Disappointment at Central Circuit

With some spare time on the weekend I drove the fam up to Central Circuit in Hyogo Prefecture just for poops and giggles.  It was a rather pleasant drive via highway and local roads and about two hours later we had arrived.  I didn't know what was planned for that day before we had left.  I was just hoping to find a few cars whizzing around.

We paid our $10 to the little old lady at the gate and drove in.  I quickly parked and started to walk around.  However, the usual buzzing of race cars was no where to be heard.  Only an occasional roar of one car flying around.  Bummer I thought.  As we walked towards the pits I began to understand why.

It looked like a few GTR owners were there.  Well....actually there were a lot of them-


And then I noticed the food and sponsors that are usually not at small gatherings-


And then, I noticed the lineup of all new Nissan cars.  Hmmmmm


And finally, I noticed a giant line of people waiting and watching something-

 

 

 Soooo, it turns out it was a Nissan sponsored track day for the GTR Owners Club.  One of the reps noticed us with curious faces looking at the aforementioned line and asked if we wanted a ride in one of the new GTRs by a pro driver.  Well, we said "yes" and jumped in line immediately.  There were two cars, two drivers, a pit crew and about twenty people in front of us.  It was going to be a long wait but well worthwhile.  I walked around a little bit to see what else there was.

Such as one of the cars getting gas-

 As well as this nicely modified GTR-

The drivers were really pushing it and it was great to see and hear this beast fly around the track. 

A little air action in the front there-

 I went back to Yukino and waited a little bit longer.  Soon a staff came over and said "Do you want a members card?"  I said "Sure!"  Yukino and the man looked at me with strange faces.  He repeated, "Do you HAVE a members card?"  What...the....hell.....   "No," I replied.   He goes on to say, "only members can are able to go for a ride along."  What ...the....hell.....  There were more words exchanged, nothing bad, but I was unable to convince him to let me do it.  Hell, Yukino wanted to do it too.  Crap.

I don't know if I am just bitter but I think it was pretty bad PR for Nissan.  The staff said we could go for a ride.  Did he think I was a GTR owner?  A 27yo American GTR owner that showed up five hours too late driving a Mitsubishi?  Then we waited for an hour before we were told we couldn't participate.  Boo Nissan.  Boo.

Sayonara GTR!