Spring Mountain Impressions

[bloominguez]

I was more time constrained and needed to fit SM into February and was forced into an A10. I'm manual or bust guy, but to be honest I was glad to be in an auto once the sessions started. For a novice, the skills sessions and hot laps on track are sensory overload, so I was able to focus on brake markers, turn-in points, and getting the car to settle without the distraction of gear selection. There wasn't a whole lot of processing power left between my ears!

Although I drove a manual transmission at Spring Mountain, I recall the instructors telling the automatic transmission drivers that they were going to be doing all the track sessions in manual mode. Is that no longer the case? Seemed harder for them, actually, since they had more gears to cycle through, whereas the manual transmission drivers were only shifting between 3 & 4.

 

[Roadhawk]

I'll take a MT over auto any time...its just in the blood...

 

[Deneed4spd]

Although I drove a manual transmission at Spring Mountain, I recall the instructors telling the automatic transmission drivers that they were going to be doing all the track sessions in manual mode. Is that no longer the case? Seemed harder for them, actually, since they had more gears to cycle through, whereas the manual transmission drivers were only shifting between 3 & 4.

I did SMR with a manual and auto. Auto u toggle through gears so quickly even if you down shift two gears and up two gears, and do it anytime u want in the braking and accelerating. It’s just so quick and simple.

 

[jbawden]

Ok, I need to clarify I wouldn't be here if the 5BW was A10 only. Give me a manual or give me death!

Now with that said, specific to SM and my first time driving 670hp in anger on a race track, I didn't mind the A10. Yes they are in manual mode but a 1 mm finger flick with both hands on the wheel takes about 47 seconds to etch into muscle memory. I guess my point is, I was at SM to experience the limits of the chassis and electronics, not how I was changing gears. On the street (and on future track days), plenty of bandwidth to indulge in all the magic of an M6 and I wouldn't have it any other way.

 

[bloominguez]

Ok, I need to clarify I wouldn't be here if the 5BW was A10 only. Give me a manual or give me death!

Now with that said, specific to SM and my first time driving 670hp in anger on a race track, I didn't mind the A10. Yes they are in manual mode but a 1 mm finger flick with both hands on the wheel takes about 47 seconds to etch into muscle memory. I guess my point is, I was at SM to experience the limits of the chassis and electronics, not how I was changing gears. On the street (and on future track days), plenty of bandwidth to indulge in all the magic of an M6 and I wouldn't have it any other way.

I don't disagree with you, SM if a blast regardless of what transmission one drives. I only buy manuals but I agree that an auto wouldn't detract from the experience. I'm just making the point that shifting the manual required almost zero cognitive bandwidth given how few gears were needed and how clear cut the shift points were. The downshift rev matching was the biggest part of keeping the required bandwidth down.

 

[Aaron4BW]

My SM experience on 3/13 & 3/14 was amazing! I learned alot and gained even more respect for the alpha chassis. The instructors are great & very skilled in what they do! I was in car #44 (6 speed 4BW). We did the east bowl & on the second day they put me in the fastest group which were all 5BW of course. This track caters more to the 5BW because half the track is high speed. These were my first formal track lessons, but I'm not afraid to toss a rwd car & so I managed to scrape out a 1:18.3 putting me about a second behind the fastest 5BW & beating most of the other fast 5BWs. So I definitely held it down for the 4s The instructor that drove my car got a 1:16.9 in my car & it seemed so effortless! Anyways, this is a must do! Especially because it's free!! (Sort of) lol ... Make sure to book as fast as possible because everytime a new 3 month block of classes would drop, they would fill up within 45 mins. So don't procrastinate!!