Northwest Track Days: Who, Where, When

[mistople]

I guess I should eat my words since I caved and signed up for the Turn2 event this Friday the 29th. Not 100% sure it will happen since only 21 people are signed up so far.

Anyone else planning on attending?

[e1_griego]

First time at the Ridge was fantastic.

Turn2 is expensive but one of the better groups I've run with. I run high intermediate and outside of a couple slow folks it was a GREAT group of cars/drivers.

[NoHaveMSG]

I will be running the SCCA Time Trial 13-14 at the Ridge. Was going to run with GTA since it is the same event, same track. For some reason GTA is 549, SCCA is 305 plus membership.

Signed up for P4.

[e1_griego]

Yeah, I'm signed up for that, too.

[NoHaveMSG]

Originally Posted by e1_griego

Yeah, I'm signed up for that, too.

Driving the S13?

I am pretty sure you where the one I bought my Flex Z's from years ago.

[e1_griego]

In South Salem? If so, that was me.

Yes I'm signed up in the s13. The rs4s were a lolfest but I'm looking forward to a052 hawtness. Suspect I can find 3+ seconds with them.

[rice_classic]

So I got tired of buying Hoosier H20's because I might use them once in a year, maybe not and then they sit and sit and half the time when I do use them I'm worried about the track drying up during the session. And they're stupid expensive.

So...

I bought a set of the Federal FZ201(S). The (S) is the SOFT tire which is 40 Treadwear (like a Hoosier R7 or BFG R1S). While they are not quite as fast as an R7/R1S in the dry (because treadblocks), they were very capable, easy to correct and I look forward in driving them in wet conditions or damp conditions. I would absolutely recommend them for the trackday crew here.

They come in a pretty ideal size - 235/40/17 and are $<170/tire, they're great value and I wouldn't even fret driving them on the street to and from an event. https://philstireservice.com/shop/federal-fz-201s/

What I want to do is buy a set of 235s that are shaved to 4/32nds and really see how close they are to a 225 R7 (same width) once those treadblocks are removed.

[NoHaveMSG]

Originally Posted by e1_griego

In South Salem? If so, that was me.

Yes I'm signed up in the s13. The rs4s were a lolfest but I'm looking forward to a052 hawtness. Suspect I can find 3+ seconds with them.

Yup, up off Kubler at a parking lot. I passed them on for free recently since they where not leaking and seemed to still work okay.

Yeah I am not of fan of the Hankooks. They where okay but wore like iron. I'm going to the A052 after I cord this pair of Z3's i'm on now.

[e1_griego]

lol yeah I saw.

I almost wanted to grab them back but I have no use.

I'm thinking nankang ar-1 next or maybe just some nt01s. I'm still street driving to and from the track haha. The a052s are so fantastic but 2 tracks days per set is a little right for my blood.

[mistople]

I had a great day w/ Turn2 at the ridge yesterday. Perfect sun and tons of open track with low traffic despite the combined B/C groups given the karting practice sessions replacing the regular C group session (they were obscenely fast btw—wow).

Just took it easy driving 7/10ths given that it was my first day out in many, many months. Running 2:03-2:04 now that I'm back NA. I actually sold my AiM Solo and just looked at videos for the times. Turns out track days are much more fun when you aren't chasing tenths!

Lots of cool cars out there. 2020 Pista, multiple GT3s, Caterhams, etc. As always, I was nearly run over by a group of GT350s. One of whom is a straight up dangerous driver who was reported multiple times that day. He almost got into a fist fight in the pits with the guy who drives that old Mini Cooper Go figure.

[NoHaveMSG]

Glad to hear you are back to enjoying your car.

[burningjello]

Hopefully this is the place, if not I apologize. I've never done a track day and I've always wanted to try. Which group would I reach out to or which is most new track driver friendly? I've tried looking up online PNW track days and got overwhelmed. Thanks so much.

[NoHaveMSG]

Originally Posted by burningjello

Hopefully this is the place, if not I apologize. I've never done a track day and I've always wanted to try. Which group would I reach out to or which is most new track driver friendly? I've tried looking up online PNW track days and got overwhelmed. Thanks so much.

There are some options. Since some tracks require you to be solo qualified to run by yourself, I have run with HOD and ProFormance to get signed off. They are spendy. ProFormance runs out of Pacific Raceways in Kent. In their novice school you run through some class room stuff, then they run you through some drills which are part of their street driving program, then you run on track with an instructor. It is more beginner oriented. About a 1/3rd of the drills and class room stuff covers street driving. I had a pretty good time with this as I already had a good amount of experience but was trying to get signed off at PR. The instructor I had raced so during my sessions we were focusing on things I wanted to work on.

HOD is not as beginner oriented but would still be an option. They run at The Ridge and ORP. You go through class room stuff based on driving on track. Then you get assigned an instructor who you work with all day. You will go out on track and run sessions with your group with the instructor in the car, then go back and discuss it in class. One of the instructors will drive out on track in your group and film, and then discuss the film in class as well. Again, I had a good time with this and liked my instructor.

I would recommend taking a novice class if you don't have any experience with driving on track or autoX. From there, you can also look at events like SCCA TNiA. You can run with them with little to no experience, but they are kind of a shit show because of that.

[rice_classic]

Originally Posted by burningjello

Hopefully this is the place, if not I apologize. I've never done a track day and I've always wanted to try. Which group would I reach out to or which is most new track driver friendly? I've tried looking up online PNW track days and got overwhelmed. Thanks so much.

The options are plentiful.

There's Car Clubs that host track days and schools like BMWCCA, ALFA club, PORSCHE (PCA), AUDI, etc etc.

There's Track Day organizations like Turn2, ProFormance, Hooked on Driving, ProDRIVE, etc.

There's Racing Orgs that will host driving and racing schools as well general lapping days such as SCCA (Track Night in America), ICSCC.com, NASA (not in the NW). etc.

My recommendation is to go to Motorsportreg.com, set your distance filter to 100 mile radius and Filter by "Car control Clinic", "Driver School" and "Open Track day". Those phrases often get used interchangeably. Then find the day or days that work for you and see if organization hosting the event works for you.

ProFormance is only at Pacific Raceways and TURN2 is predominately at The Ridge. I would probably recommend starting with either one of those.


Typical safety stuff required - long sleeve, long pants, helmet, good tires and brakes, functionally sound car. Take a Torque wrench and tire pressure gauge with you. It's a good habit to always check your lug torques before going out on track and you may want to set your pressures.