Wickedated

Season isnt here yet but I've started looking for tracks that allow drivers to sign up for track time. So far, I've singled out Limerock Park, Watkin Glens and New Hampshire Speedway as possible tracks. Anyone have experience in taking their cars to the track here in New England? Whats the best track (easy to get to, price-wise, circuit layout) around here? Limerock has a "Club" for 100K which is out of question and a more "economic" Associate Membership for 27k, which isnt so bad on the long run. Any help/suggestions will be much appreciated.

z3 racer

The tracks around here don't usually have sign-ups for individuals to just go a drive - apart from that being an insurance nightmare, many tracks (especially NASCAR facilities like NHMS) are booked out by pro teams, other series, etc, well in advance of anything.

Access I've seen is through various clubs and sanctioning bodies. In addition to the Audi Club, other clubs that have events at the tracks around here include:

<a href="http://www.comscc.org">COM Sports Car Club</a>
<a href="http://www.scda1.com">Sports Car Driving Association</a>
<a href="http://www.boston-bmwcca.org">Boston Chapter, BMW Car Club of America</a>
<a href="http://www.porschenet.com/">Porsche Club of America</a>
<a href="http://www.ner.org">New England Region, Sports Car Club of America</a>

Of course, this being winter, some of us are waiting to see if Newfound Lake will freeze enough for the BMW Club to have an ice-racing season this year (isn't that why we drive Quattros?)

-noam

Suffolk

<center><img src="http://www.quattro123.com/NHIS/Flyer2006sigSIZE.jpg"></center><p>
Audi has the NAAC local to ME, NH, MA, RI

Being on AW, $44 gets you membership to any Audi club's event after siging up and paying the event fees.

Audi members have been to these facilities: (as examples)
NH NHMS formerly NHIS
CT Lime Rock Park
PA Poconos
NJ Thunderbolt
NY Watkins Glen
OH Mid - Ohio
VA VIR
Canada - Calabogie &amp; Mont Tremblant just to name some within 1000 miles.

&lt;Poster as an example&gt;
HTH
-Scott<ul><li><a href="http://www.naaclub.org/">N A A C Audi club regional chapter &amp; track dates</a></li></ul>

NoahD

For example, we typically charge less than $400 for 2 days at the track with instruction. If you really get hooked and get some experience, you can train to become an instructor and then it's free.

Much more economical to do it with a non-profit like the Audi or BMW clubs.

4Driver4

And that's just the Audi Club events!
Most ACNA events at two day events at very reasonable prices.

The North Atlantic Chapter does an early Spring event at NHIS.

The Northeast Chapter has added a May event at Monticello in NY (google) and has its traditional Limerock event as well as the two dates at Watkins Glen. If you don't mind driving a few extra hours, Calabogie is a fantastic track well worth the trip, and the Fall event at Mont Tremblant is fantastic. The NEQ schedule has been announced, but the site is not updated yet. Perhaps someone here can post it.

The New Jersey Chapter just did its first event last year at the newly built New Jersey Motorsports Park in southern Jersey, and I assume they will do another this year.

CP

among the marque-specific clubs, and their instruction is great. They have many more chapters than the ACNA does, so if you go with a membership to a single club with track days in mind, the BMWCCA is the best option.

COMSCC (time trial) and PDA are good options as well, but the level and amount of instruction is well below the two clubs mentioned above. They're more geared towards intermediate and advanced drives.

4Driver4

I signed up for BMW Club, but found that they were less than welcoming to my Miata.

Roswell

It's easy to sign up for some track events if you go to www.motorsportsreg.com and create an account.. They're only a few hundred bucks for a couple days and that includes just track time and instruction. I never got insurance when i went and realized afterward that I wasn't covered.

You certainly learn a lot and become much more familiar with your car.. It's made me much more confident and from time to time scare myself around some corners especially with the snow on the roads.

The New Hampshire track is so close it's a great time, Watkins Glen is quite a drive for just a couple days.

Have you considered a skip barber school? i've never done it but it could be a fun entry into the whole driving sport before trying it on your own car.

Any of the clubs (audi or BMW) are a cool way to get into it.. The people are all pretty cool and it's easily something that can become addicting.

I'm thinking about picking up a caterham 7 next year to track instead of the S5.. For now I'll borrow my father's Elise.

Shoot me an email, I've met a few good guys from Boston at these events and we all try to make it to the same events.

Also, I saw the sign at the Venice Cafe -- When are you expecting to open up the doors of your new place? i'm psyched.

CP

I started track days in a turbo Mitsubishi, and have been using a Miata for the last year...never had any issues with BMW owners other than some gawking wondering why my crappy 17 year old car was blowing their doors off during sessions.

As you know, lately it's been hard for clubs to fill the daily roster, so they've become more welcoming to anyone with money now. I wouldn't be surprised to see events cancelled this coming season due to lack of interest from people on a budget.

mirth

...assuming you mean convertibles in general and not some kind of badge snobbery, right?