Thank you very much for your thoughts, Roger. After having driven and raced Mariah on tracks and autocrosses this past 18 months, I have been humbled by the experience. This Cobra "thing" that I share with nearly everyone on this site, has taught me how little I really know about car handling and about how both to determine the limit before getting there and to control the car once beyond the limit....or just to hold on until the Cobra is finished with me
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The more I race, the stronger I feel about preaching the gospel of advanced car handling/racing lessons being a necessary prerequisite to driving Cobras aggressively. For example, of the 6 of us who took the Cobra University, ALL of us lost control at sometime in the course, either on the skid pad or on the race course, or both! And we were all somewhat experienced drivers of high performance cars when we got there!
Based on my own experience, I believe that anone who plans to drive a Cobra aggressively on the street or race course, will sooner or sooner yet, find themselves in trouble with their snake. With luck, some will come thourgh undamaged, but most will probably sustain damage or, heaven forbid, some injury. Advanced handling courses like Cobra University, Skip Barber, Boudurant, Russell, Panoz, Daley...offer us the opportunity to prepare for the inevitable.
Like you, I fear the Cobra's potential. Autocrossing is a wonderful way to find out where and how a Cobra will come loose in a fairly safe environment. I want to do more of them in the future too.
Sooo, again, thanks for your wise insight, Roger!
All the best,
Randy Klein