Calabogie Track Days
 

Hi Guys,
Starting a thread where we can post about upcoming trackdays at Calabogie Motorsport Park near Ottawa. I have done lots of lapping days and schools there since the track opened, and can say that it is perfectly suited for the FR-S.

It is a very technical track, driver-ability is rewarded. If you haven't been there, you are missing out on one of the best club tracks in North America.

Trackmap. This is a 20 turn 5 km long circuit.

Most days the track is used in its full configuration. On certain days or race weekends, depending on available marshalls, the track can be shortened to use turns 9-20.

The Motorsports Club of Ottawa (MCO) is hosting a lapping evening this coming Friday, July 13th from 5pm -7pm for $132.

Register here:
http://www.karelo.com/enter_res.php?&BID=269#Ev11985

This is a great way to test your skills or try out the track without the cost of a full lapping day (usually $300-400 depending on the club).

Instructors (including myself) are available for newbies.

I will be attending this Friday.

See you this Friday

one day i will drive this track...

but a 5 hour drive just to get there is killer :(

You need to convince the others to have another Time Attack event here.
I'll come out for that one as well!

There were several solosprint events back when the track first opened - Nationals was back in 2008 but what a gong show that was. I believe that was the last time an event was held there.

It is a beautiful track though - I did two racing schools there (2008, 2010) and I plan to go again next year for my race license.

Ohh believe me everyone and their grandma wants to host another event there.

But their track rental fees are simply too high. Not to mention that due to some sort of weird red tape, the ambulance service that we pay for at the track is not sufficient as per our regulations, and we must use outside service ambulance, but the outside service ambulance can't enter the track because of their inhouse ambulance, so we must buy both ambulance services to meet our regulations.

Factor in CASC levies, insurance certificates and all that other crap and you're looking at an entry price of (as you said) 400 dollars just to break even at around 50 competitors. (remember we don't make a cent from our series)

Every year we approach Calabogie for reduced rental rates and they just shrug their shoulders. So MIR is the only high caliber track we can include at the moment.

Slick, for those of us that have never done any racing would we be better off at one of the cone course events at Scotiabank place or is the Calabogie track a good place to learn?

(Assuming we have a coach like yourself for both).

Autoslalom (cones) is the best way to learn the limits in a lower speed setting. I would suggest that with cars like ours that if you have zero performance driving experience (slalom, track, etc.) that you take it to an autoslalom and learn what the car will do when pushed beyond its limits. The consequences at an autoslalom are less than at a track and Calabogie is not forgiving. I know three people that wrote off their cars at Calabogie - one was because he went way beyond his capabilities and crashed in Kink.

MCO host amazing events and the lot is one of the best that I've been too. If I was closer to Ottawa, I would try to get out to Scotiabank place as often as I could.

Thanks a lot... I would do the MCO day this weekend but I can't drive my car this weekend because the Opticoat will still be drying/curing until Monday. They don't have any more autocross events scheduled yet.

Agree.
I have done both in my time (autocross and track), and it comes down to what you prefer.
Lots of track guys will snub their noses at autoslalom, but this is where you learn to "feel" the car and what it does at and beyond the limits.

That said, not all lapping days are equal. MCO and most "affiliated" clubs, will put on a professional lapping day and schools, where you need to be signed off as you progress. It also teaches you proper form from the start, so you don't develop habits as your speed increases which can lead to trouble.

Drive within your limits is the key.

I saw once July 2010 BMW Driving School.

Cool, what colour is your FR-S? Will look for you.

There are confirmed dates for the next three Sundays. Subsequent tentative dates will likely be confirmed soon. All events (except for June 16th) are at ScotiaBank Place.

CONFIRMED DATES:
May 19th school
June 3rd - Event 1
June 10 - Event 2
June 16th PMG
July 7th - Event 4
July 15th - Event 5 (Interprovincial Cup)
July 22nd - Event 6
July 29th - Event 7

TENTATIVE DATES:
August 18th
September 9th
September 23rd -- shoot out

The most up-to-date info can always be found in this thread: http://www.mco.org/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=14102

If you can find a way out to this weekend's event, even though you're not able to run, feel free to look for me (red FR-S) in the paddock area and I'll be glad to give you a ride if you want. It's always more fun on the inside. Best time to drop by would be after lunch, say 1:00-ish to 3:00. We have to clean up and vacate the lot by 4:00. There's spectator parking in the lot just beside Lot 9 where we have the paddock area for competitors.

