National Meet GM Milford Proving Ground Tour

[George D.]

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[Jack H.]

Re: National Meet GM Milford Proving Ground Tour

I suspect things will be similar to what GM provided back in '93 when they opened the proving grounds to us.

In addition to a walk-around tour, you got the ability to put your car on-track. There was a single option: did you want to be 'wired' or not.

If you elected the 'wired' option, you were outfitted with body sensors that were RF linked to a medical computer to record your vitals (heart rate, respiration, perspiration, dampness in your crotch, Etc.) along with your track location and speed. After your run on the track, you were given your personal graph.

If I remember correctly, GM didn't even require a hold harmless release and there were NO limits on track speed. You want to wreck/roll 'baby'? Hey, that's your decision...go be an idiot if you want to. Places like the high bank are IMPOSSIBLE to overdrive with the kind of vehicle you're putting on the track...

My hunch is NOBODY who took GM up on the proving grounds tour came even CLOSE to rivaling the track profile routinely achieved by their professional drivers!

I know when I had the chance to launch a '69 BB onto the track at LeMans on main race day for the 24-Heurs endurance competition, there was NOBODY in our group who even came CLOSE to lapping the track in the same bracket with Chevy's race team. And, again, there was NO hold-harmless to sign and NO restriction(s) placed on us...

[Terry M.]

Re: National Meet GM Milford Proving Ground Tour

There was a hold harmless (or something like it) to sign when we were there for the Regional -- was that 2008?? And we were cautioned about high speed operation.

No wired option that time -- thankfully.

There were 100 Corvettes in that outing and NO ONE got the track to themselves, and no one really tested the upper limits of their car. Some got to go faster than the speed limit on public roads, but there was never a time when there was not another Corvette near by so some discretion had to be shown.

I suspect the fact that no one acted like an A-hole then has given us the chance to go back. All it would take is one incident and the party would be over for all of us.

Edit add: An additional thought from a wise old dispatcher I learned a lot from. He used to say: "Never ask a question to which you don't want to hear the answer." This same person used to tell me: "It is better to beg forgiveness than to ask permission." Of course the wise person knows when to do each.

[Tom M.]

Re: National Meet GM Milford Proving Ground Tour

There was a hold harmless (or something like it) to sign when we were there for the Regional -- was that 2008?? And we were cautioned about high speed operation.

No wired option that time -- thankfully.

There were 100 Corvettes in that outing and NO ONE got the track to themselves, and no one really tested the upper limits of their car. Some got to go faster than the speed limit on public roads, but there was never a time when there was not another Corvette near by so some discretion had to be shown.

I suspect the fact that no one acted like an A-hole then has given us the chance to go back. All it would take is one incident and the party would be over for all of us.

Edit add: An additional thought from a wise old dispatcher I learned a lot from. He used to say: "Never ask a question to which you don't want to hear the answer." This same person used to tell me: "It is better to beg forgiveness than to ask permission." Of course the wise person knows when to do each.

Terry , yes it was 2008 , I was in my blue L88 and having starter problems , So on the back stretch after the oval & the high bank at the north end of the track i just nailed it hit 110mph in the 1/4 mile then i slowed it down to 60 for the rest of the run......THE G forces were amazing when you get pushed back in your seat like that.....WOW !!!

[Terry M.]

Re: National Meet GM Milford Proving Ground Tour

Thanks for the memories Tom. I remember your "jump starts."

[Patrick H.]

Re: National Meet GM Milford Proving Ground Tour

I suspect things will be similar to what GM provided back in '93 when they opened the proving grounds to us.

Jack,

Not sure what group you were with in '93, but in '92 and 2008 with the NCRS the events were almost exactly the same. Drive around various parts of the track, and a couple of times there was the opportunity to go "a bit faster." Would have gone even faster than I did had some slug of a Z06 not been in front of me.



George,
It's well worth the $100. If you go to the National, and don't stay for Milford, you've missed what I think is the best part of the show.


Patrick

[Tom M.]

Re: National Meet GM Milford Proving Ground Tour

Jack,

Not sure what group you were with in '93, but in '92 and 2008 with the NCRS the events were almost exactly the same. Drive around various parts of the track, and a couple of times there was the opportunity to go "a bit faster." Would have gone even faster than I did had some slug of a Z06 not been in front of me.



George,
It's well worth the $100. If you go to the National, and don't stay for Milford, you've missed what I think is the best part of the show.


Patrick

Yeah, Terry was a slug, about 45 mph, I had to slow down on the way by him so he didn't get pissed...........LMAO
That's after i jumped started my car about 5 times

[Ronald L.]

Re: National Meet GM Milford Proving Ground Tour

100 tops??? That's about the norm north of the big city any day of the week! It was more fun back in say '76 with an oil embargo imposed 55mph limit and pushing 140 plus, those were the days when these C3's were fresh.

[Tom M.]

Re: National Meet GM Milford Proving Ground Tour

[Patrick H.]

Re: National Meet GM Milford Proving Ground Tour

100 tops??? .

I don't believe that anyone said that.