Hey yall ... it's time once again.

Join myself and the rest of the G35/350Z junkiews an HPDE (High Performance Driving Event) experience this May 6th. If you've got a 'lead foot' issue then this is definitely for you. You'll have more room and more opportunities to floor her and she what she's got ... all in a legal, safe and controlled environment.

If you're a newby to high performance driving (aka track newbie), please do not be intimidated. Everyone was a newb at one time (even me ). Virtually all of them will also tell you that they wonder why they haven't discovered this any sooner. Driving instructors (for a small fee) will be available for those of you interested and is required as a first-timer.

Spectators are welcome too for FREE!!!

If you still have doubts, come on out anyways and decide for yourself if this is what you'd like to do next time. At least catch a ride w. someone. I'll be the unofficial track tour guy once again. Look me up for a few flying laps ... just promise not to toss any cookies while in the vehicle.

Once again, we'll be going through the fine folks at Speed Ventures for this event. I liken their laid back style. Depending on the number for participants ... I should be able to get us FREE timing transponder rental once again. There WILL be plenty of track time ... more than you know what to do with.

This year ... we're also thinking of possibly setting up a group BBQ for lunch!!!
For those of you not as interested in driving ... maybe we could recruit yall as our grill master!

What da yall think?





Event date: May 6
Cost: $160 (all day ... till they kick us out)

Note: This is on a Friday, so do plan ahead! I don't know about you, but I'm feeling a case of pneumonia in about 3 weeks time.




Still haven't a clue what this is all about?!?!?!

Go check out some VIDEOS by yours truely.

scroll all the way to the bottom of the page and click on any of the 'yellow' square buttons for videoz.



Got boost? got ballz? ... Just do it!



Sign up below.

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Sign up list:

#. Screen Name (real name) - yes/no to BBQ

1. THX723 (Clint) - yes
2. DKLau33 (Darren) - yes
3. Eagle1 (Ed) - yes
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Quick Q. I've never been to a track before... is it recommended to stay with the "noob" begginer course or should I just jump into others? Since this one is on a Friday, i won't be able to make it but if it were on a weekend, I'm def. down.

 

Hey SHO!

As a first-timer ... you are required to be in the 'beginners' class. You'll also be given some class room instructions to the rules, flags and tips to the particular track (i.e. places to watch out for). In addition, you'll be assigned an insturctor.

Sounds like a lot and even a bit intimidating but I'm reasonably sure you'll be so overwhelmed by the 'on track' experience that running in the 'beginners' group is plenty to go around!

Weekend HPDE events are hard to come by and when they do ... they cost a great deal more. I'm looking to possibly set another one that is a 'weekend' deal this Oct. 1. May be I'll see you then!

 

Hi, Clint,

I was just at the Long Beach Grand Prix a couple weeks ago and am itching to take the Z out for some action now . :-)

Where can I get more details on your event? Specific hours, cost for the instructor (i've never been to a track)...and how is the event run? I.e., do you run the track with others on it at the same time; what types of controls are used (if multiple cars on the track at the same time, are they spaced to avoid each other, can you pass, etc.); once you're on the track, how long do you stay; roughly how many times can you get on the track during the day?

I assume the type of car doesn't really matter? I've got a friend with a G35 that may want to go, but I assume that's fine because I htnk that's what you drive. :-) Are other non-Nissan cars welcome?

I'm also considering autocross--have you ever tried that?

Thanks!
Carlin

 

I've run with speedventures 2 times and had a blast each time. Here is the link to their website. Look around and you should find the answers to many of your questions.

http://www.speedventures.net/

 

Carlin,
I was at LBGP as well. With the slumping of Champ Car market ... this was the best at Long Beach in years. Thanks greatly to the presence of Foruma D!
It definitely spiced up the crowd!

I'm not actually the event organizer. I'm just another track junky who wishes more Zs and Gz will partake at the track. Speed Ventures, the real event organizer/Club are fine folks to run with. They are very laid back and down to earth.

