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Track Time?

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Jedi Knight
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Has anyone taken their non-race prepared LBC out on a professional race track? I live between Michigan International Speedway and Toledo Speedway and was wondering if these tracks or tracks like this ever let cars that are not race prepared out on the track for fun. I know Michigan let the Corvette club take a couple of laps behind a pace car and the only rule was you could not pass the pace car so some cars were falling back and then racing up to the pace car. It would be neat to take the Triumph out and wind it up through the banked turns. I believe it cost $100 for the Vette outing. That also entered you in the Car Show. Seemed reasonable but I would rather take my car out with no other cars on the track if I'm paying for it.
 
Excellent Ray, I'm going to Mid-Ohio to watch the ALMS Series Racing so I can check out that track while I'm there.

Thanks,
Phil
 
BeaverRun Motorsports Complex, located in the Pittsburgh area, in the past has allowed groups on for track days.
I believe they required a rollbar, seatbelts, a waiver and a fee.
Spirited driving is permitted. I'm sure there are other rules.
Information can be found at www.beaverun.com.
You must provide evidence of previous advanced driving experience.
 
Many tracks will have 'open track days' that are associated with clubs. You just have to find the clubs that have them and if they will let you join them for the day. Don't count on getting to be the only car on the track though. You will have to share. Don't let it worry you though. On open track days cars usually spread out pretty well, they also usually have very strict rules against actually racing each other as well as designated passing areas to keep everyone safe. They also usually ahve a very comprehensive driver safety meeting where they lay out the 'rules' and just what happens if you break them.

In all, track days are very fun, very worthwhile.
 
DougF said:
BeaverRun Motorsports Complex, located in the Pittsburgh area, in the past has allowed groups on for track days.
Click to expand...

I actually grew up 10 miles from the BeaverRun Complex out in Chippewa. I stopped by that track once while visiting family. That would be a great track to run on.
 
As part of a historic rally I competed in a few years ago we had to do three times laps around Knockhill Race circuit in Central Scotland. I had previously examined some in-car films of the track, so thought I knew what to expect.
What I didn't realise is that the super-smooth surface of the race track doesn't offer as much grip for normal road tyres as a standard road surface. After my first lap my navigator said, "You won't be taking the next lap so fast, will you!!"
It is a great opportunity to have some real fun in your car within the safe environment of a track with run-off areas and marshals.
I really think that all youngsters should be made to take their car onto a race track once a month instead of racing them around our local roads.
 
A few years ago, my friend had the opportunity to take his Healey 100 on a parade lap of Beaverun. I went along as counter weight.
It isn't as challenging a course as MidOhio, but very nice.
The low point of the day was when a Viper caught fire while leaving. A photo of the car fully engulfed made the back page of Hot Rod Magazine, the proper magazine for the picture. The car appeared to be a total write off.
 
Here in the eastern USA, many tracks have open track days.
I've run my street Miata and even our old GEO Prizm at these lots of times. Some are a bit scary due to "uneven" skills of participants!

But anyway, you can run open track days at BeaveRun or Summit Point. And NASA runs open track days at Pocono. Friends of mine rent mid-weeks dates at Watkins Glen and Summit....check the non-pro schedules of those tracks to see open track dates available. I think Calaboogie and Shannonville have open track days too.

For people with little or no track experience, the HPDE sessions offered by NASA are the best....really a lot better than just jumping out onto the track with no instruction. EMRA will be running some HPDEs this year too.

Jeff's point about roll bars is important. And at some places, the roll bar needs to be at least 1" above the driver's helmet. Sometimes, you can rake the seat enought to get away with this.

I run open track days with my race cars once in a while too....my log book indicates an average of about 25 track-hours a year for the last 5 years.
 
I forgot to mention the fact that all of our open track days have instructors available for those who want them.
I've served in this capacity several times.
We also run our groups in terms of the experience level of the driver, from none at all up to fully competition licensed drivers. Usually four or five separate groupings. You'll get a ton of track time over the course of the day.
Jeff
 
Thanks Jeff, Clarkston is about 2 hours from here so I will have to plan a trip up sometime this year or next. I am going to Mid-Ohio for sure in July so if I can rack up enough points with the wife, I'll see bout this year.

Phil
 
It's more fun than a barrel of monkeys.

Definitely do it if you can.
 

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