Open track days, how do you do it?

[High Plains Mopars]

I've been checking with a local road course about track days, and they don't seem real responsive about having unafilliated, non comp licensed, unregistered driver using their facility. Okay, so how do I play.

Most weekend dates are already reserved by clubs. The track said just join a club and you can drive with them. Well, these clubs typically are $150 membership fees with $100 entry fees and only two dates that they run. Add to that most want you to attend their school before letting you run, and it adds another $100-500.

If I run independant, then I have to register for a 4 hr, $150 training event, during a weekday. Then I am eligible to rent the track by myself for $100 per half day, only on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thrusdays, or Fridays. Even if I want to reserve a weekend date, promote my own event, and attempt to have my own open track day for anyone, they can't run until they completed the 4 hr training class.

Having come from the bracket racing world where I pay my money and run my car, this is a wholly new hurdle to me. Am I being naive in thinking that going road racing was as easy to get rolling with as drag racing? How are things organized in other parts of the country?

[MSchu]

Where are you located? What track are you talking to? Gotta know where you're at to provide further sources to get on track. Those fees are on the cheap side and the training is well worth it if you ask me.

[RobM]

have to pay to play my friend

[ProBell]

I run with the BMW club at Lime Rock Park. They run at a bunch of tracks all around the country. Their entry fee is $35 and the track events I run are around $300 each. You do not need any other training. The BMW club track days are high performance driving schools, They start you out at beginner 1 and move you up from their.
One good thing about running a school event is a lot of insurance company's will cover the car even on the track.
Link to the BMW club--- http://www.ctvalley.org/
Randy

[BB69]

My buddy and I simply called the tracks up and asked about renting them for the day. We did this about 5 times over the last year, and we are planning another 4-5 events this year. The tracks here are happy to rent to us. We then sell spots to cover the cost. Some of the tracks here also offer test and tune evenings during the week.

Ken

[ProBell]

What tracks do you rent?

[BB69]

We have Gingerman rented for April 30th, and we rented Grattan several times last year. We also have a reservation at the new track near Ottawa, Canada: Calabogie Motorsports Park. If we can work it in, we will also rent Putnam Park.

Ken

[High Plains Mopars]

Well, I guess I'm just a cheapskate. To hit the track for two days; $70 for bracket racing, or $550 for road racing, and I have to do it during the week. Dang big difference between the two. Of course the thrill factor is significantly different. I suppose I could just offer to act as the trophy car at the local oval track on select nights and use intermission to turn laps and do it all for free.

Now BB69 is doing what I thought was feasible. Rent the track, sell slots to offset the cost, everyone comes out and has fun. What sort of issue do yo have in regards to corner workers, insurance costs, flagging or timing? Are they hitting you with any issues about driver training?

Probell, are you running a muscle car at the BMW events? Do they give you any grief about it or are you a club member as well? Ultimatly this is all I want to do, pay a fee, take my car out, turn some laps. I'm not interested in racing any one other than myself and a stop watch. I'd also like to take the wife out and give her the chance to enjoy the car as well. I suppose taking a class to hit the track isn't a bad deal. But if I have to add in teh club membership fee for any of these weekends, then the cost goes up rapidly.

I'm waiting on a reply back from the track about event participation after their school. I'm not opposed to going through their safety course to get on track, even thought I've held licenses by nascar, nhra,and imca before and know my way around a corner. If doing so allows me to participate without joining any of the various clusb that run on the precious few weekends available, then cool. I'll bite the bullet and pay.

FWIW, the track is in Colorado and is a mulit-use venue with the road course and drag strip occupying the same peice of real estate. As such, scheudle are usually set well in advance with teh drag strip getting the majority of the dates.

[ProBell]

Yes I run my car with the BMW club. They open their track days to any car that is safe. I started with them because my friend that got me involved with road racing runs a fast M3.

[mpozzi]

Have you ever looked into autocrossing, or SCCA Solo II, events?? You could probably run an entire autocross season for what you say one open track day will cost you.

Plus, most events have classes for women and she'll learn a lot about driving without having other cars pushing her to go faster than she may be comfortable with. I autocrossed for years and had lots of fun, and success too, with it.

You're from Colorado and there's a huge autocross contingency there. Check the SCCA website and they can direct you from there.

Cheers,
Mary Pozzi

[Norwoodx55]

I live in Colorado too (Ft. Collins) and want to get onto a road course. I have been looking into an affordable way to do so. It does sound like the club route is the best way in, I just don't know the right "club" to join. Without the club, it sounds like tracks want roll cages, fuel cells, and fire systems....not the stuff my car has. I just want to go out and find the limits of my car at my own risk. Where are you at High Plains? I think there are a few members in CO., we should try to get a track event going.
Brett

[High Plains Mopars]

Hey Norwood. I'm in Colo Spgs, so I'm pretty central to Pueblo, Stapleton, La Junta, Breckinridge, and the soon to be open Genoa.