You will be running with other cars on the track. It is however typically split into THREE different run groups (via experience) that rotates throughout the day. For the beginners group, passing is allowed only on designated area and only upon 'signal' by the car in front. This insure safety is first and no newbies are pressured into making a mistake. The idea is to allow everyone to run at their own pace. For some, runing at 50% is just as thrilling and satisfying. It's the ideal of being able to drive like you can't on the street as well as *learning* the art of high performance driving.

Any brand and model car is definitely welcomed. So invite them ALL!!! All they ask is one that won't fall apart and litter pieces over the track.

Time on the track should be plenty ... likely to be more than you'll want for the very frist time. Each session is typically around 20-30 min. The groups rotate until we get kicked off the track.


Sign up for the event is easy.
1. Create a user name in Speed Venture's system (Membership is FREE).
2. Pay for the event via Check, PayPal, Credit Card, etc.
3. Show up on track day and have fun!
4. Do it angain and again!

The cost for Buttonwillow is $160 ... that includes lunch.
The day starts 7am and ends as the sun fades to the south (~4pm).
For your first time, you'll be required to get an instructor ($30).
Even if this isn't your first time tracking, I highly encourage the assistance of a track instructor to navigate you through the 23 turns for Buttonwillow (a fairly technical track).


Feel free to ask more questions here ... I'll try to answer them to the best of my knowledge. Other track veterans are also welcome to dive in.


In the mean time ... here are additional info for you:

- Speed Ventures Home Page
- A nice Tracking FAQ to read.
- Another discussion/sign up at G35driver.com


Lastly, invite some friends out. Not every attendantee has to drive/race they can simply watch or bum a ride ). It is still FREE.

Hint: It's not uncommon that owners of some insanely souped up cars give rides if you ask nicely!

Cheers,

 

Thanks Rick and Clint!

Sounds like a lot of fun. I poked around on the SpeedVentures site and it does answer a lot of questions. Looks like beginners have two 25 minute sessions. That probably is plenty for a first time, but I bet it'll leave me thirsty for more soon. ;-)

Hmm. Here's a question, though perhaps I should just contact Speed Ventures: Can a single driver bring two cars? I've been really itching to take my stock Touring Z out, but I've also got an auto G35 sedan w/Stillen supercharger, sway bars, 245/265 tires, and eibach springs which would probably be fun... I'd be interested in comparing their handling and power characteristics.

Thanks for all the info!
Carlin

 

Yup. Truthfully ... if ever you find that you were cheated of track time (other than legitament down times such as track clean up) ... speak w. them nicely in private. The folks at Speed Ventures are cool enough to work w. you. May be a slight discount for future events? So, it's all good.

Ask for the two car deal ... that's not the first time I've been asked. It's only a shame I don't know the answer to that. I can find out for ya ... stay tuned!

 

CDogg:
You should get four sessions at least. The first two will be with instructors, then usually you can go solo after that (though you can have instructors for each run if you want).

Here is a newbie introduction to Buttonwillow that I wrote over a year ago when I was right where you are sitting now...a sort of Walter Mitty type experience. It should help get your bearings on the experience, and it was with Speedventures.
http://www.g-owners.com/article_read.asp?id=32

There are other articles and some in car video that I took as well at other tracks later which you can review here:

http://www.g-owners.com/article_read.asp?id=42

Enjoy.

 

yup we had some issues, and they made it right.


btw this trackday is getting really tempting, but the only good tires i have right now are on my 19s

 

Nice try buddy! Sucky tires are arguably more fun to run on ... that's when you really learn the art of countersteering.

Just do it!

 

ever think of going to a drift day?

 

I do my drifting at the end of track days

 

Sweet ... another taker! Come'n folks let's see more!


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Sign up list:

#. Screen Name (real name) - yes/no to BBQ
1. THX723 (Clint) - yes
2. DKLau33 (Darren) - yes
3. Eagle1 (Ed) - yes
4. Hydrazine (Tony) - yes
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

 

Yet ... another taker!


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Sign up list:

#. Screen Name (real name) - yes/no to BBQ
1. THX723 (Clint) - yes
2. DKLau33 (Darren) - yes
3. Eagle1 (Ed) - yes
4. Hydrazine (Tony) - yes
5. ZazaRacing (Avo) - yes
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

 

I am interested in this but I see they have an event at the California Speedway May 27th and June 18th and 19th. Is this the same style of event? CASW is a lot closer to where I am at is all.

