Anybody in the Northeast Region tracking their car this year?
 

This will be the first season on the track for me and I want to do as much homework as possible before I head out there. I live in RI and am looking for a club in my area to join. I found SCDA to have many events at a variety of tracks near me including Thompson, Lime Rock, Watkins Glen, Palmer & Louden; The furthest one being Watkins.

Does anybody have any experience with this organization and its events? I'd love to hear some members chime in with their thoughts and who knows, maybe meet up on the track.

Another question I had - Since I am obviously a novice, how do you progress into other categories? (I noticed some sessions are locked to particular skill levels) Is this something that just happens over time or is there a test associated with driver advancement?

You might need to check in your region sub-forum if you don't get any replies here.

I do a bunch of track events in Texas, and I can answer your general question. To move up from one group, color, or level (whichever your particular club calls it) generally you need demonstrate car control, situational awareness, and course knowledge usually with an in-car instructor for the early levels and later from track times, fellow drivers, or an off-track observer.

At your first event you start as a novice with the novice group, you have a mandatory classroom session, and are assigned an instructor. Your instructor might drive you around in your car for a couple of laps, or you'll follow a lead car (lead-follow laps). Your early sessions will focus on learning the course, the flags, and how to check your mirrors.

Eventually, you'll prove that you can run solo. You'll be released to be a solo driver and you'll get faster and do a better job giving and receiving point-bys in the designated passing areas. After proving that you are a predictable and considerate driver, you will eventually move into the highest groups where you might be allowed to pass anytime you're given a point-by.

You could even become an instructor if you have the mental and intestinal fortitude to be a passenger at speed.

That's for HPDE's or "track days". If you want to do wheel to wheel racing you'll have to go through a licensing process that starts out similar to the track day deal but includes more classroom stuff and a little more structured advancement track.

If looking for another group... COM (Corvettes of Mass - hardly any vettes).

Also, SCCA (Track Nights in America)... etc...

--kC

COMSCC x1000000!

Great club, I've run with them since 1999

Events are two days, day 1 is driver's school, day 2 is practice and time trials.

As a beginner you would be in Group 4 in the driver's school. You'd have classroom instruction and an instructor for the day. Typically 4 on-track sessions of 15-20 minutes each.

To run the time trials day you have to be signed-off to solo by your instructor. This usually takes a few events to get signed-off, but if you sign up for both days and don't get signed off you get a refund for day two. And if you hang around you can usually get a ride-along with an instructor.

Anyway, COMSCC highly highly HIGHLY recommended!

I run with NASA Northeast and love it. I rarely run with any other group now.

HA :) I used to run with them since 1999 too (Rx7 R1 with John Levy and Eppley, mine was red and then later bought Marc Epstein's E36 :)

Anyways, recommend COM hands down! Equal (not conflicting schedule) is NASA NE. These guys are more on the serious side (competition oriented). If driving school or track driving is your focus, I'd recommend PCA or BMW CCA (Porsche and BMW clubs).

Enjoy in good health.

Cheers,

Lutfy

Thanks for the suggestion. Coincidentally enough, as I was searching through the past year's activity and records on COM, I found a guy I know and also follow on Instagram that races his e36. I'll probably reach out to him for some more info since he has attended every event. Thanks again!

Check out northeast 86CUP.

Little late, but I ran 10 events with SCDA in 2017. Great group to run with with very good instructors, 2 of them now run BRZ's.
Events are well organized and run very smooth.

2018 I will be doing mixed bag of events. Going to try the Northeast 86 cup and see if I can make all those events. Will also be doing some SCDA events especially Watkins Glen and Palmer, those are just fantastic tracks. I also want to get in some NASA events this year also since always hear good things about them.

I had been thinking of doing one event this year to branch out from Auto X, and it looks like the Palmer event is about $369, and another $160ish for track insurance.

I'll already have my RE-71Rs on for Auto X, and I had planned on switching to Stoptec pads this year, would I need anything else for my first event?

Also would it be better to wait and do an SCCA track night at palmer?

SCDA at Palmer is a blast. They will give you an instructor, I recommend Steve, he drives a Series Yellow BRZ so I am definitely biased. Kidding aside he is a great instructor.

Brake fluid and Pads and you should be fine.

Attend the classroom sessions in between track sessions, they help quite a bit. Palmer has fuel now and it is reasonable priced. They also have a lunch wagon and there is an air compressor there you can use to adjust tire pressures if needed.

Best advice I can give is don't be bashful, everyone I have met at SCDA sessions goes out of their way to help. Listen to the instructors, even jump in the car with them during their sessions to see the potential of the BRZ was eye opening for me.

Elivan Goulart is the SCDA leader, he is a professional driver and drives in the Pirelli world challenge and is a wealth of knowledge.

I drive a Series Yellow BRZ also, so hit me up and say hello. My car has black wheels, Steve's has ugly purple ones so you can tell the difference.

Oh woah, I didn't know that included instruction, that sounds like the way I'll go then, are there any membership referrals or sign up things that I should mention you in?

No, no referral discounts. See you at the track

I have a 2014 BRZ and run with COM. I did all 8 of their events last year and it was a blast! They are a great club and really do a good job of getting drivers to be faster AND safer. I'd be happy to answer any questions about classing, mods (hint: as few as possible!) or setup.