We (the Stapel brothers -- Bill, Rick and myself) had our day on the track at California Speedway on March 04, 2001.

My brothers gave me a gift certificate at Christmas as a combination Christmas/Birthday gift. Shortly thereafter, they too decided it would be an experience they would both enjoy as well, and they, along with my brother-in-law Greg, also signed up for the Drivetech school. As it turned out, Greg was unable to attend.

We however, had the time of our lives. The day consisted of a brief period in a classroom type environment, then we ran a few laps with the instructor's car to give us an idea of the line around the track. After two or three laps, we spread out and began to pick up speed until we got to a point that the spotters felt we could be set free.

The rules were few; mainly that it is the passer's responsibility at all times, that the passee must move to the right and give permission to be passed, and more importantly, that we have fun. We obeyed the rules and we had fun. It took a week for me to be able to get the grin on my face.

They had the rev limiters set to keep us at around 135-140 miles per hour because we were first-timers, but when you attend more than once, you have the opportunity to select an advanced course where they raise the rev limiter's set point so you can go faster.

You are guaranteed twenty laps for the type of session for which we paid, and even after that brief experience, I can understand the strong physical conditioning professional drivers must maintain.

I had another great time on May 17, 2001. On that day I went to Willow Springs Raceway in Rosemond, California with a group of Corvettes from Guldstrand Racing Association. Once again, it took a week to get the grin off of my face.

I do not have a competitive-type of personality, but I did want to learn to handle my car better at speed. I mean, I had all the work done to the suspension and brakes, and I installed racing harnesses and a fire extinguisher, so I felt that I should take it to the track at least once.

I'm certainly glad that I did - the sound of my Corvette at wide-open-throttle in high gear then lifting the throttle to hear the side-exhaust system at it best was just the thrill of a lifetime for me. Not only that, but the car ran very well given the fact there were 88,000 miles on it at the time.

The day began when I arrived at the track along with several others. I had an unusual drive on the Los Angeles freeways getting there; I got on the 405 Fwy heading north at Redondo Beach Blvd. in Lawndale where I set the cruise control. After that, I only had to get off the cruise-control once in the entire 100-120 miles or so! Believe me, that's weird for ANY time on the Los Angeles freeway system.

Once at the track, we were divided into four groups; those with the experienced drivers were in the first group, I was in the second group.

The day began with the first group going out onto the track, while we (the second group) went into a classroom setting, where we received some basic track instructions and tips for finding the "line" around the course. Just as we wrapped-up the classroom part the first group finished with their twenty minute session, and we were called to the grid. In the classroom I discovered that I should increase my tires pressures, and then be required to go through a minimum tech inspection. After I did what was required of me and I got to the grid, everybody else was already on the track and had followed a leader around once in order to get a feel for the line. I hesitated, but they waved me onto the track anyway, probably thinking of course that I would pick it up in no time. WRONG!

I barely made it to Turn 3 when all of a sudden I had all of these Corvettes on my ass, and I hate to slow anybody down or keep somebody from passing, so I did my best to accelerate and lead the pack. Wrong again! I started up the hill in Turn 3 towards Turn 4 when the rear end of my car tried to get ahead of the front! Luckily, there was enough room that no one slammed into me but I just crept around the track, once I got it straightened-out again, and exited the session until I had the opportunity to have someone ride with me and talk me through the course.

It worked evidently because I was awarded the "Most Improved Driver" at the close of the day. Of course you can take that with a grain of salt - I was a bad driver to begin with, I couldn't help but improve!

The following is an excerpt from the DriveTech Racing School web site, explaining each of the nine turns from the perspective of the track owner:

Turn 1
On Tuesday, March 22, 1966, the first turn name was given to WSIR. Turn 1 was christened by Miss Susan Heigel, Miss Rosamond 1966, to be "Castrol Corner". My choice of Castrol Corner was not only for financial assistance, but as long as I've been around racing, I've smelled Castrol in the air, and every time I smell it around Willow my thoughts go back to Gilmore Stadium and the Hay-Days of the Mighty Midgets. How sweet that smell was!

