Are there any tracks around???

[Keeper1343]

I was wondering if there were any actual circut (spelling ha) tracks around that you can pay to race on??? When i get my car done i want to get on one and start a new hobby.

[thewake]

What exactly are you looking for? Wheel to Wheel? Track Days? Circle track? Road Course? Dirt? Paved? How far from what location are you willing to travel?

[Keeper1343]

like road racing. Would drive like 3 hours from philly

[thewake]

Originally Posted by Keeper1343

like road racing. Would drive like 3 hours from philly

Then you are most likely looking at

1. Pocono
2. Summit Point

A little further are
3. Lime Rock
4. Watkins Glen

Then in June '08 NJ Motorsports park is scheduled to open in Millville, NJ

Have you looked into an organization to go racing with? The two most likely canidates are the SCCA and NASA.

Local chapters are South Jersey Region SCCA, Philly Region (covers delaware too) and NASA Northeast.

If you want to come out and join us for a meeting the SJR-SCCA meets at the Elephant and Castle (Rt. 70 & 295) in Cherry Hill NJ, on the second Wednesday of the month. Our next meeting is going to be January 9th.

[Nick 95 6sp]

As far as high performance driving event type track days vs. "real racing", to the above good infor I'll add that many of the HPDE track events at local tracks are organized by Performance Drivers Assoc., PDA http://www.pdadrivingschool.com/

I just got email notice from them the other day that a lot of their 2008 schedule is already on the website, so look at the "Upcoming Events ...read more" link at the top of the front page. I'm really glad to see a bunch of days already scheduled for NJ Motorsports Park in addition to the other tracks around here.

[alwaysinboost]

I second PDA, I'll be signing up this year (08).

[PUREKDM]

i'd def. be down but don't most of those groups require you to have roll cages and be certified or what ever?

[uurxin]

yeah.. thunderbolt is going to be amazing.. created from the same guys that built VIR... its going to be nice to have a world class racing facility like that so close to home

take a look

http://njmotorsportspark.com/html/track_venues.html

[alwaysinboost]

Originally Posted by PUREKDM

i'd def. be down but don't most of those groups require you to have roll cages and be certified or what ever?

no, roll cages are for race cars, not street cars. all you need is a SAFE car, that is mechanically sound, and an SA rated helmet

[PUREKDM]

well im down...why do road racing events make you have all that garbage?? and does anyone know how much it'll cost to hit up that track or anymore information on it...i didn't find the site too useful

[alwaysinboost]

by "all that garbage" do you mean needing a safe car and a helmet?? thats not much to ask and just about every automotive sport requires at least those two items. I mean, you can come with an unsafe or unreliable car but you won't have any fun sitting on the bench when your junk brakes down on you. Trust me, once you do it a couple times it will become very obvious why there are safety rules.

As far as cost goes you can plan on spending at least a couple hundred for the day when you factor in food, gas and entry fee. If you look around you can get 2 day packages for high 200 low 300's. Better make sure your car is in good working condition though, you don't want to pay all that money to get out there only to realize your brake pads suck and your trans won't shift, lol.

For a lot less money, and seat time, you can autox. Its challanging but IMO not as fun as road racing but it fills the void nicely between events. Not to mention it costs only around $30 for the day and doesn't put a fraction of the amount of abuse on your car as a road course does.

[PUREKDM]

when i said road racing i was refering to the hill climbs and actual sanctioned "road" racing events...i understand the helmet and safe car thing but you need a cage and racing license and other "garbage" just to do what i do every day on my way home from work w/o worrying about oncoming traffic...

[alwaysinboost]

what you do on your way home from work is NOTHING, I repeat NOTHING, like what people do on an actual road course. If you think it is then you have never been on a track before. sorry if that sounds harsh but its a fact, ask anyone who knows, racing on the street isn't racing, its stupid. If you think you can race please get your car on a road course and see how good you are.

you won't be able to compete in a sanctioned event yet because you have no experience, I think you're putting the cart in front of the horse a little bit...

also, hill climbing doesn't = road racing. Nobody is talking about hill climbing, thats a completly different sport all together but I'm sure you could find out info about in NASA's site.

[PUREKDM]

i didn't say anything about "street racing" and if you or anyone on this site can look me in the eyes and tell me they don't or never have "driven spiritedly" by yourself against yourself on the backroads by there house late at night when NO ONE is out except the occasional forest critter, i will kick them in the balls for being a douche bag.

i DO NOT have ANY experience in road racing or hill climbing but i do believe i am a realatively good driver and that is why im on here trying to collect information. what you said did not sound harsh but i don't think you completely understood what i was saying...

[alwaysinboost]

hold on... so you only "street race" on the way home from work, on the back roads near your house, in the middle of the night, by yourself, against yourself, when nobody else is around except the occasional forest critters... did I understand that correctly?

[PUREKDM]

what are you my mom or something?? i never called what i do street racing...you seemed to dub it that term...i enjoy my ride home from work because i live in the middle of no where with curvy hilly roads everywhere surrounded by cornfields...i don't time myself or film it or race anyone...im just saying i enjoy driving...sheeesh

[TurboTagTeam]

Trying to compare any "spirited" street driving and actual road course driving is imposible. I highly doubt you have ever even come close to your cars traction and braking limits on the street.

[PUREKDM]

again...this is all correct information that i already know...

[Jlb725]

Originally Posted by PUREKDM

when i said road racing i was refering to the hill climbs and actual sanctioned "road" racing events...i understand the helmet and safe car thing but you need a cage and racing license and other "garbage" just to do what i do every day on my way home from work w/o worrying about oncoming traffic...

I understand where you are coming from, but in order for hill-climbs to keep happening they need 2 have all these safety precautions. Since it is an SCCA event they require the same safety equipment as they would for a club race. As people have already said you might be interested in a PDA driving event which doesn't require a cage or racing suit.
- Jim

[PUREKDM]

i really am a virgin when it comes to these types of events...only recently have i started going to englishtown...im just trying to gather as much information as possible and get to a track asap