2006 NE Driving Events - Track Days
04-27-2006, 08:22 AM
#1
Momentum Keeps Me Going
Thread Starter
2006 NE Driving Events - Track Days
STICKY PLEASE ++++++++++++++++++++ THANKS
It's that time again -- in fact Track Season in the Northeast has already begun!
In my experience, there don't seem to be a large number of RX-8 owners here in the northeast showing up at DE (Driver Education) track days, but I'm guessing that if more saw a chance to try one, they might get hooked. Here are links to resources most of which I've used and can share experience to help you get started for the 2006 season, plus some others.
If others have links to clubs I've not listed and they have been to their events, please post your experiences or PM me and I'll edit this 1st post. Thanks.
BTW, DE events are not racing, they are not training for racing, but rather simply learning how your car handles at higher levels of performance, and how you can control your car while doing this in safe environment. You'll end any event with a greater appreciation for your car, your increased driving ability and skill, and the thrill of it all, I guarantee you. Come join the fun!
Bottom line these events are simply a GREAT time, an unadulterated PLEASURE in a car such as the RX-8, and a GOOD TIME with friendly, sociable CAR PEOPLE with a real PASSION for their cars, no matter what the brand or performance level. Be warned, if you TRY IT, you may just LIKE IT!
If you've never been on the track, it may at first blush seem dangerous and a bit scary to take your expensive pride and joy to such an environment, but when you consider everything, it actually is possibly one of the safest environments for spirited driving. Our RX-8s are admirably equipped to take on the track environment with nary a mod and do very well thank you, compared to the majority of cars, even 'performance cars' on the market today. Don't be fooled into thinking the stock RX-8 is not worthy!
Forget whatever you've read about our cars being slow, no torque, etc., etc. The driver makes the difference, and that is what getting trained in these events is all about. Our cars have just the right mix of power and handling to surprise many others on the track!
Consider that on the public roadways, you have:
1) people that generally have a hard time driving on a straight road in a straight line
2) people doing everything else BUT paying attention to driving
3) people paying attention to you and doing stupid things BECAUSE they think you have a hot car
4) people who think good handling is how easily a car turns into a parking space at the mall
5) worse, oncoming traffic doing all the things mentioned above
Compared to on track at a DE event, you have:
1) instructors sitting in your car with you to tell you what not to do, how to react, and imparting priceless driving knowledge usually via helmet mounted headphones so you can't miss it
2) people absolutely focusing 125% on the driving task at hand!
3) cars that have been inspected for safety and are likely some of the best outfitted cars in all performance and safety related respects
4) people who have some idea why and how a car handles, because they (like you)must sit through classroom instruction before driving on the track several time during the day
5) monitors sitting at strategic places along the track radioing back any infraction of the rules or problems on the track to help keep everything going smoothly
6) No oncoming traffic
So below please reference these NE local organization that would love to have us join them at their events. In no particular order, and with some anecdotal experience or comments from myself.
Come and join the fun! Any other track addicts who can share their experiences for the unwashed would be appreciated. Cheers, spin
++++++++++++++++++++
SCDA - Sports Car Driving Assoc. www.scda1.com
Independent operators, open to all makes, excellent organization, friendly people, good instruction.
BMW Club - www.bmw-cca.org (US) plus www.wmc-bmwcca.org (NH) and www.boston-bmwcca.org
Passionate BMW drivers and lots of other makes mixed in. Good folks who run a straight up event with excellent instruction. You save some $$ by joining (small fee) the BMW Club to participate.
Porsche Club www.porschenet.com
Mostly Porsche owners, but at least in the NE region, other makes are allowed. You can't join unless you have a Porsche in the family, but you can come to their events. Awesome cars to track your RX-8 with and some excellent venues. For example, if all goes as planned the new Calabogie Track (www.calabogiemotorsports.com) will open this year with the Porsche Club the 1st (!!!) to schedule a 3 day event there! (I'm signed up!)
Audi Club - www.neqclub.org
Excellent group of drivers, with some cars that with the help of 4 wheel drive, can stick to corners like you can't believe! Friendly people, excellent instruction. Highly recommended, although their schedule is not fleshed out yet this year for unknown reasons. You need to join (small fee).
Dale and Adam's Track Schedule - http://vista.pca.org/jsr/jsrpca/dales.htm
Reasonably comprehensive all-inclusive club schedule site w/links.
www.opentrackaction.com/guides.htm
Lots of good helpful information, track schedules. Great site w/links.
NASA - http://www.nasanortheast.org/ and www.nasanortheast.org/schedule.htm
They've reorganized this year and have several events.
SCCA - http://www.ner.org/
It's that time again -- in fact Track Season in the Northeast has already begun!
In my experience, there don't seem to be a large number of RX-8 owners here in the northeast showing up at DE (Driver Education) track days, but I'm guessing that if more saw a chance to try one, they might get hooked. Here are links to resources most of which I've used and can share experience to help you get started for the 2006 season, plus some others.
If others have links to clubs I've not listed and they have been to their events, please post your experiences or PM me and I'll edit this 1st post. Thanks.
BTW, DE events are not racing, they are not training for racing, but rather simply learning how your car handles at higher levels of performance, and how you can control your car while doing this in safe environment. You'll end any event with a greater appreciation for your car, your increased driving ability and skill, and the thrill of it all, I guarantee you. Come join the fun!
Bottom line these events are simply a GREAT time, an unadulterated PLEASURE in a car such as the RX-8, and a GOOD TIME with friendly, sociable CAR PEOPLE with a real PASSION for their cars, no matter what the brand or performance level. Be warned, if you TRY IT, you may just LIKE IT!
