Field report: Pro Late Model tests at Florence, SC

Florence, February 2020,

It started with an event, in November, during the NASCAR Whelen recrutment day. Then, it’s was a meeting, and the story of a bromance that led to other meetings and so forth… Down a road that led me straight to South Carolina!

 

Climbing in an American Pro Late Model for the first time is like climbing in a rocketship meant to go fast… and to question whether the driver is feeling comfortable going fast is overrated.

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The track, Florence Motor Speedway was exactly how I imagined American short tracks to be: it has a personality, and changing moods! Very short straightways and turns feeling like eternities and abrupt transitions in between.

 

I felt at ease in the well-rounded Turns 3&4 that is almost flat. However, the transition under braking on Turns 1&2 was brutal and the difference in banking more violent. Florence Speedway has no wall, apart from some trees making a beautiful forest… But I was not there to explore South Carolina’s fauna and flora… Although I am sure they would have welcomed me with open branch, I did not want to meet the menacing track bordering trees either!

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I was surprised by the lively reactions of the car during the first lap and while the car I drove initially refused to give in completely, car owner Mr. Cox quickly made an adjustment and a change on the throttle cable that allowed me to feel more comfortable. I could enter the turns with more stability and the throttle command was finally reactive to my inputs! Forgotten were the brief apprehension and the call of the forest, I could focus on the car and its handling. Pure pleasure.

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The track was “green”… No grip and freezing conditions that did not help. A cold track, meaning that each new sessions required the same old danse to heat up the engine and warm up the tires… Swerve left… Then right… Swerve left…. Swere right… Then left… Then right… I never turned right that much in Europe, and memories of my breakfast at Shoney’s quickly passed through my mind (and chest…) while I was praying to be allowed to go straight at full speed as soon as possible…

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Ever since I have been racing in Europe, I have had to force the car to go where I wanted it to go. With this Late Model and its Camaro stickers, it is the complete opposite. She does everything on her own and I just have to go with her flow… It is almost like driving it with your mind only, using the Force! It is surprising and requires a lot of patience. The inputs needs to be smooth… Drive & chill you could say! The car’s natural reactions are already vivacious and you don’t want to push it around at the cost of breaking your rhythm and the balance of the car. However, if you do not want to be fooled and forget that you are meant to go fast, you better be in a hurry in your mind… Otherwise, the visible simplicity of driving such a car quickly makes you forget she can throw her own tantrums! It is counter-intuitive for me who is much more chill in my mind, but incisive in my inputs.

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I enjoyed the pleasure of finding myself out of my comfort zone, in a different situation and the end of this test day came way too quickly. Mr. Cox would confirm positive results and I will gladly agree… With my silly smile just because I am in America, talking to Americans and that simple facts makes me happy.

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The conclusion is that I have some potential to drive fast without putting myself into an inexistent wall (there are some walls on other tracks apparently!) which is a positive takeaway in itself!

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On February 22nd, the next day, I found myself in the Queen City of Charlotte, NC, and it did not change at all since I last saw it in 2017 for my very first trip to America… A small detour by Concord brought me close to Mooresville and I briefly thought that 21 years earlier, on the exact same day, Dale Earnhardt was buried in that same city… I was missing some time and it was already the moment to say goodbye and head to Douglas Airport… With many memories in mind and glad of the bases built in this country where I just feel at home!