peptidbond

iTrader: (2)

Good afternoon,

Well, I have done a few HDPE events through SpeedTrialUSA and I love it. Both events have been held at Gingerman in Michigan and it is a great track. However, due to my location in Cleveland, I have to make a serious trip out of it and I only get limited seat time compared to the effort.

So, I am looking for ways to get more seat time at more tracks with less effort and hotel costs. I did some searching on the web but I did not find much. Finding SpeedTrialUSA was easy because they post here. Now I need to find ways onto tracks on my own.

I have many tracks in my area that I could use. For example, Nelson Ledges and the famous Mid-Ohio are only about an hour from my house. However, their sites have not information on HDPE events or open track time. Considering how useful Mid-Ohio is, I doubt they will ever have open track time.

So how do you find track time a local tracks with little cost? I would like to find track events at tracks within 1 hours drive for no more than $150 per day (comparable to SpeedTrialUSA at Gingerman). I also would want 20 minutes per hour on track and at least 6 heats. Any suggestions?

Thanks.

commasense

Happy to help:

Check out Trackschedule.com and Chasin' Racin'. The former is a pretty good list of HPDE events, mostly on the East Coast. The latter helps you find tracks (of all kinds) everywhere in the country, but doesn't include info on events.

Also check the official sites for NASA, and various car clubs, like Porsche Club of America, BMWCCA, Audi Club, etc. (The car clubs often let non-club makes into their events if they have room.)

In fact, according to Trackschedule.com, it looks like the Buckeye Chapter of the BMW Club is having an event on Nov. 1 and 2.

You should also look into BeaveRun, which is probably two hours or less from you. I haven't been, but I'm told it's a great track. Next year.

I've heard Nelson Ledges is in pretty bad shape.

A bunch of us had a great (although cold!) time at Mid-Ohio with NASA last April.

If you have some extra cash saved up, or win the lottery, or something, you should consider taking the Skip Barber 3-Day Racing School. It'll cost about $3,000, but it is worth it! I did it at Mid-Ohio in 2001 and it was absolutely great!

Good luck!

mhoward1

Also check your local chapter of SCCA.

Jewelz350

Jason, in case you haven't seen the posts, there is an event at Putnam Park (Indy) on the 25th and 26th. It runs $175 for one day and $300 for two.

Jason Bourne

Also check Tracmasters, Tracquest, PDA.

I recommend Tracmasters (I instruct for them and they have Mid-Ohio events - although I think the season may be done now).

Jason

John

iTrader: (17)

Check the sites Commasense mentioned. I was one of the Z's out there in April with him for Mid-Ohio, and we had an absolute blast. I'm definitely planning on going again next year.

I know somebody who ran Nelson Ledges a few months ago, and that track has fallen apart. His remarks: "reminded me of the roads in DC."

commasense

That must be where I heard about Nelson Ledges.

peptidbond

iTrader: (2)

Yikes! Ok, so I will avoid Nelson Ledges. I get enough bad driving in the city of Cleveland. Hell, my street isn't even a street anymore. It is simply pothole patches.

Thanks for the links everyone. I will certainly check around a lot. Where is Beaver Run by the way? I seen the name before but I do not know where it is at.

peptidbond

iTrader: (2)

Never mind. I found the Beaver. It is the one I always confuse with Summit Point. I have to remember "Summit Racing is in Ohio, Summit Point is not".

commasense

Summit Point is in West Virginia, and is my (and John's) home track. It's no more than six hours from you. It's a great track.

Kayaalp

As Commasense says, you best best is to start with the BMW CCA and the PCA. I know that a couple of CCA chapters run events at Mid Ohio and they generally cost about $150-$200 per day.

When it comes to the number of sessions, you might be a little unrealistic in your expectations. You don't get much out of track time unless you're in a group with drivers that are roughly comparable to your ability level and you have an instructor. That's why most schools break the students up into 3 groups (novice, intermediate, and advanced), plus the instructors run in their own group.

Tracks are open pretty much from 9 to 5 (they open the gates earlier, but you're not allowed to run until 9), plus you need to take an hour off to give the corner workers lunch. That means you have about 7 hours of total track time. You can't give people more than 4 sessions per day if you only have 7 hours and 4 rungroups (that's 16 sessions). I've organized some driving schools for the BMW Club of Quebec, and believe me there are lots of constraints! We tried really hard to give everyone 5 sessions/day, but there's no way to make it work unless you mix rungroups...and that's not a great idea. You would need tons of instructors (since they're all out on the track at the same time), plus things get dangerous and people start to complain.

The only way to get more time is to run with orgainizations that use few rungroups or run an open trackday. This is not a great idea unless you're a pretty advanced student. You won't learn much and you certainly won't be safe unless you're a pretty experienced track driver to begin with.

Emre

archman350z

Peptidbond,

If you get a chance next summer, you should come up to my neighborhood. The PCA holds events at Waterford Hills usually on the weekdays, but this year they had a weekend event. I think Cleveland is 3 hours, so it won't be as bad as Gingerman. Besides, then I can show you around the track and repay the favor at Gingerman. Oh, and there won't be any punks in EVOs there! They are a bit more strict than SpeedTrial, but the instructors are first-class.

Rally Sport Region Website

-Eric.

peptidbond

iTrader: (2)

I sure hope they are more strict. I just about lost it at Gingerman!

For those that were not there, archman350z was riding with me so that I could show him the lines of the track. We had a couple "issues" with other drivers. We were stuck behind some punk in a silverstone 350z for a while. He would not flag people by and then he would bolt in the straights. He never lost me, but he was annoying. He eventually realized that he need an instructor. Also on the same lapping session, an Evo 8 passed me on the inside of a dangerous turn. Not only cannot you not pass in turns, but you cannot pass on the inside, with or without a signal from the leader. What a mutherfizzer!

I will certainly consider Waterford. I would love to come see your neck of the woods.

EnthuZ

iTrader: (2)

Just so I don't miss any local news.......

James, THANK YOU for the links!

I will put in a GREAT word for the PCA.....Awesome instructors! & Very well organiZed. Give your local chapter a call......it can't hurt.

Newbee's NEED instruction! If you're good, they will notice, and advance you.

Hunter..........I see you're addicted Sorry, there is no cure!


Hope to see a bunch of you at MidOhio!

John

iTrader: (17)

You should join us for next March at Mid-Ohio EnthuZ! Last year, we had Commasense, Brackhead, Sunset Z, and myself... had a great time albeit the bitterly cold weather transition and flurries on Sunday...

archman350z

Hey John, I might be interested too. If you have any details, give me a jingle. Mid-Ohio is such a legendary track.

Yeah, Peptid, that guy was a ****-shine. I can't believe he passed you in turn 11 !!! Anyway, we'll see next summer...I think you'll like Waterford.

By the way, would any of you be interested in a racing school? Bridgestone has an Academy near Toronto. The nice thing is that you can go for only one day, so it can be less than $1000. Plus you get your very own open-wheel car. Here's the link:

Bridgestone F2000

The neat thing is that if you complete the series, you can actually get your CART license! Ahh...one step closer to chasing my girl Danica around the track in Toyota Atlantic...
I'm going to try to make the trip next summer. Hopefully I get a discount when I show up on the Potenza RE040s...