Cheap place to track your car in the Everett-Seattle-Tacoma-Olympia-Chehalis area?
 

Only close one I found was in Shelton or Bremerton but the registration fee was like $400... does anyone know a good place to push your car to the limit legally in the Puget Sound Area?

Any help is appreciated, thank you.

"Legally pushing to the limit..." means overhead for safety, liability, and staff. The $400 cost one sees for programs such as Hooked on Driving (often 2-day events) is pretty reasonable IMHO.

If you're down for a drive, PIR has a $150 event in late October through the Alfa Club, ORP has sub $200 days scattered about the summer usually as well.

Honestly, I'd rather go to a $200 one-day event than $400 two-day events. Also, even if it is reasonable, it's not too affordable for me right now to be able to go more than few times a year.

I honestly don't wanna go any further than Portland but even that's pushing it... Maybe if it was around ~$100. I think my best option may be Packwood, WA

really wish there were cheaper track days at the Ridge. I LOVE that track. I was really tempted to go to the two day event this weekend, but am bailing on it. Far too expensive for 600$!! Not including the 150$ in gas and expenses at least getting up there and back.

Paying the freight...
 

Gotta say... tracking one's car at a decent track is not something that is for the budget-conscious. As one respondent has mentioned, the program cost is just the tip of the iceberg. Making sure your rig has adequate tires, brake pads, fuel, etc, etc, is the other major part of the overall cost.

I guess the option of "street" (or back road) adventures is there.... but all the obvious SAFETY concerns aside, spirited fun like that could also end up with a serious ticket with a fine so high, one would wish they had just bit the bullet and went the track-route.

You are going to have to go to SoCal for "cheap track days". Around here anything less than $200 is cheap. I did the NWAA track day at ORP last Monday. My expenses $125 for the track, $15 food, $60 for a room, gas to and from the track $65, gas at the track $35. That does not include amortized cost to wear and tear to the car.


That being said, once you take your car to near it's limits on the track, back road/street performance driving just doesn't cut it.


You can always try autox. Out of pocket is a lot less expensive, but a lot less track time as well.

Tagging @HATED1

He's setting something up for next year, but dunno if you want to wait that long. I defer to him for more details. :)

Packwood isn't the track, though.

Autox is a lot cheaper than the track, until you want to get class competitive and start throwing money at things.

Cheapest place to get on track is probably in Spokane. Quite the drive from Seattle, but there seem to be open test and tune days at the road course for $40-$80.


http://www.spokanecountyraceway.com/#!road-course/c10x3

Thanks for the tag @soulreapersteve! @Locust would be your best answer here as he is heavily involved in Autocross.

The Ridge has 2 entities.

Ridge Racing School which is owned by The Ridge and Turn 2 Lapping which is owned by Tom P.

Turn 2 days coming up on MSR.com (usually ~$300)
http://www.motorsportreg.com/orgs/turn-2-lapping

PRO Formance the main group for Pacific Raceways but they also do events at The Ridge.

Here's their schedule:
http://www.motorsportreg.com/orgs/pr...-racing-school

Their days range from $245 and up depending on if coaching/instruction is needed/required.

I've been going with the BMW club this year, so far I've done 3 events, two at pacific and one at the ridge. You have to be a member which is $50 or so a year, then do the car control clinic which is something like $130, and then the events are $230 for 4 20-30 minute sessions with an instructor. If you've been through another club's car control clinic or something like the proformance school I think they'll waive the car control clinic.

You can also check the audi club, porsche club, and any of the above named organizations.

Have you looked into autocross? There are frequently events in Bremerton with SCCA, BSCC, Porsche Club, and NWSCC which only cost around $40