NorCal first track day. Reccmmend a track?
I posted this in the track section and got new repys, not a lot of traffic there.

So my wife wants to get me a track day for my birthday. I'm in San Jose California. The nearest tracks are:

Laguna Seca 73 miles
Infineion Raceway (Sear Point) 82 Miles
Thunder Hill 175 miles
Buttonwillow 219 miles

Which is going to provide the best experiece for a first time driver? Safest track, etc.

Thanks,
AA

 

Thunderhill, Buttonwillow, Laguna Seca and Sear Point (Infineon) in order of run off areas...Sears Point is by far the least forgiving...Laguna Seca is more forgiving since they have completed all the improvements for GP cycles...so Laguna Seca is the closest...Thunderhill and Buttonwillow have more run off areas but I have still seen bad accidents at both of those tracks...your first time out you won't be breaking any records so I wouldn't be afraid of Laguna Seca...just get a good instructor to ride with you and teach you the line...good luck..be safe..and have a great time

 

Awesome, that is exactly the information I was looking for.
Thanks,
Andy

 

have you considered the Streets of Willow Springs?
Yeah, it's going to be even further away than even Buttonwillow, but the STREETS is supposed to be a Great track to learn on.
The Big track at W.S. is good too, but is REALLY FAST in some sections.

As far as the tracks listed:
Laguna Seca is somewhat known as a Point n Shoot track, ie 'go fast in a straight line, turn, repeat. Time to breath etc. IF your wife is coming along, the area is WAY better than the others!

Sears Point is a more challenging track for You & your Porsche. I think there's probably more & more runoff area as the years go by, with the nascar-influence of the tracks owner.

BW & THill are both 'car-club tracks', where they don't hold spectator events, so the facilities aren't as nice as the others, but they're both good tracks to LEARN at.

These should be the Calendar links to some of the Tracks:

http://www.buttonwillowraceway.com/calendar.htm

http://www.laguna-seca.com/TrackRental/

http://www.reno-fernleyraceway.com/schedule.php?type_id=1

http://www.infineonraceway.com/schedule/complete%5Fschedule/

http://www.thunderhill.com/html/get_your_fill_at_the.HTM

http://www.willowspringsraceway.com/eventcalendars/2007weekendcalendar.htm


Wherever you choose to go, take VIDEO of your day and share it with us!

 

I live in San Francisco and have spent a day at Laguna Seca and a couple at Thunder Hill. I feel most comfortable at Thunder Hill, and definitely think it is worth the extra drive time for at least your first couple track experiences. I signed up with NASA HPDE 1 and they paired me with an instructor that drove a similar car.

 

If it's a competent club, you shouldn't have any worries about going to any of the tracks noted as you should have an instructor with you at all times anyhow. I would recommend something like the Audi club as they do a lot of hand holding and they hit all of the tracks you mentioned.

As previously mentioned, Laguna isn't that technical and doesn't require as much linking of turns. But it's a blast to be on for the sake of its history (and let alone it's just a nice facility). BW is a long drive for you and at first sight you think man WTF is this? But it's actually a very entertaining track and very technical. There's also Reno-Fernley but it has less ammenities yet offers some high speeds. As also previously noted, most of these tracks will bite you and I've seen rolls at RF, BW, and TH let alone people kiss the wall at Laguna coming out of 4 and 9.

In the end, just go out and do it and you'll have a great time. You'll need a helmet and some clubs have loaners if you don't want to buy one...if you do buy one try on as many as you can to find the best fit. Cause that's one of the last distractions you'll want is ill fitting gear.

 

I guess we could have tracks farther away...buttonwillow was my first track outing and I thought it was great, lots of seemingly "safe" runoff space on all the corners and only walls on main straight. Wish I had driving experience at the other 3 norcal tracks. Willow springs is awesome as well, but a bit farther away, rest of my experience is out of state.

 

Well that covers the tracks well. Can anyone recommend a club or event planner for a first timer? Any experience with unlimitedlaps.com?
AA

 

Check out HOD here is a link to some pictures from a recent event I did first time for me great day!

http://www.hookedondriving.com/photos/photo_gallery.cfm

 

Per my earlier response, I signed up with NASA HPDE 1 and thought it was very reasonably priced and received great instruction from a personal instructor all day. I didn't realize that the instruction would be wheel-2-wheel, but found it to be much less intimidating then I thought it might be. They are usually 2-day events and you can sign up for 1 or 2 days. I have also done auto-x school with the local PCA (Porsche Club) and also had a blast-- this is a very safe way to start learning vehicle dynamics in a fun low stress environment. Have fun!

 

For about $1500 you can attend one of the Skip Barber Driving School sessions at Laguna Seca and safely learn all the basics in someone else's car; ie grind their gears, and flat spot their tires rather than in your Pcar. I was at their Daytona school in January and it was epic fun.