This event is now open to Z owners. The day will be Saturday July 3rd, 2004. The MotorSport Ranch is a 304 acre facility located 14 miles South of Fort Worth, Texas on Highway 377. Think of the MotorSport Ranch as a "Sports Car Country Club". Most country clubs consist of activities that center around a golf course, these activities will center around a road course instead. The MotorSport Ranch is a place to explore the potential of these cars and for the drivers to develop and practice their driving skills on a 1.7 mile, 11 turn road course.

Here are the details:

The minimum number or cars is 20 cars, the maximum is 32. The is for an afternoon at the track with 4 driving sessions and a classroom session. This will be similar to a Drivers Education event from other clubs, but only 1 day and at a lower cost. The cost is $95.00 per driver. This is the exact cost of the event from Motorsport Ranch including the insurance for the event. There should be one driver per car, no sharing of cars. We allow passengers on the two "lead and follow" sessions, but not in the later sessions. The lead and follow sessions are with pace cars and no allowed passing on the track. Helmets are not required during the "lead and follow" sessions, but are required for the open sessions later. MotorSport Ranch has a supply of helmets for rent for $10.00 each or you can bring your own. Helmets much mean Snell M95 or higher. After the Lead and Follow sessions will be a class room session. Then there will be 2 more 25-minute sessions with no passengers, no paces cars, helmets and passing only on the 2 long straights. Each driver and passenger is required to sign the necessary insurance waiver.

All participants must be there by 1:00 pm. You will need to go through a tech inspection before driving on the track. There will be an inspection day at Grubb's Infiniti from 11:00 am ot 2:00 pm on Saturday, June 19th. If you are unable to attend the pre-tech, you can either contact me to get teched at my house in Richardson or be at the track at 11:30 am on the day of the event. Your brake fluid should be clean and clear. If it is black, bleed your brakes before coming out or you will not be allowed on the track. Deposits will be check written to "Motorsport Ranch" for $95.00(without helmet) or $105.00(with helmet) and must be received by June 5th by me to get a place. The event is for G35 and Z owners. The checks will be held until June 11th, when they will be sent to Motorsport Ranch for event payment. PM me with your e-mail address and I will forward the information, signup and registration forms.

Loren

 

Loren,

is this event tied in with the Dallas Z Club, or the Cowtown Z Club in Ft. Worth, or is this just something that you've put together?

 

It is something I put together originally for the G35 club of DFW. It was originally proposed at the last G35 meeting. There were originally some issues because the G35 club does not have a charter or even a non-profit organization status. Legally, they don't exist. In fact, anyone could actually register their name in Austin and take it away. I arranged everything through Jack at MSR and it is officially on the schedule as a G35 club event with myself as an organizer. I handle the registration and tech inspection. MSR handles everything else, including the insurance. To get around the issue of not having a tax certificate for the club, I arranged for MSR to take indiviual checks all at once.

Looking at events like Drivers Edge and Porsche club, are normally 2 full days at a much greater expense per day. Not everyone has 2 days to spend at the track. Most are actually pretty worn out after one. Given the low cost I was given from MSR (there is no markup), this seemed to be a great opportunity to the community. I was hoping on more interest from the G35 community, but they as a group are not the enthusiasts that Z owners are . I think it is too great an opportunity to let go. I was at the Dallas Z club meet tonight presenting it to everyone. Eight people signed up, including Mike Quan.

Because of my desire to do more sporting events, I may join the Z club and take an active role organizing events in the future even though I don't have a Z. It seems impossible to get G35 owners interested in doing anything that would explore limits or share in the organization of events. A lot of G owners are snobbish or extremely bland and will never understand why 6-MTs have the big Brembo brakes or why there is a VDC off switch. Most have no concept of what a DE is. I like the sporting interest of the Z club. I have been active in the Miata club and on the Board of Directors for Equipe Rapide, so I well experienced in putting on events and they have a common interest.

 

Thanks to Loren for coming to last night's meeting. The Z Club of Texas has associated memberships available (interest in the Z but do not own a Z) for $25 per year!

If your minimum is 20 cars, with the 8 signed up, have you met the minimum or are more cars needed? (I know of non-Zs who may be interested!)
Thanks!

 

Steve was trying to get $30 out of me at the meeting. Strangely, people from the G club are just now getting entries in. I am actually getting entries in daily. From the current sign-up lists, I should have 24 leaving 8 slots to fill the field. But, a lot of the entry forms have not been received. Bottom line is it is first come, first serve. There is one thing I am strongly trying to avoid: having cars that are a lot slower than us in the event. It really sucks if you close on a slow car on the straight and have to ride his a$$ all the way around the track until you can pass on the straight again. If it is similar in speed, I would consider it. On the other hand I have one twin-trubo car that is definitely going to be there. If I get more than 32 entries that the first 32 get the field and the additional ones will be alternates if anyone drops out. At the end of next week, I will post the number of entries and entry list...and yes, I am entry #1.

Also, spectators are welcome. I have to warn people that are coming out to be a spectator. After you see the reactions from people after finished thier first run group, you will get very depressed from all the fun you are missing.