2014 PNW Track Days & Info

[rice_classic]

*Because track day bro!


Upcoming Track Days and where to find them!

MOTORSPORTREG.COM and the event calendar is your new friend!
http://www.motorsportreg.com/index.cfm/event/calendar <---bookmark that link!

Just about every institution, every club and organization uses MOTORSPORTREG.COM to register folks for their events. Races, track days, HPDE, Driver school etc. So sign up!

"But Rice, where are the tracks and what are the organizations host these days at the track?"

Sit back and soak it in because we're blessed in the the PacNW, we have lots of tracks and lots of organizations to play with.

TRACKS:

Washington:

• Pacific Raceways (KENT, WA) http://pacificraceways.com/Index.aspx

• The Ridge Motorsports Park (Shelton, WA) http://www.ridgemotorsportspark.com/

• Bremerton motorsports park (Bremerton, WA)
  http://www.bremertonraceway.com/

• Evergreen Speedway http://www.evergreenspeedway.com/

• Spokane Country Raceway (Airway Heights, WA) http://www.spokanecountyraceway.com/

Oregon:

• Portlandia International Raceway (Portlandia) http://portlandraceway.com/

• Oregon Raceway Park (Grass Valley, OR) http://oregonraceway.com/

British Columbia:

• Mission Raceway Park (Mission, BC) http://www.missionraceway.com/

ORGANIZATIONS:

International Conference of Sports Car Clubs http://www.icscc.com/index.php ICSCC is composed of Member-Clubs and the events are hosted by those individual clubs:

• Cascade Sports Car Club (PIR) http://www.cascadesportscarclub.org/
• Team Continental (ORP) http://www.teamcontinental.com/
• International Race Drivers Club (Pacific & The Ridge)http://www.irdc-racing.com/irdc_home.htm
• Northwest Motorsports (Spokane) http://www.northwestmotorsports.org/
• SCCBC (Mission, Canada) http://www.sccbc.net/

Sports Car Club of America: NW region and Oregon Region
http://www.nwr-scca.org/race/ and http://oregonscca.com/

National Auto Sport Association: NW Chapter (NASA NW) (NO EVENTS IN 2015)
http://www.nasanorthwest.com/

PROFormance Racing School
http://proformanceracingschool.com/

Turn2 Lapping
http://www.turn2lapping.com/

BMW Club:
https://www.bmwcca.org/index and http://www.bmwpugetsound.com/ and http://bmworegoncca.com/

NW Alfa Club and Alfa Club of Oregon (AROO)
http://nwalfaclub.com/ and http://www.alfaclub.org/Home.html

Porsche Club of America NW: (aka PCA)
http://www.pnwr.org/

Audi Club PacNW
http://www.audiclubnw.org/

[rice_classic]

FAQ's

Q: Why are there so many car clubs listed? I don't have a BMW, Audi or Porsche?
A: These clubs host track days, which means they pay to rent the track and facilities. If they don't have enough entries they don't break even. Therefore if they don't have enough BMW/Audi/Porsche owners they let outsiders registers and come play too. During my Honda days I did several tracks days with the BMW and Alfa club. That is why they are mentioned.

Q: Aren't ICSCC/NASA/SCCA racing organizations?
A: Hell yes! But they also host Driver Schools, HPDE and Test and Tunes.

Q: Why is there a large variation on price between some events?
A: The 2 primary reasons have to with what's being delivered and if the entity is for profit or not-for-profit. Some entities are For-Profit and others are Not-for-Profit. NASA, ProFormance, Turn2 are For-Profit while ICSCC clubs, SCCA and local car clubs are not-for-profit. Other offer multiple day events, specialized coaching and other services that cost more while others are simply open track days.

Q: Do I need to modify my car?
A: It depends. Always check with the club hosting the day. Some clubs don't let convertibles run without a roll-bar for example. Some have rental helmets, while others may not. In all instances it's good to have your car in good working order with plenty of meat on the tires and brake pads.

Q: Do I need a racing suit?
A: No, it is not required.

Q: I really like running with 1 or 2 specific clubs, or 1 or 2 specific tracks. How can I narrow the search in MOTORSPORTREG.com to help narrow results?
A: When you register with MSR.com you can add clubs to your account so you can do a search for "Your clubs" events. As for narrowing down the search for tracks, just put in a zip code and choose the mileage from that zip code those tracks would be at. Example: I only want to see Bremerton and Pacific Raceways and I live in Seattle. I might put in zip code 98105 and then choose 60 miles from that zip code.



More Q and A to come, so feel free to ask.

[rice_classic]

Screenshot of upcoming events on MSR.com

[DarrenDriven]

Stickied! Great info!

[Decay107]

Not on your list, but AROO track day at PIR on march 15th

[rice_classic]

Originally Posted by Decay107

Not on your list, but AROO track day at PIR on march 15th

Updated first post.


It's weird it didn't show up on my MSR search when other events at PIR did.. I must have had not selected an option that excluded it.

[rice_classic]

For you Western Washingtonians...

