Track Insurance
 

Hey guys,

I am thinking about going to my first HPDE/track day at raceway park in New Jersey on sunday. As such, I have been thinking about getting track insurance.

I called progressive, my normal car insurance company, and they said they most likely would not cover anything that happens on a race track. I searched for a while online and I couldn't find a place that covers that particular track.

How many of you guys don't have track insurance? Is it absolutely necessary for a beginner? Does anyone know a company that I can use?

Also, the driver education thing at raceway park seems to only pertain to raceway park itself, its not like an scca or nasa cert that would be applicable elsewhere.. does anyone have experience with this track? Should I wait for another event at a different track where I might be able to get insurance? I preferably would just like to insure for one day so I can get on the track and see how I like it.

Lockton is used by some of the drivers. More here: http://www.locktonmotorsports.com/product/track-insurance/. I haven't used insurance, but for peace of mind it certainly wouldn't hurt to purchase a policy for your first event.

This is the first I've heard of Raceway Park, and of a track sponsoring it's own HPDE-type events. I looked at what they have on the website, and it's hard to tell how much emphasis they place on novice instruction. In any event, quality of instruction is more important than the quantity of it. They mention that a helmet is required, but fail to mention the type of helmet that is required - perhaps their willingness to supply you with one means that you shouldn't worry about it. As it's a 1.35 mile track with somewhere between 10 and 13 turns (depending upon how it's configured), it looks to be a challenging track to learn on - unless you're bringing some sort of experience with you, instruction on a track like that is key.

It looks worth a shot. If you like it and then want to try some other tracks, you can always go to NJMP with NASA or one of the other groups; same with Lime Rock, Summit Point, and Watkins Glen, as well as the tracks that are further afield.

I drove E-town a few weeks ago. It's terrible. Even for a novice it's terrible. There are literally pot holes in it and a big container placed right at the runoff of one of the hairpins. The track is primarily setup as a drift event track.

Check out http://NASAne.com or http://AZPTrackEvents.com if you want to go to a good track with Certified Instructors and classroom.

E-town doesn't even have a dedicated ambulance for their road course. So IF you get in an accident it could be several minutes before the ambulance even thinks about coming to help you.

As for insurance. Steve Katz a long time racer owns http://OnTrackInsurance.com great coverage and it is the type where you set the coverage which can be higher than the actual value of your car so that your mods will be covered if you wreck it.

-Mike Paisan

http://www.pbase.com/paisan/image/153798190.jpg
Maintaining, Modifying and Educating TriState Enthusiasts since 2001.
Like us on Facebook! | E-mail: sales@azpinstalls.com | 725 Fairfield Ave | Kenilworth, NJ 07033 | 908.248.AZP1 (2971) |AIM: AZP Installs
"Race Tested, Enthusiast Approved!"

Well, I went. I had a good time. There was one rather large pothole. There was also an ambulance directly next to the course at all times with a driver nearby. I didn't notice any container near the course, it was either the cement walls or a tire wall.

It did seem to be a bit cheaper quality wise than I was expecting. There was only one instructor who would go in the lead car and the other students in the group would follow that car for a few laps, and then when the groups switched the instructor switched cars. He got at least a set in everyone's car at least. Is this common?

Anyways it was a positive experience. Next time I will try Pocono raceway probably or some Autocross. Thanks for the advice guys.

If you mean a single instructor was on the track while driving a student's car and leading a line of students' cars whose job was to follow him, then that's not common. In the groups I instruct with, no novice is allowed on the track without an instructor in the car, and lead-follow exercises are done with advanced students because they're done at-speed, which novices are not yet able to do.

My recommendation for novices, and for intermediates, is to go to the track with a club that will assign you an instructor for the entire event. That's if improving your on-track driving as quickly (and as cheaply) as possible is among your goals.

The instructor never drove a car, he just switched off which car he was instructing, and that car was the leader of the pack. I was actually on track quite a few laps before ever having an instructor in my car. It wasn't fast though, the lead car kept a slow pace.

Can anyone confirm if Liberty Mutual still covers HPDE under the auto policy?

The container and cars should have been at the end of the section at the hairpin at the bottom of the hill.

A good instructional program, like the AZP day or NASA has an instructor in every car of a novice all day as well as classroom instruction. Additionally a day like our AZP day also has a pro give a track walk where you actually get out on course and feel the pavement and see the elevation and camber changes.

-Mike Paisan

http://www.pbase.com/paisan/image/153798190.jpg
Maintaining, Modifying and Educating TriState Enthusiasts since 2001.
Like us on Facebook! | E-mail: sales@azpinstalls.com | 725 Fairfield Ave | Kenilworth, NJ 07033 | 908.248.AZP1 (2971) |AIM: AZP Installs
"Race Tested, Enthusiast Approved!"