New York Safety Track: The Hidden Gem of Upstate New York

"Brian Silvestro" (BrianSilvestro)
09/28/2014 at 12:00 • Filed to: track day bro

!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , a 2.14 mile motorcycle track located in Harpersfield NY, is a very low key location that I didn't know existed until about a week ago. Through endless forum lurking, I was able to find out that they also let cars on the track from time to time. Being only an hour and twenty minutes away, I knew I had to get myself into one of their member days.

Unlike some other track facilities, membership at NYST is only $50. Once you're a member, $250 gets your car a spot for the day. Since this is primarily a motorcycle track, not many cars signed up. 16 in total. Which is an amazingly small number. They split us into two run groups, so there was only 7(!) other cars with me on the track at all times. So much open track!!!

pictured: competition

Although it was designed to accommodate motorcycles, this track is plenty big enough to handle cars. What a wonderful track it is. Such a great layout.

The track officials split us up into 4 groups in all, 2 car groups and 2 motorcycle groups. Each group got a total of seven 15 minute sessions throughout the day for a total of 1 hour and 45 minutes of track time. Not bad at all!

pictured: you will not be let onto the track without this sticker

It was an amazing day at NYST, and I would love to go there again next season. I also want to give ALL of my respect to the motorcycle riders who are crazy enough to push their superbikes to the limits. I was cresting 100mph on the front straight, while they were cresting 140. Insanity.

Here are some more pictures I took while there:

Also, my brake pedal is a mere suggestion nowadays. After !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! track days, the initial bite at the top of the pedal is gone, and it's all-around mushier. Will I be adding DOT4? Yeah. Track pads? Probably.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

Dust on Dust on Dust!

DISCUSSION (100)

aberson Bresident of the FullyAssed Committe > Brian Silvestro
09/28/2014 at 12:08

your wheels have became dust

Brian Silvestro > aberson Bresident of the FullyAssed Committe
09/28/2014 at 12:09

*looks outside*

*Sees car hunched over, pile of dust around some tires*

aberson Bresident of the FullyAssed Committe > Brian Silvestro
09/28/2014 at 12:10

*note to self: ford now uses wheels off of lancia's*

norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback > Brian Silvestro
09/28/2014 at 12:24

Hey, how was your AutoX near Syracuse?

Brian Silvestro > norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback
09/28/2014 at 12:25

It was so good it got FP'd

http://oppositelock.jalopnik.com/autocrossing-a…

Manuél Ferrari > Brian Silvestro
09/28/2014 at 12:25

this isn't fair. We don't have anything like this in So Cal

Brian Silvestro > Manuél Ferrari
09/28/2014 at 12:26

I don't believe you! There's all sorts of racetracks there!

But you have a population problem.

Manuél Ferrari > Brian Silvestro
09/28/2014 at 12:30

we has some. But not this kind of value.

Brian Silvestro > Manuél Ferrari
09/28/2014 at 12:31

LOOK AT ALL THE FOREST AND ELEVATION CHANGE

Manuél Ferrari > Brian Silvestro
09/28/2014 at 12:31

you basically have your own Ring

Brian Silvestro > Manuél Ferrari
09/28/2014 at 12:32

BASICALLY

03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST > Brian Silvestro
09/28/2014 at 12:37

I never would have guessed something like that existed over there. Just about 2 hours from where I used to live. Looks like a fun track to, so open and a ton of trees! You don't see trees like that in Texas...

Gated Manual > Brian Silvestro
09/28/2014 at 12:38

That looks so awesome with the elevation changes... So what were your lap times?

Brian Silvestro > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST
09/28/2014 at 12:38

Upstate NY in a nutshell:

Kinja'd!!!

Brian Silvestro > Gated Manual
09/28/2014 at 12:39

I have...no idea. I should probably calculate that.

03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST > Brian Silvestro
09/28/2014 at 12:43

Haha! So true! I kind of miss it sometimes. The only trees here are a few feet tall. So much of the land here has been torn down for more homes.

Brian Silvestro > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST
09/28/2014 at 12:45

Texas is the new California in terms of population expansion.

Little Black Coupe Turned Silver > Brian Silvestro
09/28/2014 at 12:49

Stainless brake line go a long way.

Always bleed your brakes before every event. DOT 4 is the best.

Do those first, and then see how you do before getting more aggressive on your pad selection.

Brian Silvestro > Little Black Coupe Turned Silver
09/28/2014 at 12:50

SOON

03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST > Brian Silvestro
09/28/2014 at 12:52

Ya it is. Growing crazy fast. It's good and bad.