If you've never been on the track, it may at first blush seem dangerous and a bit scary to take your expensive pride and joy to such an environment, but when you consider everything, it actually is possibly one of the safest environments for spirited driving. Our RX-8s are admirably equipped to take on the track environment with nary a mod and do very well thank you, compared to the majority of cars, even 'performance cars' on the market today. Don't be fooled into thinking the stock RX-8 is not worthy!
Forget whatever you've read about our cars being slow, no torque, etc., etc. The driver makes the difference, and that is what getting trained in these events is all about. Our cars have just the right mix of power and handling to surprise many others on the track!
Consider that on the public roadways, you have:
1) people that generally have a hard time driving on a straight road in a straight line
2) people doing everything else BUT paying attention to driving
3) people paying attention to you and doing stupid things BECAUSE they think you have a hot car
4) people who think good handling is how easily a car turns into a parking space at the mall
5) worse, oncoming traffic doing all the things mentioned above
Compared to on track at a DE event, you have:
1) instructors sitting in your car with you to tell you what not to do, how to react, and imparting priceless driving knowledge usually via helmet mounted headphones so you can't miss it
2) people absolutely focusing 125% on the driving task at hand!
3) cars that have been inspected for safety and are likely some of the best outfitted cars in all performance and safety related respects
4) people who have some idea why and how a car handles, because they (like you)must sit through classroom instruction before driving on the track several time during the day
5) monitors sitting at strategic places along the track radioing back any infraction of the rules or problems on the track to help keep everything going smoothly
6) No oncoming traffic
So below please reference these NE local organization that would love to have us join them at their events. In no particular order, and with some anecdotal experience or comments from myself.
Come and join the fun! Any other track addicts who can share their experiences for the unwashed would be appreciated. Cheers, spin
++++++++++++++++++++
SCDA - Sports Car Driving Assoc. www.scda1.com
Independent operators, open to all makes, excellent organization, friendly people, good instruction.
BMW Club - www.bmw-cca.org (US) plus www.wmc-bmwcca.org (NH) and www.boston-bmwcca.org
Passionate BMW drivers and lots of other makes mixed in. Good folks who run a straight up event with excellent instruction. You save some $$ by joining (small fee) the BMW Club to participate.
Porsche Club www.porschenet.com
Mostly Porsche owners, but at least in the NE region, other makes are allowed. You can't join unless you have a Porsche in the family, but you can come to their events. Awesome cars to track your RX-8 with and some excellent venues. For example, if all goes as planned the new Calabogie Track (www.calabogiemotorsports.com) will open this year with the Porsche Club the 1st (!!!) to schedule a 3 day event there! (I'm signed up!)
Audi Club - www.neqclub.org
Excellent group of drivers, with some cars that with the help of 4 wheel drive, can stick to corners like you can't believe! Friendly people, excellent instruction. Highly recommended, although their schedule is not fleshed out yet this year for unknown reasons. You need to join (small fee).
Dale and Adam's Track Schedule - http://vista.pca.org/jsr/jsrpca/dales.htm
Reasonably comprehensive all-inclusive club schedule site w/links.
www.opentrackaction.com/guides.htm
Lots of good helpful information, track schedules. Great site w/links.
NASA - http://www.nasanortheast.org/ and www.nasanortheast.org/schedule.htm
They've reorganized this year and have several events.
SCCA - http://www.ner.org/
Last edited by Spin9k; 04-27-2006 at 08:39 AM.
04-27-2006, 08:29 AM
#2
What's next?
Join Date: Feb 2004
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COMSCC - http://www.comscc.com 
04-27-2006, 02:08 PM
#3
Momentum Keeps Me Going
Thread Starter
Anyone with opinions of NE tracks could comment what they think about them. Could be a great reference log book for those that are contemplating a track day there, and want to read others opinions.
Here's my take on tracks I visited and ranking:
NHIS or New Hampshire International Speedway (Loudon, NH) - Great short twisty track with lots of elevation changes. Relatively low speed, technical track. Great place to learn and practice. Three ***
Limerock Speedway, CN - Famous short track with lot's of history, interesting layout with a couple very twisty spots. Two 1/2 ***
Watkins Glenn International Raceway, NY - The mother of NE tracks with a star studded history, elevation changes , twisties and world-class layout like you can only find at the best tracks in North America. Humbling, but definitely exhilarating in even a stock RX-8! A must do pilgrimage for any NE track addict! Five *****
LCMT - The Circuit at Mont Tremblant, Ontario, Canada - A glass smooth long track with big elevation change, exciting fast sweepers and twisties nestled in a 1st class mountain resort community to boot. Former Canadian F1 site. Unmatched pleasure. Five *****
Here's my take on tracks I visited and ranking:
NHIS or New Hampshire International Speedway (Loudon, NH) - Great short twisty track with lots of elevation changes. Relatively low speed, technical track. Great place to learn and practice. Three ***
Limerock Speedway, CN - Famous short track with lot's of history, interesting layout with a couple very twisty spots. Two 1/2 ***
Watkins Glenn International Raceway, NY - The mother of NE tracks with a star studded history, elevation changes , twisties and world-class layout like you can only find at the best tracks in North America. Humbling, but definitely exhilarating in even a stock RX-8! A must do pilgrimage for any NE track addict! Five *****
LCMT - The Circuit at Mont Tremblant, Ontario, Canada - A glass smooth long track with big elevation change, exciting fast sweepers and twisties nestled in a 1st class mountain resort community to boot. Former Canadian F1 site. Unmatched pleasure. Five *****
06-02-2006, 01:36 AM
#4
Apexing at Oak Tree
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Well, so far I'm sending my check to the 2 day BMWCCA Boston chapter HPDE @ NHIS on July 5-6. I'm going to do one long trip this year and 1 day @ limerock hopefully.
Spin, what does your schedule look like so far this year?
Spin, what does your schedule look like so far this year?
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