mdonline

Does any one know of any upcoming track day at Infineon for beginners for this year or next year???

JackOlsen

It looks like TrackMasters is there October 6 and November 12. About $300/day, which is not bad for Sears Point.

http://www.trackmasters-racing.com/

Tom W

You realize Infineon is the worst course in northern CA for beginners as it is unforgiving of mistakes (as in crunch your car into a wall)? Thunderhill (and Buttonwillow or Reno-Fernley) are great for beginners as the consequences of an "off" are usually not much other than dust (no walls to hit).

I believe that there are also 2 NASA weekends in Oct (7/8 and 28/29). I'm not sure if they are doing HPDE1 or not.

JackOlsen

I can't disagree with Tom on that point. My first visit to Sears Point ended up costing me over $5,000.

Thunderhill is a great learning course, and it's faster than Sears. NCRC has a weekend there next month.

http://www.ncracing.org/

Wreck Me Otter

I did my 5th track day ever at SP (in the rain...).....scared the cr*p out of me and I didn't return for 2 years...now with a lot more experience, I love that track......

mdonline

Just that SP Infineon is close to my house. I'll go to Thunderhill for my first event instead. Thanks for the tip.

mooty

Thunderhill dates:
9/8 trackmaster, 9/15 unlimitedlaps, 9/22 ncrc, 9/23-34 pca-ggr
10/1 ncrc, 10/20-21 ncrc, 10/27 trackmaster
11/18-19 ncrc

i wouldn't venture on to SP until i have 10 track days at a minimum. there are walls everywhere.

Tom W

It's by far the closest for me too. I waited 3 years and over 50 events before going (ok, I would have gone after about 20, but I never got the chance due to work). It's also my favorite track now.

Thunderhill is a bit more of a drive but it is fun to drive and waaay more safe. Only a bad mistake at the exit of 12 or 13 (the esses) has the potential for a wall. Come join us for NCRC or GGR/PCA next month. NCRC is doing an event on Friday 9/22 with an ARC exhibition race and GGR/PCA is doing a DE with a special PRC run group/race. Check out the GGR or NCRC web sites for details. For GGR you would need to do ground school on 9/2.

mooty

well, f-up T15 and trying to save it too hard, you will eat the pit entrance wall.

Tom W

John, I agree but not too many novices will be going fast enough there to reach the pit wall. I hope mdonline realizes that small mistakes can have exctreme consequences (and big ones small) but it's a matter of probability and the odds are much better at TH than SP.

mooty

that's for sure.

i like your avatar a lot. can i borronw that giant wing to put on my car

earlyapex

My last visit to Sears Point was also very expensive! You're much better off going to Thunderhill for your first DE. GGR has great Porsche instructors and really emphasizes saftey at their events.

VZ935

I lobbied the local PCA region for a long time to not allow begining drivers to start out at Sears Point/Infineon...don't know if they ever listened. Besides , while learning you should also have some fun... and I think Thunderhill would definitely be a better experience for you all the way around... I will be at Sears with my friend Bob Stephanowicz this weekend for SCCA ... it would be a good event to come check out if you want to see what Sears is all about. I think you will get the picture

mark kibort

Ill be out there with SCCA racing too, as we have a few guys in ITE running. (keep an eye out for the red and gold 928s)

Sears is a fantastic track. my first DE days were here. If you are not an ego maniac, sears provides a much steeper learning curve. (because you are turning all the time) And, the track is pretty slow for a street car. Sure, Thunderhill and buttonwillow also are much safer for any mistakes, they provide more high speed training. I would suggest Sears, but go out with an instructor (find a good one). I remember my first day at sears back in 1994, there was two real aweful wrecks in the DE groups. both were just plain stupid mistakes! (a new 993 and a mercedes) both at near turn 11.

MK

mark kibort

go to sears point! sheezz . just pretend you are driving on off and on ramps on the freeway all track day long.

NASA provides a great place to go out and run your first time there. 4 groups in DE. 1-2 run together, and 1 has instructors in the car with you . they are real strict now, (was a free for all when i first started) pretty safe, but then again, it depends on the driver and his temperment. again, i started at Sears point, then went on to thunderhill and laguna and i was hooked from day 1.

Mk