Jordaneer, The Mountaineer Man > Brian Silvestro
09/28/2014 at 18:48

Aren't you sure your refering to western washington around seattle? :) anyway congrats brian.

Brian Silvestro > Jordaneer, The Mountaineer Man
09/28/2014 at 18:58

Pretty much anywhere there's trees. Thanks!

Jayhawk Jake > Brian Silvestro
09/28/2014 at 20:51

Nice! I need to get some track time. There's one course nearish to here that people have talked a lot about, I might make a trip next year

http://www.hallettracing.net/

Brian Silvestro > Jayhawk Jake
09/28/2014 at 20:55

AT LEAST WATCH THE VIDEO JEEZ

You totally should. All the muscle cars that'll show up won't judge you at all.

They didn't do that to me or anything.

Jayhawk Jake > Brian Silvestro
09/28/2014 at 20:58

I am watching the video, jeez.

Brian Silvestro > Jayhawk Jake
09/28/2014 at 21:00

okay cool

theuserformerlyknownasaluminumfoil > aberson Bresident of the FullyAssed Committe
09/29/2014 at 08:15

Dust in the wind.. all they are is dust in the wind..

Stef Schrader > Brian Silvestro
10/01/2014 at 01:01

I really, really need to clean the Lancer's wheels. They're pretty much brownish black.

Brian Silvestro > Stef Schrader
10/01/2014 at 07:56

I gave up cleaning my wheels a long, long time ago. And my car only has 3500 miles on it.

PeteRR > Brian Silvestro
10/02/2014 at 15:59

Luckily boiled brake fluid is good for making siracha sauce.

MINI COOPER POWAH! > Brian Silvestro
10/02/2014 at 15:59

track pads! yes!!! they make ALL the difference in the world!!

Brian Silvestro > PeteRR
10/02/2014 at 15:59

That sounds delicious.

Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom > Brian Silvestro
10/02/2014 at 16:01

What a coinky-dink. My pal was up there just last week with his Ducati.

Mpusch > Brian Silvestro
10/02/2014 at 16:02

If you have been following the creation of this track over the past two years (like most any motorcycle track day guy in the Northeast), you'll know that the process of getting up and running has been.....complicated. The amount of litigation has been pretty incredible. It was honestly a miracle that they've been running the last two years. Cars aren't supposed to be on it at all actually.

PJ > Brian Silvestro
10/02/2014 at 16:04

Your camera looks hungover. Did it make it through the track day w/o vomiting?

Brian Silvestro > Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom
10/02/2014 at 16:05

I was probably there the same day as him!

emanresu > Manuél Ferrari
10/02/2014 at 16:05

...Malibu canyons. Rt. 2. Shut up.

Brian Silvestro > Mpusch
10/02/2014 at 16:05

Yeah I read up on it the day before I went. Insane stuff!!

Brian Silvestro > PJ
10/02/2014 at 16:06

It vomited in between track days. I went to Lime Rock two days before.

Andrew P. Collins > Brian Silvestro
10/02/2014 at 16:06

Thanks for sharing! Harpersfield isn't too far from Truck Yeah Headquarters... maybe I'll come up and tailgate one of these events!

PJ > Brian Silvestro
10/02/2014 at 16:07

That's a good handful of days there!

Brian Silvestro > Andrew P. Collins
10/02/2014 at 16:08

DO IT

Where are you located?! I would like to stalk you.

It's really cool to watch the bikes do 140+

Admiral Picard > Brian Silvestro
10/02/2014 at 16:08

I wish something like this existed near me (Philly 'burbs).

Edit: FUCK YEAH: http://www.njmp.com

DerrickD > Brian Silvestro
10/02/2014 at 16:09

I was also in NY on Sunday but at a different track.

Watkins Glen - 3.4 miles of sexyness

Kinja'd!!!

Brian Silvestro > PJ
10/02/2014 at 16:09

It couldn't handle it!

Brian Silvestro > Admiral Picard
10/02/2014 at 16:10

At least you're semi close to Pocono, and AutoX is everywhere!

mcbenz > Brian Silvestro
10/02/2014 at 16:10

Definitely driving up here for a track day with the Bimmer.

Brian Silvestro > DerrickD
10/02/2014 at 16:10

I want to go to Watkins Glen SO BAD

Brian Silvestro > mcbenz
10/02/2014 at 16:10

It's so worth it. Such a fun track.

neverwander > Brian Silvestro
10/02/2014 at 16:14

Is it a new track? Cause the address their site points to is in the middle of a field on Google Earth..

nmalinoski > Brian Silvestro
10/02/2014 at 16:16

I think New York needs more descriptors than "City", "Upstate", and "Western". There's too much land that isn't NYC, and I think some people lump "Western" into "Upstate". I read the headline, and I'm like "Oh, upstate? Is it near me?". After Googling Harpersfield, nope; it's nowhere near me (3.5h drive from Rochester; longer without tolls). So lame.

