Had tons of fun Saturday at Florida's Palm Beach International Raceway (PBIR)! The formerly famous Moroso drag strip is still there, but new owners added this road course track a couple of years ago. So the pavement is almost new, and smooth, with a half-mile straight that allowed me to reach 125 mph:
http://racepbir.com/road.html

This particular HPDE cost $350 and was staged by Hooked on Driving, which has more Florida events planned for PBIR as well as Homestead, Sebring, and even Daytona in December. FYI I drove Daytona in the blue beast below in December 2007. Lots of fun but not for the faint of heart; it was very fast, allowing sustained speeds of 130-140 around the tri-oval. 31 degree banking means there's no need to slow down for turns on the oval. It should be even faster now, with its new pavement. Daytona also has a short infield road course for HPDEs.

See Hooked on Driving events here:
http://www.hookedondriving.com/hooked-on-driving-events

Sounds fun! You have any pics or video from the event?


Sent from my iPhone using Autoguide

Here ya go -- I hope!

http://www.g8board.com/forums/album.php?albumid=1376

So, having tracked both the G8 and the RS6... how would you compare/contrast them? What are the pro's and con's of each vehicle?

-Todd...

So, having tracked both the G8 and the RS6... how would you compare/contrast them? What are the pro's and con's of each vehicle?

-Todd...

For track fun in a sedan, the RS 6 is hard to beat. Lower center of gravity, unique suspension and AWD kept it planted and feeling that way, compared to the sometimes "floaty" G8. With 450 hp from the factory, torque was never lacking.

But the G8 is no slouch, and a GT can be made competitively fast for a few hundred dollars by adding a proper tune and cold air intake. This thread about a day at VIR got me salivating to own a slightly modded G8 GT. I'm a little skeptical about some of the cars he claims to have passed, but driver skill can make a big difference:
http://www.g8board.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7170

Both these cars need some room for fun at a track. When I drove the G8 at Waterford Hills in Michigan, with all its tight turns, it wasn't much fun to watch smaller cars line up behind me. Palm Beach was much better, with more & longer straights, and me passing some cars as well as being passed. Mine was the biggest vehicle on the track in both cases.

As a daily driver, the G8 wins. It's more balanced, easier to steer and drive, with more room, a more comfortable ride, a better (louder at least) sound system and OnStar. But the RS 6 offers more luxury.

Comparing MSRPs, IMO the G8 offers 85% of the Audi's fun for 35% of its price.