Second annual TST track day June 23-24 at NJMP

[oneday]

Originally Posted by DV2000NJ

Top down is allowed? Hell yeah!

As long as you have approved roll-over protection. A Hard Dog DD roll bar or other SCCA/NASA approved structure is required.

[012.5RS]

didnt see on their site, is there a fee for spectators as well?

[oneday]

I don't think I've ever seen a fee for a spectator at a HPDE event....but I've never gone to spectate, so...might want to check with NJMP.

[012.5RS]

thats kinda what i figured, i checked their site and didnt see anything. hopefully i can get my car done in time, but i dont wanna rush to get it done and overlook something.

[davin]

I have never raced before and I have a feeling I am going to **** my pants...

[oneday]

This is not racing.

The first few HPDEs you do are about learning how to drive on a race track. They are about smoothness. HPDE's for me are relaxing. No drama.

It's okay, and normal, to be anxious or nervous before your sessions, but if you are scared you have no business being out there as you will be danger to yourself and to everyone else.

[Chris B.]

Originally Posted by davin

I have never raced before and I have a feeling I am going to **** my pants...

If you haven't been on a race track before you will be on the track with a group of other drivers that have little to no experience on a race track. Like Oneday said, its not racing. Its High performance Drivers Education. You will be learning how to drive smooth and fast, which are some of the basics you can use eventually for racing.

Most drivers have a favorite back road or section of road they like driving a little fast on. Imagine that road closed off for you where you don't have to worry about oncoming traffic, police, or spinning off the road right into a tree and you have a driving instructor in the passenger seat who has thousands of miles of track experience and can give you pointers on how to go faster and faster through that section of road. You will eventually learn how much faster you can drive and what your car is really capable of. You may have thought you were pushing the limits on the street, but in reality, your car can do much more and this teaches you how to do that.

[oneday]

Originally Posted by Chris B.

You will eventually learn how much faster you can drive and what your car is really capable of. You may have thought you were pushing the limits on the street, but in reality, your car can do much more and this teaches you how to do that.

I would add to that: You will appreciate how much room a race track gives you to push your limits. And how little room for error there is when driving at higher speeds. Hopefully you never have to see just how much room it takes to make a "save" at higher speeds, but if you do you will realize how little room a public street offers. This hopefully make you realize that a public street is never the place to push the limits of your abilities or your car's capabilities. This is part of the reason you become a safer/better driver in the real world after doing a few HPDEs.

[davin]

Oh ok, right on. This seems right up my ally. Thanks guys!

[marshallpre1]

oneday/ChrisB:

What is your opinion for a super newbie (aka me) and getting on track insurance? I'll be taking my G35, or a 240SX if I find one clean enough by then!

Thanks

[DaBombDiggidy]

very interested in this... gotta get my car back together.

[CKxx]

What sanctioning body's safety rules will the vehicle have to conform to? Specifically, driver vs. passenger safety restraints?

[DV2000NJ]

^ I believe most, if not all, require the driver and passenger to have the same type of restraint (so the instructor isn't flopping around the car while you're strapped into a 5 pt. harness).

[CKxx]

Originally Posted by DV2000NJ

^ I believe most, if not all, require the driver and passenger to have the same type of restraint (so the instructor isn't flopping around the car while you're strapped into a 5 pt. harness).

That's what I was wondering about, the interpretation of "restraint." Does restraint mean seat, or just harness?

Example: 5pt on both sides, but driver side has a race bucket.

[Antonio]

most of the ones I've been to counted the seat as a part of the restraint system. So you couldn't have a race bucket for the driver, and stock seat for passenger. What ever seat/belt system the driver has, the passenger has to have as well

[DV2000NJ]

Originally Posted by CKxx

That's what I was wondering about, the interpretation of "restraint." Does restraint mean seat, or just harness?

Example: 5pt on both sides, but driver side has a race bucket.

Pretty sure you can't legally have a 5pt harness on anything other than a race seat.

[oneday]

Originally Posted by marshallpre1

oneday/ChrisB:

What is your opinion for a super newbie (aka me) and getting on track insurance? I'll be taking my G35, or a 240SX if I find one clean enough by then!

Thanks

You'll only wish you had if you don't have it and need it. That said, I've never bought track day insurance, and fortunately have never needed it. Depending on what car I have for this event--if I need to take my street car--I might decide to get the insurance.

Originally Posted by CKxx

What sanctioning body's safety rules will the vehicle have to conform to? Specifically, driver vs. passenger safety restraints?

TrackDaze and every other organization requires equal belts/seats for both driver and passenger. The seats/belts don't need to be the same color, manufacturer, or date, but must conform to the same standards (SFI/FIA). I had a Cobra Suzuka driver's seat but a Ultra-Shield passenger seat, but to the same SFI/FIA standards. Safety is a package that is only as good as the weakest component.

Also, a word of warning: NJ (the state, not the track) is extremely particular about dates on safety gear. Racing harnesses have an expiration date, if your belts are expired you will not get on the track and might end up being ticketed and paying a fine, courtesy of the NJSP. State police have been known to patrol the paddock and do belt inspections, they will also ticket you if you are driving too fast in the paddock or if you drive in the paddock without your belts secured. I have personally seen a trooper at two events over the last two years, but have never seen a ticket issued, but I do know of a few people that have received them.

[CKxx]

Originally Posted by oneday

Also, a word of warning: NJ (the state, not the track) is extremely particular about dates on safety gear. Racing harnesses have an expiration date, if your belts are expired you will not get on the track and might end up being ticketed and paying a fine, courtesy of the NJSP. State police have been known to patrol the paddock and do belt inspections, they will also ticket you if you are driving too fast in the paddock or if you drive in the paddock without your belts secured. I have personally seen a trooper at two events over the last two years, but have never seen a ticket issued, but I do know of a few people that have received them.

That's pretty awful.

[dangerousatom]

Its on the Calendar!!

[oneday]

Originally Posted by marshallpre1

oneday/ChrisB:

What is your opinion for a super newbie (aka me) and getting on track insurance? I'll be taking my G35, or a 240SX if I find one clean enough by then!

Thanks

Originally Posted by oneday

You'll only wish you had if you don't have it and need it. That said, I've never bought track day insurance, and fortunately have never needed it. Depending on what car I have for this event--if I need to take my street car--I might decide to get the insurance.

A quick anecdote from yesterday's event: An incident resulted in a totaled car. Driver had trackday insurance ($350 for the day to cover a $50K car). Driver was fine, but said that he would have been devastated if he hadn't bought the insurance.

That said, we had 60+ cars on track yesterday. Of those, 16 people had never been on a racetrack before. The only incidents worth mentioning all involved advanced drivers and really, only that one resulted in the end of the driver's day.