Are there any tracks in the US/Canada where you just show up and drive?

"MegaSuper" (megasuper) 04/13/2015 at 13:00 • Filed to: None

2

7

Just a thing I noticed from reading different car magazines from around the globe:

Take for instance, the Nürburgring in Germany or Silverstone in the UK. You show up, usually pay a fee, and then you do laps to your hearts content. In the cases of some UK tracks, passing is only allowed on straightaways. Time with an instructor is optional. Some tracks have an open pit lane, meaning once you get bored or hungry you can just park up in a garage, get a bite to eat, and then go back out to the track. There are drive-by noise limits, but maybe that's it. You can take a passenger as long as they sign a form acknowledging that it's dangerous.

On the other hand, from what I've read about tracks in the US/Canada, you can only go to a track if it's part of a "High-Performance Driving Event," or a specific make/model's owner's club has rented out the entire track for the day. So you have to book in advance, there has to be room, your car has to have a full safety inspection, perhaps a rollcage may be required, you're not allowed out on the track without an instructor if you haven't gone to a few events before, no passengers at all until you're at a higher skill level. (Some I think have different "skill levels" that determine if you're allowed to pass at all, and if you do, other drivers have to "point" or something like that. Not sure how it works) Compared to a track in the UK for example, you can't just drive up to Laguna Seca and say, "Hey, when's your next open track day?" because the answer is "never", at least from what I've read.

Have I got it wrong? It just seems as though there's much more open access in Europe in general, particularly the UK/Germany/some smaller circuits in France and Spain. The only "show up and go" type tracks I've read about in the US are drag strips.

If it is in fact more restricted in the US/Canada, it is it a lawsuit/liability thing? Just curious as to why it hasn't caught on. Whenever a Fast & Furious movie comes out, there are always articles talking about "Take it to the track!" and stuff like that (and rightly so!), my North American friends tell me "I don't even know where you'd go to do that" or "You'd need $$$$$ to rent the entire track for a day, otherwise it ain't happening."

whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU > MegaSuper 04/13/2015 at 13:04

1

I am interested in this too, no wonder street racing is such an epidemic in the States. You have to pay to play here.

Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif > MegaSuper 04/13/2015 at 13:04

1

I live in western Canada and am 99.6% sure there are no race tracks left that aren't just falling apart into a mass collection weed busted asphalt.

JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t > whiskeybusiness NOW A DANGER TO CROWDS NEAR YOU 04/13/2015 at 13:28

1

I once again can not reply to the OP (thanks Kinja!) but I'll just link you this little rant/post.

http://jalopnik.com/clarkson-flipp…

jariten1781 > MegaSuper 04/13/2015 at 13:37

0

Most drag strips still have open nights or 'test & tunes'. Usually about a 10$ fee and you'll get as many runs as you can which could be be 2 or 20 depending on how many people show.

Now, when I was a kid, the local strip had every Thursday as an open night. That'll never happen again. Too much liability and safety culture. They just had a guy or two running timing...any wreck and it was up to the participants to clean up. Any injury and your initial care was handled by the other drivers until the ambulance showed up half an hour plus later. I never saw a huge fire, but if there was one everyone would have been screwed because there was nothing but a couple extinguishers sitting around and what people brought with them. There were a number of preventable deaths over the years which people will not (and probably should not) stomach today.

MegaSuper > jariten1781 04/13/2015 at 13:40

0

Yikes!

And speaking of safety, one thing that surprised me that I came across was something regarding how if your car is capable of doing the 1/4 mile in less than a certain time, you're considered to be in some different bracket, and because of that you MUST have a rollcage, NHRA license or something like that, etc.

Now back in the 70s I imagine that made sense, but if someone shows up with a GTR or something, then their car is subject to all those regulations even though it's STOCK! Really put into perspective just how high-performing cars are "off the shelf" these days!

Gizmo - The Only Good Gremlin, but don't feed me after Midnight > MegaSuper 04/14/2015 at 00:44

0

I just drove my Cadillac XLR-V at an HPDE event two days ago, and yes you are right - you cannot just show up and drive at US tracks (unless you're real lucky or know somebody). What you describe in your third paragraph is pretty accurate.

