[Timbo-1LE]

Hey, did track day at FIRM in Starke, had a great time and will again. Would like to try Sebring and others...

Thoughts on which groups are best for track days?

Thx

[Buzzberd6]

The SCCA central Florida region has a couple of days coming up soon at both Sebring and Daytona. Sebring is on Sat/Sun the 22/23 and will be run on the short, club course. Saturday is for novices only and Sunday for for experienced signed of to run solo.

Daytona will be Friday Aug 4 and it is for experienced drivers only, no novices. I'm already entered for that weekend, plan on racing my HP CRX Saturday and Sunday also.

I've never run with them but Chin Motorsports does a lot of events in Florida too. Search motorsportsreg.com for events near your location and several of them will show up. Actually I jsut checked and Chin has a track day at Sebring this Saturday (7/15) and a group called Performance Driving Group is running Sunday.

[Dwille]

I ran with Hooked on Driving at Sebring in the early spring. I thought they were a pretty good (safe and well organized) group.

[Timbo-1LE]

Great. Thanks for the input, still a beginner..but having fun.

[Norm Peterson]

I've run with HOD several times and can echo Dwille's commentary about safe and well-organized.


Chin looks like another good group to run with - although I haven't actually driven any of their events I have talked with a couple of their instructors.


Norm

[adamizme]

I've done a few days at FIRM and wasn't overly impressed with the track, but it's still fun.

I've done quite a few events with hooked on driving at Roebling Road. HOD does a great job at keeping things organized and professional. Free lunch and beer after the track is shut down is a nice perk too.

[spotswood]

What does it take now to get your car on a track like Sebring and what equipment and licensing is needed?
I have not raced in forty years so do I need a new Nomex suit?
Do I need to attend driving school again to get certified to get on a track like sebring?
I live in Florida now and have a new ZlE coming and would like to get it on a track once in a while?
Do any groups just rent the track for the day and avoid a lot of the regulations associated with organized racing?
Gary

[Norm Peterson]

1: A car in good mechanical condition and a valid driver's license.

2: No.

3: Given the length of time since you last raced, I expect you'd be placed in the novice group with an instructor sitting right seat for your first event. But given that you actually do have some track experience, you might get signed off to run solo before that day is out.

Last: That's basically what H.O.D, Chin, and other track day entities do. You pay the entry fee, get your car tech'ed, attend the drivers' meeting . . . they handle all the details with the track. Getting track day insurance would be on you, separately.


Norm

[Silent...]

I've done 2 weekends with NASA http://www.drivenasafl.com/sebring/ this year and I've signed up for their 3rd one at the end of September. NASA's weekend structure is set over a two day weekend with 8 total HPDE sessions of about 20-24 minutes each. There is classroom time as well each morning and after lunch. They are very well organized and work to preserve the time that we have paid for. I'm in the process of posting up a thread in the Florida section regarding the September event. Please take a look. And if you have any questions, please let me know.

[spotswood]

Thanks for the info.
Do I need track day Insurance and if so, where do I get that at?

Do I just join the Florida SCCA chapter and then they sig me off with a driver or do I need to just take another formal racing course after all these years? I would prefer to use my own car than to go to a Skip Barber course and drive a formula car.
Looking for something in Florida close by. I am two hours from Sebring.

Will I need to safety wire my car at all?
Thanks for the help.
Gary

[Norm Peterson]

Originally Posted by spotswood

Thanks for the info.
Do I need track day Insurance and if so, where do I get that at?

Your option. Lockton is one place and there may be a link to them when you register.

Do I just join the Florida SCCA chapter and then they sig me off with a driver or do I need to just take another formal racing course after all these years? I would prefer to use my own car than to go to a Skip Barber course and drive a formula car.

You wouldn't have to join SCCA unless you were going to run one of their HPDE events (i.e. a Track Night in America event).

Whatever group you run with will have their own process for advancement up from novice, which begins at your first event with them. In at least some situations, organizations will recognize verifiable current experience above novice level acquired with other groups.

Will I need to safety wire my car at all?

Doing so hasn't been listed on the HPDE tech inspection checklists I've seen, nor would I expect it to be required for a fully street-legal car.


Norm

[Silent...]

Norm has everyone covered with good info.

I used Lockton for my first event and Hagerty for the second. Hagerty was a little less for the same coverage, at that time. Both were easy to sign up for. Both covers multi day weekend events.

If anyone wants to drive with NASA, just visit their website https://www.nasaproracing.com/hpde/ where there is plenty of information and Q&A's. Some of the people I know also run with Chinn since they are out at Sebring 14 times per year. I hear Chinn is well organized. Each are slightly different. I'll probably end up running a Chinn event or two in the near future.

Again, if anyone is wanting to run Sebring in September and has specific questions, send them my way.

[spotswood]

Thanks for the information.
I just signed up with Chin as I live 2 hours from Sebring and they seem to have the most track events there which will be convenient for me.
Now I just need to get my car.
Gary

[Silent...]

You're welcome. I live 20 minutes from the track. It makes it very easy for track days.