Turn 2
The "Rabbit Ear" never had any christening. The name was attached to this 450-foot radius half-circle turn by me because of the diagram of the course. When the layout is positioned with the "Rabbit Ear" at the top, Turn 4 will make up the nose, Turns 5, 6, 7 and 8 make up the front and Turn 9 the tail, and finally the straightaway makes up the back. Not only does the layout resemble a jack rabbit, but while filming the feature length film, The Love Bug, the Walt Disney Productions crew nicknamed the track "Jack Rabbit Raceway". The name stuck and went on to be used as the name for Willow in the movie.

Turn 3
To date Turn 3 carries no name. I've thought about it many times, but decided that I would like someone else to think one up, or perhaps Budweiser could sponsor this sharp, left-hand uphill corner and we could call it "Bud's Point". After all I've picked up thousands of Budweiser cans in that area!

Turn 4
In 1981, I regained control of the raceway after the termination of a fifteen year lease. My first thoughts were to print a history of "The West's First Road Course". I decided then that corners needed names, so I began. In 1965, I made a deal with Carrol Shelby to advertise the Cobra name, and the entire outside of Turn 4 was surrounded with Cobra signs. At the time I figured it would be appropriate to name it "Cobra something or other", but never did. While sitting in the office in January 1982, I looked up the hillside at Turn 4 and thought to myself that spectating from up there is just like watching from a balcony... so "The Balcony" it was, from that day forward. It is from this area that spectators can view the entire race course, with a lot of action right in front of them on turns 3, 4, and 5, while looking out over "Wing's Leg", "The Sweeper", "Turn Nine", "Castrol Corner" and "The Rabbit Ear".

Turn 5
Exiting The Balcony, the racers rush down the hill and make a left turn of 90 degrees around a natural mound and on towards "Monroe Ridge". This left-hander also is just plain "Turn 5", and as yet remains nameless. Perhaps in the near future, someone will sponsor it. There's lots of action in the corner and not too far in the future, the area will be cleared and graded, providing one of the finer places to view the course from.

Turn 6
Next is "Monroe Ridge" or Turn 6. From Turn 5 to Monroe Ridge the road course rises and, at a crest, makes a right hand bend in which with any type of vehicle, bike or car, suspension is of the utmost importance. Heavier cars will lift the inside right wheel four to eight inches off the pavement... a real ticklish position to be in! With the thousands of dollars and many years the Monroe Shock Absorber Company has put into racing, I felt it only appropriate to name this cresting bend "Monroe Ridge".

Turn 7
"Wing's Leg" is undoubtedly the fastest bend on the raceway. After topping Monroe Ridge, the racers go full throttle down a one-thousand foot straight to a "dog-legged" 10-degree left turn. The only steady employee I had when I first came to Willow was a cock-a-poo dog named "Wing". There weren't many customers for testing, tuning or racing, but Wing's job was to chase the jackrabbits off the track when any customers did show. My only problem with Wing was that he didn't seem to know where the property ended, and sometimes, when he'd be hot on the tail of a rabbit in the morning, I wouldn't see him until that evening except for maybe once or twice crossing the track still in hot pursuit.

Turn 8
Turn 8 has always been called "The Sweeper" ever since I have been around Willow. I don't know who first called this long, sweeping right turn by this name, but I can well imagine the reason. The racers are close to top speeds as they exit Wing's Leg and turn slightly right into the 800-foot long sweeping turn. To drift out here means lots of problems once you leave the course. As for my choice to spectate from, it would be from the outside of Turn 8, "The Sweeper... where the fast action is."

Turn 9
Turn 9 will never carry any other name if it's up to me! Maybe only the word "terrible" could be added. The reputation of this decreasing right turn is known throughout the world. Most riders and drivers who have traveled "The Nine Turns of Willow" have lost control on Turn 9 more than any other corner. The skid marks make up a maze with very little asphalt not covered with rubber. The spin-out area on the inside of the turn is flat and spacious, seldom allowing a car to roll. Turn 9's not really too dangerous... It's just embarrassing!

In 2002, myself and brothers Bill and Greg attended Frank Hawley's Drag Racing School in Pomona. It's too bad Rick wasn't there to enjoy it with us.

That day I drove a Super Comp dragster for the first time. Hell, it was the first time I ever even drove on on real dragstrip!

Once again, the rev limiters and in this case, the lack of a transbrake kept our times as well as our speeds down to a manageable level for first-timers.