Driving a race car at Sonoma Raceway is a treat for the fast and the curious

Humans are often scolded for racing through life, instructed to slow it down or even come to a complete stop for a proverbial sniff of the roses.

But there’s something to be said for speeding right by those attractive stationary blooms and blowing the doors, I mean petals, right off their stems, leaving their roots in the dust.

Petals were definitely flying a couple of weeks ago, when pedals connected with metal during a “hot lap” — at up to 120 mph — around the 2.52-mile Sonoma Raceway track. The vehicle: A rose-red, high-performance Audi R8 driven by an even higher-performance Simraceway instructor.

Ah yes, the Vin Diesel-dizzying speeds, the Godzillalike engine roar, the G-force pushback, the can-we-go-again plea from the passenger, aka me. Sorry roses, you’ve got nothin’ on this.

This brief thrill ride — really, it happened in a matter of seconds — was all because of the gift card I gave my spouse for Christmas for a half-day Audi Sportscar Experience through Sonoma’s Simraceway Performance Driving Center.

I know, Simraceway, Sonoma Raceway — it gets a little confusing. The Simraceway center — and Audi — took over the Jim Russell Racing School site at the Sonoma Raceway in 2007, renting the Sonoma track about 125 days a year for all manner of driving programs. Car buffs can do everything from a half-day sports car class at $295, on up through teen driver courses, race-your-own-car programs, corporate events and even Formula 3 racing at $1,495.

While it’s basically an ad for Audi products (the classroom area doubles as a showroom), it’s easy to let that drift right out of your mind and onto the track — the real, actual track where the pros race. And it’s not just for gear heads and devoted fans of Clarkson, Hammond and May. They get everyone from soccer moms to pros and teens to grandpas.

“We had a family of eight here yesterday, an 82-year old husband and his 76-year-old wife, their son and daughter and grandkids taking the safe driver program,” says instructor Tim Moser. “We get tourists day-tripping through the wine country, but also a lot of repeat customers and a lot of people from around the country. The programs are a lot of fun. But aside from the fun, it’s gonna make you a better driver.”

Fast, not furious

As a cheapskate journalist, I could only spring for the sports car package, but even that was a great taste. The spouse had waited long enough to use his Christmas gift, so it coincided with his birthday (yes! two birds down), and I went along as a spectator. (Next time, baby!)

It was a beautiful spring afternoon. There were three other guys in the class that day. One had also received the session as a gift, and the other two won it at an auction. They all met in the showroom for a little classroom instruction from Moser about things like load transfer, understeering versus oversteering, balance, braking. They’d be driving the Audi TTS, a 290-HP model with 6-speed dual-clutch transmission.

Then everybody headed out to the paddock for laps on a cone-marked autocross course to get a feel for the cars and take a few cones out in the process. “Once we get on the racetrack, things get real,” Moser cautioned.

After about 30 laps each, it was time. Each student would get a 25-minute session on the track in a lead/follow process — the instructors lead the way through the twists and turns, and the students match their speed and tire tracks. Moser offered me a ride-along with him (yes!), and we were all issued black head socks — we looked like we were ready to rob a 7-Eleven — and helmets.

And we were off! My husband and another guy drove behind us, Moser providing feedback and coaching over a walkie-talkie the whole way, including where to place the car, where to brake, where to accelerate.

“OK, we’re shifting up to fourth gear. Now back on the brakes, throttle, more power, more power, more power,” he’d say. “A light brush of the brakes over this crest, now power coming out of the apex.”

Then, for a final treat, each student got to ride along as an instructor drove the R8 for a hot lap — basically laying it out as fast as they can. Rough job, those instructors have. One of the other students didn’t want to go because he gets carsick as a passenger. Wuss. Yes, I called him a wuss. So they offered it to me instead. I did not decline. The term “woo hoo” tried to pass my lips several times, but was pushed back into my throat.

Let’s just say, no roses were smelled in the writing of this story.

Contact Angela Hill at ahill@bayareanewsgroup.com, or follow her on Twitter @GiveEmHill.