Road Course/Race Events

[Andrew2KRT10]

So what's up guys? The best time I've had in a long time was when the Ferrari Club invited us out to Pocono. Joe, if you are reading this, Englishtown was great, but driving Pocono? That can't be beat. Anything going on that I'm not aware of? I don't seem to hear much from the NY/CT area. Hope it's just me and maybe I'm the dope for not looking in the right place.

There are only so many times I can shoot across I-84 at 140-150 without getting caught, and my friend in his Vette can't keep up.

I'm itchy......gotta race!!! Drag racing is okay, but road courses????? BEST!!!!!

Thanks,
Andrew

 

[FrankBarba]

there is lots of track time out there. If your interested in racing you will need the standard roll cage, safety equipment. if it is track time that you are interested in, lots of car clubs offer track time & would be more than happy to let you in. check out porsche, bmw, mazda, corvette club web sites they usually have a schedule of events. the best way to get time is go to the web site of a track that your interested in & see who is comming to town. You could also join the scca. you can race at a fraction of what Viper Days costs.

 

[Mike H]

If you enjoy the Pocono track look up PDA Racing as they run events their all the time...WWW.IMP-AUTO.COM...they are their in July or go to TRACKMASTERS.COM they are Watkins Glen next week I beleive or Go to DELAWARE BMWCCA they are at Pocono next week also.....Good Luck...have Fun ...BE SAFE!!

 

[JonB]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Alan M 98 GTS NY:
What a silly question. You need to contact the various clubs as mentioned in a post above. They will not come looking for you. You will only attend as many events as you look into yourself. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Most novice drivers DO need help finding events in their area. I don't thinks its a silly question.......just a normal question from a novice.

The replies are good....and be sure to investigate the websites of the tracks you want to drive. Most have full schedules of days, and contacts for the track to get more info on the days.

ALSO: See the relatively new EVENTS CALENDAR atop the message board page! If your club is sponsoring an event, be sure to load the calendar !

 

[kverges]

I agree wiht JonB; good question!

I don't know about your neck of the woods, but try to find all the nearby tracks and contact the tracks themselves to see what the bookings are. Then conctact the organizations that made the bookings. Tracks in your area I think will include (1) Watkins Glen; (2) Pocono; (3) Lime Rock Park; (4) maybe Summit Point is not too far; (5) Virginia International Raceway (same). You have GOT to try Watkins Glen it's fast and has huge history with F1, Can Am and currently is one of two Winston Cup road course events. I'll bet every one of these tracks has a web site and may also have resident driving schools.

But you do sort of have to fend for yourself and ask around. Befriend a local track ****** and he or she can help familiarize you with options.

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Andrew2KRT10:
Hope it's just me and maybe I'm the dope for not looking in the right place.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Good place to start is here on this board.

You can find racetracks at

www.chasinracin.com

 

[FrankBarba]

June 23-24....Summit Point...NASA.net...HAS an instructors this weekend along with a full weekend of racing...$ 200.00 bucks or so...check it out....

 

[Joseph Houss]

Call our NJ Region President Adel Elsayed, he's ALWAYS got the schedule at his fingertips!

(973) 779-2500 x213 (Business)
(973) 331-9011 (Home)

Also, make sure to check our NJ website at www.viperclubofamerica.com and click "latest newsletter"

 

[Andrew2KRT10]

Thanks guys (most of you) for the great and helpful posts. At least now I have more info. After watching the Poconco 500 last weekend and remembering when we were out on that same track with the Ferrari club, I decided I have to look into this more.

Thanks,
Andrew

 

[99t1]

HERE IS YOUR SCRATCH!!!

go to http://www.viperclub.org/nyct/ and look under "EVENTS"

 

[JonB]

More advice for a novice:

1) treat 1000 track miles (1 day) like 1000 road miles, as it relates to oil. ie change oil after ONE long weekend !

2) Pay VERY close Attention to: TIRES and presures; P/S Fluid; Clutch Fluid; and of course brake pads and fluids. Whipping your BATTERY around on track or Aut-X does have adverse affects. Check it out!

3) Coolant levels and age.

4) Air Filters and PCF system

5) Clean your RADIATOR. Soft soapy brush and garden hose. NOT a pressure-washer.

 

[DanElam]

Ah. Something I fially know a little about. Lime Rock (CT) does have open track days (called testing days), but they require that you have a competition license (SCCA, NASCAR, F1, etc.) so it doesn't really help novices.

Summit Point is 40 miles from Washington's Dulles airport, so that isn't too far. They have LOTS of Friday at the Track days (about $175) that you can go with and without an instructor depending on your experience.

Rousch Creek near Philly is delayed, but they have indicated that they intend to have testing days as well.

Virginia International Raceway is a long way from you, but it does have some advantages. First, the course is just beautiful. It may very well be the finest road course facility in the country and they are still building it. One neat thing they are planning is a sort of neighborhood around the race track. Join the club or buy a home there and you will get track time (sort of like an airplane community). First one in the country.

I have been doing NASA events and love them. Sort of a spin-off from SCCA, they are designed to be cheaper and have a lot more track time. I have been delighted with them. You don't need a roll bar for the driving schools, but convertibles do need a hard top. There is a region near you. I know we have races at Nazareth (superspeedway that hopefully they will do like F1 at Indy) in a few weeks.

And of course, ViperDays is hard to miss.

 

[DanElam]

More to add on JonB's comments. If you have a 95 or earlier, you will want to add a cooler for the power steering pump. Mine blew on a race track and I ended up catching the car on fire. Forunately some fellow Viper owners were there to help, but I did not drive the car home that night.

Also, be sure to check the brake fluid. At one school, we were on a track that is particularly ******* the brakes and I had old fluid. The brakes boiled and I came into a turn at 120+ pumping like mad on the brakes hoping not to t-bone a BMW. Since then I have switched to Motul brake fluid and ALWAYS keep the fluid clear. Some guys change their fluid after every run.