[eaglesfan2006]

Not sure if this is the best forum for this, if not please let me know!

I have never raced a car, driven on a track, or even thought about t until I bought my camaro a week ago and discovered this forum.

I am not expecting anyone to type out an entire guide, so please point me in the direction of where to look for information, What to search on this forum, other places to look for information.

Anything will help, just point me in the right direction.

I personally want to do a HPDE from just hearing about it which will definitely help me learn more as well.

Thanks in advance!

[ninetres]

Check if there are YouTube videos of good drivers on the tracks near you that you plan on attending. Learn their lines. Bonus points if they have voice overs teaching people about the track.

[slvrsrpnt]

I recently had my first track event with an SCCA a Track Night in America. Very laid back day with some legal speeding. I want to do an HPDE weekend with NASA next to get an instructor in the car with me.

[wjones14]

I just Googled for HPDE events near Maryland, and Summit Point raceway came up. They have a program called Friday at the Track.

http://summitpoint-raceway.com/progr...-at-the-track/

Looks perfect for someone wanting to get started with HPDE. They supply in-car instructors. You bring your car and a helmet. It's an all-day event. They have a schedule posted at the above link. You'll get four 20-minute track sessions, and looks like 90 minutes of classroom instruction. $275 for the day.

There's a lot of good general information here at the NASA site.

https://www.nasaproracing.com/hpde/


This is what I would bring to your first event:

• duffel bag
• beach chair
• tire pressure gauge
• helmet
• glass cleaner or wipes

First time is information overload! There is a ton of stuff going on once you're out there on the track. Just remember that it's not a race and there are no trophies handed out at the end. Listen to your instructor, go at your own pace, use common sense, and have fun. The main goal is to be safe.

[MosaicX1LE]

Also I'll throw out that if you have a regional SCCA nearby, check out their autocross events for a cheap and fun way to get used to driving the car at (and sometimes past ��) the limit.

[Laststandard]

Originally Posted by slvrsrpnt

I recently had my first track event with an SCCA a Track Night in America. Very laid back day with some legal speeding. I want to do an HPDE weekend with NASA next to get an instructor in the car with me.

I'm signed up for my first TNiA in a couple weeks here. Great program, and an inexpensive way to get on the track. $125 vs $350-400 for an HPDE. The goal for next year is to save up some cash and head out to Road America.

[Outahand]

Good advice above.

My first track experience was a NASA HPDE. It was a great learning experience.

[hzycamaro]

I'm also a beginner and I think NASA HPDE is a great way to learn how to drive on track

[JD_]

Depending on where you are in MD, VIR is another option, as is Dominion. A friend and I are going down to VIR in October for a 2-day event.

As for autocross events, here are the links for the various clubs that I have run with or plan to run with in the near future:

http://www.capitaldrivingclub.com/

http://nccautocross.com/

https://www.vette-club.org/autocross/

https://www.wdcr-scca.org/scca-autocross

[TrackClub]

First id recommend reading the car's owners manual and its high performance supplement for details on break in procedure, necessary fluid changes and such.
Note these are generic manuals covering all Camaro models so ensure you find info specific to your model.
Proper motor oil, brake fluid (such as Castrol SRF Dot4), tire pressures and track alignment should be covered there.

Secondly, see what car clubs are in your area that run HPDE. It is crucial to seek and receive top quality instruction from folks that have been specifically trained to provide same. NB some excellent instructors are lousy racers and some excellent racers make for lousy instructors I like PCA and BMW clubs as they have a formal instructor training program. But no doubt many other organizations may provide top level of quality coaching. But it pays to ask, as it is your money and quality of instruction will have direct effect on your progress.

Thirdly: you will need a helmet. While some orgs provide loaners, others dont. If and when you decide to buy one make sure you go to a shop where you can try one on for a proper fit. It should be quite snag and not have any slack when moved side to side, but not to a point of being too tight and uncomfortable. Open face vs closed face is a personal preference. I prefer open face for OEM safety systems incl air bags. But thats my own personal preference only. Note some states like NJ allow closed helmets only. Proper driving shoes, soft and well fitting, plus driving gloves help, but are not at all necessary for a few first outings. Wear cotton clothing only as it is much safer vs synhetics in case of a fire.

