By 2008, the Reynards had "pretty much had the crap beat out of them" said Goodman, with several years of school and the highly-competitive Bridgestone F2000 series taking their toll.
In a serendipitous turn of fate, the Formula Ford-based Van Diemen that Goodman chose to replace the Reynard with is produced by a British factory owned by Panoz, the academy's Mosport landlord. Goodman considers the $72,000 Van Diemen to be the "top of the pile", surpassed only by the $90,000 carbon-fiber Lolas used by the Jim Russell school.
Visually, they're impressive, with downforce wings fore and aft, and delicate, spidery suspension. Instead of wide slicks, they're shod with Bridgestone RE-11 performance tires, which Goodman claims are more predictable, and have "seen millions of corners with no failures". It's reassuring to learn that there have been no injuries in the school's 26-year history.
Head Instructor Jamie Fitzmaurice leads us on a course walk, following the correct "race line" and dissecting the track turn by turn. He points out which turns can be deceptively treacherous—blind, off-camber, downhill sections that require "undivided attention" and others where if you "lift, you will almost certainly spin". We're repeatedly reminded to brake early, then make up the time by improving our acceleration out of the turns.
On foot, it looks easy.
If you think that 170 horsepower doesn't sound like much, Fitzmaurice puts it into perspective; at only 1,000 lbs, the Van Diemen's output is comparable to an 800-hp street car. The engine has a 4,500 to 6,500-rpm powerband, and Fitzmaurice cautions that in first gear, the car can get "squirrelly". He advises us to stick to the more stable 2nd gear in the turns, upshifting to third for the long straightaways.
Sitting on the grid, I'm vibrating with the car—adrenaline coursing through my veins while the pit crew does a last-minute check. Finally, with a wave from the marshall, I head out to the track, exhaling in relief that I managed not to stall. The tiny wheel is thick, grippy and solid; at its centre is a digital tachometer and oil pressure display. With no power steering, the wheel is heavy, yet feedback is excellent, and the car's reaction is laser-sharp.
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| Photo: Lesley Wimbush/Auto123.com |
In a serendipitous turn of fate, the Formula Ford-based Van Diemen that Goodman chose to replace the Reynard with is produced by a British factory owned by Panoz, the academy's Mosport landlord. Goodman considers the $72,000 Van Diemen to be the "top of the pile", surpassed only by the $90,000 carbon-fiber Lolas used by the Jim Russell school.
Visually, they're impressive, with downforce wings fore and aft, and delicate, spidery suspension. Instead of wide slicks, they're shod with Bridgestone RE-11 performance tires, which Goodman claims are more predictable, and have "seen millions of corners with no failures". It's reassuring to learn that there have been no injuries in the school's 26-year history.
Head Instructor Jamie Fitzmaurice leads us on a course walk, following the correct "race line" and dissecting the track turn by turn. He points out which turns can be deceptively treacherous—blind, off-camber, downhill sections that require "undivided attention" and others where if you "lift, you will almost certainly spin". We're repeatedly reminded to brake early, then make up the time by improving our acceleration out of the turns.
On foot, it looks easy.
If you think that 170 horsepower doesn't sound like much, Fitzmaurice puts it into perspective; at only 1,000 lbs, the Van Diemen's output is comparable to an 800-hp street car. The engine has a 4,500 to 6,500-rpm powerband, and Fitzmaurice cautions that in first gear, the car can get "squirrelly". He advises us to stick to the more stable 2nd gear in the turns, upshifting to third for the long straightaways.
Sitting on the grid, I'm vibrating with the car—adrenaline coursing through my veins while the pit crew does a last-minute check. Finally, with a wave from the marshall, I head out to the track, exhaling in relief that I managed not to stall. The tiny wheel is thick, grippy and solid; at its centre is a digital tachometer and oil pressure display. With no power steering, the wheel is heavy, yet feedback is excellent, and the car's reaction is laser-sharp.
 |
| Photo: Lesley Wimbush/Auto123.com |