 

Yes ... both are dedicated closed circuits and both are great tracks. There are subtle difference however. Buttonwillow is open and unobstructed. It is surrounded by nothing but yellow fields during this time of the year. In return it offers some of the most wonderful transitions (turns) that'll make you learn. California Speedway has got this industrial feel to it ... w. it's great towering grand stands and the mighty highspeed banked turn is second to non. The layout is relatively mild and nothing special otherwise. I like em both ... they are very different.

Distance to Buttonwillow from Sherman Oaks isn't as far as you may think. We normally caravan to the track as a group. It makes for a fun and enjoyable drive up the I-5. You'd be at the track before you'd even know it.

p.s. We're likely going to setup another group to Cali Speedway later this year too.

 

I would second everything my friend Clint has said, but add a couple of other observations.

Buttonwillow was designed, built and is owned by the SCCA. It is not only a competition track, but it is a teaching track. It has almost every conceivable type of turn available, braking challenge to confront, and handling equation to learn.....when you throw in the different configurations of the track and the ability to run it both directions. Part of the charm and intrique with the track is that it is a great place to go as a newbie, because it has lots of run off areas and is reasonably safe (bear in mind you can screw up anywhere and thump your car if you are foolish or something breaks on the car) due to absence of obstructions.

California Speedway has a lot of flat running, and some very challenging turn configurations. But it has two other things that in my perception make it NOT a good place for your first experience. Firstly, there are LOTS of walls and tire barriers, so less forgiving. Secondly, there are much higher speeds when you run the ROVAL, as they shall do on May 27th.

The ROVAL is one of the big reasons you go to CS in the first place. An 11 degree banked straight that feeds into 14 degree banked turns one and two. Speeds in excess of 130mph are very achieveable in a stock NA G35, and if you are modified or with FI you can certainly reach 150mph+. With a concrete wall running the full length of that trip. I do not think that it is the best place for a first experience, whereas Buttonwillow ....hard to think of a better place for a first experience.

Make no mistake, Buttonwillow in many respects is much harder to drive well than CS, it is just more forgiving of a minor judgment error. And as you advance in your skills you want to get back out to Buttonwillow to work and polish those skills up.

Also there is cost. CS is about twice what Buttonwillow costs.

Just something to think about.

 

Great info and thanks!

I will be sitting this one out and I think I will have to pass until I get two more things squared away with my 350z.

1) Bigger, better brakes

2) Tires.

Until then, I can only watch...

 

Not a problem. It will still be fun for you to come out and experience the scene first hand as a spectator. The sight and smell of burning rubber and gasoline is also known to be therapeutic.

I do want to point out the misconception of needing to soup out the car to go tracking. In the case of all out competitive racing, by all means go with the stickiest tires, largest brakes and most power motor you can find. Because there everything and every little bit counts. Unfortunately for most of us mortal souls, money is a factor and it is certainly not bottomless. You can enjoy yourself just as much w.o. half of the mods. It is after all more about having fun than it is to be the champion at the end of the day.

Too often, through my many years in the sport I find people lose sight of the main purpose, that is to go tracking, as they dig into their wallet harder and harder trying to making their car 'more track ready'. Remember, it also costs money to enter track events!

The 350Z and G35 is very well built right out of the box and able to cope with the typical HPDE track day environment quite well. I promise there's only two thing you need to take care of and be set to go.

1. A set of heavier duty brake pads (~$150-250)
Swap these suckers in and out as necessary for the track days only. They'll last you quite a few events. The stockers pads will resume work on the street. It is also an extremely easy DIY job. Let me know if you need help. Look to use Hawkk HP+, Carbotech BobCat or Panther lines, etc.

2. Heavier Duty Brake Fluid (~$30-50)
Something like the Motul 5.1 is good enough. Once in the system ... it stays in. You can enjoy them on a daily basis w.o. any issues. This is another one of those fairly easy DIY gigs.

Yup ... that's it! All that you'll need to be able to enjoy a track day. The single largest 'mod' you can do after this point is your own driving skills. Other mods (i.e. better tires, big brake kits, coil-overs, etc.) can come as you start to out grow the components.

Cheers,