Track Day Training… where’s best?

[hud 91gt]

Big birthday coming up and my wife surprised me with some sort of track day training. She thought I wanted the Datsun so was looking local, but I don’t trust it enough to ruin the day so I’m happy to drive a supplied car.

Locally there is the island, Pacific Raceway, Mission etc but these all require waiting for better weather. Im open to travelling to Nicer
Climate if a good program is available? It’s likely only a single day thing as our dollar is so crap. I’ve heard great things about dirt fish rally school but the price is just too nuts these days for a week.

Any suggestions? I’ve never done a track day, just auto X.

[Traum]

While a lot of skills carry over between autox and track days, enough of them are also very different that the two are really different skillsets. In particular, braking is gonna be quite a different experience, even though the principles are the same.

If you have never done a track day before, I'd actually recommend joining one of the local organizers at Mission that is known to have a good new driver program. IMO, Mission Raceway is really as novice-friendly as it gets, since that track has no elevation changes, a small enough number of turns that allows for a lot of repetition (which is good for new drivers), while still covering all the basic turn types. You don't necessarily have to like the Mission track, but I'd still say it makes for a really good practice course.

For a first timer, I'd recommend against VIMC because the constant elevation changes can really throw off someone who is new at lapping -- I've had new drivers puked / wanting to puke after only a few laps, both in the driver or passenger seat.

I love Pacific Raceway, but I'd also say the back section is not necessarily novice-friendly in the dry, and definitely not novice friendly when the track surface is damp/wet. And in the PNW, we get quite a bit of rain.

Locally, I'd also say Area 27 is not novice friendly. For one thing, the track is too long, and there are too many turns for a novice driver to get used to. The other thing is -- the 2 blind left turns can be very confusing, and that could potentially make them dangerous for a new driver.

Out of the local / local-ish tracks, I'd actually say the Ridge is the best of all worlds. It flows well; it is a tremendous amount of fun; it is relatively easy to memorize the layout. I'd still say Mission is more novice friendly. But the Ridge is never a bad choice.

Locally, I'd say Speedy Goats is probably the most novice-friendly organizer there is out there. They have a LOT of good instructors, and you probably know some of them as well as the participants since a lot (most?) of them autox as well. I'd say Speed Fanatics has some good instructors for novice drivers as well, but I am also biased in this regard...

If you want to hire a track rental (car), a lot of the SCCBC folks are very happy to rent their cars out. I don't know how the details would work out, but it would probably be more of an arrive and drive type of thing at one of the local organizer's events. If you are looking for a one stop shop / single point of contact for everything, Speed Fanatics would really be your best option here. Their entire fleet of race cars is available for rental, from Spec Miatas, to K-swapped ITR, to Cayman, F4, and maybe even their Tesla EV race car. Out of their fleet, however, I really like their mildly modded BRZ street car the most. It is the easiest and most comfortable car in their fleet to rent.

[EvoFire]

SpeedyGoat is doing rentals for it's 128i which imo is a great track car. Not as slow as a Miata but still very strong.

I agree with Traum with regards to Mission and VIMC (I've only been to those two tracks). Mission has kind of become my go to track to see how my changes on my car has affected it's performance. I've done a bunch of trackdays, the first time getting a ride at VIMC my coffee was somewhere up to my throat before I could get it settled down.

[Badhobz]

Psshhh just drive around Richmond dodging ah mo and ah baks. You’ll be a great driver

[donk.]

You dont belong here badhobz

[hud 91gt]

I suppose I had in my mind some sort of school, like Skip Barber etc. Quality of instruction etc vs course (although I hadn’t really put complexity of course in my mind). VIMC is super convenient as we have a family cabin very close by.

I also did some math on track days w/ rentals vs just plain track days. I could do twice as many off I use the Datsun. My fear of death is high in that car though. It’s fast…. And I don’t think that safe. Hahahah.

The programs I was looking into used BR86’s which I thought would be perfect. I don’t care about using a fancy car, basic light and RWD is perfect.

[EvoFire]

IMO trackdays are 100% safe as long as you don't get red mist and drive within your means. Most tracks have generous run offs but of course accidents happen. If you aren't comfortable then drive in a slower group and take it easy.

I a group A driver at Mission because how comfortable I am on that track, I put myself in group C, just above the noob group when I went to VIMC because I didn't know the track. I improved throughout the day but it means that I don't run into a much faster driver sharing the track and do something stupid chasing them.

In group D (the newb group with most trackday orgs) it's usually lead and follow and also instructor in car. The first time I hit Mission I had a 1-2 instructor to driver ratio for the first 2 sessions before they let us off on our own. I did drive a MS3 which is FWD and it meant I had a lot less to think about, I only had to stay between the white lines with very low chances of losing the back end (I've spun the MS3 at Mission in future trackdays because it was wet and I was hucking it as hard as I could)

[Badhobz]

Originally Posted by donk.

You dont belong here badhobz

fags!

[dark0821]

depends on budget and how you would like a "experience"... friends were sent to Porsche Track Day experience, had a great time. But it is $$$, and it is more "relaxed" kind of catering to more of a Vegas track experience type of a deal...

