Trackdays

[Saul_Good]

Ok, so I am a major track whore and want to convert other people into being tarmac junkies too. It's the reason we mod our cars with all the fancy suspension and power producing components. Don't let it go to waste and lets use it for its intended purpose.

I'll try to update this every month w/new track dates
High Plains: (Open Lapping so you can pay in advance or arrive and drive)
Sept 7, 14, 21, 28

Pike Peak Raceway:
Sept 22, 23 (w/NASA)
http://www.nasaproracing.com/event/1334

Pueblo Motorsports Park
Oct 20, 21 (w/NASA)
http://www.nasaproracing.com/event/1332

[Colombia28]

You are my new best friend.

Yours always,

Fellow track whore

[geo2maz]

i'm putting HPR in my calendar for the 7th, your video has convinced me

[Colombia28]

i'm putting HPR in my calendar for the 7th, your video has convinced me

Oh what video? I love me some HPR videos.

[geo2maz]

from the "The Miata" post:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIOWUTnc5Vk&feature=youtube_gdata_player

[Colombia28]

Thanks for the link.

[G-Man]

Trackdays are tons of fun, and pretty low-effort. Then you get all crazy about them and want to do more and more to your car, and soon you're racing wheel-to-wheel. Which is even more fun!

Here's some video from me racing at Pueblo last year:
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ftGBJMyKVw"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ftGBJMyKVw[/ame]

And a shameless plug for my race car for sale. It'd be a fantastic and very affordable track car - good for autocross, track day, race, rallycross and eveything but on the street:
https://sites.google.com/site/inventoryrx7/home/the-race-car
(New lower price)

I've got some video from HPR this spring that I should edit down and put up there. Good stuff!

[geo2maz]

So i have no idea how it works or what to expect,...
For HPR open lapping, how does it work? do you just show up anytime and race?
Are helmets provided or bring-your-own?

There website has lots of info but i'm a little lost...

[Colombia28]

You sort of have it right. Only difference is you have to buy a "pass" for either a full day or a half day, and only on the days that are open track days for cars. They have bike days too if ya got one. You will need a helmet and possibly long pants. I know NASA doesn't allow shorts in car, but the open lapping days I can't remember. It's good fun.

[A&PwitMS6]

what about drivers ed... (do u need "safe driving" class or something of the sort)

[Saul_Good]

So i have no idea how it works or what to expect,...
For HPR open lapping, how does it work? do you just show up anytime and race?
Are helmets provided or bring-your-own?

There website has lots of info but i'm a little lost...

Just like Colombia mentioned, you can sign up for the open lapping days that are available or you can show up the day of and drive (this costs ~$10 more vs pre-registering).
Depending on which session you sign up for you are required to attend a mandatory driver's meeting prior to entering the track and it is usually 30min to an hour before the actual on-track time. So if you sign up for the 1-5:00 session then you'll need to be at the track by at least 12:00.
You'll need a helmet, preferably an SA2010 rated helmet (they have helmets available to rent also).

For NASA events there's a bit more involved on top of what I mentioned above. They require you to have a 'tech inspected car' which may require you find a shop that will sign off on a form that says your car is 'track safe' or you can perform this action at the track (but it may/may not cost extra). I've haven't run w/NASA in awhile so there maybe changes that i'm unaware of.

[Saul_Good]

what about drivers ed... (do u need "safe driving" class or something of the sort)

If you've never been on track it would be advisable to take a novice class so they can at least teach you the flags and how to handle yourself while on the course. The main thing you learn is to be safe so you won't hurt yourself or others. They'll even ride w/u and give you ridealongs to teach you the track lines.

Hope that helps.

[geo2maz]

Sweet thanks!
I would be going for the half-day at 1:00 (not a morning person) hoping for the 7th...

[erod550]

Also, at HPR in particular anyway, they usually break it up into half hour blocks of slow/fast. So if you're new, you go out with the slow group and there's not so much pressure to know what you're doing when it comes to racing lines, brake points, etc. Then when it's time for the fast cars/drivers to come out, you leave the track and watch the veterans show you how it's done for 30 min. Then you go back out with the slow guys again.

Towards the end of the session, if a bunch of people leave so there aren't as many people on the track, they'll sometimes combine them, but usually by then you at least have a feel for the track and how to let others by you safely, etc.

Main rule to remember is to always stay on the racing line and let the faster car pass you off the racing line. That way they always know where you're going to be and can safely get around you. You can lift throttle a little bit but it's usually not necessary to do any extra braking or slow way down to let someone pass.

And yea, very important to watch the corner workers each time you pass one for any flags that might be out, as they will warn you of any hazards that might be ahead that you need to be prepared for. At the pre-session meeting they will go over their specific flag usage with you so you know what each of their flags mean.

Bring your own helmet. If you don't have one, get one, especially if you plan on doing any amount of track time, and you will want to do more once you do it once. Also, full length jeans are a good idea because most times they don't want you racing in shorts. Other than that, at least for open lapping at HPR, you're on your own for verifying that your car is mechanically sound and you have to fill out a tech sheet stating as such and that you're responsible if it's not really track-worthy. Oh, and some painter's tape would be good to have too so you can put numbers on your car without damaging the paint.

For NASA days you do have to have your car inspected by their tech person. I haven't done a full HPDE day, just a couple of HyperDrives (one 20 min session with the HPDE1/2 guys). They didn't charge me anything for this inspection at PPIR or HPR. NASA also requires that EVERYTHING be out of your car. Floor mats out, empty glove box, nothing in the trunk, anything that isn't bolted down needs to be out. So make sure you do that before going or at least arrange for a place to store the stuff while you're racing like a Trailblazer owned by a friend who tows his car to the track, hehe.

[Shadowden]

roll bar requirement for convertibles at open lapping?