Here are some pics & video(see below) from last week's Lexus Performance Driving School...overall is was a blast!

I have some very cool video but need to host it somewhere (RMMGS4 are you listening? )...

Great day for driving...


Team Lexus driver ready to take it out on an SC430...


After doing some donuts in an LS430...needs a wash and some new tires...


Team Lexus GS400...




Problems with the GS400...


Running laps at 120MPH on the Oval...

 

I also ran into RMMGS4 and CHASKIM...who both won individual AutoX events!

I would highly recommend this course for anyone interested!

BTW - there are super large versions of all these pictures in my gallery.

 

Lexus should set up something like that over here.
I'm sure it would be a big hit.

Looks like you guys had a blast.

 

I am sure that RMMGS4 has some pics as well...but the video will really give you an idea of how fun it was...
Anyone know where I can host them?

Anyway, got to run the snot out of the SC430, LS430, GS300/430, & IS300...the road course and the autoX were definitely the most fun of the day...I could do that kind of stuff at least once a week...it was really a good time.

 

Great shots KVA !

I will get back to you on hosting the videos. Still re-couperating from the two meets I organized this past month, plus the long trip to Fontana as well as the exhausting day in Driving School.

Chaskim got the Mario Andretti award. Don't know exactly what that means, but I suppose they meant it to be the best student as voted by the instructors.

I suppose I would have won most cones knocked down for the day if they had such an award, but I did manage a second in the Autocross after driving conservatively just to get in one clean lap. Chaskim got a well deserved 1st place and fastest "Official" time.

I did un-officially set fastest lap in the autocross during practice, tho I believe it was broken by one other driver shortly after me.

All I can say is that owning a heavily modded Lexus is a double edge sword when it comes to attending this Driving School. The stock IS, GS, SC's handling capabilities are sooo much less than than my car, I just overestimated the handling ability of these cars compared to mine**. The cars wouldn't stop as well and the tires had a lot less grip and I won't even talk about the body roll. Don't get me wrong, cause driving the GS 120MPH on the oval was very impressive for a "stock" car and actually I liked the SC as the best overall in handling and power. I just had to re-adjust my limits.


** Tein RA, Full TOM's braces, RMM STB, adjustable sways, Michelin Pilot Sports, AP Racing brakes

I'l try to post pics when I can, but it will be a little while since I'm busy working all this week.

 

Yep...I think all three of us did low 33 second AutoX...just that I couldn't get mine in an "official" lap...(as an example, most people ran in the 35 or 36 second range)...probably due to that cone being down by the driver before me ...I think the Andretti award was for overall best autox time. There were quite a few cone heads out there...no matter what course we were on we could always count on someone taking out a large portion of the course...and ususally it was the same guy.

I have to agree with RMMGS4...it's really tough to get used to the body roll, stock tires, etc.. when your used to rolling on a wider patch with complete suspension mods...I would of loved to see how my car compared to the stock version on the same course though...I definitely think it would be quite faster due to increased cornering capabilities.

The GS was impressive at 120MPH...you could barely tell you were going that fast and in the turns, I hardly got any VSC warnings...just goes to show how much better most of our cars would handle most driving situations.

Overall it was a great day...

 

Love the GS interior shot... PIT SPEED 65 MPH
Classic!

 

If you look at the larger picture:



you willnotice that the only thing that still resembles a GS is the Speedo Cluster, steering column base and key...

It's also funny because the pit speed at California Speedway was actually 40 MPH

 

Agreed the GS was suprisingly stable through the smooth surfaced high banked oval, though I think it would be very unstable on a real world road with minor bumps, etc.

I would not drive that fast in a turn on a stock GS if I didn't know the road surface of the turn. Hit one big bump at that speed and I know the car would be a handfull.

Ohh and as far as VSC warnings . . . You ain't pushin it hard unless it is beeping at you !

One lap I had the VSC beeping at me from the apex all the way to the straight !

My suggestion is to NEVER turn off VSC when learning the ovals. It is the best indicator of when you are getting "loose" and will probably save your bu77 !

 

The only time I got VSC warning were in the turn toward the apex but not out of it...wait till you listen to the video's...all you hear is "beep, beep, beep...beep, beep, beep"...

 

You can email me the videos (if they aren't any bigger than 5MB) to ktucker@midsouth.rr.com and I'll host them on one of my web servers (I've got a 5GB per day transfer limit)

 

Looks like FUN!

 

Aww, you should've took some pics of the LS doin donuts. Always wanted to see one of those things do it for some reason. But the pics are cool none the less. THanks for sharing.

 

Threxx - thanks...they range from 2MB to 16MB (actually only one of them is 2 MB...and it's very short)

 

I also found additional pics on is300.net

Lexus Performance Driving School thread - IS300.net

...and I forgot to mention that when I was talking with the Team Lexus drivers Chuck Goldsborough and Ian James they mentioned that they are going to be coming out with Team Lexus parts for the IS & GS...basically a Borla Exhaust and JIC suspension components...