Brian Silvestro > neverwander
10/02/2014 at 16:18

Yeah that's why I had to ask people if it actually existed at first. I think it's only about 2 years old.

Brian Silvestro > nmalinoski
10/02/2014 at 16:19

Yeah I live in Orange County. It's known as upstate because it's not the city, but it's literally like the southernmost county before NYC.

Jonathan Harper > Brian Silvestro
10/02/2014 at 16:20

How's the runoff there? When I was at CCC one of my co-workers was interested but we were both a bit wary to bring members since there were some sections with trees quite close to the track.

Brian Silvestro > Jonathan Harper
10/02/2014 at 16:23

The runoff is pretty good at most turns. Just look up motorcycle crashes at the track, and you'll see how much runoff there actually is. But the few turns after the crest are very high speed and you have to commit, or you're definitely going into the trees.

Iamopenlyjudgingyou > Brian Silvestro
10/02/2014 at 16:24

The awesome track in my state that is 4 hours away from my house.....dang.

However its only a 30 minute ride from a friend's house....YEAH!!

A friend's house who doesn't have a garage or a safe area to keep my bike....dang.

Maybe if I could....just dang dang dammy dang dang dang.

MrGrady > Brian Silvestro
10/02/2014 at 16:24

Sweet Jesus... only 90 minutes of beautiful driving from me. Hot damn.

Andrew T. Maness > Brian Silvestro
10/02/2014 at 16:27

Looks fun, I didn't know you were a FiST guy. Have you done any upgrades to yours?

amnigo > 03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST
10/02/2014 at 16:27

It's about two hours from where I live. Where did you used to live?

Brian Silvestro > Iamopenlyjudgingyou
10/02/2014 at 16:28

Just bike 8 hours there and back. It's okay, you can bring a backpack!

Brian Silvestro > MrGrady
10/02/2014 at 16:29

DOOOO IT

They're done with cars for the season though.

Brian Silvestro > Andrew T. Maness
10/02/2014 at 16:30

Not a one. But I did just pick up new wheels and tires, but they're not going on the car until next year. Winters are going on the stock wheels SOON

Do-Rif-To > nmalinoski
10/02/2014 at 16:30

Shoutout to Northern, all 12 of us that live above the mountains need love too.

03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST > amnigo
10/02/2014 at 16:30

Near Orange County

Iamopenlyjudgingyou > Brian Silvestro
10/02/2014 at 16:36

LOL, If I rode my CBR up there the only thing I would want to do when I got there is to get neck rub and take a nap.

Just talking about it makes me want to take a nap.

GreenN_Gold > Brian Silvestro
10/02/2014 at 16:36

Looks like fun.

Is Safety just the name? Orrr....uhh.....what's a safety track?

Brian Silvestro > Iamopenlyjudgingyou
10/02/2014 at 16:41

lol sounds like fun. I only saw ONE out of the 40+ riders actually arrive on his/her bike. ONE. Everyone else trailered theirs in.

Brian Silvestro > GreenN_Gold
10/02/2014 at 16:41

You're guess is as good as mine.

Sudman > Brian Silvestro
10/02/2014 at 16:55

Four hours away but I'M GONNA GO

Thank you so much for this!

Brian Silvestro > Sudman
10/02/2014 at 16:58

AAAWWWWWWWW YIIIIIIISSSSSSS

area man > Brian Silvestro
10/02/2014 at 17:17

Going for the Barbara Walters' soft focus look, I see.

blackhawk > Brian Silvestro
10/02/2014 at 17:21

Motorcycle track riders are a special breed (myself included). At Thunderhill last year I was approaching 150 on the front straight (granted, it was closer to 140 due to speedo inaccuracies) and the only thought in my mind was I need to go faster next time.

At some point I ended up going off the track at 92 mph (and rode it out). What did I do? Got back to the pits and went out again right afterwards hah.

Brian Silvestro > blackhawk
10/02/2014 at 17:22

Well sir, I tip my hat to you.

(you're fuckin insane, that's awesome)

ChrisSlicks > Brian Silvestro
10/02/2014 at 17:23

Considering the name of the track it could do with some more safety equipment, trees and cars do not go well together. They had some tires in a few select places but they really need more protection around the track.

Anthony Miller > emanresu
10/02/2014 at 17:33

Buttonwillow...

JEM > Brian Silvestro
10/02/2014 at 17:42

And rocks. Trees and rocks.