The club route may be one way to go as most club seem to have an event or two at most tracks around the state. If you want to travel with the club, then you can hit quite a few events. The alternative is to get license/signoff at your closest track, then contact the clubs that run there and see if they will let you attend. Like Probell does, the BMW, Miata, or some other club may fill slots for available members, and then be willing to allow other makes as space allows.

At least in Colorado, some clubs that hit the track are;
1)Rocky Mtn Vintage Racing. These guys are pretty serious about presenting period correct, vintage trans am style events. Very restrictive in rules and mods.
2)Colorado Exotic Car Assoc. which is primarily European exotics, but they also will allow muscle cars to run with them as well. Fairly open with rules since it is run in groups and not actual racing. Almost entirely street cars here.
3)Nostalgia Racing. These guys are kind of a hybrid of the above two. Mostly race cars made before 1976 and include everything from small sports cars to the big block Can Am cars. I believe they have some street classes, but I'm not positive.
4)National Auto Sport Assoc (nasa), which is almost entirely street cars at this level but they do offer things like the Camaro/Mustang Challenge, American Iron Challenge and other semi-pro racing. They hit a number of tracks a number of times and offer their tiered drving program called the High Performance Driving Experience which is a great way to get your car on the track without worying about roll cages, fire systems and the like.
5)SCCA, which has road courses as well as the solo time trials that Mary refered to above.

I may join one of the clubs listed above, but I'm undecided at the present. Since my cars is a work in progress, I want to do some baseline measurements before I jump into changing a lot of things. Obviously some of the above aren't going to want a somewhat rusty, partially primered, old Dodge at some of their events. Some may not mind. In any case, buying into memberships to just go run once in a while isn't a big positive in my mind at this point in time, but may be the route I go in the future.

[Norwoodx55]

I will have to look into some of the clubs you mentioned. Thanks. BTW, you mention Breckenridge, is there some sort of track up there now? I lived in the Breck, Frisco area for 8 years. The only thing I remember was that RMVR had a hill climb event on Swan Mt. road. I caught the tail end of it, I was bummed I didn't see more. Is this what you are referring to or is there something else? Brett

[BB69]

[quote=High Plains Mopars]Well, I guess I'm just a cheapskate. To hit the track for two days; $70 for bracket racing, or $550 for road racing, and I have to do it during the week. Dang big difference between the two. Of course the thrill factor is significantly different. I suppose I could just offer to act as the trophy car at the local oval track on select nights and use intermission to turn laps and do it all for free.

Now BB69 is doing what I thought was feasible. Rent the track, sell slots to offset the cost, everyone comes out and has fun. What sort of issue do yo have in regards to corner workers, insurance costs, flagging or timing? Are they hitting you with any issues about driver training?

Probell, are you running a muscle car at the BMW events? Do they give you any grief about it or are you a club member as well? Ultimatly this is all I want to do, pay a fee, take my car out, turn some laps. I'm not interested in racing any one other than myself and a stop watch. I'd also like to take the wife out and give her the chance to enjoy the car as well. I suppose taking a class to hit the track isn't a bad deal. But if I have to add in teh club membership fee for any of these weekends, then the cost goes up rapidly.

quote]

When we rent a track, we have to pay for an ambulance and corner workers. Depending on the track, the insurance is either included in the rental fee, or you have to get insurance for the day. We also have to pay for corner workers. The tracks normally have a minimum number they require, and then give you the option of hiring more if you want.

As for instruction, we have a session first thing in the morning for the two less experienced groups of drivers. This instruction session is run by our instructors and has proved very useful for first time drivers. We do this session while the other two groups run their first session of the day. This is in addition to the drivers' meeting where we go over the flags, track entrance and exit, and other basic rules.

There is no fee to join our "club" and we don't have limitations on vehicle types. We do require people to register on our website, but that is only so we can communicate with everyone. Other than that, the track allows us to set most of the rules. The biggest requirement from both the track and us is that your vehicle is trackworthy, and that you drive in a safe manner.

Thanks
Ken

[High Plains Mopars]

Brett,

yes, the RMVR hill climb is what I was refering to. I've also heard of some vintage stuff in the Steamboat area too, but I've never looked into it. There is also a rumor floating around that PPIR is in negotiations to become a club track that could remina intact so long as no events using IRL or Nascar sanctioning are ever run their.

[Varkwso]

Very few clubs will let you go out on the track without an instructor as a novice. And if they do - I would not want to run with them. Running a road course is much different than bracket/drag racing or even auto-X. 95% of the drivers out there cannot reach average lap speeds at their first event. 95% do not understand what their car is capable of. Get used to getting passed by "lesser" cars for a while.

Most reputable clubs require a pre-tech inspection and then a tech inspection at the event. They require instruction so you know the rules, the basics of a road course (apex, entry, track out, brake points, threshold braking, spin procedures, flags, track entry, pit entry, etc.) and most of all - are safe. It is all for you and your cars safety.

I do 30-35 events a year so it does get real addicting. I sometimes still drag race when I am bored....

Sandia is down by ABQ - I have run there and at Pueblo.

Hill climbs require pretty stringent safety equipment (as they should).