For basic tips on how to prep for an HPDE event go to
Www.sobmw.ca and look up Additional Info for Students tab.

Seek as much quality instruction as you can. Ensure you have a good rapport with your instructor (and if not, ask for a different one). Learning should be fun and rewarding and start with basics regarding proper seating position, smooth operation of controls, proper vision and awareness, the line, etc.
Dont be frustrated if different instructors provide slighly different ideas or feedback. Such as a specific line thru a given corner, etc.Try it all. Soak it all up. Eventually, with knowledge and experience you will decide what is best for you and your car. But that will take some time...

Watch some vids of a track you intend on going to. Even just to get familiar with its flow. It will help.

If you get hooked and decide on making it a hobby, i strongly recommend a book by Michael Krumm titled Driving on the Edge. Best one on the market bar none.
Ross Bentley also has excellent books, focusing more on traditional learning principles (which have their time and place especially when one is just starting up).
Ross also offers weekly Spèed Secret emails with tons of fantastic high performance driving tips for only $25 per year. Plus pod casts etc.

Lastly and most importantly: have bags of fun!!!

[Norm Peterson]

Originally Posted by eaglesfan2006

I have never raced a car, driven on a track, or even thought about t until I bought my camaro a week ago and discovered this forum.

Since I'm not seeing any structured hard driving in your description - not even autocross - I strongly recommend getting in-car instruction as early in your track-day program as possible. Coaching in real time is still the best choice.

I agree with the idea of watching videos taken at the track you're about to go to, just don't expect to run anywhere near either the speeds or the g's that may be overlaid in those videos. Do pay attention to where on the track they're putting their cars, as this is going to be quite a bit different from what your street driving has been teaching you. Pick videos where the cars are at least generally similar to your own; other Camaros and maybe Mustangs being better choices than Miatas, Lotuses, or Porsches.

Plan on NOT doing much shifting, as you'll be busy enough with all the stuff that's going to be new to you.

NJMP in Millville NJ is another venue that might not be too far. Relatively wide pavement and generally good amounts of runoff room (IOW, you won't feel crowded by Armco, concrete, or other objects close to the track proper). There are two entirely separate courses (you can probably drive either of them shifting up once and down once . . . or at most twice each).

You can find many track day events on Motorsportreg.com, but you'll want to go to the individual organizations' sites to find out what they offer and what they require.


One last thing - don't forget to have fun.


Norm

[eaglesfan2006]

Thank you for all the responses! This definitely will help me prepare!

[whiteboyblues2001]

I have been doing the "Friday at the Track" events at Summit Point, and they have excellent instruction for beginners. They give classroom sessions, time on the skid pad in their cars, and four 20 minute sessions with an instructior. They use cones on the course for the beginners to help with the line. They have loaner helmets if you need.

I will be going to the one in November (the November one is actually on a Sunday). Let me know if you go to that one, and I can meet up with you and help point you in the right direction. The beginner group (group 1) fills up pretty early, so sign up as soon as you can.

[Lafourche1]

Originally Posted by eaglesfan2006

Not sure if this is the best forum for this, if not please let me know!

I have never raced a car, driven on a track, or even thought about t until I bought my camaro a week ago and discovered this forum.

I am not expecting anyone to type out an entire guide, so please point me in the direction of where to look for information, What to search on this forum, other places to look for information.

Anything will help, just point me in the right direction.

I personally want to do a HPDE from just hearing about it which will definitely help me learn more as well.

Thanks in advance!

I would recommend getting an instructor in your car as soon as feasible. I have been in NASA, HOD and PCA sanctioned events. Any of the top sanctioning bodies (Chin is another one, I just haven't been in any of their events) will provide an instructor, class room instruction and a good structure to help ease the jitters. I also recommend looking into track day insurance. Some will say that it isn't necessary. I subscribe to the statement, if you cannot afford to set your car on fire and walk away from it, then you need track day insurance.

Safety first. That is something that will be instilled in you by your HPDE events. In isn't only learning how to drive faster. It is also learning how to drive faster more safely. Those lessons apply off the track.