Tulsa MIS-Adventure

[Madmiles442]

Well, if you haven't heard by now, I've had tremendous luck while at Tulsa,
Unfortunately, all of it was bad....
Tuesday - Drive to Tulsa. Start out only an hour behind schedule. No prob, I'm still ahead of rush hour. 3 car pileup on 75 in McKinney starts the week off well. That's okay though, cause I have Driving School tomorrow and I'm SO excited!
Wednesday - Up on time, breakfast, follow directions a little too closely and end up turning off too early on 64, I'm lost. Rain starts. Arrive late, walk into classroom to a raised eyebrow from our instructor. After 1 hour classroom (good class!) let's hit the track. Raining like crazy. "Um, sir? I'm in a Cobra and all these other fancy cars with roofs and windows can go out in the rain.."
"Well, kid, drive the Explorer around the track." Hmmm..my first time on a track, wet track (I mean pooling water) and Teach wants me to take my wife's beloved Explorer for a couple of laps. Jeesh... Okay, rain's not letting up and almost lunch, so let's go. Learned the track, the lines, look ridiculous with helmets on in an Eddie Bauer...
After lunch, sun breaks through! Track still damp, but no active rain, so I'm going! New helmet, gloves and shoes all fit, good. Joe, the instructor that's been eyeing my car all morning hops in, "I have the track record here, let's rock and roll!"
Turns 1,2,3,4,5....turn 6, 90 left, upon throttle, the rear end let's loose and we're instantly spinning off in the grass. Wheeeee! Joe's hollerin' "whoa! whoa!". While I'm new to this racing stuff, I'm still thinking it's not good when the instructor is freaked. Didn't hit anything. No harm, no foul. Made it 6 turns. Back on track (literally). Went a couple of more laps then pulled in until the track dries up.
Got in some hot laps later in the afternoon without incident. Feeling the car set, tires grip up and their breaking point. Man, this stuff is a blast!
Last group of the day, feeling great. I'm getting this course down, pushing the car and it's responding. Coming down the front stretch, 100 mph or so, turn 1 coming fast, don't brake until you see God, hard brake, downshift 4 to 3, chirp...squeal...uh oh. .back ends coming around because of the downshift. I've let the clutch out too fast. I'm having this entire realization as tire smoke and dirt is flying and I'm spinning through the inside of the turn. Stop on the track, restart, wave to corner worker, finish the lap and change pants.
One day, two trips off the track.