Hey guys, I really want to try this car out on a road course.

I got a hold of the local track, and they want 375 to run the track and have a pro ride with me and instruct me in "proformance driving" first time, not sure after that

does that sound good.

what are your rates?

any one have experience with getting started at going to a track?

 

Sounds good to me. I paid $535 for the Proformance Racing School's High Performance Clinic at Pacific Raceways outside of Seattle, which was an all day class, with three full 30 minute sessions. Now when I go out to the track it's $260 for all day, and then you're first time back after the clinic you have to rent an instructor for 50 minutes, which cost an extra $125. Have fun!!! I'm going back for more in August.

 

1. Make sure you get plenty of sleep before you go out there.

2. Top off your tank before you get to the track. I use more than 1/2 a tank of gas in two 25-30 minute sessions (about 56 miles.)

3. Bring oil. My car uses about 1/4 of a quart for every 25 minutes (25miles)

4. Ask your instructor how much air you need to inflate your tires to. It's not to gain traction, it's to help from damaging your tires. Your tires will take a beating out there regardless, don't make it worse by being underinflated.

5. Get a pair of driving gloves. It's to keep consistant grip on the wheel. You don't want to worry about sweaty hands.

6. Bring water, you'll be sweating a lot from the stress, stay hydrated.

7. Take everything out of your car so nothing is rolling around.

8. Get used to having your hands at 9 and 3 on the wheel, rest your thumbs on the cross beam of the wheel. You can keep your hands there till about 180 degrees of turning the wheel. Also try noticing how smooth your steering controls are. Start now by trying to be as smooth as possible. A quick twitch at speed will throw the balance of your car off and cause you to possibly lose control.


If anyone else has something to add that'd be great. If your car has stability control, leave it on!!! You'll hear people say turn it off so you can really know what your car is doing. You'll know what your car is doing with it on. When you hit a limit, you'll feel it come on and you can learn from that, and while you're learning when it comes on, it'll probably be activating and saving your life and or car.

 

wow thanks!!!

one more thing, do you have to have special insurance? or something like that?

 

You don't have to "have" special insurance, just know if you don't have the special insurance, you are not covered by your regular insurance. You wreck it you're f'd.

Here is a link to the company that the Pacific Raceways proformance people recommend. http://www.kandkinsurance.com/Pages/Home.aspx I don't know how much it is, but I think I'm going to look into it before the next time I go. The first time I went, the stability control saved my ***. I went into a braking corner too hot, panicked, and stabbed the brakes instead of rolling into the brakes. The back end shot out at 80MPH, but the stability caught it.

 

Yeah, don't wreck... You won't, but just don't be an idiot. Keep traction control on (even though it's annoying) and ignore faster drivers except to let them pass. Do that and you don't need track insurance. Then again, if you owe a lot on your car it may be a smart idea just in case.

I paid $205 for my day out at Pacific today with an instructor. Clubs are always cheaper than racing schools and the instructors are still really good.

I guess the NW Porsche Club makes a trip out to Spokane in the Fall. Maybe we should all make the trek

 

Ballpark on track insurance is $200/day but you can do group buys. Food for thought

 

i heard you can get it down to 100/day but thats still expensive..

 

It probably varies a lot based on the car and the track. Eric (GTR guy) said he'd paid $150 when going with a Porsche club (unclear if that was here or back in Texas) but it was a group buy.

 

still easier to just claim it on insurance i think...

 

It's true, but you need to be careful because it is technically insurance fraud. I read up the fine print on my Gap insurance btw and crashing on the track counts as intentionally crashing it and they won't pay out

 

crap...

 

Yah, that's a big concern for me because my gap is going to be enourmous, especially post the last accident.

 

i have no gap

 

You didnt crash at the track. Bigfoot came out of the woods when you were looking at the nice forest in the cascade mountains. Who races nice cars at the track anyways.

 

lol, you guys are great!!!

 

 

You just need a good tow truck driver to put you in the ditch somewhere else

 

not a bad idea...

 

Hmmmmm....

 

how much??

 

and u are talking about spokane race way park right?

 

yeah in airway hights

 

yeah that is a good price. after that it should be a little less expensive once you have more expeirence. i own a mazda3 and use it as a daily driver with some light mods but i am looking to purchase a rx8 down the line once i finish with school. no many modded mazdas here in spokane maybe like 10 max imo

 

is there a group or anything, or is it just yourself.

it seems you and I are the only ones in the spokane/coeur d' alene area