As the Assistant Race Chairman of the IRDC I would like to invite you to:

International Race Driver's Club, Driver's School and HPDE on April 5th at The Ridge Motorsports Park in Shelton WA.

http://www.motorsportreg.com/events/...4#.UxlApihy_zJ


The benefit of this HPDE is that you can enjoy it just as a track day OR you can enjoy it also as an opportunity to get approved for a novice license with the ICSCC if you ever feel you want to try racing in the Novice Program some day (maybe not with your own car but renting a race car).

I believe the price $265. Event is run Rain or Shine.


p.s. If my chairman duties don't tie me up I should be instructing that day. Look forward to seeing you there.



A lap of the track from a fellow BRZ'er
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mp4jjlAU8iY"]AJ BRZ 1.59 at Ridge Motorsports park June 14th 2013 **Second view** - YouTube[/ame]

[6spd]

Hi are there any track open during weekday? I work in car sales, so Saturday is always working for me :/

[rice_classic]

Originally Posted by 6spd

Hi are there any track open during weekday? I work in car sales, so Saturday is always working for me :/

Lots, even more so during the summer because the tracks often get rented for the weekends for the racing clubs.

IRDC usually has theirs on a Friday. ProFormance Racing school has lapping days during weekdays all summer long.

Just look at the Motorsportreg.com website calendar for your local tracks and you'll just about every event scheduled.

[glamcem]

Originally Posted by rice_classic

Lots, even more so during the summer because the tracks often get rented for the weekends for the racing clubs.

IRDC usually has theirs on a Friday. ProFormance Racing school has lapping days during weekdays all summer long.

Just look at the Motorsportreg.com website calendar for your local tracks and you'll just about every event scheduled.

I've attended many power lunches at the PR (offered by ProFormance) with my previous cars ( Don is really nice to work with). Let's see how the BRZ will hold up.

[rice_classic]

The upcoming "Driver School" with the IRDC @ The Ridge on April 5th is more than just a school, it's also a Lapping day.
Unfortunately the way they had to list on MSR.com doesn't really make that clear.

There are 3 groups in the IRDC track day/School day

1: Test and Tune for dedicated race cars.
2: Lappers.
3: Students of the 2 Day driver school.

So if you want to just do lapping, it's only $225, Which is about the most affordable track time you'll ever find AND if you want you can get an instructor for the price. Nobody else (besides other member clubs of ICSCC) even come close.

So when you go to register on MSR.com you will get a choice of choosing: School, TnT, or Lapping.

Some folks from other boards have inquired and I realized there was confusion.

So this is just an FYI.

[XanRules]

I'd like to start tracking my car but I literally know nothing about different classes, types of events, etc. etc. I've also never done a HPDE and would like to, but again, I have no idea how that factors into anything else.

Can someone point me in the right direction of a super-dumbed-down guide to all this?

[GotMunchies?]

Originally Posted by XanRules

I'd like to start tracking my car but I literally know nothing about different classes, types of events, etc. etc. I've also never done a HPDE and would like to, but again, I have no idea how that factors into anything else.

Can someone point me in the right direction of a super-dumbed-down guide to all this?

There's really only one way to start and that's with a Driver's school. All club events I know of require that you have attended some sort of instructed event. I attended a Ridge Racing School event and was thoroughly impressed and benefited a great deal from their instruction. The cost was $500 for the day, it included 4 20 - 30 minute track sessions with an instructor (they let me run solo during the last session), skid pad coaching in between sessions, and lunch. There were four people in the class meaning we had the track to ourselves for our sessions. It created a very good environment for learning the line and enforcing good driving mechanics.

After that, the cost of admission for track days is a lot less (e.g. I've seen track days with clubs at Pacific Raceways for $165).

Another great way to start, especially with a twin, is in Autocross. The Western Washington Sports Car Council maintains a schedule of all upcoming AutoX events. A great way to get into it is at a Novice Driver's school. Typically $40 - $50 for a day and you'll get more seat time than you would at a normal AutoX event. I've been to a couple at Bremerton and thoroughly enjoyed myself (ask me about my friend running his supercharged BMW on winter tires).

[rice_classic]

Originally Posted by XanRules

I'd like to start tracking my car but I literally know nothing about different classes, types of events, etc. etc. I've also never done a HPDE and would like to, but again, I have no idea how that factors into anything else.

Can someone point me in the right direction of a super-dumbed-down guide to all this?

HPDE: High Performance Driving Experience (Education). It's like a lapping day with an instructors. Some organizations might also elaborate and include things like braking and slalom exercises or other various car control exercises.

Lapping: Just a day romping around the track maybe with an instructor, maybe without. Usually split into 2 or 3 groups ranging from Novice to Advanced.

Driver School: Like an HPDE but often times more elaborate including a ground school day before you even go to the track. Much more focused on overall education. Also, a driver school like that of IRDC/PROFormance are needed to get your Novice License if you ever want take actual race car driving.


So for instance.. You're completely new and want to attend the IRDC day on April 5th. My recommendation is to attend the DRIVER SCHOOL. You'll get the ground school and a full day of instruction at the track. It's worth it.