But to get in to "tracking", I think Traum gave all the correct answer...

So just depends where you want to fall in that scale...

[hud 91gt]

Originally Posted by EvoFire

IMO trackdays are 100% safe as long as you don't get red mist and drive within your means. Most tracks have generous run offs but of course accidents happen. If you aren't comfortable then drive in a slower group and take it easy.

I a group A driver at Mission because how comfortable I am on that track, I put myself in group C, just above the noob group when I went to VIMC because I didn't know the track. I improved throughout the day but it means that I don't run into a much faster driver sharing the track and do something stupid chasing them.

In group D (the newb group with most trackday orgs) it's usually lead and follow and also instructor in car. The first time I hit Mission I had a 1-2 instructor to driver ratio for the first 2 sessions before they let us off on our own. I did drive a MS3 which is FWD and it meant I had a lot less to think about, I only had to stay between the white lines with very low chances of losing the back end (I've spun the MS3 at Mission in future trackdays because it was wet and I was hucking it as hard as I could)

I like the idea of starting in a beginner group, but I am aggressive and generally catch on quite quick. Obviously this would be an all new experience so I am keeping very open minded. I suspect most who do track days have a similar personality so I’ll likely be right where I’m supposed to be

The Datsun one day will be an amazing track car. But if anything were to happen now in that vehicle I am dead. It has triple the original power output, no Nannie’s and small brakes. I don’t suspect I would crash, but I do have 2 small children and a modern car will be much safer in the event of a disaster vs a tin can. Lol. I’ll cage it soon enough. I already have oil pressure issues under extreme acceleration, I suspect prolong cornering would be the same. Fuel starvation would be an issue too . Lol lots to do.

Sounds like most are just suggesting track days vs. Some sort of course.

[bcrdukes]

Are you looking to take a personal car or some sort of "Arrive & Drive" option?

Secondly, do you have a preference to stay local or are you open to flying out to a course/track? I'm asking because a proper school can make all the difference. If you just want to go in, mash the throttle, there are places for that. But if you want to develop proper driver training and techniques, there are good schools for it.

Regardless of your objectives, getting on track is a humbling experience.

[JDMDreams]

Richmond speedway

[Traum]

If you are looking more for a school, I'd recommend the following 3 options:

1) SCCBC Driver Training

This one is local at Mission. They usually do it twice -- once in spring during March / April-ish. The second training varies a bit, and may or may not happen depending on the year.

The instructors there are all class champions at SCCBC (sprint) races. The program is really meant to train up drivers who are interested in joining the SCCBC sprint races, and you get a novice race licence with SCCBC after the training.

The "problem" for you with this is -- for this training, you are expected to do it in your own car. Or at least, provide your own car. Again, I'm sure you can find somebody in the SCCBC circles to rent you one of their cars. Two names that I know who'd do this are:

a. Speed Fanatics
b. Second Gen Racing

But I know for sure that there are more names than this.

Another option that I have had some personal experience with a lonnnnng time ago is ProFormance Racing School. They are the resident school at Pacific Raceways, and the instructors that I've had experience with were all extremely good at instructing. At the time when I was dealing with them, they had a fleet of race rental vehicles as well, including an M5 track taxi that I believe people can rent. But I never looked into rentals since I had my own car.

It also looks like they have some events coming up. But like I said, I am not a fan of new drivers being out at Pacific Raceways, esp when the track is wet.

https://pacificraceways.com/road-race/racing-school/


The third option that I've heard good things about is IRDC. They are based in Seattle, and tend to have their driving school events at Pacific Raceways. I've had friends who went with them before, and they had good things to say about IRDC's program. But I don't have any personal experience with them myself.

https://www.irdc-racing.com/drivers-school/

It looks like they'll have a driving school in May next year.


I'll also mention in passing that Area 27 has some single and multi-day driver training / experience programs as well, where you can rent V8 Camaro SS, C8 Corvette, and I believe CT4-V Blackwings. Their prices are far too rich for my taste, and as I was saying before, I don't think Area 27 is a suitable track for a first time track driver to drive on. But keep their program in mind because as you log more seat time at the track, this may become a very enticing option to consider. Area 27 is a lovely track for higher powered cars, and it'd be a blast to drive it with any of those 3 rental cars.

(But I'm still too cheap to pay for them LOL~)

[bcrdukes]

I am of the opposite opinion where I think A27 or VIMC is okay as long as you go to a solid, reputable driving school who will show you the ropes and not suddenly sign you off solo on your second day. They will more than likely have a regimented program of teaching you braking, vision, and car control technique on a skid pad and on the track so you get a taste of it all. If you have a big ego (we all do), then yeah, I can imagine these two tracks would be poor suggestions.

There are other more expensive programs like the Porsche Masters program, or Lexus Driving School, or Skip Barber driving schools. Ron Fellows and DriveTeq have great instructors and "Arrive & Drive" programs at CTMP, and I'm positive there's something at Le Circuit Mont Tremblant if you want to travel out East and practice your Quebecoise French. (Not knocking the track, its amazing and highly recommended if you get the chance. Just don't show up in your modern GT3 because they will send you home for breaking the sound limit.)