BLU CIVIC

there are so many track times with different organizations, how do you pick and choose which to attend? I'm looking to do auto-x still but want to do a couple HPDE's...i'm looking to don the VIR full course in Ferbuary but saw that there are a couple organizations doing it. I considered signing up with Tarheel Sports Car Club to do theirs since it's more local but since i signed up with NASA to do auto-x at VMP do i stay with them...this is all too confusing for a newbie.

The Wok

I've run TrackDaze and NASA at VIR - for your very first time, to help get you up to speed and comfortable on track, I'd recommend NASA.

vbspec

Most everyone on this forum will recommend like wok said TrackDaze and NASA. Both groups have excellent on track and classroom instruction that keep it super fun and safe. No one went out on track the first time and got an F1 ride. Everyones learning curve is different and both of these two organizations understand that and can take you from super green novice to seasoned HPDE champion to W2W racer. Just make sure your car is safe, you have the proper helmet and better from brake pads help too.

Like I said you cant go wrong with either of these 2 groups.

BLU CIVIC

thanks for the info...i bought my helmet last month for the auto-x that got rescheduled at VMP and trying to find the best pads and brake fluid for the event...tires and what not i'm not going to worry about b/c i'm just using what i have for now and since this will be my first event and i will use it as a control run to base my future modifications on...there are a few things i know of that i want to take care of before i bring my car in for tech inspection...but i will be going to sign-up for the hpde in february...this will be my first dive in the motorsports arena and hope i don't break anything my first go round

my initial track build...hope to learn a lot about the limits of my car

1990 Honda Civic Si

B16b with LS transmission
D2 Coilovers
D2 LCAs
DC 4-2-1 header with Greddy exhaust
stock sway bars with ES bushings
B&M short throw shifter with ES bushins in linkage
ebay strut bars
Drag DR-23 15x6.5 rims with Nitto NT450 195/50r15 tires

vbspec

^^^ Honestly closer to stock the best place to start. But all you need is a set of Hawk HP+ or Cobalt XR4 pads up from with cheap rear shoes/or pads and clean brake fluid, Super Blue ATE.....Motul..... Something that can handle higher temps. Other than that check all for your wheel bearings both front and rear, and all ball joints. Also grab your torque wrench and re-torque all of you suspension bolts to spec. Top off all the other fluids and there you go.

I can tell you that I lost a bolt (front sub frame) driving thru the paddock my first time and my dad failed tech his first time because of this rear wheel bearings.... Both super quick fixes that we should have caught at home. Doing these things at home helps keep the stress level down in the paddock

BLU CIVIC

thanks again for the info...THSCC is having their annual tech inspections days next month, but they also list the locations of authorized tech inspectors that i can take my car to...so i'm going to do that so i don't be surprised during tech inspection

looking at NASA's website for the HPDE on February 22 they also list a Circuitcross...anyone ever participate in this event?

The Wok

Get some pads, some Super Blue brake fluid, change your oil / check your other fluids. Make sure your wheels bearings / tie rods are in decent shape (no play.)

Make sure your helmet has a Snell (I believe is the sticker - getfast or vbspec can confirm) sticker - mine did not and was not passed for tech at my second track day. Luckily Jon had loaner helmets.

Most important thing IMO is to be open to instruction and learning, rather than going to the track thinking you already know what you're doing. While I felt like I knew a decent bit of what was taught (from reading books like Secrets of Solo Racing,) you're better served to take in everything as if you know nothing.

I hope to do NASA in Feb., I'm sure there'll be a thread. Someone from here will be there, pit with them and you'll be fine.

One last thing - do NOT camp in February. My broke ass is sure to be down to split a room at Sleep Inn.

getfast

+1 to what others have said. There are many great groups putting on track events these days. IMHO the most important elements for your first one are:

-significant safety policies (excellent safety record is one indicator of this)
-educational bias (how much classroom & in-car instruction, and who provides it)

The amount of track time you get is secondary to those two things, for your first few events at least. IMHO it is very important to start with a good group to get the basics of high performance driving down. Specifically a group with lots of classroom time and mandatory in-car instruction. Otherwise you may get into bad habits that will be much more difficult to fix later. You may also be slow (best case) or dangerous (worst case) if you are allowed to just go out there and figure it all out yourself. Roadcourse driving is a very complicated thing!

To answer your question: NASA Circuitcross is a fun, educational, affordable, one-day way to get your feet wet on a roadcourse. It is literally designed to be that first crossover step from autocrossing toward roadcourse driving, since the morning is a school and the afternoon is timed runs on a 1-mile dedicated road course with elevation changes (i.e. significantly faster than any autocross course - plus no cones and no work assignments.) However, it is not intended to take the place of a HPDE. For one thing the classroom is less detailed, for another there is no in-car instruction, and for a third, you're not on track for anywhere near as long per day.

You may also want to look into NASA's "Hyperdrive" program. At most if not all of the HPDE weekends, there's a $50 option for a single classroom session plus a single HPDE1 track session with an instructor in the car. At VIR in Feb you could certainly do the Hyperdrive on Saturday:

https://secure.drivenasa.com/event/829

and then the Circuitschool/Circuitcross on Sunday:

https://secure.drivenasa.com/event/819

There's nothing wrong with jumping into your first HPDE, but those are some options to give this stuff a try first. Either way you have many great choices in '09. You have also found yourself in one of the best regions of the country for these sorts of activities (i.e. great organizations AND great tracks.)

Hope it helps,

Jon

getfast

Yep, that's why I bring 'em.

In general... helmet rules vary among the groups, so be sure to check with the organizers - and check your helmet for that matter - before you sign up. You're looking for a letter (M for motorcycle or SA for special application i.e. roadracing) and a stardards year (1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, etc.) Many HPDE groups these days are "M/SA2000 or newer/better" which means the helmet will need a M2000, SA2000, M2005, or SA2005 sticker inside. Some groups don't allow M helmets, and some groups still allow 1995 rated helmets.

The Snell stickers are inside the helmet, under the liner. What is printed on the back of the helmet above your neck, i.e. DOT and/or Snell, means nothing (some Ebay helmets say Snell on the back but have no sticker inside, which is why they don't pass.) M stickers are brown metallic, SA stickers are orange metallic. They're maybe 0.75" x 1.5" and reflective with black and white numbers/letters.

Jon

BLU CIVIC

so is the Hyperdrive program on top of the HPDE or is it separate...i couldn't tell...if it is then i'll just do that and the Circuitcross...but i looked at my helmet and it's Snell M2005 and it doesn't look like it's approved by NASA but i need to re-read the rules again for HPDE's and NASA-X