[2fst4u]

Hi!

I am an Elise owner based in Europe. Since getting my Elise 2 years ago, I have had the chance to drive regularly at Track Days on some of Europe's best tracks: Spa, the Nurburgring, Imola etc. Track days in Europe usually consists in an organisation renting a track for the day and then selling on 30 to 100 tickets to as many drivers who then drive on it for the day. An example can be found at: www.easytrack.co.uk

The track which is at the top of my list now is Laguna Seca

- Do you know if there are Track Days at Laguna Seca?
- Is it possible to rent a car for a track day?
- What are my other options to drive at Laguna Seca?

I would be very grateful for any advice.

 

[Prolene]

Many High Performance Driver Education events happen at Laguna Seca. You can rent a car and run it on the track. Try Speedventures.net as an entry into this type of event. I will be running Laguna Seca track 1/2/04 and likely 2/06/04 with that organization. Fun group of people to be be with.

Although this is 'driver's ed', you may go as fast as your car and your sensibilities allow.

 

[MattG]

I don't know of any car rental company that will allow you to take your rental car onto a racetrack! Of course, how would they know? ;-) Keep in mind, though, that most car rental companies in the US rent very boring American cars, the last thing you'd want to take to Laguna Seca. I think Hertz rents Mazda Miatas (MX-5); you can rent Ford Mustangs from Budget (some offer the 'Saleen' versions).

There are track days all the time at Laguna. Different groups rent out the track, and manage the track day - so you need to contact one of those groups, not the track itself. This link will take you to a track schedule showing who's renting it when. Typical cost is around US$250.

Another option is to attend one of the driving schools at the track. It costs quite a bit more, but you have plenty of track time and they provide the car.

 

[meat]

There are several places in San Francisco that rent performance cars. FYI

 

[Prolene]

Of course, how would they know? ;-) Keep in mind, though, that most car rental companies in the US rent very boring American cars, the last thing you'd want to take to Laguna Seca. ...

R&T (or Automobile) in their RX-8 review several months ago mentioned they shared the track with Speed Ventures (I was there, too) and mentioned the guy who rented a large American car and put it on the track, since his S2000 was 'broken'. He scuffed those sidewalls half way up the tires due to cornering.

 

[John Stimson]

Forget renting a passenger car: There are several companies around the Bay Area that will rent you a Spec Miata racecar.

Then all you need to do is find out when there is a group that's hosting an open track event and sign up.

OR you can sign up for the .Skip Barber racing school, which is taught at Laguna Seca. It's expensive though.

I've never done either.

 

[2fst4u]

Many thanks for all your suggestions. Very useful!

 

[fastspider]

The Golden Gate Lotus Club http://www.gglotus.org has run Laguna Seca in the past, but the track day calendar does not include it for the coming year. I ran my S1 Elise twice at Laguna with them.

It is a wonderful track for the Elise, the tight corners and elevation changes suit the car well.

Keep watch on this page, and call whichever car club is running there to get on-board. The BMW car club runs there quite often.
http://www.laguna-seca.com/00misc.htm

I'm probably going to the Green Flag Racing "Turkey Burn" at Buttonwillow later this month...

 

[khamai]

Indeed the GGLC usually has at least 1 Lotus Track Day event each year at Laguna Seca.

We've posted the our 2004 GGLC Track Day schedule on the GGLC website - www.gglotus.org. But at the time of the posting we had not confirmed our 2004 date with Laguna. It is still pending and we should be informed shortly.

Of course as soon as we know what the date will be, it will be posted on the GGLC site. Watch for it!

Kiyoshi Hamai
GGLC Webmaster