Spring Mountain Impressions

[Head Hunter]

Awww, man! You're the one that beat me by a matter of minutes! October 16-17 is when I'll be there.

You have a manual 5?

 

[division]

You have a manual 5?

Yep... picked it up from Sewell in Dallas at the end of April and drove it back home to South Florida. I got the email today that some additional dates opened up, and within 15 minutes, that day was taken! The next available date was September 18-19, but that was for the A10. Jahna got me in October 16-17, which was the next available date with a 6-speed.

Not a big deal... gonna hit the Punk Rock Museum when I get in on Sunday and then flog a CT5-V around the track for the next couple of days. Should be a blast!

 

[Slick Blackwings]

October much better for temperature

 

[Berserker]

October much better for temperature

I'll be there next Monday and Tuesday. Daily highs in Pahrump are forecast to be 13 degrees and 19 degrees lower than here at home. With the bonus of humidity 20% lower.

I'd buy that for a dollar!

 

[Head Hunter]

Yeah, I agree - I had to take the August dates as the rest are all Monday-Tuesday combos

 

[Berserker]

Did Spring Mountain on Monday and Tuesday.

Struggling Mentally
I had an absolute blast. I wasn't fast, though. I was decently quick within my run group and was running the line from the very start, but I was with total track noobs so that didn't mean anything.

I was having trouble making myself push the car because I was afraid of it biting me and not knowing how to handle it. I basically got up to the mid 1:30s pretty quick and stayed there through the first session of Day 2, where I posted my best time of 1:32. When a total noob in a 4BW told me he was down to 1:30, and other guys with prior experience were doing like 1:23, I was really bummed.

Finally a bunch of pieces came together. Doing the wet figure 8 gave me some confidence in the PTM system. I used the instructor ride-along to just ask questions the whole time. I explained my driving background (several HPDE in an Evo VIII, 16 years ago) and how I was struggling to get the same confidence to push the 4BW. He assured me that if I went into a corner too hot, the car would simply push.

Fighting My Demon
Going into Session 2 of Day 2, I decided this is where I going to fight my personal demon. I was either going faster or writing a big ass check. But I was doing something - and doing it now. I went 5 seconds faster. I was ragged, but I was pushing the car finally. I had tire noise and was engaging PTM sometimes.

In the last session of the event I dropped another 2 seconds, to get me down to my best of 1:25. On my second lap behind the instructor I was 0.8 seconds faster than my best by Turn 3, but messed up the last few corners of the lap and lost it all and a little more.

I was still slower than a lot of people. But I dropped 7 seconds in just those last two sessions, and at the pace I had there was still time on the table if I could have just put together a clean lap.

Unexpectedly, I somehow managed 2nd fastest time overall in the autocross. A guy in a 5BW beat me by 0.01 seconds. LOL.

My Takeaway
More important than the specific time I got, though, was that they gave me the education and confidence to go hunt for a time. If I decide to do more driving at a track near me, I believe I could continue to push.

The General Experience
The facility was great. The hotel room was great. The admin staff was great. The instructors were great on track (though off track one could not resist briefly referring to politics while talking with a student publicly, which IMHO is inappropriate). The unseen staff who maintained the cars were great, as far as I could tell. I found the breakfast and lunch buffet very tasty, and the food/beverage staff were great. Before going I was skeptical about the lead-follow format, but I came to like it. Hell, even the weather was surprisingly great.

All in all, a very, very good experience.

 

[Ergoc5]

@Berserker which track were you on? East Loop or North Loop? 1.25 on the east Loop in a 4 BW is not bad at all.

 

[Deneed4spd]

I think most of the folks in 4BW on east loop were doing 125ish. So it isn’t too slow. Although i scratch my head when some folks said instructors were running 116 on 4BWs while teach folks. Crazy.

 

[Berserker]

@Berserker which track were you on? East Loop or North Loop? 1.25 on the east Loop in a 4 BW is not bad at all.

We were on the "East Bowl".

East track has two configurations: a longer one that bypasses the "bowl" section and a shorter one that goes through the "bowl". This was the shorter one.