Edit: There's at least one other FR-S showing up at this Sunday's event, a driver from CADL, the club in Montreal.

Hi Andre. Is there a place to sit and watch the action? My wife, son and I will be coming up to check it out.

There are a few good places to watch: from the balcony at the builds near quarry (pit in), from the top of quarry or pit straight. Flag me down and I'll take you out or a few laps!

Learned a few things tonight.
Calabogie is a great facility and Ottawa is lucky to have it.
Having the ambulance go out 5 minutes into the session was not a good start for my wife.
The FRS is plenty quick ( especially when driven by an expert ) nice job Andre. Yours was the only car to drift out of the last corner. Which sadly, also freaked my wife out even after I informed her that it was intentional.
Next time I think i will leave the family at home. Between the I feel car sick on the way down, to it's too hot, I am hungry, its too dangerous for my son, I'm thirsty. I had to leave at 5:50 pm to find food.

I am glad I was able to see the facilities and the enthusiasts out for some fun and I promise the next time i will be solo to enjoy the whole experience.
Lesson learned.

I didn't hear what happened, any idea?

Oh you saw? Oops, sorry about that. :iono:
With the super hot track tonight, it was even more loose. I played a bit wih tire pressures to minimize it, but the car is designed that way. Tires and shocks can fix that.

I looked around for you to see if you wanted to head out with me, but couldnt find you. Next time!

I would like that. Looked like alot of fun. Nice seeing all the different cars there, although I will have admit, the civic hatchback looked out of place. Having said that though he was having more fun than I was.

Had some fun the other night.

http://YouTube.com/watch?v=Rrv4r6jogh0

As posted in Ottawa FR-S thread:

Hi Guys,
FYI, I am heading up to Calabogie tomorrow afternoon for a track session from 5-7pm.

If anyone is interested, I'm more than willing to take passengers for some laps if you want to see the capabilities of the FR-S on the track.

Before the track session, we will also be taking the twisty roads from Carleton Place to get to Bogie in early afternoon.

Some more fun in store for this year at Calabogie Motorsports Park just outside Ottawa, Ontario.

Here are this year's MCO lapping events:

• Friday, May 24th - 9am-5pm full track, this day will likely be an HPDE school with full day instruction (classroom and in-car) at no additional cost, newbies are welcome!

• Monday, July 8th - 9am-5pm - we will be using the stadium track, short loop. This will great great for our cars.

• Thursday, August 22 -5pm-7pm evening session on full track

Plan your schedule for the year and come out!



Bookings will be done online (hopefully soon) through Karelo.com website (type MCO to search for our events).



Ask for me at the track, will be happy to help out or take you out for a hot lap!


Andre

Excellent, will be great to have you there again.

Stock tires? Let's say I hope not, but we'll see how things pan out. Gonna be a long 3 months until season start...

Registration is now open for the first 2 lapping events.

See Karelo.com to sign up.http://www.karelo.com/register.php?B...&BT=10#Ev12991

Friday, May 24th from 9am-5pm for $325 includes instruction

Please note that the Monday, July 8th event has been changed to a half-day lapping event from 12:00pm - 5:00pm. We will be using the stadium configuration (short track).
Great value for $200!

I'd love to... but dunno the first thing about tracking a DD...

There's a first time for everything. You should sign up for the May 24th session as it includes*Instruction. Im thinking about the July 8th session.

I can vouch that this track is amazing!!! Not a crack or a bump anywhere:

http://i620.photobucket.com/albums/t...x/SU1_9265.jpg

http://i620.photobucket.com/albums/t...FR1_5354-1.jpg

^ That 2nd one is an awesome picture. Looks like you're coming through ... Temptation?

