve’s 3.2 Carrera. I hop in the passenger seat and put the bottle between my legs and fasten my seat belt. That air-cooled flat six fires up and the headlights are turned on. As we approached the track entry, apparently four or five other instructors thought it was a good idea to get some practice laps, so they followed us onto the track.
Steve maintains a moderate pace, steering with one hand, pointing with the other, talking me through corner by corner. With a group of cars on a pitch black track, it looked like a bunch of kids running around with flashlights, our headlights flashing around in various directions. By lap three, voices were on the PA system and a bunch of trucks with flashing lights had descended onto the track. It was the track management and they were NOT happy with us.
We tried to explain that we were just doing some low speed laps in preparation for tomorrow. As you can imagine, they were having none of that! So we apologize profusely as we park our cars and sit back down in our folding chairs and crack open another beer. It was a hilarious moment and we were laughing and feeling a little embarrassed at the same time.
The next morning, the Instructor group goes out first at 8:00. Here I am, finally driving Buttonwillow! I don’t know how much I actually remembered from the laps last night, but I’m doing ok and by the end of the session, I think I got it. A few minutes after I pull off the track, I go find my student and I’m talking to him like a seasoned pro. I was able to answer all of his questions, guide him safely around the track, and work on improving his driving technique. My student had a great time, I had a great time, but the best time was the night before, when a bunch of grown men were acting like 8th graders and getting busted - thanks Steve!
PS - I blew up the engine in my 911 later that day. I was giving my student a demo ride, going fast and smooth. All of a sudden, I hear a strange sound, then the car loses power, white smoke shoots up 30 feet in the air, as I put it in neutral and was able to coast back to the paddock. But that's a whole other story…
Sincerely,
Howard Yao
president@pca-ggr.org