#TrackDay

Several years ago, I decided that I wanted to head in a very different direction when it came to participating in high-performance driving events and time trial competition. I parked my modern, 400-horsepower sport sedan and picked up a 1978 Datsun 280Z with the goal of transforming it into a reliable and fun track car.

We like cars and we really love driving them. But unless your name is Sebastian and you pilot an F1 Red Bull Infiniti, there’s always room to improve one’s skill behind the wheel. At AutoGuide, we are no exception to the rule and any time we get a chance to sharpen our talents, we jump at it.

Taking their first Le Mans victory in 1924, the Bentley Brothers and their powerful, heavy, rugged, and reliable Bentley Blower dominated motorsports in the 1920s, outclassing rival Bugatti and its more elegant, lightweight, but considerably more fragile machines.

Despite Volkswagen ownership and the passing of many decades, Bentley cars still retain this trait today. Since 2005, Bentley has provided customers an opportunity to experience the power of new Bentley vehicles in a controlled environment atop a frozen Finnish lake. Known as the “Power on Ice” driving experience program, this year, Bentley instructors will provide excitement and education as customers experience the maximum potential of the new 621-hp Continental Supersport and 567-hp Continental GT.

According to Bentley, the success of “Power on Ice” warranted expansion and for 2012, Bentley will be launching driver training programs in North America as well. No dates and locations have been released so far, Bentley has only said that the program will deliver an experience “like no other.” That statement is hard to refute when we’re considering a track day behind the wheel of 5,000+ lbs. luxury grand tourers with more than 600 horsepower at your disposal.

Check out the Bentley North American Driving Programme promo video; slow-motion action shots, dubstep and all.

The Lotus Cup USA Series will begin its season on September 2nd at New Jersey Motorsports Park, followed by a second round at Lime Rock Park In Connecticut on October 20th.

Think electric vehicles aren’t sporty enough to tackle the vaunted Laguna Seca? Speed Ventures doesn’t think so. For the third year in a row, they’re offering EV owners the chance to drive the world-famous race track, compete against each other, and even win a trophy.

The event will be held on April 8, 2011 at the Willow Springs Raceway, and the organizer will provide helmets, driver training and food. Aston Martin of Beverly Hills will subsidize the cost of this event, so your cost will be just $495 per vehicle and a party of two.

It’s called the Mono and it’s from Britain’s newest car company, Briggs Automotive Company (BAC), and from the looks of this first product, they mean business. The Mono is a single-seater sportscar that weighs just 1,188 lbs. and is powered by a Cosworth developed 2.3-liter engine. Max output is 280 hp at 7700 rpm and 207 lb-ft of torque at 6000 rpm. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a six-speed sequential gearbox, same as the ones used in F3 race cars.

NJMP is one of the newest tracks in America, having opened its doors back in 2008. It currently has two road courses and a professional karting track. Future plans included adding a tri-oval and an off-road track.

So much so that Ford is now offering a full track day experience to those who have bought the track ready Boss 302. Called the ‘Boss Immersion’ track experience, this program has been put together by Team Mustang and Ford Racing. The events will take place at Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah.

Toronto Motorsports Park, a former airfield that was converted into a 2 mile road course featuring 14 turns, is a great track for novices to dabble in motorsports. The speeds aren’t high enough to obliterate you in a crash, and the 14 turns will challenge a beginner, despite the lack of elevation changes.

TMP’s biggest downfall is the fact that they will rent the track to anyone, and many car clubs take advantage of their affordable rates to host their own lapping sessions. From the looks of it, the incident in the video above took place at one of the uber-cheap afternoon sessions, and was likely hosted by a club with an appalling disregard for professionalism and safety standards.

The driver of the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution seen in this mercifully short clip should never have been let on the track to begin with. The driver has no helmet and is wearing shorts, a t-shirt and sandals. But hey, he is wearing a Cosworth flatbill and super-dope driving gloves, so that’s got to count for something.

Common courtesy at TMP dictates that on the front straight, drivers passing slower traffic should give a wide berth and then come back to the racing line as they set up for Turn 1. Instead, the EVO driver came within a pubic hair’s distance from the driver of a Mark II Golf, cut back in, and proceeded to barrel down the straight away and into turn 1, a long, sweeping 120 degree right-hander. Drivers can easily hit 120 mph on the straight away, requiring a ton of speed to be scrubbed off before Turn 1.

Instead, our hero keeps his foot buried to the carpet and only starts braking mere feet before the apex – while steering the car with one hand! The results are predictable, and the EVO makes a glorious exit onto the grass, all while the cameras are rolling.

The Youtube description of the video claims that the brake fluid had “boiled”, causing him to lock the brakes and crash, but we don’t buy that at all. The EVO pilot should have spent money upgrading the driver – and safety equipment – rather than his car.

[Source: Bang Shift]

Bugatti’s Veyron Super Sport is built more for straight-line speed rather than lapping a road course. That didn’t stop one gentleman from taking the car around the Paul Ricard circuit (which looks like a pretty dull track, to be honest).

In truth, the video isn’t all that exciting. The flat track makes it look as if the car isn’t going too fast, even down the ultra-long straight away. But then again, we wouldn’t risk millions of dollars of car on a simple lapping day.

Hit the jump to see the video

[Source: Autogespot]