I think most of the folks in 4BW on east loop were doing 125ish. So it isn’t too slow. Although i scratch my head when some folks said instructors were running 116 on 4BWs while teach folks. Crazy.

Yeah, the instructor did a 1:17 in my 4BW while chatting with me constantly.

 

[DustinEarnhardt]

I think most of the folks in 4BW on east loop were doing 125ish. So it isn’t too slow. Although i scratch my head when some folks said instructors were running 116 on 4BWs while teach folks. Crazy.

In my 4BW, my instructor ran a 1:20.1, which I'm sure could have been faster if he wanted to.

That said, I'm still pretty happy that I managed to pull off a 1:20.6. The 5BW times ranged from ~1:17 for the fast guys to, well... significantly higher for those with no track experience.

 

[FLYARMY]

My instructor said that they can get to top speeds of about 135 mph in the straightaway on the east course.

 

[Slick Blackwings]

Got 130 MPH (5BL) down East straight in the 1:16 lap time, which I lived closer be there every week!
Had great time there!

 

[jodakid69]

I attended Spring Mountain last year as an original C8 owner but never heard from Cadillac after buying the BW. My dealer said only anniversary edition owners get the subsidized invite. Fact or fiction? Are most of you just paying the full cost?

KatyTxCT5V is correct.​

I purchased a CT4v_BW in Aug 2022 and I went to the SpringMountain Class in May 2023 - paid with my new vehicle credit. You Technically have 1 year to attend. However, some owners are getting extensions since SM sessions are often completely full. Contact SM - 800.391.6891

I see that you are in NJ. Come out for the "Cadillac V Performance Day @ NJMP".

Event - Both a Cars and Coffee style car meet & greet and an HPDE event. You can come for one or both events.
Date - Saturday, July 29th
Location - New Jersey Motorsport Park (NJMP) in Millville NJ. (Lightning Track)
Time - Cars and Coffee from 9AM until 1PM

If interested in an HPDE track session go to Moe HPDE at moehpde.comand register.
HPDE track time from 9AM until 6PM - (6) 20 minute sessions. If you are new to NJPM you will need to get an "Instructed Novice" session and have a helmet. You may be able to rent a helmet at the track, but it has to be prearranged with the track shop.

Hope to see you at the Track!

 

[jodakid69]

Got 130 MPH (5BL) down East straight in the 1:16 lap time, which I lived closer be there every week!
Had great time there!

I just did the Pocono North/South circuit - 138MPH in a CT4V-BW MT6.

I see that you are in PA. I am trying to get the word out. Come out for the "Cadillac V Performance Day @ NJMP".
It is now likely that Cadillac Tri State (PA/NJ/DE) marketing team and atwill be there and have a display.


Event - Both a Cars and Coffee style car meet & greet and an HPDE event. You can come for one or both events.
Date - Saturday, July 29th
Location - New Jersey Motorsport Park (NJMP) in Millville NJ. (Lightning Track)
Time - Cars and Coffee from 9AM until 1PM

 

[Ergoc5]

Got 130 MPH (5BL) down East straight in the 1:16 lap time, which I lived closer be there every week!
Had great time there!

That's a great time!

 

[cusewordsmith]

Note I just let Gina know a moment ago that I can't make it to our Sept 28-29 session. So they will have two 4VBW slots opening up now, one for a 6MT and one automatic (I am bringing my wife). Contact your rep there ASAP if you want those slots!

 

[Berserker]

Note I just let Gina know a moment ago that I can't make it to our Sept 28-29 session. So they will have two 4VBW slots opening up

I just called and these are already gone.

 

[PrimeTime]

A trim, on the APEX.

Sticky Mickey's? On the rears? Wore down.....a blast!

 

[Markmcg]

Jealous, since Im not the original owner, I gotta pay to go. So debate for me has been go driving for 2 days or get aftermarket wheels...they're gonna cost me the same.

There are a very limited number of aftermarket wheels that will fit the car. I bought a set of Konig Ampliform wheels in dark grey (for my 2023 white BW) from Discount Tires Direct. They are being delivered before the end of July.

 

[JTugwell]

Heading out this morning for SM! Highs are 106 F for the next few days…