JEM > Brian Silvestro
10/02/2014 at 17:46

Please tell me they gave a special little 3 car session, maybe 5 laps or so, to just the Challenger, Mustang/Shelby, and Camaro.

Cause 'Merica.

Brian Silvestro > area man
10/02/2014 at 17:50

My phone camera sucks ass.

Brian Silvestro > ChrisSlicks
10/02/2014 at 17:55

Yeah it's mostly a motorcycle track, but that doesn't change your reasoning. You make a point.

Brian Silvestro > JEM
10/02/2014 at 17:55

All you could ever want!

Brian Silvestro > JEM
10/02/2014 at 17:56

lolno

Almost A Wooden Bird > Brian Silvestro
10/02/2014 at 17:57

What! I'm about 90 minutes from there and had no idea! Now I'm super jealous. Track day, everybody?

Brian Silvestro > Almost A Wooden Bird
10/02/2014 at 17:59

This was the last track day of the season for cars :(

dr861 > Brian Silvestro
10/02/2014 at 18:34

Kinja'd!!!

Seen this guy on the UWS all the time. Bought a scion and replaced the badges with Toyota badges, pretty funny.

blackhawk > Brian Silvestro
10/02/2014 at 18:55

Haha, thanks. That was actually my first track day and like everything else motorsport related I tell myself I'm going to go out and take it slow and get my bearings and by the end of the first corner I'm full throttle.

I also recently went off at Laguna Seca as well badly missing an apex (and rode it out again). Having done that twice it's amazing the zen like state of mind I end up in when I'm off the track...which is probably key for riding this kind of stuff out.

Brian Silvestro > dr861
10/02/2014 at 19:04

I love the fact that he put the Toyota badges on it. So accurate!

Brian Silvestro > blackhawk
10/02/2014 at 19:07

Damn that looks fun. How was Laguna Seca? Fun?

All Motor Is Best Motor > Brian Silvestro
10/02/2014 at 19:13

Your camera lens was really dirty. Also, that is a seriously beautiful race track. I'm jealous.

Brian Silvestro > All Motor Is Best Motor
10/02/2014 at 19:19

I need a dedicated camera.

All Motor Is Best Motor > Brian Silvestro
10/02/2014 at 19:20

You and me both. There are plenty of good options out there but none of them are in Grabber Blue .

Brian Silvestro > All Motor Is Best Motor
10/02/2014 at 19:23

VALID POINT

DerrickD > Brian Silvestro
10/02/2014 at 19:34

You should. It's AMAZINGGGGGGGGGGGGGG I plan to go back next year for sure, likely 2 times.

Some Youtube vids poped up from the day. Here is one from a C7. My car is the green Bullitt Mustang in front of him.

Fireblade93 > Brian Silvestro
10/02/2014 at 19:36

Excuse me sir, but I believe that my Westchester County is the southern most county before "the city". And yes, after Westchester, we consider it to be upstate :p

Brian Silvestro > DerrickD
10/02/2014 at 19:40

YEEEESSSSSSSSS

Brian Silvestro > Fireblade93
10/02/2014 at 19:41

EVERYONE NOT IN NYC IS A PEASANT

Bighead38 > Brian Silvestro
10/02/2014 at 19:54

Ummm no. I live in Rockland county.

onefortheages > nmalinoski
10/02/2014 at 19:54

I think the basis is already there. Loosely speaking, it could be classified as Western NY, Central NY, Capital District, North Country, NYC/Long Island and then that section of NY that is downstate-ish to the rest of us - Sullivan, Ulster, Dutchess, Orange, Putnam and Westchester

Brian Silvestro > Bighead38
10/02/2014 at 19:58

*cries*

blackhawk > Brian Silvestro
10/02/2014 at 20:10

It was amazing. It's one of my favorite tracks and I was really hoping it wasn't a case of "don't meet your heroes" but man it was awesome. The only dissapointment...the paddock is at the lowest point of the track so you pretty much can't see ANYTHING from the pits.

If you look at my related videos I posted one of me going through the corkscrew for the first time on the parade laps and I just start cracking up haha.

It is a really technical track (much more so than Thunderhill at least). Laguna Seca is a bit weird in that there are a bunch of corners that 'suck' you through where if you apex it right you can go through carrying a significant amount of speed and if you miss the apex (like I did in the video above) you get spit out really wide.

Also, the main straight is over a crest with a slight left hand corner and getting light over that at like 120 is one of the craziest feelings I've ever had. Not once did I manage to hold full thottle through the entire straight.

I would do it every day if I could.

Brian Silvestro > blackhawk
10/02/2014 at 20:18

Man that makes me want to go there SO much more....UUHHHHHH