Safety and liability is a really big deal here. Most tracks carry enormous liability insurance/bonds and the renters of the track have very strict rules they must adhere to in order to sponsor an event under the track's liability insurance. For example, the Texas Mile Standing mile LSR at the airport in Beeville, TX was required by the city to post a $50 M insurance policy for each 3-day event. One of the insurance rules at most tracks is all cars on track must be inspected and meet a minimum safety level that varies from track to track with different levels of safety depending on what type of event and type of car (my car is a convertible, but I don't need a roll cage at most tracks because it is a hardtop with OEM roll over protection).

Most tracks will have an annual calendar on their website. For most of the tracks I've driven, they usually separate drivers into 4 categories: 1/2 are the novices with instructors and novices without; 3/4 are experienced drivers and instructors. To graduate to the next higher level most tracks require at least three events in the current category and a checkride with an instructor. HPDE and PDX events usually sell out at least a month in advance for the novice categories because available licensed instructors are in short supply. Category 3/4 drivers usually sign up early to lock in their slots with their personal calendar. If you can prove you're an experienced driver in a competitive car, club event are usually open to all makes and models... the club is just the sponsor of the event.

Now, if you're serious about being a walk-on... like I said earlier, you need to be lucky or know someone. You could be lucky enough to have enough money to join one of the many racing country clubs. The nearest to me is Autobahn Country Club . Autobahn members enjoy access to a track 6 days a week for 7 months a year ( $35K initial fee, $5K annual). You could also be lucky enough to show up to an event where they've had a few last minute cancellations, pass inspection, pay the full price, and only miss the first session of the day. Or you could network with the track owners, track staff, event staff, or get involved with your local track as a corner worker or volunteer. I have done all of the above (well actually, I was a guest of an Autobahn member, but yes to the rest) and have amassed quite a bit of track time.

Showing up uninvited takes guts and preparation. You need to research the event cost and bring exact change in cash. You need to have your car ready to pass inspection without question. You need to be dressed appropriately (slacks, long sleeve shirt, no flip-flops) and have current minimum or higher personal safety gear. Lastly, have your experience documentation ready (NASA has a great little passport book they give their rookies that you log your track days and get instructor signatures for checkrides). With all that prep, show up early, find the event chair/director and offer to fill an open slot. I tend to get in more often than not.

Networking takes time to foster and build relationships. I am a big supporter of Team Cadillac Racing (Pirelli World Challenge, PWC) and over time have built friendships with the drivers, race team, and marketing. My first time driving Autobahn Country Club was the result of those relationships. Cadillac Marketing rented the track for one of their closed CTS-V marketing events for potential buyers. I got a friend of mine an invite and I was there to take pictures and video of him. Cadillac setup a morning and an afternoon group comprised of three sessions with instructors and class/marketing between sessions. Both groups were provided lunch. My buddy was in the morning group and when we sat down for lunch, Andy Pilgrim recognized me, asked the marketing director if I was on the schedule and had me added to the afternoon group. I got to track three of their cars, their gas, their brakes, etc., etc., etc., as hard as I was comfortable for an hour...FOR FREE!!! Since then, I have driven a CTS-V for a parade lap at every PWC race I've attended from Mid-Ohio to Detroit to Road Atlanta.

Another method is get involved with your local track. I am a long time SCCA member and volunteer to work SCCA events whenever I can. These led to becoming a track corner worker with fire rescue training and eventually added me to the list of primary event workers for my local track. We have one guy that sends out emails asking for workers as events come up (its cheaper for the track to subcontract us enthusiasts at $9/hr than hire full time employees). At first, I worked every event I could and sometimes at the end of the day we would be allowed to track our cars. Now, three years later, I only work a few events, but tend to sign up as an alternate for events I like. As an alternate, I still have to show up as if I'm working, but as soon as all the primaries arrive, I'm released. I then can do as described above about "uninvited," but now the event director knows I showed up to work his event (no corner workers, no event) and usually they will accommodate me at cost.

Gizmo - The Only Good Gremlin, but don't feed me after Midnight > MegaSuper 04/14/2015 at 01:00

0

Most tracks will only send you home if you exceed the speed limit for your safety gear. You can bring your GT-R to the drags and race all day as long as you're not below a certain time. All cars are treated this way. I think my local track is 9.99 sec quarter mile. Beat that without a cage and SFI 20 fire suit, you go home. Again, it all about the rules of the track's liability insurance.

We rented the drag strip at PBIR a few years ago for a closed event and they let us run as hard as we wanted with the minimum tech inspection.