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A day at the advanced driving school with the Saab Owners' Club of Canada. The event was held at the Shannonville Motosport Park in Ontario. Some of the pictures are kindly provided by Yuri Gudonis. For your viewing pleasure, here's a short video clip with some of my driving and a demo by an instructor (5 minutes, 6 Megabytes).
02.04.2004
The bigger Saabs

Sadly, only one of them will be on the track today. I'd really like to see that black Aero in action.
02.04.2004
Nine Hondas

Of 28 student cars 15 were Hondas, including nine S2000's. Those always stayed together.
02.04.2004
Hondas

How do they tell one car from another? ;)
02.04.2004
Instructors

In the red cap on the left is the school chief, Blake Nancarrow.
02.04.2004
Derek Hanson's class

The classes are useful and entertaining.
02.04.2004
Entering the skidpad

The first group of beginners is lining up.
02.04.2004
In line

A Corvette is getting ready for the braking exercise.
02.04.2004
400 horses in action

It sure can accelerate fast.
02.04.2004
Vette on the grass

Oops! There's a lot of room for improvement. Not so much room on the skidpad though.
02.04.2004
Take off

A red 900 Turbo is rushing forward.
02.04.2004
900 braking

All the cones are intact. Good job, Cameron!
02.04.2004
Back to the skidpad

Coming back for another run.
02.04.2004
Cameron

You can tell this guy is happy ;).
02.04.2004
Saab generations

Two elder Saab fans are stopping by to discuss the car and the old times.
02.04.2004
1992 Saab 900 Turbo

One of the last "true" Swedes produced. I too like the looks of the classic Saabs.
02.04.2004
In line to the skidpad

My Saab is two generations newer. Still, it's already 6 years old.
02.04.2004
9-3 getting ready

And here's the latest fruit of Trollhatten engineering.
02.04.2004
The second group

There were only three Saabs on the track that day.
02.04.2004
S2000 accelerating

This is the excercise to learn the oversteer and understeer control.
02.04.2004
S2000 doing a 180

The instructor is pulling a handbrake in your car, and you need to recover.
02.04.2004
Balancing out

Cameron is sliding sideways.
02.04.2004
9-5 speeding up

Then you get to play on your own, combining the braking with steering and throttle inputs.
02.04.2004
9-5 leaning

I had a chance to apply these skills just 20 minutes after this exercise, when I nearly spun out...
02.04.2004
9-5 turning

...in that nasty puddle in the corner #14 (the puddle is seen in the video), but I was able to recover.
02.04.2004
535 taking off

This 8-cylinder 1990 BMW is fast. I had him on my tail for some time on the track...
02.04.2004
535 skidding

...Being heavy, he couldn't keep up in the corners, but the rate he was gaining on me on the straights was amazing.
02.04.2004
535 backwards

He just did a 180.
02.04.2004
Ready to go

Corvette looks fast even when it's not moving.
02.04.2004
Slalom exercises

In slalom, you had to navigate between the cones on the slippery road.
02.04.2004
Slalom exercises

These tires must have a lot of grip.
02.04.2004
Skidpad

Skidpad is a round patch of pavement covered with water, which makes it quite slippery.
02.04.2004
S2000 on the skidpad

The plate on this yellow S2000 says "NOTDADDS".
02.04.2004
S2000 on the skidpad

Another S2000. White body, blue top.
02.04.2004
Robin

Rob looks excited. It is his first time with this school.
02.04.2004
Heading out

Driving behind a slow car is awkward, as you tend to follow it and repeat the same mistakes.
02.04.2004
Stuck behind the Honda

Once you overcome that, you can take time to refine corners at low speed.
02.04.2004
About to pass

Finally, his instructor is telling him to let me through.
02.04.2004
In the pit

The track session is over, I'm discussing the mistakes with my instructor.
02.04.2004
Good company

My car is in the good company of an S2000, a Corvette and a Viggen.
02.04.2004
240Z onto the straight

A 1971 Datsun from the advanced group.
02.04.2004
Integra accelerating

One fast Integra Type R.
02.04.2004
325 on Nelson 7

A BMW entering the straight.
02.04.2004
The grandstands

You can watch the race from here if the weather is good.
02.04.2004
Washrooms

The most important facility on the track ;).
02.04.2004
20.1L/100km

The average fuel rate through the day. I can tell it peaked much higher, as I burnt 40 litres of gas.

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