wannaberacer

hiya,
just wondering if anyone knows of any DE's around ohio for this coming year yet. I won't have my p-car running, so I was thinking maybe I could take the honda out. Oh and are there any PCA'ers or POC people here around cleveland?

Bill Gregory

If you go to the tracks you might be interested in driving, sometimes their web sites have a calendar of what groups are running when. Then you can look at those groups for more details.

aft911

Bill's idea is a good one. Another angle you can take, if you are a PCA member, is to look at the calendar on www.PCA.com, for DE's to be run by PCA regions in your area

Mark in Baltimore

Also, try the following websites:

Dale's Track Schedule

Trackschedule.com-Coco's Driver's Ed Calendar

DrivingEvents.com

This one seems to be for west coasters:

Pukka Software

Palting

DE schedules for 2004 are not out yet. BUT, the groups usually run their DE's around the same dates. Second week of April, whatever year, at the same course, or something like that. Your best bet would be to check with the websites of the PCA regions for the 2003 schedules, or the websites already mentioned above, and guesstimate the time for next year. Most will allow non-Porsches, but still give preference to P-cars if the attendance gets full.

APKhaos

Many tracks are still heavily in negotiation with competing clubs for dates in 2004. This can get tricky, and [regretfully] money talks. Skip Barber was reported to have locked up all of Summit Point for the month of June - thats all THREE courses, including the new Shennandoah layout which will be completed next year. Local clubs are out of luck.

Most of this cut and thrust will be over by Jan/Feb, which is when the east coast tracks and clubs usually publish schedules.

The links Mark posted are good places to check - these sites monitor the tracks and clubs fairly closely.

Al P.

Somehow it doesn't seem fair that Skippy can lock up all three circuits at SP for a month.

The golden rule:
He who has the gold makes the rules

APKhaos

You're right, Al. Thats what its all about. Good news is that the more track operators do well, the more tracks we get. The Shennandoah circuit at Summit, Beaverun and BMSP are great new east coast tracks built [or under construction] in the last few years. This has to be great news for the Pcar fraternity.

Potomac PCA is working feverishly to service the high demand for participation in our DE program. Applications for our novice run group this season was around 3X the number we can run on Summit Point. There are some creative plans in the works to better handle the demand, but the fact that demand is so strong is great for everyone - clubs, tracks, AND drivers.

Jason Judd

If you're near Mid-Ohio, they have lapping days....

They usually don't show up on Dale's list, that's why I mention it.

I went there last April for a few days...more of a school...but you get so much driving time that you have to come in for fuel!

By the way, their instructors are the real deal...I had Mike Borkowsky!

I think I clocked almost 75 miles before lunch!

the cost is about $700 for a day...OUCH!

Jason

Al P.

Too bad Rousch Creek ran out of money (or whatever the reason work has ground to a halt) and that the Alpine Motorsports park also seems to have faded off. From where I sit I see huge volumes of people that really want to get on the track and learn, the real problem seems to be how do you accomodate all the folks that want to get into this AND still have room for those that are in the program already.
sort of: "Hi, I'd like to sign up for a track day" "Oky Doky, I think we have one opening in '05, I'll put you on the waitng list for '04"

Skip Wolfe

Hey Wannaberacer,

Good to see a fellow Clevelander and Bobcat getting out. In addition to the track calenders in Mark in Baltimores post I would keep an eye on the local region PCA sites - mainly the
Northeast Ohio - http://vista.pca.org/noo/
Mid-Ohio - http://www.morpca.org/
Allegheny - http://www.arpca.com/

Also Trackquest (Rennlist sponsor) puts on events at Mid-Ohio in the Spring and Fall. A bit pricey but tons of track time.
http://www.tracquest.com/deboard/default.htm

And finally there is good ole Nelson Ledges. Once you have a couple events under your belt they have open days throught the summer where you can get a ton of track time for $100. The only thing is that there isn't any instrucors, so I would recommend either waiting until you get some experience ot go out with some one who's experienced and can help you out.

Z-man

The NNJR PCA region typically runs their Mid-Ohio DE event the first week of June. (This year it was Fri-Sun, June 6-8). Check their website early next year, and make sure to sign up the first day the event opens! (NNJR typically sells out their DE events on the first opening day).

NNJR website:
http://vista.pca.org/nnj

-Z.

PS: I think that in the past couple of years, there has been a rise in interest in track driving, hence the 'reinaissance' of VIR, the expansion occuring at Summit Point (Shenendoah circuit), and the Rouch Creek / Alpine Motorsports projects. Regarding Rouch & Alpine: hopefully their marketting people will tap into those who are getting into track driving and have deep pockets soon!