Northwest Track Days with other LT folk

[Bleu Omdurman]

I thought it would be useful to have a place where people could post up what track days they were planning on attending with their Lotus. That way if you wanted to run an event with like minded cars you'd know where we were going to be.

Post the event that your going to and how best to identify you at the track. See my example below.

I use this website to see what events there are in the Northwest. This is maintained by S4Jones.

Unofficial Pacific Northwest (PNW) Open Lapping and HPDE Track Day Calendar/Schedule


EXAMPLE-
The next event I have planned:

20-21 June Oregon Raceway Park with the Oregon PCA. I'll be in a Phantom Black Exige with a "Lotus Sport" decal on the windshield.

[abraham]

I think it is a good idea.

The list is missing the May 30th PCA HDPE at Pacific raceway, which I will participate (in the novice class, as it is my first track day). Unfortunately this is the only Lotus registered from the list.

It's definitely nice to see more Lotus around at the track.

[Bleu Omdurman]

Yup it is fun to run with cars of comparable capability. You can see how much driver skill matters.

[Lotus-Position]

Awesome, thanks Bleu! I'll take a look and try to sort out which days I can get to!

[brokenboy]

I'm doing the July 10th BMW Club event at Pacific Raceways and the June 13th PCA Driver's Education event at Bremerton.

[slaughtr]

Has anyone tried the Grass Valley track?

My only scheduled track days are this coming Monday at Miller and LOG.

I'm looking for a weekend track day at PIR or Grass Valley. I don't have any more vacation days suring the week this summer.

[abraham]

Originally Posted by brokenboy

I'm doing the July 10th BMW Club event at Pacific Raceways and the June 13th PCA Driver's Education event at Bremerton.

Are you talking about BMWCCA Car Control Clinic or HPDE? The latter does not allow convertibles, that's why I went with the PCA class. Unfortunately BMWCCA members have lower priority at these events.

[brokenboy]

BMWCCA's HDPE. They allow the Elise and Exige. Last time I was there there were 4 of us. They consider them a targa, not a convertible, and it's allowed. You do have to have the top on, but the soft top is allowed.

The only thing that sucks about the BMW club events is that you have to get your car tech'd for each event, not just once a season like PCA.

[abraham]

Yes, that sucks. Plus, many contract shops with BMWCCA (tech for $35) work on BMWs only, so I had to bring it somewhere else to get the PCA tech done.

Some information I just received, the June 10 PCA HPDE class has openings in every class, and other clubs are free to register now. Do you think it makes sense to attend two consecutive HPDE events, first in class D (novice) and second in C (low intermediate)? I am wondering if I can learn anything at the second event. Or should I go directly with open track?

[brokenboy]

HPDE's are basically open track events, it's just that you get an instructor. I've driven by myself on tracks probably 20-ish times, but having someone give you pointers is always helpful.

At least with BMW, once you get up to level B, you can drive by yourself if you really want. Given that the BMW and PCA events aren't really more than an "open track" event, I don't see any reason to avoid them.

FYI, BMW accepts PCA tech forms.

[MartinBerryman]

Weissach has a private day arranged at PR on June 15th and another on Sept 14th. I recently ran with them at River's Edge in Mission BC with about 10 other Elises (other groups consisted of Porches and Lambos), and it was a great day put on by Morrisport. I'm not sure who runs their programs in Seattle, but I think it's a different group. A tech inspection is required within the 30 days leading up to the event. Info is here:
http://207.232.100.193/weissach/pdf/...gistration.pdf

Martin

[swede]

I am doing Brainard, MN, on July 13. Their cars in the morning mine in the afternoon.

[abraham]

Originally Posted by abraham

I think it is a good idea.

The list is missing the May 30th PCA HDPE at Pacific raceway, which I will participate (in the novice class, as it is my first track day). Unfortunately this is the only Lotus registered from the list.

It's definitely nice to see more Lotus around at the track.

Correction, I am not the only Lotus now. Another 2005 Elise also from Bellevue, anyone here?

If you see the post, mine is AS, stock with sport package, no paint work of any kind. See you at the track!

[brokenboy]

I bet that's "marvinalone." I met him at the last BMW event. He's on the board but not sure I have ever seen him in the NW area.

[Bleu Omdurman]

Slaughter

I have not been to Grass Valley yet. I'll be there on the 20th and 21st of June.

I have, however, talked to a bunch of people that have been there already. Apparently, you are never going in a straight line, constantly setting up for turns, lots of compromises. I'm excited. The added benefit is that no one yet knows the track. That's a great equalizer.

[Bleu Omdurman]

I think a thread with advice for locals to get on the track is a great idea. Lets carry that to another thread. Someone want to start that?

Lets keep this one focused on being a way for others to post up where they will be when and how to connect.

If anyone has specific questions on how to go about getting on track, feel free to PM me or set up another thread. There are a bunch of us here in the Northwest. It is a great community and very helpful.

[s4jones]

IMHO, Mark Viskov of CLNW.org runs some of the best events around and you will see a ton of vintage and recent Lotus cars in the paddock and on the track. My only beef is that he does not run a novice group and sometimes allows drivers (usually in Elises, since it IS a Lotus club) into the intermediate group that are probably better suited for a first-timer BMW or PCA event. Having said that, I've had some great events with Mark et al. My favorite groups now are probably Club Lotus and the two Alfa clubs. I like those groups as my car fits in well with many of the cars that run in the Intermediate and Advanced groups at those events.

As for my own event participation: I'll be at the IRDC PR event July 26, the NWARC PR event August 27, and (if all goes well) out to Spokane Sept 18/19 for a Scott Adare FATT event (my first at Spokane). It's always nice to find caravan companions for a drive like that. So, ping me if you're interested.

ORP: I will probably not be able to try that until 2010 soonest. However, I know that your member pfanning was out there with ORPCA in April. He liked it a lot. Greg Meythaler of BMW ACA posted a couple of PDFs describing the turns. I found them posted here: http://www.nwtrackdays.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=43 That same site has some other notes by the site owner, who was out there as well (I think with the Porsche guys).

May 30 PCA event: I noticed that they added that event a couple of weeks ago when I was randomly poking the PNW PCA site. I did add it to my HPDE calendar then and considered attending, but we've had a big trip to Italy at the end of June planned for awhile now and I'm going to have "be good" about excess spending for at least a couple of months.

[Bleu Omdurman]

Thanks for posting that.

I too am planning on heading to Spokane for that event.

[Noen]

Finally got my seat rails installed, so track season is open for me!

What's the next event going on at Pacific Raceways?

[Bleu Omdurman]

Check out the link in S4Jones' signature. That will show you what you are looking for in a clear one-stop-shop sort of way.

Anyone headed to PR soon?

I don't think my next event will be until late july/august at the earliest. I'm for sure going to Spokane in Sept.