'treezy

anybody down for some track time at a brand new facility/racetrack in southern Arizona later this year? If you've never done one before, ProAutoSports is a great group to begin with here in AZ. They typically run at Firebird and Phoenix Int'l Raceways and from time to time will hold events out at Arroyo Seca and Sandia Motorspeedway in New Mexico. Now that we have Inde motorsports Ranch in Willcox, AZ we'll be running there more often as well.

Information on Inde:
http://www.indemotorsports.com/site/





It's a friggin' blast! Doesn't matter what you drive anything can be driven "to the limit."

Just curious if maybe anyone on HA enjoys the exhilarations of track racing and maybe wanted to go as a group? I work for ProAutoSports and earn free track time by working races and track weekends as a Corner Marshall or sometimes Start/Finish and/or Timing & Scoring. If there is a need for workers (and there normally is), there is an opportunity for you to learn the ropes (it's easy) and earn yourself some free track time. One day worked = one day of track time (about 2 hours, four 30min sessions). If not, it's pretty affordable to attend, expect about $250 for two days of track time, it may be higher at Inde Motorsports Ranch as they are brand new and may have higher rates.

nos4atu

Awww man that would be f*kin awesome, wish I could go down.

tibbytib

Damn! Too bad its not the week of Nopi/HIN Las Vegas, I would have taken the long route to Vegas to come roll with you guys!

sharkrocket

laugh.gif Very Cool cool.gif

'treezy

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (tibbytib @ Jul 21 2010, 08:53 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Damn! Too bad its not the week of Nopi/HIN Las Vegas, I would have taken the long route to Vegas to come roll with you guys!</div>

ProAutoSports usually runs one weekend a month except the hot summer months. There is also NASA-AZ, or National Auto Sports Association, who do the same thing but only at Phoenix International Raceway (the infield) and the Socal Tracks (Buttonwillow, Cal Speedway, Willow Springs). So really there are two track weekends a month if you run with both groups. I don't really have the ability to work for NASA-AZ for free track time like I used to, and enjoy hangin' with the ProAutoSports (local to Arizona) crew anyways. They've got a family atmosphere, nicer cars, hotter women, and an awesome beer garden and BBQ after each day's racing event.

When the season picks up again (Sept-May), you'll have to try and make it out to some. It is so fun, I have a sh*t-eatin' grin I can't swipe off my face the entire time I'm on the track. It's like (real) justification for all the blood, sweat, and tears you put into your car.

tibbytib

That sounds awesome! I know Dave (dmdicks) did some kind of 8 hour class up here in Denver and said it was one of the coolest things he had ever done. 4 hours on the track with a pro driver and 4 hours in the classroom. I'm looking forward to when they offer the class again. Said it was the best 200 bucks he has ever spent! I have NO clue as to race edicate so I need some coaching on how to pass, how to be passed, and general do's and dont's of the track.

I'll definitely be watching for your posts later in the year. Maybe I can make something happen around thanksgiving if the weather permits me to drive the tib down to see the folks in AZ.

187sks

Wish I was closer, sounds like a blast.

We actually may get use of a family home in Yuma as a vacation house, if so we may have to time it so that we can drop by for an event.

'treezy

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (tibbytib @ Jul 21 2010, 10:05 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>That sounds awesome! I know Dave (dmdicks) did some kind of 8 hour class up here in Denver and said it was one of the coolest things he had ever done. 4 hours on the track with a pro driver and 4 hours in the classroom. I'm looking forward to when they offer the class again. Said it was the best 200 bucks he has ever spent! I have NO clue as to race edicate so I need some coaching on how to pass, how to be passed, and general do's and dont's of the track.

I'll definitely be watching for your posts later in the year. Maybe I can make something happen around thanksgiving if the weather permits me to drive the tib down to see the folks in AZ.</div>

Your first time out here you can even drive whatever other car you have and work, that way you can rack up a couple free track bucks (one "buck" = one day), and next time you can come down in the tib! =)

If I see Sandia Motor Speedway pop up on the schedule I'll def let you know, since that's kind of a halfway point between us.

Learning the line, vehicle control, your own limits, and track etiquette all comes very quickly for anyone who has their head on straight and a little bit of common sense. Your first time out will be with an instructor (possiby even me) along with a dozen or so other newbies who each have their own instructor in their own vehicles. There will be no passing and speeds will be kept to a minimum. The object is to learn the line, technique, brake points, shift points, etc. Subsequent sessions will increase in speed and responsibility. The classroom will teach you what different colored flags mean and what you are required to do, how to point by a faster car behind you, how to pass a slower car in front of you, etc.All of this is what consists of "HPDE" or "DE" (High Performance Drivers Education or Drivers Education). Your runs are not timed and this is not a race, it is a driving school to teach you how to handle your car at faster than "street" speeds in a safe, controlled environment.

After you become familiar with HPDE you will receive a license and be able to run with faster groups where you can pass in the turns (lower level groups can only pass in the straightaways to keep things under control), and from there you can move up to Time Attack groups where you are racing against the clock or even return to the classroom and begin training for your race license. Running in a race group costs a buttload of money though, I would not recommend even considering it unless you have a dedicated race car, car trailer, truck to pull car and trailer, and a mobile garage..

I just always feel like the outsider at the track racing around in his gay Hyundai tiburon. I do like seeing the stonewalled faces of G35, Mustang, Miata, etc owners as I run 5-10seconds faster round the track than they do though.. wink.gif

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (187sks @ Jul 21 2010, 10:30 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Wish I was closer, sounds like a blast.

We actually may get use of a family home in Yuma as a vacation house, if so we may have to time it so that we can drop by for an event.</div>

I used to live on the south side of Seattle for 7 years. That's where I got into Auto-X and from there began attending track weekends at Pacific Raceway in Kent, WA. AMAZING Track, I miss it so much. also there is Portland International Raceway and a place in Bremerton.

187sks

Pacific Raceway is a great track...but their requirements to get on the course are a bit much (their training course is upwards of $1000 before you're welcome to join track days) and their license doesn't transfer over to anywhere else, at least from what I've heard. There is a new karting track near the entrance that has lapping days. It's like an autox sized road course. I'm going to try that out one of these days as their requirements are less demanding since it's one car at a time.

I autox at the Bremerton site, and for a road course it's extremely lame. It's just the airstrip and taxiway with a few cone chicanes thrown in.

If I ever hear of someone running on the PIR course I'll go down to check it out. I've never even been there but I've heard good things.