Driving an MX-5 on a GoKart Track in Atlanta

This was a surprise stop along the 2014 Mazda Adventure Rally.

I’m driving a 2014 Mazda MX-5 on the gokart track, at the Atlanta Motorsports Park.

This is basically my first track time.

This kart track has more changes in elevation than any other track in the world, including one that’s 43 ft.

More photos of the track here.

Here’s the whole rally blogged: #MazdaRally, and there’s links there to my newspaper stuff there.

Until this trip, I thought the Miata was a princess-y car, nope. It loves off-roading?! Huh.

 

 

The Mazda Adventure Rally – Day 3

We started the day in last place, 10/10th.

Because being contained within the confines of a small car really exaggerates and fast-foward things. That’s why back in in 2012 I wrote a column, “Your car is an ideal debating arena“.

But so many laughs for Team Autonet, right to the end too. The sign of a great teammate.

Even though that afternoon David made us put the top down, and exposed me to the sun. Don’t like the sun; I wear 60 SPF on a gray winter day.

Yes, I did wear the same outfit all 3 days.

Remember after Day 2 I was all cavalier about getting a handle on mapping?  Spoke way too soon. Got us good and lost a couple times.

But come on, look at this mess to be navigated without electronic help.

First time my name has been on a car.

Drove the ‘Tail of the Dragon’.

Non-car nerds: it’s a stretch of road running through a forest over the border of Georgia and Tennessee. It’s loved by enthusiasts, who come from all over to drive it because it’s so complicated – 318 curves in 11 miles with steep banks, 70% blind corners and no straight lines.

Anyone who says they “tamed the dragon” though, that’s pretty pompous and my face will look back at them like top right.

I attacked it, used the whole road, and in the rain at that, but come on, tamed it? It’s a ridiculously aggressive road that takes huge guts, and I’ll bet there’s really only a few handfuls of people in the country who could literally “tame” it.

Bottom left is me during extreme focus and concentration.

Typing this right now, I’m having some regret at not filming it.

Why I did that – ever since I declared my GoPro dead to me, I’m left with just my phone, which produces shaky footage in these scenarios.  Plus, it’s a tiny cabin, and I needed 100% visibility, because one tiny mistake and it’s over a 4 story cliff, and then I’m forever that guy. 

For 3 days the tach looked like that #DreamComeTrue

That’s getting turned into a blog header.

Part of the gang after we completed the Dragon [photo: Dan Izaak]

We were the last team to return to the hotel at the end of the day. Again. But we crushed enough challenges that we crawled back up from 10th…

… to have Team Autonet tie for 5th place!

For two newbies, not bad. Proof is here.

The winners are:

1 – Team AutoGuide. com – Mike and Sami win $10,000 for the Accelerated Cure for MS Project
2 – Team Autos.ca – Jonathan and Hannah win $2,000 for Sick Kids Foundation
3 – Team Autofocus. ca – Vince and Dan win $1,000 for Kids Help Phone

(and that’s Chuck, Mazda’s PR big brain)

Here’s David and my daily updates over at the newspaper.

– Autonet.ca – Day 1

– Autonet.ca – Day 2

– Autonet.ca – Day 3

A fantastic competition, and compliments to its designers, Keith Townsend and Jud Buchanan of Vehicle Dynamics Group.

And thank you to Mazda for having me, and giving me the best driving experience of my life.

 

 

The Mazda Adventure Rally – Day 2

10 hours of driving today.

All along the kinds of roads that look like the ones in my imagination. Recently paved, no gravel, twist switchback hairpin hairpin, through a bright green forest that smelled so good, and no other cars.

After hours of shifting along this, I was in a meditative state, so calm, so serene.

I had to navigate like in olden times – paper maps and a highlighter.

Oh boy, how many posts around here say “woah guys, so lost”? I know. I was all “phft, I’ll just use my phone”… but most of the day there was no cel signal because we were in the deep backwoods of Georgia.

Turns out it’s not too hard actually, when you stop daydreaming so much, and apply a little logic.

Photo by Ronnie Fung (ty!)

Last round is tomorrow.  This morning my team was tied for 3rd.  Will find out at breakfast tomorrow morning where today’s challenges landed us.

Follow along on Twitter – #MazdaRally

Today took the top spot on my, “Best Test Drive Day to Date” list.

Former #1, now #2 – Napa Vally with VW’s Jetta, last summer.

My second-day report for the newspaper will be live tomorrow at 11am.

And above will be the lead photo.

While I was taking it, a UPS driver pulled up behind me, “hey, you wanna take one of my truck there next?” HA.

Then… then… THIS.

Section 2C was listed int he guide book as “A Surprise”. I pulled up to … the Atlanta Motorsport track.

My first track time!

Obviously it’ll get its own post.

My best lap was 1:16, David bested me by a second at 1:15, and best overall was Ronnie with 1:10.

Three blind hills like this, screeching tires, and I made the car smell so good.

I want more.

kk it’s 1am, and I have to check in at 7:30. Send good luck for the last leg tomorrow, night TTYT

 

 

The Mazda Adventure Rally Day 1 – TN & GA

Ended up in Tennessee, and the Mazda MX-5, aka, Miata. Manual too YES.

First time my name has been on a car!

About 8 minutes into the first leg, and it started raining really really bad.

Trees were felled all over.

Yellow-shirt guy came out of nowhere with a chainsaw, and fixed it.

It was a short day, 3 hours on the road. Tomorrow will be more like 12.

On roads like this, too. Hairpin hairpin hairpin through forests and back roads. I’ll make a video.

Those are gravel roads too, which I didn’t know the Miata was suited so well for.

Took it easy though, I’m wiped. Only fools drive fast tired.

Just out-of-frame is the chicken coop.

Americuh.

I love it down here, saw “Tank City”, endless automatic weapon billboards, and what a fun place to visit, but oh Canada.

Ended up in Georgia, then dinner, then wrote the first instalment of this adventure for Autonet, look for that tomorrow morning, and gotta be ready at 7am and I’m so wiped I’m seeing spots.

Night TTYT