So has anyone done a road course lapping day? I just looked into it and it seems you have to take their course for $555 first (mondays or tuesdays??) and then pay $125 for instruction at your first lapping session plus $245 for the lapping fee. Anyone done this? Is it really that expensive and complicated? I don't think it's unreasonable, but just curious if that's really what it costs.

Yep. That's the cost. Oh and don't forget insurance. I will say this again: DON'T FORGET INSURANCE. Not just any fun-bag insurance but oh-sweet-Jesus-I-am-going-too-fast-and-about-freak-the-fuck-out-at-the-track insurance.

Balls?

^Technically you should leave those at home and just bring some titanium boading balls in their place. This is what one instructor told me and I was the fastest guy that day.

So yes bring some balls but not your own. You need those for the celebration afterwards...*wink wink nudge nudge*

I've always heard big brass for rally drivers. Titanium must be for the f1 drivers, much lighter.

BTW, Justin Beiber can't have a sex tape, you have to have hit puberty for that.

I think this may all be out of my league, priorities, and budget for this year but I would definitely be interested in starting with the 1 day racing school sometime. Suggestions for how to obtain track insurance?

Speaking from personal experience?

Yeah just go through your normal insurance. You call them up about two weeks beforehand and tell them what you plan on doing and they pretty much take care of the rest.

Yikes! I would think they'd freak out if they knew I was doing a track day. Do they just add the track coverage or increase your regular premium too? I would assume they consider track use a "high risk behavior" and upon learning that information would want to increase the premium regardless. I might just be paranoid though.

Track insurance is seperate. Most likely, your existing standard coverage won't be of any use. Read the fine print on your service agreement -- there's likely a disclaimer against "high risk" behaviors.

Absolutely check your current policy, though. You might get lucky. I reccomend going through your independant insurance rep rather than going directly to the company -- rumor has it some companies will drop you if they even suspect you're gonna spend a day taking corners above 100mph.

ProFormance can refer you to a couple of firms that do offer supplemental track insurance. One is the same company that insures ProFormanc. I've been lazy about getting it, largely because accidents are so rare.

I've seen people spin out, and I've clipped a safety cone, but the only serious accident I ever witnessed was when the track photographer flat-footed Turn 9, went into the grass, then spun out and slammed his ass into a retaining wall. Buckled the frame on his pig of a Shelby GT 500. Point is, 90% of the danger is what the driver brings to the track. Stay alert, don't push your car past its limits, and know when you're too mentally fatigued to keep going. As ProFormance constantly reminds everyone, open lapping is 7/10's driving, not a full-bore race.

Ok, there, now I've jinxed myself for next Monday (my next track day) Well, nice knowing ya all, lol

Hey thanks for the replies. When I get to the point that I want to take the one day course, I'll be sure to get insurance lined up. I'm thinking about October.

$245 is for the half-day lapping. All-day lapping is $280. I started with all-day lapping, but was getting too mentally fatigued to really take advantage of it. Focusing every fiber of your being every second on the track is really, really exhausting (well, for those of us who don't drive an R-8). These days I do the half-day lapping, and that's plenty of track time.

The costs go to paying the corner marshalls, and also to keep a wrecker and an EMT crew on stand-by. Also, ProFormance doesn't own the track. They pay for their time just like every other club or organization. ProFormance just happens to use it more often than most.

Is it worth it? Well HELL YEAH! If you want to race on PR's road course (and you do) then you'll have to go through one group or another. I looked into a couple of other clubs, but they were requiring roll cages, Snell helmets, 5-point restraints for both driver and passenger, etc, that i don't have. Short term, it's actually cheaper to run with ProFormance than to qualify to join the Porsche or Alfa Romero clubs. OTOH, if you already have the pricey required equipment, then take a look at the Porsche club since their actual track rates are significantly cheaper. See http://www.pnwr.org/Track/driver_ed/default.asp for more info there.

Personally, I've been extremely happy running with ProFormance. There are a wide variety of cars to run against ... er ... with, cuz it ain't racing (har!). I learned a lot in the class, and the instructors are all top-notch (you'll miss them the first time you solo, lol). And believe me, the first time you race in the rain and blast past a Z06, a ZR1, and an F430 all the same day ... well, when you get to experience that, money is that LAST thing on your mind.

TORQD is correct when it comes to the insurance. I went through mine with no hassle. They didn't freak out or anything. Come to think of it, they were really encouraging...

Yes. I've only had sex after I hit puberty ( ). Then again, before everything down there worked ( ), I never really tried.

/awkward for everyone

Well I am here to tell you that one can have sex before puberty...

NOW it's awkward...

How about them Huskies? Should look good this year! (just got my acceptance letter)

Now that this thread has been well and truly derailed, how much does weekend coverage for something like that cost?

whatever... hax.

THIS !!! ^^^

I did my class in October, it rained like a bitch, and it was fun as hell. Whatever you can do in October rain, you can do 2x better on a dry track. Learn it tough, then the rest is easy-peasy from there on out.

Our cars totally ROOL in the rain. You'll get the confidence boost you need to tackle anything, but have an instructor there to reign you in just in case.

True story...


That was on Day 1 of my track experience. You want it too. You know you do.

ZOMG, that's so awesome. I need to do this......

LOL!!! That pretty much sums it up. When I went down to Laguna Seca, I didn't know what the hell to expect I so in the briefing room before our first outing, the instructor tells us to do what comes naturally and that they will work with us to improve from there...

...so I did, which was clip the entry of the Corkscrew and choki-dori the MX-5 for all it was worth. Expecting to be chastised afterwards, we got out of the car and he called over all the other instructors and told them what I did. All I got was high-fives. After that we were worked on how I could improve grip driving in a RWD...which was my evolution to grifting.

It's so much fun. I miss it a lot.

Just drive it like a time attack car, clip all the apexes rally style, just don't slide... as much.


God I want one of those too!