If you're not confident in your abilities, leave VSC Sport on and drive at most 7/10ths. If you are confident in your abilities, drive to your comfort level. Just remember that you have to get home.

Not sure if anyone found this; the short track from turn 9 to 20 really looks like the outline of the monster in Loch Ness. It just suddenly appeared to me today.

Looks like a fun track.

Hi Norm,
I use 2nd to 4th gears, occasionally 5th at end of Rocky Road if I get good exit speed out of T3/4 and I'm hustling the car (but it's a quick 5th then back down into 4th then 3rd for Big Rock).
For Temptation T8, it's borderline 2nd or 3rd.
I use 2nd gear into Beak T12A, 2nd or 3rd for Hook T14 and 2nd through T18-19 before getting on it for the main straight.

Yeah, I guess it does!

For our July 8th event, we will be using this configuration so it should be quite fun.
Advantage to momentum cars!

The May 24th event is coming soon!! Sign up while there is still availability!

Me? No speedbleeders here. Gotta still do fluid change and swap pads as well though.

Bump! Only 1 week before the first MCO lapping event of the year.

Don't miss out on the opportunity to drive and learn this fabulous track!

Should be fun Norman, I think UMB FR-S was looking to come out tomorrow, but needed pads first.

How did the day go? Any videos? I'm trying to plan for the July session. Can I do it on stock tires and brakes?

Was a great day. I was hoping for rain so I could test out the new Contis, and was very impressed by them, basically drove around many cars during the wet morning session.

Track was dry after lunch so it was a good afternoon, lots of cars on track and for the most part everyone was well behaved. I had a good student with a 911 so he had fun learning the track.

As far as stock goes, 3 of the FT86 there had upgraded tires. Geoff and the other instructor ran stock tires. Last year I ran the stock tires for all events and they did pretty well and you learn a lot about the car's dynamics this way. Definitely stickier with better tires though. I upgraded pads to HP+ from my second event on, a very worthwhile upgrade for under $100. You will fade the stock pads at Calabogie.

I took a few videos. Should have some uploaded tomorrow.

Thanks for the info guys. Looks like I will upgrade the pads before going there. Great pics and can't wait for some vids.

Ron

Calabogie Track Videos
 

Hi Guys,
First time doing vids so editing took a bit longer than expected.

Here are a few vids from the last MCO Lapping School on May 25th.
It was a crazy cold day (was actually snowing when we arrived at 7:00am).

Temps started at 2-3 deg C and gradually warmed up to 11C by end of day. Wet sessions until lunch when it finally dried for the afternoon.

Total of 5 FR-S/BRZ at the track that day!

10:00am
A rather cold (4C/39F) and still wet session, spent some time getting used to the new tires, Conti Extreme Contact DW, very impressed with the wet grip.

Some fun chasing the STi for a bit and getting past some others.
[ame]http://youtu.be/Dtj3gJ58rA0[/ame]


1:00pm
Finally dry for the first afternoon run and warmed up a tad to 8C. Lots of traffic and fun catching up to some packs of cars.

First lap clear and then I catch some traffic.
Checkout the flame-throwing Miata with super-tall wing at 12:15. Norm in black FR-S does a good job to stay in front for a while. Radical storms by at 13:15.
Fun keeping pace with the GTi toward the end.
[ame]http://youtu.be/PfEB9083LPM[/ame]


3:15pm
Much warmer now finally, but still only 11C. Much quicker laps.
Clear laps until 7:57, then S2000, Vette and finally catching Mike in his blue Miata.
[ame]http://youtu.be/rvVlsem9OX8[/ame]


4:30pm
Relatively quiet last session of the day, at 8:00 I drive through the pits since Civic wasn't letting the 911 ahead of me by.
At 12:00 waive past the Lotus and keep pace with him. Thought it would be tough to match the cornering, but I am able to catch him in the corners but he just flies away on the straights.
A little bobble at the end of the last lap, back end tries to come around, oops!
[ame]http://youtu.be/IkVPJvWTNSA[/ame]

Great vids. Thanks for sharing. I definitely gotta get there this year.